Crunch Fitness - Union Square

Crunch Union Square is a great gym with high-quality equipment and well-maintained training areas. The tools, machines, and layout make it easy to train efficiently at any level. One concern: the sauna setup allows guests to throw water directly onto the electric heater, which seems unsafe and risks damaging the equipment. A small design change or clearer guidance could prevent future issues. Overall, a strong facility that would benefit from a minor sauna safety improvement.

This review is for Marvin at the Union Square Crunch Fitness: Sometimes, if you’re lucky, there are people who come into your life at exactly the right time. People who, without them, your life would look very different. Marvin is one of those people for me. When I met Marvin, I was honestly just trying to join a gym near work so I could work out on my way home. I was coming off a severe ankle injury with lasting side effects and weight gain and wanted to start moving again and reduce my pain. During the signup process, the Crunch staff did what gyms do and tried to sell me on a training package, but I was very clear. The only way I’d work with a trainer was if they truly understood body mechanics, some rehabilitation, and also how to get swole of course hahah. From there, they knew exactly who I needed to be paired with. With Marvin at my side, I’ve never worked harder or more efficiently in a gym, nor felt more satisfied with my training. Being able to tell him where something hurts mid-exercise and have him instantly adjust, modify, or correct it is exactly what I was looking for, and it’s priceless. His level of knowledge and attentiveness is unmatched, and as an extra bonus, we both like to nerd out on how to get the body moving and exercising correctly. Beyond the physical training, Marvin consistently goes above and beyond. We’ve had real heart-to-hearts. I’ve broken down on the gym floor, and he’s helped me pick up the pieces, something far beyond what a trainer is expected to do. He’s celebrated my wins, supported me through setbacks, and has always been firmly in my corner. Marvin is the full package, incredibly knowledgeable, genuinely invested in your success, willing to push you, protect your long-term health, and make you laugh along the way. I truly can’t imagine training with anyone else. It’s not an understatement to say that Marvin helped change, and quite possibly save, my health. I can’t recommend him enough.

I wasn’t the most motivated to get in shape, and flexibility was definitely not my strong suit. Working with Michaelangelo Villalba completely changed that. I’ve been training with him for almost three years, and in that time, he’s helped me achieve my goals. He’s incredibly consistent, reliable, and professional. Whether it was building strength in the gym or improving my flexibility, his approach was always thoughtful and personalized. When I set out to run my first half-marathon, he adapted our training to focus on injury prevention, especially for my knees and hips. I made it through training without injury and felt well-prepared on race day, thanks to his guidance. Michaelangelo combines a deep knowledge with a genuine investment in your progress. I’m moving away and unfortunately won’t be able to continue working with him at Crunch, but I would enthusiastically recommend him to anyone looking to improve their fitness and overall well-being.

I was in the area and decided to stop by, as I am always curious to check out gyms I have not visited before. This ended up being one of the stronger Crunch locations in the city and definitely one of the better Crunch gyms in NYC if you already have a Crunch membership or need a day pass or two. The gym has recently been remodeled, and all of the machines are brand new, which immediately stands out. The layout is very spacious, making training more comfortable and less congested than many other locations. As someone who primarily uses free weights for back, chest, and legs, this setup works especially well. When using dumbbells, there is enough space that people are not constantly bumping into you, and the flooring is even and stable. This is a big plus compared to some other Crunch locations in NYC, where uneven floors can be distracting during lifts. Dumbbells go up to 120LB, which covers most needs, though having heavier options would be a welcome upgrade, particularly for heavier back and leg work. The gym is also very clean, and the large stretching and warm-up area is a standout feature. Lower-body training is another strong point. There is a wide variety of leg and glute machines, multiple hip thrust variations, and quality specialty pieces like the pendulum squat and hack squat that add real value to the equipment lineup. The atmosphere is also worth highlighting. Every interaction I had with other members was friendly and respectful toward me and my friends, which made the overall experience feel welcoming. There are a few limitations worth noting. There is no Hammer Strength iso-lateral rowing machine and no chest-supported T-bar row, which would nicely complement free-weight back training. In addition, the gym could benefit from an incline press machine, as that option is currently missing. Overall, this is a very solid four-star Crunch location and one of the better options in the midtown/lower Manhattan area, especially for members who value various leg equipment, space, even flooring, cleanliness, and a comfortable free-weight training environment.

I am in awe at how many positive reviews there are of this gym. This gym is terrible for these 3 reasons. The only reason why it isn’t one star is because it is in a convenient location 1. Price: The membership is well north of $100/month, not including the additional onboarding fee. 2. Machines: This place is TINY. There are a disappointingly few number of machines for the number of members and daily attendees. Lines often reach 4-5 people per machine during normal workout hours. 3. Locker rooms + Sauna: The men’s locker room smells disgusting, which is unbelievable for such an expensive gym. The sauna also smells PUTRID, and it DOESNT EVEN WORK PROPERLY. They also spread blatant misinformation. I literally saw a tour in front of me with an employee describing to a prospective employee how the sauna is at 180 degrees while I am literally staring out the door as I have been in the sauna for 10 minutes with no sweat. I honestly wish I could get a full refund and go with a different gym nearby. Try to explore other options before settling for this one.