Update: Turk was able to remove my google review, which is a shame. He claimed to have also done…read moreblood tests for his competitors before and after prep, but that was not the case for me.

3 months ago, I challenged myself to do something totally crazy - attempt something no one who…read moreknows me would expect - something that, quite frankly, seemed scary to me. I got a personal trainer. With two little ones, I decided it's time I get healthier. But, what do I know about fitness?! From day 1 - I was put at ease by Nick. He met with me, talked to me about my goals and discussed what sort of options were available to me. He never once made me feel like it was a hard sell - more, he was here to answer my questions and encourage me. Most importantly, he assured me that this wasn't going to be something that was going to drive me away. The team was going to work with me at my pace. I decided I'd go three mornings a week - totally crazy, right?! Now, I work with Vince three early mornings a week. Vince is awesome! He's fun to work with, super knowledgeable - always taking the time to explain things to me. And, most importantly, he's encouraging. I'm nowhere NEAR as advanced as some of the people I see, but Vince makes me feel like I have a place there. Just a few months ago, I would have NEVER thought you'd EVER find me in a gym. Now, I look forward to going!

Elev8 has surpassed my expectations. They have all the necessary equipment for an excellent workout…read moreand it's very clean. The trainers are all very friendly and incredibly knowledgeable. My trainer, Brooke is the best as she's positive, supportive and assists me in my goals as I've only been attending a short while and I'm already seeing results. The entrance is a fob system because it's open 24/7 so it's completely safe. No need for air pods as they pipe the best music throughout.

This private gym has so many things going for it - it's well lit, fully equipped and offers good…read moreoptions and perks. They also have some pretty nice merch :) There are classes offered along with personal training sessions. They even offer nutrition coaching so you'll be sure to get a well rounded result. There is also an Inbody scanner for a body comp measurement and a private sauna which I haven't seen in too many other places. I love the fact that it has pretty much every equipment you would need and then some for any type of workout. It even has a turf which looks cool. There is also a heart rate monitoring system which lets the trainers know the level of exertion so that every workout is safe but intense. It's in a prime location and close to some of the Intel offices. There is plenty of parking outside and some reserved spots for customers too so that is a nice added bonus. But the best part is that the owner is very professional and caring towards his clients and gives personal attention to everyone. One of the great perks of a private gym!! I've been personally training with him for a while now and I can see the difference for myself. He is very knowledgeable and practical. He knows what he's doing :)

I've been working with Jaime at ATB for about six months. After an initial evaluation, Jaime slowly…read moreramped up the intensity of my sessions, tailoring and varying the workouts to meet my needs. The result: steady gains in strength, core stability, flexibility, balance and coordination. The atmosphere at ATB is friendly, positive and welcoming. Everyone I've worked out with at ATB have been encouraging and supportive. The good vibes and exercise have really improved my mental health. I strongly recommend Above The Barr for anyone who wants to positively change their physical and mental well-being.

After several years of hip, groin, shoulder and back pain I was ready to try something new. My…read moremassage therapist recommended Jaime from Above the Barr. I hadn't been to a gym in more than 10 years, but have always been physically active. Jaime immediately located the source of my issues and set me on a stretching and strengthening program that has helped me relieve my pain and get me to the strongest level I've ever felt. One of the many things that I appreciate about Jaime is the way he spends the time to teach you to do your exercises the correct way. I didn't realize that all the years that I had been working out that I was doing most of the excercises wrong. Jaime does a good job of coaching you through the exercise and then correcting you when you are slipping. Once you speak to Jamie you'll realize that he has a lot of really valuable experience in training professional athletes to the 40 year old's who need to get some exercise back in their lives. No matter your condition, he'll make you a plan to get you where you want to be. Lastly, the gym is a very comfortable environment with a lot of really wonderful people focuses on bettering their condition as well and all at different stages of fitness. He usually only has 1-3 other people working out at the same time and, even with the others there, he still provides the 1-on-1 attention you need. HIGHLY recommend paying Jaime a visit @ Above the Barr.

