Best gym in Chicago, hands down! I've been going to Quads for years and it truly stands out from…read moreany other gym I've been to. The trainers and staff are incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and always willing to answer questions or offer advice, no matter your experience level. The owner, Sharon, is so welcoming and has created such a great community where everyone feels comfortable and motivated. If you're serious about lifting, this is the place to be. They have an amazing variety of machines and equipment that you won't find at most gyms, and everything is designed for people who really want to train properly. The atmosphere is motivating, the people are friendly, and it feels like a gym where everyone genuinely wants to see each other succeed. A couple of my friends joined after I recommended it, and they're so glad they did. I couldn't recommend Quads more!

This is the most difficult review I've ever written for Yelp because I honestly love the idea of…read moreQuads and its history, but after a trial week, I ran back to my pathetic Planet Fitness. For years, I walked by and looked in the window just to see if some of the vibe would entice me to walk in and get energized by all the real-life Marvel Superheroes working out. And I'm glad for the week of experience I had because Quads has some of the nicest, knowledgeable, and dedicated fitness people I've ever met. From the moment I walked in to my final exit, the desk staff, the family members who run it, trainers I encountered, and a few guys who could deadlift car engines whom I asked questions how to use this or that, I felt a lot of compassion for me being the new guy in a sea of bewildering equipment that could either change my fitness life or scare me away. Bear in mind that I truly love Quads but coming from a lengthy history of memberships at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, Gorilla Sports, YMCA, Holmes Place, Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Planet Fitness (with visits to FFC, Crunch, East Bank Club, Cheetah, Life Time, Bally's, and Midtown Athletic Club), I have to do a pro and con thing. Pros It's a good environment to watch others doing astonishing calisthenic exercises and massive lifts and squats. I'll never get to that level, but it's an inspiring place to get jazzed about your own routine. Quads has a diverse membership. You'll see everything from people doing their daily treadmill to pro bodybuilders doing four-hour circuits. I saw every kind of body type and age group. People doing rehab exercises and a person with a visual impairment. The specialty here is bodybuilding, though everyone is welcome. You'll hear grunts, fits of anger, yelling of encouragement, the rage of accomplishment, and claps of high-five. I felt like I was in a place where great bodies are refined. The membership prices are fantastic for the amount of equipment you're offered, and the hours are comparable to other gyms. They offer a few additional membership discounts not listed on the website, so go in and talk with them. Kudos to a gym that finally understands the right way memberships should work--upfront and no hassles. You are constantly reminded of your potential. There are photos and awards everywhere of past and present bodybuilders and pro and amateur athletes, and you can't help but soak up some of that greatness. You're in a place where celebrities have trained, too. Cons Here's where I have to be brutally honest. I may not know the difference between an Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown and an Iso-Lateral Wide Pulldown, but I do know when machines are so old that they need to be replaced. If a machine's pads are worn, replace them. If a Selectorized's weight stack has half its weight labels missing, that should be fixed asap. If a machine's so old that the frame's been painted a number of times, it's probably a good time to replace it. I'm going to guess most of the equipment is older than the members. Sure, old-school machines can be great, and a lot of bodybuilders want them, but at some point, you need to replace them. Hammer Strength, Precor, and Cybex are constantly evolving the science of ergonomics, body mechanics, and safety. Please, Quads. Get new equipment. I didn't see any dumbbells less than 10#. That's not a bad thing, but small weight dumbbells would be great for people doing rehab or weaklings like me starting back at doing simple free weight exercises. In fairness, Planet Fitness dumbbells start at 10#, too. Other reviews are correct: A lot of the equipment, especially the Selectorized machines on the first floor, are squished so closely that safety could be an issue. There are a few machines so close together that parts could touch if used in full range of motion. If you're used to a defined circuit from a previous gym--especially if most of your workout is using Selectorized equipment--you might have difficulties matching it to the machines here. Plate-loaded and cables, no problem; they'll have one of anything you'll ever want. But for Selectorized, nothing made sense because a lot of what I needed was spread throughout the gym on both floors and in hard to find areas (e.g. the pec fly/rear delt machine was in a dimly lit corner, and most of the weights in the stack had no labels). I won't go into cleanliness. Suffice it to say this is a well-worn gym. The rusty lockers and second floor smell attest to the longevity of Quads, for better or worse. Overall, you should try Quads for a week to see if you like it. Most people swear this is the best gym. No, Quads doesn't have a pool, a sauna, towel service, group fitness classes, fancy self-locking lockers, a three-story climbing wall, or sleep rooms. They offer a world of fitness possibilities in an old school gym where amazing happens.

The best part about this gym is that it's 24 hours. You can't really find that anymore! It's still…read morevery new, so it doesn't quite have everything equipment wise but it's very full considering the size. Sometimes feels crowded if there's more than 3 or 4 people inside, but often times it's just 1 or 2 people in there, so everything is available. Oh and the mirrors along the walls are great!

