Trainers in Chicago

“Dr. Lauren was great to work with! Helped resolved my elbow pain and gave guidance to keep it better long term instead of a “band aid” solution. I really appreciate her talking through the why’s of the things we were doing and what I was experiencing!“

“Been at Basecamp West Loop for almost three years now and I am so thankful for the fitness (and friends) that I’ve built here! The workout is engaging and clear (which is helpful when my brain is half asleep ?). The coaches each bring their own flare to the workout, and you can’t go wrong with any of them: Dana brings the hype, Braxton brings the intensity, Dennis has such attention to detail, and Brittany makes everyone feel like a friend… I could go on! Not to mention, you will always be welcomed and celebrated at Basecamp (s/o Abby & Alyona). So thankful for this place and the people that make it!

Also, think it goes without saying that I wouldn’t stay if I didn’t see results, too.“

“Joining this gym was the best choice I made in 2025 hands down. I have more stamina and strength, but tbf this is my first ever CrossFit gym. It's very welcoming for beginners, but is challenging for elite athletes too; most athletes need to scale the main metcons (metabolic conditioning workouts).

The space can accomodate classes of 25-30 with space for 2-3 individuals to do their own workouts in the open gym space.

In this community, there are multiple entrepreneurs whose side businesses offer other nutrition, wellness, and food services. I love being surrounded by a community that is smart, welcoming, and savvy.

I cannot recommend this gym enough to my friends and family in the Chicagoland area.“

“I’ve been training at Orange Shoe for about 1.5 years, and I can’t recommend it enough. With options for small groups sessions, 1:1 and partner training, there’s something for every fitness goal. The staff is outstanding – friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely invested in your progress. Huge shoutout to Anahi for being an incredible trainer! I feel stronger, fitter and more confident thanks to the great workouts.“

“I highly recommend Tone Up Fitness. I started my journey with them last year because I wanted to lose weight and get stronger. I began working with Bart, and he has been amazing. He’s extremely detail‑oriented, attentive, and always challenges me in every session. On weeks when I wasn’t at my strongest, he listened and adjusted the workouts without ever making me feel discouraged. He kept every session fun, motivating, and supportive.

Thanks to Tone Up Fitness—and Bart—I’ve gotten my spark back and restarted my fitness journey with confidence.“

“I joined anytime fitness a few weeks ago and love it. It’s not a fancy gym, but it’s quiet and everyone is respectful.“

“I’ve really enjoyed my time training with Braulio over the past few months! He is a fantastic trainer who meets you where you’re at but also pushes you to improve. The training feels personalized and you can tell
he cares to understand your goals and limitations. Highly recommend!“

“This the best gym that I have ever belonged to. The atmosphere is great, they have all of the equipment that you need to get into amazing shape, and the trainers are top notch (thanks Sarah)! I have had many friends and family ask me what my secret has been to getting into shape and my answer has been DSM and my dietician. Highly recommend.“

“Fantastic gym, with an orientation to community, where people work out together, with the close supervision of experienced trainers. I have been a member for over a year, and get consistent results thanks to being motivated by working out with familiar faces.“

“I’m just saying, Jonathan and Caullen play the best music in class. It really makes the workouts more motivating.“

“Great gym. You really feel that they care about your success. Could not recommend them enough.“

“This gym is great. It’s smaller with a more intimate and modern feel on the inside that definitely tries to cater to the people living in the city. Was the $40 day pass a little expensive? Yes. However, true gym goers only buy day passes when they need to pay for the convenience of being able to still get in a lift when they can’t go to their own gym. This gym was great for me because I could walk 15 minutes from where I work and it was significantly closer than any other gyms in the areas. It’s a smaller space but there’s PLENTY of equipment to hit your essential lifts. It’s downtown Chicago, so don’t expect the size of an LA or Lifetime.

This is just a PSA for anyone looking to use the showers. The one on the left (if facing both showers) did take quite a few minutes for the water to get hot. Multiple factors could have played into this and I ended up just sticking it out and taking a cold shower due to time constraints. It DID get hot eventually. Overall, this did not impact my experience at MODE whatsoever. I would go again if I needed to and would recommend this location to anyone who needed a quick lift if they were in the area.“

“There are many new things here . Tinted windows with seven new machines. Perfect size with fresh paint job. Five star staff. You will love it. Rockwell location“

“I started at this gym a few months ago as someone who hadn’t been in the gym in many years. The classes have been a great way to get back into a gym routine. I’ve taken classes with Coach Alex, Patsy, Jordan, and Danny. They’ve all been great so far and I highly recommend a class if you don’t know where to start.“

“I highly recommend Wattage to anyone looking for high-quality rehabilitation and performance training. The entire team has been exceptional throughout my recovery and return-to-play process. Their knowledge, professionalism, and attention to detail have given me confidence every step of the way.

A special thank you to Calvin, whose expertise, guidance, and encouragement have been instrumental in my progress. He takes the time to understand your goals, creates a thoughtful plan, and consistently provides the support needed to stay on track.

