The gym I go to (part of a national chain where I live) also do it, but it sounds well meant. There's only one subscription anyway (a yearly one) and no extra (unless you want to buy a towel or something).
In my experiences with two major gyms, rather than local ones, I was met with extremely aggressive upselling. I was looking for a simple gym subscription, but was bombarded with pitches for additional services like special programs and weight loss plans, despite repeatedly stating that I only wanted gym access.
What's more, on at least one occasion, I visited with a day pass trial, only to be told that trying the gym out didn't make sense and that I should just sign up immediately. This kind of pressure, especially when I was there to test the facilities, felt quite deceptive and left a negative impression.
The gym I go to (part of a national chain where I live) also do it, but it sounds well meant. There's only one subscription anyway (a yearly one) and no extra (unless you want to buy a towel or something).