My introduction to the sport of racquetball came when I was in my middle thirties. I started playing with a group of college kids from the restaurant where I was working at the time. They had figured out a way to play racquetball and use the health club’s facilities for free. Most of the clubs offered free trial memberships where you could bring a guest. The trial memberships sometimes even included more than one visit. There were probably at least 25 clubs in the area so the group created a list and rotated their free memberships. I was usually invited along as a guest. If things got tight and we couldn’t find a place to play, there were a few free outdoor courts around in the city parks that we could use.
I took to the game pretty quickly, having played a lot of tennis before in school, but most of the time I lost to the frat guys who were all college athletes and a whole lot younger than I was. I remember playing Kirk in particular. Kirk played college football and he was huge. The problem was when he played racquetball he would forgot that he wasn’t on the football field. He played a full-contact version of the game, slamming you hard into the sides of the court each time he went for the ball. I fought back as best as I could, sometimes “accidentally” swinging the racquet in his direction, but I was usually the one who was black and blue when the game ended. I always wore eye protection and it was a good thing too because one time he slammed the ball so hard right into my face that it broke the glasses and drove part of the nose piece into my nose.
After a year or so the students graduated and moved on so I decided to join a club and continue playing. I was a member for about three years, joined a racquetball league and worked my way up to the intermediate level. The only problem was that a lot of the players on the advanced or senior level dropped down a notch to have more games to play. And looks could be deceiving. Sometimes the guys who looked like Schwarzenegger were really lousy players and the old bald guys with the potbellies who had been playing for 30 years looked like pushovers but could literally have you gasping for mercy after 10 minutes.
I haven’t been to the gym in quite a few years but I should go back because when I was working out I felt and looked a whole lot better. Here are a few of the best places to work out in St. Louis:
The YMCA (various locations) is a good place to join if you are looking for a family-type membership. They have loads of fitness programs and group activities. It’s a huge organization, but I view them as more of a recreational facility than a serious place to work out. And my experience has been that they are sometimes crowded and it’s sometimes hard to book time.
Speaking of large, Bally Fitness Centers (multiple locations) probably have more locations than any other health club in the area. They are now offering a free two-week guest passes. The pass includes access to specialty classes like Pilates, boxing, and more. A 1-hour session with a bally personal trainer will help you measure your percentage of body fat and your metabolic rate. They will also test your fitness level (do you really want to know?) with three different standardized tests and help you to develop your own customized fitness program.
If you are seriously into pumping iron then Gold’s Gym, 12632 Dorsett Rd. is the place for you. Although they offer activities like Spinning, aerobics, and kickboxing, weight training is still their main focus.
Club Fitness, 1-866- 551-CLUB has 11 locations in the greater St. Louis area. They offer state-of-the-art equipment and a professional, caring staff. The St. Peters location is open 24 hours. They offer boot camp classes, belly dancing, Tai Chi, and martial arts. Amenities include a sauna, steam room, smoothie bar, tanning beds and cardio. Free childcare is also available. The enrollment fee is $19.95 and the membership fee is $19.95 every month thereafter. A one-day pass costs $10.
Anytime Fitness 1177 Gravois Rd. 636-326-4004 is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They feature all-new state-of-the-art equipment with flat panel televisions on all of the cardio equipment. They are currently celebrating the grand opening of the Fenton location with membership specials all month.
BJC WellAware Center, 600 S.Taylor, (314) 286-0525. BJC Healthcare operates Barnes Hospital and other health care facilities in the area. The center offers massage therapy, nutrition therapy, weight management programs, metabolic testing, and Senior exercise programs. Membership fees vary. There is a three-month minimum membership. Guest passé are $7 and a drop-in visit costs $10.
