The Best Gyms in America

We've embarked on an exciting journey to spotlight the country's finest gyms, places where community spirit, innovative training, and fun-filled environments come together to create the ultimate fitness experience.

Our search wasn't simple.

It began with valuable insights from our own staff, advisory board, and the dedicated trainers of our Strength in Diversity Initiative. Then, our team delved deeper, examining the equipment and training methods of each gym.

The outcome is a handpicked list of the top ten gyms, plus an outstanding bonus pick, all epitomizing the best in fitness and community.

Finao Fit

Where: Smyrna, Georgia

There are group fitness classes—and then there’s Team Training at Finao Fit. With 12 to 15 other participants, you’ll work through hybrid sessions that mix traditional strength-building exercises (like squats and deadlifts) with bursts of athleticism (like box jumps and sprints).

It all happens in an electric environment teeming with motivation. High-octane music keeps you energized, and top trainers routinely experiment with new and exciting moves.

Finao combines topflight equipment (curved treadmills, pullup bars, Technogym machines) with wide- open spaces and turf, giving you room to stretch easily or take off on a sprint.

Try This at Home:

Team Training workouts often open with what Finao Fit owner Denzell Jones calls a “hot start,” a light-speed circuit that swiftly skyrockets your heart rate (and gets you focused!). Do 20 kettlebell swings, then place a miniband around your knees and do 10 lateral shuffles in each direction. Repeat for 4 or 5 sets, resting minimally between them.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
🔍 Read More: Ready to elevate your fitness journey? Dive deeper with our BMI Calculator, BMR Calculator, TDEE Calculator, and Body Fat Calculator. Uncover the science behind your health!
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Spirit Club

Where: Various locations in Maryland and Virginia

Jared Ciner, C.P.T., was a part-time trainer who worked a day job as a support counselor for people with disabilities when he noticed that his clients didn’t have the tools they needed to gain muscle and strength.

So more than ten years ago, he founded Spirit Club—the gym now has eight locations—which specializes in training those with physical and developmental disabilities.

“For a lot of people looking to benefit from fitness, the most effective way working out is going to impact them is by using exercises as a way to practice day-to-day lifestyle ac- tivities,” says Ciner.

That means moves like the cable chop, which mimics the motion you make to put on your seat belt in a car.

Try This at Home:

The stepup, which has you place one foot on a box and then simply step onto it, is a quintessential Spirit Club move—and one you can always adjust.

Start with an 18-inch box. Want more quad burn? Bump it up to a 24-inch box. Nagging knee pain? Switch to a 10-inch box. Do 2 or 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per leg at all heights.

The Kollective

Where: Austin, Texas

Texas powerhouse The Kollective wants you to rethink your gym experience.

You’ll love the training space, which includes a robust cardio area, with rows of curved and automated treadmills, and a full 100-yard turf field. In the weight room, you’ll find next-gen cable machines that blend magnetic resistance with force plates that track the pressure you’re pushing into the floor.

There’s also a full recovery floor (think saunas and cold plunges)—and a coworking space for those WFH days.

Try This at Home:

Boost your sauna recovery to the next level by taking a sip of water before you enter.

“Hold it in your mouth,” says trainer Eric Rakofsky, “to focus on breathing through your nose the whole time.”

That nasal breathing will help cool the air as it enters your system, critical in the ultrahot sauna. Aim to hit the sauna for two or three 20-minute sessions a week.

Front Climbing Club

Where: Salt Lake City

What began as a garage-style indoor- climbing co-op in 1989 has morphed into the most complete climbing facility in the nation—and a place that will challenge far more than your grip strength.

Rock-climbing, rope-climbing, and bouldering walls remain the centerpieces at Front Climbing’s three locations. But conquering the wall here means training for more than the wall.

You can limber up on some days with yoga, build catlike reflexes with jujitsu, and pack on raw strength in the fully equipped weight room. It’s a one-stop shop for all your fitness needs—and it’ll transform you into a rock climber, too.

Try This at Home:

The underrated secret to killer core strength (and serious gains on the wall as well) is the mixed-grip pullup. To do it, grasp a bar with your left hand using an over- hand grip and with your right hand using an underhand grip. Tighten your abs and pull your chest to the bar. Lower. Do 2 sets per side, aiming for 6 to 8 reps.

Planet Fitness

Where: Various Locations

For all of Planet Fitness’s faults (we’re not fans of the “lunk” alarm), the budget chain (just $10 per month) blends easy-to-use equipment with a friendly atmosphere to keep beginners coming back.

To some, the lack of barbells prevents major gains, but to novice gymgoers, the racks of dumbbells and smartphone-friendly weight machines (each has a QR code that teaches you how to use it) offer a solid muscle- building sweat.

And PF is always innovating: Over the summer, teens could sign up for free.

Try This at Home:

Take on this all-machines circuit when you need a speedy workout.

Start with 10 to 12 reps of seated rows, then do 10 to 12 reps of chest presses. Finish with 10 to 12 leg-press reps. Rest 30 to 60 seconds between moves; complete 3 rounds for a stealthy total-body burn.

Life Time

Where: Various Locations

Thanks to an initiative that added stations with compression boots, massage guns, and cryotherapy chairs to most locations, Life Time now offers high-quality recovery options to match its high-quality strength equipment. It’s perfect training/recovery balance.

Dream Hollywood

Where: Los Angeles

The ideal hotel-gym experience, the Dream moves past basic dumbbells-and-treadmills setups to include a full squat rack, a punching bag, and a VersaClimber.

Alphaland

Where: Missouri City, Texas

Imagine Disneyland as a gym and you have Alphaland, a 30,000-square-foot space that features three full gym areas, two basketball courts, and outdoor “running slides” to simulate hill runs.

Just Train HQ

Where: Los Angeles

Just Train HQ aims to be more than the state-of-the-art functional-fitness space it is, combining nutrition classes with workshops on different fitness modalities (including CrossFit) for a holistic fitness experience.

Mount Vernon Barbell

Where: Mount Vernon, New York

Mount Vernon Barbell is a gritty strength-focused gym that mixes bodybuilding gear with specialized equipment for bench-press and squat max-outs—in addition to five Atlas stones and a yoke for strongman training.

The MH Fitness Lab

Where: New York City

Men’s Health’s own gym, optimized for video shoots and filled with the latest gear from Life Fitness, opened in the fall. Expect to see plenty of content from here, with special video workouts and Q&As, regular guest trainers, and much more!

Source: menshealth