In 1992, a fitness club by the name of Lifetime was founded in Chanhassen by Bahram Akradi, offering a high quality, resort-like athletics club for members. The Lifetime organization strives to achieve an enhanced experience for members so they feel like they get what they pay for. Being a Lifetime member means guaranteed access to the top quality equipment, athletics classes and all facilities the organization offers. Before you make a pricey investment to become a member here is a list of the best clubs you can find in Minnesota.
New Hope: ★★★☆☆
The club that contrasts most with the others is, by far, New Hope. What’s really interesting about it is the location and size. The club is located in a strip mall right off Winnetka Ave. New Hope Lifetime offers a smaller building and a quieter experience. Unlike the other places, everything is pretty much right next to each other and all on the same level. It’s rarely too packed however with everything so close it can sometimes feel slightly close quarters. The most surprising thing about the New Hope club is the large staff relative to the club size. Every time I go, there’s always a lot of staff everywhere keeping things in order and up to standard. Something I’ve noticed about the workout experience is that some of the free weights aren’t as new as some of the other clubs but they still manage to pack just as many machines and equipment as the rest of the Lifetimes. I recommend this club if you prefer a smaller, more local gym.
Saint Louis Park: ★★★★☆
The Saint Louis Park club offers its guests an impressively spacious fitness center. The jarring 111,000 square foot club gives members a lot to work with. The club offers two sizable fitness floors as well as workout studios, cycle room, salons and spas and so many more great features. With so much space in the club you will always be able to find a machine and space to workout even during the rush hours. The downside to this location in comparison to others is its parking lot size relative to the size of the building. For the massive size of the building, the parking lot can feel crammed during busy hours. I recommend this club if you appreciate having a roomy environment with tons of activities at your disposal.
Minneapolis: ★★★★☆
Minneapolis Lifetime at the Target Center makes a spot for itself on the list for several reasons. The club layout is perfect. Everything is exactly where it should be and the interior design is really cool. My favorite part is how the fitness floor is on the upper level looking over the basketball courts and the indoor track. The inside of the building feels spotless and well maintained. The whole thing just feels modern and sleek. To go along with the workout floor, what I really like about the building is how opened up it is. The design is spacious, which makes it feel like there’s less traffic through the halls and in the locker room. The only major downside to the experience is the parking situation. As it is downtown you’ll have to park relatively far away depending on the day and events occurring in the metro area that might affect parking. I recommend this club if you want to feel immersed in the city and want to have a lot more than just the club itself at a close distance.
Plymouth: ★★★★★
Plymouth’s club is my personal favorite. It’s well maintained and very customer-friendly. The parking lot is much bigger compared to other locations so you never have trouble finding a spot even during rush hours. As far as the building itself, it’s very convenient and pleasant. Right when you walk in you are greeted with a beautiful sun lit entrance that guides you into multiple different exhibits of the club. What separates itself the most from the other Lifetimes in the state is the outdoor pool for the summer seasons that is accompanied with a waterslide. It’s a really great way to keep members coming all season round. I recommend this location for a welcoming experience and unique features.
Edina: ★★★★★
Lifetime opened the club in Edina at Southdale Center just back at the start of 2020 making it one of the newest fitness centers for the company. The club is attached to the Southdale Center and can be accessed directly from the mall. It’s really neat to be so attached to both the club and mall at the same time. The best part of the Edina location is the fitness floor. It’s on the top floor of the building and is completely surrounded by windows. When you’re doing your workout you have a really cool view over everything and also get to use the newest and most luxurious appliances the company offers. I recommend this Lifetime if you are looking to get the best workout experience you can get and use the newest equipment.
A Lifetime membership offers so much at the hands of their members. They have a wide range of facilities spanning from all sizes to accommodate their customers’ needs. If you plan on making the investment for membership these are the four clubs I most highly recommend spending your time at.
