Balance Gym Thomas Circle

Just forward my mail here. I love this place. The gym is inside the Fairmont Hotel. GW metro is not too far. You can also take a circulator.

The gym has great equipment. I am not a body builder. I just wanted something that would have a treadmill and items I used in physical therapy. The bathroom is wonderful. There are several locker rooms. You don't have to bring toiletries or a hair dryer. The gym has gadgets that pump hair spray and deodorant. They are mostly empty.

The showers are wonderful. They are ADA compliant. The towels are handy. I stopped bringing mine. There is even a supply of little plastic bags to put wet things in. They also have a "salad spinner" for wet items. Your bathing suit xan be mostly dry when you leave.

There are trainers available for you super motivated people. I noticed a machine selling meals near the check in desk.

The pool is lovely. It has two swim lanes. (Don't tell anyone) There is a shower to rinse off before you get in the pool. The hot tub varies in temperature. The pool is supposed to be 84 degrees. It feels a bit cool to me. If you are moving around, it feels better.

I love this place.

Disclaimer: This is not a regular Balance Gym location - this is their Personal Training Studio - which means your membership only works here if you have 1 PT session/month at least to redeem here.

Don't get me wrong - with what sessions I've had in the past, the Balance team is excellent and will help you hit your goals. That being said, if you're looking for a place nearby after work and want to pump iron and burn some calories on your own time - this ain't it. With Balance's recent closures, your only options are the Foggy Bottom or Capitol Hill locations.

Pros: classes equipment convenient location outdoor classes including on the roof personal trainers highly recommend Ashley Walsh

Cons: limited space, classes feel cramped; theft seems to be an issue

Aside from the incredibly obnoxious signs everywhere (who writes "I repeat" on a sign?) and it feeling a little cramped, the quality + diversity of classes and equipment they offer at their price point I believe is unmatched in the city.

Solid gym, large with lots of floors and space on each floor to do your thing. I dropped into the CrossFit classes and enjoyed the vibe, mostly young professionals who like to do fitness and were friendly. Coaches were helpful and pleasant as well, and easy to do a drop in if you're in town.

Good gym downtown close to K street. Much, much better than Washington Sports Club where I belonged for years. Balance has multiple floors, it's never been crowded in the mornings (I have no idea about evenings), the machines all work (a wow for me, coming from WSC), the price is decent (about $70/month), and there's a good sauna in the locker room. There is cross fit if you want that.

They will also loan you a free lock for the locker room if you deposit your keys- very convenient.

They also have the Versa Climber - those cardio machines they advertise on tv that give you the best workout in the shortest amount of time. Very cool, though I will say it's hard as hell.

I only knock them down a star for not having a pool or basketball court.

But I've been here a month and am happy so far.

I joined for the pool, sauna, steam room and hot tub. I have been a member for about 3 years. I only use the Foggy Bottom Location. The lockers in the women's locker room have mostly been broken for over a year with many promises of "they will be fixed soon". Takes many tries to find one with a lock that works.

The locker room floors are made of a slippery material. There are about 5 non skid strips, not nearly enough, by the door to the pool which we can't even use anymore (see below). Many of us have been complaining for over a year about this and nothing has been done.

The hot tub has been broken, almost broken or being fixed for most of 2 years. Now it is most likely going to take a long time to fix it as there is a newly built wall separating it from the pool necessitating a walk in wet swim clothes through the gym to and from. I suggested robes, they told me impossible that I could freeze my membership.

Most of the staff is pleasant and knowledgable. Certainly not all.
I swim for my exercise as it is all I can do. This gym could be fantastic but no one seems to care to make a few small improvements.

Been going here for a while because it's close to my apartment and my office and it's a good gym for the price. That being said, it's a beaten up kind of gym but works for people who aren't interested in the VIDA vibe (I.e., more club than gym) and who are there to get a workout in and leave. No joke, the ceiling leaks every. Single. Time. It. Rains. The men's bathrooms are borderline disgusting (though they make an effort to keep the 1990's bathrooms as clean as possible), the sauna works most of the time, and for fu#k sake either they can't seem to figure out how to get people to rack their weights (see photo) or they just don't have enough space for the weights they have.

They're working with limited space given the location so they're struggling when it comes to having good equipment for serious gym goers. Despite the photo, there's also a ridiculous shortage of dumbbell weights for people who don't use the 80lb+ dumbbells. Why is there only one set of 40, 45, and 50 lb dumbbells?!

They do seem to be making an effort to improve things here and there but they have a long way to go.

In summary, it's fine. Beaten up and lacking some standard equipment but a good price for what you get.

Best gym in DC, great staff, great equipments.

Don't like much the hours since I'd prefer longer night hours. But that's the only weak point

Came here with ClassPass. I really like that they offer 30-minute classes which is perfect for a workday workout. the gym does seem a little run down/has a distinct smell, but i thought the vibes were really great. the woman's locker room has these big, ornate mirrors which is really beautiful. I was surprised that the total body class only had three students and since i am a beginner the trainer came off as a little intimidating/unfriendly. still, it was a great workout and i think i will sign up for the 7 day trial!

Powerlifting Gym Washington DC

Hopefully now this gym will come up when that phrase gets Googled.

If you're a powerlifter visiting from out of town or an aspiring one, this is the only gym in the city you want to consider. In addition to all of the group class space, cardio equipment, etc. they have available, they've got an entire floor full of all the powerlifting equipment you could hope for in a gym that's not dedicated to the sport. Deadlift bars and platforms, power bars (Texas and Ohio), squat racks, duffalo bar, axle bar, reverse hyper, belt squat, etc. They've got the works. Oh, they're also chalk friendly AND provide the chalk. Balance Gym is the only destination for strength athletes in DC short of driving 20 minutes or more into Virginia.