We've always found it distracting trying to work out while taking in the delicious eye candy at a gym. It's hard to "feel the burn" when there are so many built studs wandering around, the sweat glistening on their bulging pecs. Attention is diverted every time they push and pull and press and make all those wonderful motions that cause their muscles to strain and veins to protrude. One can almost detect the faint odor of man musk just writing about it. Yum. We may not get much done at gyms, but if you go for that public-workout sort of thing, then Gold's is the place to be. You'll be sore in no time. Readers have chosen Gold's for three years in a row now, so they must be doing something right!
Runners up:
2. LA Fitness, 240 S. Wilmot Road, 748-1295; 2950 W. Ina Road, 742-2881; 595 E. Wetmore Road, 888-4900, www.lafitness.com
3. YMCA, Various locations, www.ymca.net