7 low-cost alternatives to gym memberships in the Midlands

Making your health a priority can be hard if you can’t afford a membership at a brand name gym. Luckily, there are affordable alternatives to pricey gyms just around the corner in unlikely places.

Here are some of the best deals at alternative gyms in the Midlands to get you started on your fitness routine.

Brookland Health and Wellness Center: Brookland Baptist Church, 1066 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, 803-744-7928, www.brooklandbaptist.org Open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 7 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Wednesday; 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday

Features: basketball and volleyball courts, fitness center with exercise equipment and weights, indoor track, access to lockers and showers, fitness and wellness classes, personal trainers

Brookland Baptist church members: $15/individual/month; Non-church members: $20/individual/month; Family (3 or more): $35/month; One day pass: $5/day

Walking track is free for everyone.

Christian Life Center: Eastminster Presbyterian, 3200 Trenholm Rd., 803-256-1654, eastminsterpres.org/ministries/christian-life-center Open 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday; 6:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday; 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday

Features: basketball, softball, exercise room and walking track, fitness classes include yoga, 50 Plus, tai-chi, zumba and Scottish country dance (see schedule)

Everyone using the Christian Life Center must complete a membership registration process. There is no usage fee required for anyone, but non-church members are encouraged to make an annual donation to offset the cost of operations. For everyone, there is a fee of $10-$15 for the required key access card/fob.

Estep Family Life Center: First Baptist Church of Columbia, 1410 Sumter St., 803-343-8587, fbccola.com/estep-family-life-center/ Open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday

Features: basketball courts, weight room, cardio room, climate controlled indoor track, aerobics classes, weight loss classes, healthy lifestyle classes, access to lockers and showers

First Baptist Church members’ fitness membership: $30/individual/year or $40/family/year; Downtown Business Associates Membership (for non-church members): $80/individual/six months or $110/family/six months

Walking track is free for everyone.

JCC: Katie & Irwin Kahn Jewish Community Center, 306 Flora Dr., 803-787-2023, www.jcccolumbia.org Open 5 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m-6 pm. Friday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Features: cardio machines, strength training equipment, weights, indoor walking/running track, aerobics classes, cycling, jazzercise, yoga, pilates, personal trainers. Pool features water aerobics, open swim, lap swimming and swimming lessons. Specialized children’s classes and babysitting services available. Licensed massage therapist on staff.

Everyone is welcome. Membership rates are based on age and family description, children are considered to be up to 18 years old and/or full-time college student to 25 years old. One-time initiation fee of $100 due with first month membership fee. Monthly fee schedule: $59/single adult (18+ and not in school), $82/adult couple, $95/family (couples with children), $75/single parent family, $49/single senior (over the age of 70), $69/senior couple, $100/patron (family membership with discounts to specified special events + 10 guest passes per year).

Membership application must be downloaded and filled out.

Drew Wellness Center: part of the City of Columbia Parks & Recreation system, 2101 Walker Solomon Way (off Harden St.) 803-545-3200, www.columbiasc.net/drew-wellness Open 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 2-6 p.m. Sunday.

Features: aerobics classes, cardio, yoga, zumba, cycling, pilates, and Urban Boot Camp, tai chi, weights, exercise equipment, gym, and indoor walking/jogging track. Personal trainers available. Competition size pool features swim classes, water aerobics, lap swimming and recreational swimming.

Membership levels based on residency and age and may be purchased annual/6-month/monthly basis. Adult (18 to 49 years old) Columbia resident, $264/annual, $198/6 months, $39/month; Adult non-resident, $304/annual, $228/6 mos, $47/month; Senior (age 50+) resident, $198/annual, $165/6 mos, $33/month; Senior non-resident, $228/annual, $190/6 mos, $39/month; Youth (17 and under) resident, $27/month, non-resident $33/month; Family (up to 4 people) residents, $396/annual, $297/6 mos, $66/month, $10/month or $60/year per extra child; Family non-resident, $456/annual, $341/6 mos, $79/month, $12/month or $72/year per extra child. Daily Guest passes available for $6/adult, $5/senior and $3/youth.

Lourie Center: Intersection of Blossom and Pickens in Five Points, adjacent to Maxcy Gregg Pool, 803-779-1971, louriecentersc.com/activities/classes/ Open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon Sunday

Features: The Lourie Center is open for active adults age 50 and older and features a fully equipped cardio center and weight room, circuit training, on-site fitness trainers, fitness classes such as aerobics, pilates, strength and conditioning, qi gong, tai chi, zumba, and ballet barre.

Gym membership, does NOT include fitness classes, $150/year; Full, all-inclusive membership, $300/year or $35/month for gym and classes.

YMCA: Midlands locations include Downtown, 1447 Hampton St. 803-799-7159; Jeep Rogers Family, 900 Lake Carolina Dr., 803-451-8439; Northwest, 1501 Kennerly Rd., 803-407-8007; Lexington, 401 YMCA Rd., 803-359-3376; www.columbiaymca.org Open 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday (Downtown & Lexington close at 9 p.m.), 5 a.m.-8 p.m. friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 1-5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Features depend on location. Most have gyms with exercise equipment and offer group classes. Downtown Columbia has steam and sauna and Peloton bikes; Jeep Rogers Family (Lake Carolina) has three lighted tennis courts, indoor playground, swimming pool and children’s classes. Northwest (Irmo) features pool, steam and sauna, tennis courts, indoor playground, access to fitness coaches, splash pad and children’s classes. Lexington has boating, swimming and fishing, soccer, equestrian program, nature trails and outdoor basketball

Membership can be Community Wide (access to Columbia, Lexington, Irmo, Lake Carolina, Ballentine and Orangeburg) and/or by Branch (Lexington or Orangeburg branch members may visit other Y locations for a $10 daily guest fee) or Guest fees of $10/day. Corporate and National memberships are also available. All memberships have a $50 joining fee. Community memberships are drafted on a monthly basis: $34/young adult (ages 15-20), $51/individual (ages 21 and up) and $76/family.

F3 Fitness: Various locations throughout the Columbia area. Start time usually 5 a.m. Check out the site to get schedule and more information, www.f3midlands.com (for men) and http://fianation.com/ (for women)

For all of those early risers out there, this is a free workout group that is held outdoors, rain or shine, heat or cold. Groups are led by participants in a rotating fashion, with no training or certification necessary. F3 is a group for men only, FiA (Females in Action) is for women only.

This story was originally published December 19, 2017 at 3:15 PM with the headline "7 low-cost alternatives to gym memberships in the Midlands."