Will Tennyson
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- Aug 20, 2025
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If you have ever wondered whether a fancy gym is worth the money, this video from Will Tennyson is perfect for you. He tests five very different gyms in Chicago, from a $10 government fitness center to a luxury wellness club with a sushi bar, spa, and coworking space. Here is a fun, SEO friendly summary that gives you the highlights and helps you decide which level fits you.
Level 1 – The $10 Government Park Gym Will starts at Chase Park, the cheapest gym in the city at about $10 a month. Small room. Basic machines. Dumbbells that stop at 50 pounds, including water filled dumbbells. A Smith machine, a cable stack, a leg press that squeaks, and treadmills with dead TVs and weak AC.
Despite that, you still get: • Enough equipment to build a solid physique if you show up and work. • A quiet space with mostly regulars and older people getting steps in. • A member who rates it a 3.5 out of 5 for having all the basics.
The downside: tiny space, no real amenities, painted windows, and you cannot avoid hearing everyone’s conversations. Will jokes that your biggest muscle here becomes your creativity as you figure out how to train around limited gear.
Level 2 – The Worst Rated LA Fitness Next is the lowest rated LA Fitness in the city, nicknamed “the yard.” There are metal detectors at the entrance and a lot of bad reviews.
Inside, Will finds: • Dumbbells scattered and many pairs missing. • Machines that are worn, rusty, and poorly maintained. • A pool that looks more like a crime scene than a relaxing amenity. • Rock climbing wall, basketball court, and plenty of cardio machines.
The real horror is the locker room. Members warn him about the smell and the “musky” air. He goes in anyway, showers, and describes the place as a breeding ground for strange fungi with a heavy urine smell. The water pressure is good, but hygiene and upkeep are awful.
Level 3 – Quad’s Gym, Old School Bodybuilding Heaven Level three is Quad’s Gym, about $88 a month, and an iconic hardcore bodybuilding gym. It has over 40,000 square feet of space and a long history.
Here you get: • First generation Hammer Strength machines everywhere. • Rows of bars and dumbbells, including rare pieces you will never see in a typical chain gym. • Strongman, powerlifting, and bodybuilding equipment in the same place. • Old school photos of legends on the walls and a serious lifting culture.
Will calls it the best bodybuilding gym he has ever trained in. It feels like a lifting museum where you are allowed to touch everything. Every machine has character, and there are endless options for chest, back, legs, and shoulders.
Level 4 – Chicago Sports and Fitness Club, Complete Training Playground Level four is Chicago Sports and Fitness Club, only about one dollar more per month than Quad’s, but built very differently. The layout is huge and split across several zones.
Upstairs you get a cleaner, more modern weight floor with brands like Prime, Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Matrix, Arsenal, and a gamified ab machine that tracks reps and time.
Downstairs and around the complex you find: • A full Arsenal equipped basement with heavy leg presses, pendulum squats, hack squats, seal rows, and dumbbells up to 120. • A “leg dungeon” covered in patriotic art. • A powerlifting room with custom benches and racks. • A separate squat and deadlift studio. • A boxing zone and an outdoor yard with dumbbells, platforms, and strongman style training. • A women’s only “Booty Lab” area with full body options and more privacy. • A posing room with a moving down light that follows you for perfect stage style lighting.
This gym mixes serious equipment with fun extras like ping pong, tanning beds, a pool you would actually use, and tons of training environments. For many people, level four is a dream setup.
Level 5 – Beyond, Luxury Wellness Club With Sushi Bar Finally, Will visits Beyond, a high end wellness club that feels like a five star hotel. Membership is expensive, but the experience is on another level.
Highlights include: • A stylish lobby with plants, a bar, and a hotel like atmosphere. • A coworking space with flavored water, self serve coffee, cream, and oat milk. • On site physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, and medical style services. • A functional style gym floor with turf, rigs, Rogue dumbbells, squat racks, and free weights, focused on athletic and compound training. • InBody scanning to track body fat and muscle; Will clocks in at around 8.4 percent.
The real star is the food and spa: • A high quality sushi bar connected to a well known Chicago restaurant group, where you can go from squats to sashimi in minutes. • Breakfast with fine dining style egg whites, sourdough toast, and smoothies loaded with creatine. • Spa amenities including steam room, cold plunge, sauna, nap room, and huge multi head showers that feel like a private water park. • Extra services like a glutathione injection and a professional facial that leave Will feeling relaxed and refreshed.
This level is less about hardcore bodybuilding machines and more about complete lifestyle: work, recovery, training, and dining in one place. You can still get jacked, but the environment is built for comfort, recovery, and convenience.
What You Learn From Will Tennyson’s 5 Gym Levels Across all five gyms, Will shows that: • You can build muscle in a cheap, no frills gym if you show up and train hard. • Chain gyms can work, but poor maintenance ruins the experience. • Specialty bodybuilding gyms like Quad’s give you unmatched equipment and atmosphere. • Large hybrid clubs combine hardcore gear with serious amenities. • Luxury wellness clubs offer spa level comfort, food, and services that make you want to stay all day.
