Bally's does boast a considerable Harvard clientele, drawn mostly from the Law School. The club offers 36 stair climbers (to the MAC's four), stationary bicycles, Nautilus and Kaiser equipment, free weights, a special weight room for women, a pool, a whirlpool, a sauna, a steam room and babysitting.

Bally's offers several membership types, and several options within each type. The somewhat Byzantine fee and benefits structure can be confusing, and the fine print is worth reading carefully.

Healthworks

Also in Porter Square is Healthworks, a down-to-earth, all-women's club which lacks the high-tech neon and chrome decor of Bally's but provides all the basics and a few nice amenities.

"I love it," says Anne C. Carman '94, captain of the Harvard-Radcliffe equestrian team.

Healthworks includes the leg and hip machines particularly used by women in their line of Nautilus and Kaiser equipment. They also have free weights, treadmills, ergs, stationary bicycles, and stair climbers and many kinds of aerobic classes. Although they lack a pool, they do have a sauna and a steam room.

"The people are very friendly and very professional," says Carman, who has talked five friends into joining the club. "They've motivated me to quit smoking."

The student membership, which costs $250 for six months, includes consultations with a nutritionist, physical evaluations and consultations with a personal trainer, but carries sizable restrictions on days and times when students may use the club.

The student membership cannot be canceled for any reason within any length of time unless the student is ill for longer than three months--half the duration of the membership.

Le Pli

The last--some would say the ultimate--health club alternative is Le Pli, in the Charles Hotel.

Contractually quite flexible, Le Pli carries its own sort of caveat: it is only for those who are lithe of thigh and stout of wallet. The most expensive health club in Cambridge, it has both the most beautiful facilities and clientele.

From the dolphin tile mosaic in the women's bathroom to the beige upholstered sitting area on the second of its three floors, Le Pli exudes understatement like the MAC exudes sweat.

In fact, everything at Le Pli (except for the price) is understated: The pool is smaller than Olympic size, the machines are few and the classes are all in one aerobics room. But the price is so prohibitively expensive that the club is never crowded and patrons say there is never a wait.

To cool off after heating up, one can enjoy a French manicure, seaweed wrap, or herbal reflexology, among other services.