Love this gym! I love the flexibility of my membership which is 24hours. I love the culture the gym…read morehas to offer

I cannot recommend All Strength Training enough. Zach and the entire coaching team are incredibly…read morehelpful, friendly, and truly committed to helping you achieve results without ever compromising safety. They motivate you, but do not pressure you into doing more than you are comfortable with, and there is no sales pitch for doing more than you want. The focused and personalized coaching here has been a game-changer for me. The trainers ensure every workout is effective and safe, which gave me so much confidence in my fitness journey. My experience with AST is that it has been a supportive and a results-driven fitness experience. I am super grateful to them for helping me find my way back to feeling fit and on track with my health goals.

Not a safe place. The owner Zach had me do risky exercise during a trial session. I said I didn't…read morefeel good about it, he told me to keep going. I got severely injured and had my life upended. He never reached out until a couple months later when they tried to recruit me back. All they wanted was my money apparently, not my wellbeing. Everything was handled very poorly and I paid the consequences - I do not recommend this place.

Great gym. Very gay, but welcoming to all. Steamroom and sauna…read more Good price for Chicago. Great energy: busy, but never overful or cramped. LOTS of open space. All solid, new equipment, friendly staff and clientele. 2 very large adjoining workout areas: 1 for free weights and cables; the other for machines, more dumbbells and benches, big turf area, etc. Separate stretching room (with walls and door), with mats, rollers, etc, and 1- to 8-pound weights for light stuff. The deck is 2 feet away, and stretching out there is encouraged, including bringing out ot the matts, etc. Many people take advantage when it's nice, leaving unlimited space. Not much waiting: the usual few choke points: barbell benches and (to a lesser extent) the cablec rossovers (where you need both.) Way more dumbbell benches than most gyms this size, all adjustable to incline/flat. 12-15 cable stations, always a few open. Group classes included, with large spin room and vert big class studio. Pool. Roof deck. Everything included: towels in 3 sizes, including shower size, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hairdryer, etc. Built in combo lockers, so you never bring a lock. I was very happy using trainer Troy Myree. (See below on great offer.) All the other trainers seem excellent (watching them with clients.) Very cleaning including spotless locker room. I'm satisfied enough to commute 1.5 miles with no car. (Bike except very cold winter or wet, then bus.) --- WHEN JOINING OR CONSIDERING: They officially give you 1 free workout, but I asked my sales rep for more to try it at different times, and she happily gave me 3. (I let her know I was definitely joining LVAC or FCC, and wanted to try them both a few times. That was true, and LVAC was an easy call. (About half the price, much better energy and clientele. FCC is over a mile closer to me, but I still picked LVAC.). Take advantage of the 1-time joining offer of 3 personal trainer sessions very cheap. (They offered to anyone for a short window 9 months later.)

much warmer than i'd like for a gym, especially on higher floors. i joined when forest fires were…read moreburning and i needed to workout inside, and it was doable but similar to being outside in summer heat, except with no fans/breeze. also, it opens at 7am on weekends, which i wish i had noticed before signing up. that's way too late for me.

A wonderful, inclusive community of fun people on their fitness journey. The classes are…read moreconsistently challenging, and they always keeps you on your toes with different workouts and a great playlist. I am always grateful to have survived each class, but at the same time motivated for the next one. BodiShak pushes you to be your best self and gives you the tools to get there -- be it strength, flexibility, cardio stamina, weight loss, or toning. My booty is all the better for it. Join! It's the best decision you'll make this year. P.S. My favorite workout classes (in order of my estimated next day soreness): Load/Strength, Carve/Strength and Conditioning, Drench/HIIT, Grind(spin+strength), Blaze(Spin), Gut(core). I am still too chicken for Bootcamp, but that day will come eventually.

Great attentive and positive staff with a great business model. So happy to see them have lots of…read moreregulars too.

Excuse me while I sing praises for First Ascent…read more My climbing life began when First Ascent opened, four years ago, and I could not imagine a better vehicle to take me on my journey. My membership includes unlimited climbing, unlimited gym use, and unlimited yoga classes. I also pay (a little) extra to attend a group fitness class (cross-training) 10x/month, which has made me stronger than I have ever been in my entire life. I don't think I will ever be able to enjoy a standard fitness gym again. I am challenged both mentally and physically at FA. During the day I find myself thinking about the problems (routes) I am working on, and looking forward to trying them again soon. If I ever leave Chicago, this gym will be one of the biggest losses, even more than some friends.. :)

I've been a member here now for a few months (and a climber for 20 years) and so feel like I am now…read morefamiliar enough with my home gym to fairly review it. My favorite things about this gym: - Creative setting in the shorter walled section so you feel more comfortable trying new moves without the fear of falling too far - The layout with open sweeping views and plenty of light - The arch - tons of cool practice with overhangs and traverses - Bike parking inside! - Big area with mats upstairs to do warm-up and warm-down stretches Areas this gym could improve: - Cleaner holds! Not just Uptown - all of the locations. They're so greasy that it automatically adds a grade to any problem, and not in a fun way. - For lower-rated climbs, setting routes that aren't just jug ladders. It is possible to make beginner climbs fun and challenging in a puzzly way, but Uptown doesn't do that. It's all jugs. - More community events, and the community events that exist should be free to members. If I'm a member I shouldn't also be paying to go to sound baths or take fitness classes and participate in citizens' competitions. I've never been a member of a gym that charges its members for ANY events. There are free events at FA, but they're essentially just meetups. Anything with more to offer carries a charge.