What truly sets Wattage apart is the environment they have created. Every staff member is welcoming, supportive, and genuinely invested in helping their clients succeed. From the moment you walk through the door, you feel encouraged and motivated to reach your goals.

I am grateful for the care and guidance I have received and would not hesitate to recommend Wattage to anyone seeking a professional, positive, and results-driven approach to recovery and performance.“

“My favorite gym I’ve been a member of! The equipment, machines, and bathrooms are always spotless. Things are fixed promptly and the owners are easy to get ahold of if you need anything-they’re often there to chat with if it’s during the day. I haven’t taken any classes so I can’t speak to them but the offerings are frequent and varied. Community is great too. Highly, highly recommend!“

“I’ve been working with John Fuhr at LIFT Chicago since February and it’s been an amazing experience. I’ve lost 12 pounds while still retaining muscle, which was really important to me. I came into LIFT after not working out consistently for months and honestly feeling intimidated about getting back into fitness, but John helped me rebuild my confidence from the ground up.

What really stands out is how knowledgeable he is. I recently hurt my calf while running and he immediately knew how to adjust workouts and work around the injury safely without making me feel like I was falling behind. His background in kinesiology and strength training really shows in the way he coaches.

LIFT is also a great place for beginners because they focus on teaching the basics the right way instead of making you feel overwhelmed. Everyone is welcoming and supportive, and it’s been one of the first gyms where I’ve actually felt comfortable walking in consistently. Highly recommend John and the team at LIFT Chicago.“

“The staff are wonderful!! Best coaches ever.

Great vibe. So much fun.“

“Edge couldn't have curated a better training experience to prepare for the Chicago Marathon. This was my first time training for a marathon and running with a running group.

The training schedules, accessibility to coaches, trainers, strength classes and podcasts, plus their entire community truly enhanced my performance and confidence going into the marathon. Edge's run club camaraderie is unmatched; supportive, realistic, and positive. My first marathon experience would've been completely different without their preparation, wisdom, and encouragement.

I'd highly recommend the run club at Edge to anyone looking for an intelligent training plan with a stellar group of people.“

“Bret & Jason are worth every dime! Professional. Logical. Education focused and Motivation experts !!

My husband & I are clients for personal training. I work with Bret. Jason works with my hubs. I love their Live Better philosophy and their infectious spirit. Doing our best to integrate “Best Day Ever” into our lifestyle moving forward. Their programs influence physical, spiritual, emotional, and social MINDFULNESS. So important!! Next Step - to book the next Live Better retreat!

Highly recommend: Personal training. The collective. Their coaching. All programs. Fantastic people! Looking forward to what’s next!

Best. Day. Ever.“

“Absolutely best workout anyone could ask for. It replaces the gym boredom with a developed program that is for all ages and stages of fitness. Great motivation, even when you dont feel like working out, it energizes you and leaves you feeling grateful.“

“Rock Solid is a great neighborhood gym that works for anyone. I really needed to get back into working out with some guidance. After my first workout I knew it was the place for me. The trainers are supportive and make sure I’m doing things correctly. They are personable and care about my progress. There’s no judgement and I don’t feel lost in a crowd because the classes are small. I highly recommend it for anyone looking to improve their fitness at any level in a friendly community environment.“

“Quads gym is an old school kinda gym that you go to workout at and not talk on your phone or socialize with your friends. There are a lot of bodybuilder types and fitness fanatics who go to this place. I don’t think it’s necessarily the best place for newcomers, tall people or those with physical limitations. I’m 6 feet three with nerve damage in my leg and I had to remind myself to duck otherwise I would get hit by the ceiling going down the stairs. It can also get very busy. My trainer would often dart ahead of me to get on the equipment 1st.
The staff and trainers are all friendly and welcoming. I will take what I’ve learned from my trainer Cameron and apply it to the next gym I attend-
Quads gym might not of been the right match for me but I have nothing bad to say.This isn’t the end of my fitness journey it’s just the beginning!“

“I only have three very specific complaints.

1. The water from the bottle-filling station tastes funky, even after they replaced the filter.

2. Some of the metal free weights and attachments smell crazy; they need to be BRUSHED clean. Wiping them is NOT sufficient to get the gunk out from the little crevices in the grips.

3. The lat pulldown attachment is falling apart (along with some other attachments), and needs to be replaced. You'd think stuff like this would be maintained more proactively.

Regarding more general stuff, it does get pretty packed during peak hours. I don't think I've ever seen the cardio equipment fully occupied, but you may spend some time waiting for the other machines, especially the single smith machine.

That being said, I almost exclusively come after 9pm, and there's usually only around 10 people by then. They have an app that tracks the current occupancy, but it's always an underestimation in my experience.

The gym is sufficiently clean, everyone wipes equipment down when they're done, and the restrooms are solid. When you compare it to other gyms that are charging twice as much and aren't even open 24/7, I think $50/month is a decent value.“

“So glad I found Tony! He’s a great a barber in the neighborhood ! Love my haircut and I’ll be returning!!“