If you care about training, you will find something useful in every level. If you enjoy great food, spa time, or unique machines, this video is worth watching from start to finish.
Level 1 – The $10 Government Park Gym Will starts at Chase Park, the cheapest gym in the city at about $10 a month. Small room. Basic machines. Dumbbells that stop at 50 pounds, including water filled dumbbells. A Smith machine, a cable stack, a leg press that squeaks, and treadmills with dead TVs and weak AC.
Despite that, you still get: • Enough equipment to build a solid physique if you show up and work. • A quiet space with mostly regulars and older people getting steps in. • A member who rates it a 3.5 out of 5 for having all the basics.
The downside: tiny space, no real amenities, painted windows, and you cannot avoid hearing everyone’s conversations. Will jokes that your biggest muscle here becomes your creativity as you figure out how to train around limited gear.
Level 2 – The Worst Rated LA Fitness Next is the lowest rated LA Fitness in the city, nicknamed “the yard.” There are metal detectors at the entrance and a lot of bad reviews.
Inside, Will finds: • Dumbbells scattered and many pairs missing. • Machines that are worn, rusty, and poorly maintained. • A pool that looks more like a crime scene than a relaxing amenity. • Rock climbing wall, basketball court, and plenty of cardio machines.
The real horror is the locker room. Members warn him about the smell and the “musky” air. He goes in anyway, showers, and describes the place as a breeding ground for strange fungi with a heavy urine smell. The water pressure is good, but hygiene and upkeep are awful.
Level 3 – Quad’s Gym, Old School Bodybuilding Heaven Level three is Quad’s Gym, about $88 a month, and an iconic hardcore bodybuilding gym. It has over 40,000 square feet of space and a long history.
Here you get: • First generation Hammer Strength machines everywhere. • Rows of bars and dumbbells, including rare pieces you will never see in a typical chain gym. • Strongman, powerlifting, and bodybuilding equipment in the same place. • Old school photos of legends on the walls and a serious lifting culture.
Will calls it the best bodybuilding gym he has ever trained in. It feels like a lifting museum where you are allowed to touch everything. Every machine has character, and there are endless options for chest, back, legs, and shoulders.
Level 4 – Chicago Sports and Fitness Club, Complete Training Playground Level four is Chicago Sports and Fitness Club, only about one dollar more per month than Quad’s, but built very differently. The layout is huge and split across several zones.
Upstairs you get a cleaner, more modern weight floor with brands like Prime, Life Fitness, Hammer Strength, Matrix, Arsenal, and a gamified ab machine that tracks reps and time.
Downstairs and around the complex you find: • A full Arsenal equipped basement with heavy leg presses, pendulum squats, hack squats, seal rows, and dumbbells up to 120. • A “leg dungeon” covered in patriotic art. • A powerlifting room with custom benches and racks. • A separate squat and deadlift studio. • A boxing zone and an outdoor yard with dumbbells, platforms, and strongman style training. • A women’s only “Booty Lab” area with full body options and more privacy. • A posing room with a moving down light that follows you for perfect stage style lighting.
This gym mixes serious equipment with fun extras like ping pong, tanning beds, a pool you would actually use, and tons of training environments. For many people, level four is a dream setup.
Level 5 – Beyond, Luxury Wellness Club With Sushi Bar Finally, Will visits Beyond, a high end wellness club that feels like a five star hotel. Membership is expensive, but the experience is on another level.
Highlights include: • A stylish lobby with plants, a bar, and a hotel like atmosphere. • A coworking space with flavored water, self serve coffee, cream, and oat milk. • On site physical therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, and medical style services. • A functional style gym floor with turf, rigs, Rogue dumbbells, squat racks, and free weights, focused on athletic and compound training. • InBody scanning to track body fat and muscle; Will clocks in at around 8.4 percent.
The real star is the food and spa: • A high quality sushi bar connected to a well known Chicago restaurant group, where you can go from squats to sashimi in minutes. • Breakfast with fine dining style egg whites, sourdough toast, and smoothies loaded with creatine. • Spa amenities including steam room, cold plunge, sauna, nap room, and huge multi head showers that feel like a private water park. • Extra services like a glutathione injection and a professional facial that leave Will feeling relaxed and refreshed.
This level is less about hardcore bodybuilding machines and more about complete lifestyle: work, recovery, training, and dining in one place. You can still get jacked, but the environment is built for comfort, recovery, and convenience.
What You Learn From Will Tennyson’s 5 Gym Levels Across all five gyms, Will shows that: • You can build muscle in a cheap, no frills gym if you show up and train hard. • Chain gyms can work, but poor maintenance ruins the experience. • Specialty bodybuilding gyms like Quad’s give you unmatched equipment and atmosphere. • Large hybrid clubs combine hardcore gear with serious amenities. • Luxury wellness clubs offer spa level comfort, food, and services that make you want to stay all day.
If you care about training, you will find something useful in every level. If you enjoy great food, spa time, or unique machines, this video is worth watching from start to finish.