Great value, always clean - helpful people. I've been coming to this gym for a year now and fully…read moresatisfied. Highly recommend!

I can't say enough good things about this place. I was looking for an affordable, clean, and well…read morerun gym and Fitness 19 fits the bill. While not a huge gym, it's spaced out in a way where you don't feel like you're all working out on top of each other. I actually don't live within walking distance (I drive) but Jon sold me with his pleasant demeanor and dedication to making this place the best it can be for its members. I highly recommend!

Great club go there everytime I am in Chicago if you stay at versy hotel you can work out there for…read morefree and a great parking garage at the century.

I'm extremely frustrated after a recent call with customer service. The representative I spoke with…read morehad a very dismissive, "it-is-what-it-is" and "take-it-or-leave-it" attitude regarding my concerns about the gym's yoga mats and exercise balls. Nearly all of the yoga mats are severely deteriorated, and the gym has only three exercise balls available for the entire facility. I've raised concerns about the poor condition of the mats multiple times, but nothing has changed. During this call, the representative flatly stated, "These are the mats we are going to purchase," despite my explaining that they tear easily, wear out quickly, and provide little to no padding or comfort. When I mentioned that I can feel my knees hitting the floor during floor exercises, she bluntly told me I could bring my own mat. The conversation became even more unprofessional when she asked about my "future plans," clearly implying that if I was unhappy, I should simply cancel my membership and go elsewhere. She repeatedly emphasized that no one is forcing me to remain a member and that I could either accept the equipment as-is or leave. I also mentioned that XSport previously offered high-quality mats and a large supply of exercise balls. In response, she sarcastically remarked that XSport is no longer in business. I acknowledged that fact and explained that their closure was due to the COVID period, as happened to many businesses, but that didn't change the point about quality equipment. What is most upsetting is that my core concern--that it makes no sense to continue repurchasing low-quality mats that deteriorate quickly--was completely dismissed. The representative made it clear that the company has no intention of considering alternatives, regardless of member feedback. I find it hard to believe that a business would knowingly continue to waste money on poor-quality equipment that neither lasts nor benefits its members. I have attached photos of the mats currently in use; some are even worse than those shown and are nearly ripped apart. Additionally, the lack of exercise balls is surprising and inconvenient, especially when comparable gyms offer a dozen or more. Again, the customer service agent insisted I could just leave if I'm unhappy. I truly hope LA Fitness addresses these issues. Customer service attitudes like this, combined with ignoring valid concerns about equipment quality, will inevitably drive members away--including myself. While the representative treated my membership as insignificant, if enough members share these concerns, the impact on the business will be undeniable.

I was a member here for 3 years, and had to leave because we relocated. It was a very easy process…read moreto cancel. I am now back in the area and interested in joining again, and worked with Brian and the staff. They seem very invested in the members and are flexible, and willing to listen to their needs. The gym is affordable, has a variety of equipment, and close to public transportation. I'm looking forward to joining again.

I have tried to cancel my membership at least 4 times and it still has yet to be cancelled. I…read morefinally reached out to my credit card company to stop payment. I highly recommend against signing up for this gym as this has been a massive headache and extremely unprofessional.

LA Fitness Lawrence Avenue in Ravenswood is an incredible location! Everything you need is in one…read moreplace, making it one of the most convenient fitness clubs I've visited. The Pilates program is fantastic, with a beautiful studio, excellent equipment, and instructors who create a fun, challenging, and welcoming experience. Whether you're new to Pilates or have years of experience, you'll feel right at home. One of my favorite features is the convenience. There's ample parking with an attached garage, a grocery store right next door for quick shopping after your workout, plus an on-site juice bar and meal prep options that make staying on track with your health goals even easier. The club is clean, well maintained, and the staff is always friendly and welcoming. It's clear the team takes pride in creating a great experience for members. If you're looking for a gym that combines exceptional fitness offerings with unmatched convenience, LA Fitness Lawrence Avenue in Ravenswood is a fantastic choice. Highly recommend!

Wow, what a hot mess. This gym really makes me miss Chuze Fitness back home. They're also a chain…read moregym, but they actually have their stuff together. The facilities are consistently clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the overall experience is much better. This LA Fitness is crowded at basically all hours, and there clearly isn't enough equipment to meet the demand. People regularly sit on or hog equipment without sharing, but honestly, I can understand why when there simply isn't enough equipment available. Beyond the crowding, the gym itself has a weird smell, feels dirty, and just doesn't seem well maintained. Trying to get a decent workout in is frustrating when you're constantly waiting for equipment or trying to work around the crowds. I really wanted to like this gym, but for the price, I expected a much better experience. I'll definitely be looking for another gym.