AmyJae is a dream of a trainer. As a woman who has never been physically active and pushing 60, I…read morewanted to work with someone who is knowledgeable, an excellent motivator/ coach, and a sweet, understanding person. I am grateful that I was referred to AJ. She knows the body and incorporates my own strengths and weaknesses into the design of a workout program. The exercises I do with AmyJae target underdeveloped muscles and enable me to build strength and endurance without risking injury. She is wonderful--I recommend her without reservation.

im not a client but a trainer that's been in the business a long time and I just have to say that…read morecoming to train at Extreme fitness couldn't have been a better decision on my part. The facility is top notch and professional but the true value comes from its Owner AmyJae and Extremes fellow trainers. you define team and make a great place to call home. My clients couldn't be happier I made the move here...

Travel a ton for work and attempt to get in to local, privately owned gyms when I can. This is one…read moreof my favorites. Clean, has more than what is needed, and gives you the feeling that you need to get after it when entering. Owners were great, enjoyed getting to know them!

Great place to lift weights! That's what I like. Lots of plates and machines with lots of…read moredifferent angles and ranges. They also have cardio...... It's friendly, clean and a great value. When you come in meet Mouss, Tyler, and Joel. Great trainers. Good people too. I hope to see you there today!

Cem (pronounced Gem), is amazing! Well versed in body mechanics for men and woman. No pressure…read moretraining with motivating classes, without a coach yelling at you, to get your reps in! Haha This location is not what you would expect, in zstorage buildings, filled to the the brim with cutting edge equipment and workouts! Cem trains professional boxers, IFBB Bikini athletes as well as basketball players, high school, college athletes, every day athletes and literally any person who is looking for motivational, training. If you are looking for someone to take your sports performance to the next level, consider contacting Cem. He is on instagram @cemcondition.

I wish I lived in the PDX area so I could go to this gym everyday. Gem's passion and energy is…read morecontagious! You will see individuals of different age groups and fitness level. It is an inviting atmosphere and the equipment available is numerous. I went for a class and Gem will tailor your workout to you and what you want to work on. When I'm back in the Portland area I will definitely go here again.

Love my experience at the gym! I have done personal training classes and small group trainings. My…read morefavorite is the Saturday morning Metabolic class which focuses on High Intensity Interval training and concludes with some core exercises and rejuvenating stretches.

I love the Fit Alliance Team! With small group training sessions & 1:1 personal training they have…read moreguided me to meeting my goals for strength, flexibility & endurance. I have been part of the FA family for 3 years and I have never been stronger. The gym is friendly and accommodates all fitness levels, come see for yourself.

I have gone to this gym for the last TWO YEARS. I used to work out at a 24 hour fitness gym and I…read morehave to say after doing Super Slow with Reinvent STC I don't see much point in going back! You could work out HOURS at a gym but get the same or better results with just 20 minutes of super slow! Free weights are like lifting rocks! It's not tailored to helping your particular needs. And the treadmill? You could walk on it for an hour and not break a sweat. And it's so boring! I heard about this kind of strength training from my favorite philosopher, Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Apparently this is what you can do to remain fit into your middle age. He does high amounts of weights for a short amount of time and then rests. That's what Super Slow is. The workout is 20 minutes long, once a week. It's not easy but it's wonderful to have a trainer standing there and helping you every step of the way. The point of the workout is to get to muscle failure with each machine, so your body gets the message that it needs to get stronger. This training method is fast and effective. The team at Reinvent STC is excellent. If you're in Portland, especially if you work downtown and looking for a quick way to get fit, build muscle, or lose weight I'd highly encourage you to give the super slow method a try.

Just finished up trying this place for a few months. I noticed nearly all of the clients working…read moreout are over the age of 70 years old. This is geared more toward the elderly so it's a very basic workout. They only offer weight machines so you're limited as to what you can do. I only worked out twice a week for about 15 minutes. The trainer used a couple of machines for the upper body and then a couple of machines for the lower body. That's what they offers a "workout". Which I'm sure is fine for those who are fragile and over the age of 70. Anyone who is looking for a real workout then this isn't place as I learned first hand. Hope this helps anyone else who isn't sure what they offer. Also, the place is extremely filthy. I had to wash my clothes after I got home from my session. I found that a bit unsettling as hygiene would be a primary concern in a health club setting. The large volume of cob webs were a nice touch for Halloween. Otherwise somebody needs to do a deep cleaning. Parking is very limited and monitored by a security guard. If you're even one second late getting back to your car they'll write you a $100 dollar fine. On more than one occasion I had a homeless person who appeared to be on drugs screaming and jumping around near the entrance. Trying to get into the club was a bit dangerous. On another occasion I had to use my pepper spray to subdue the homeless person as he was trying to attack me with a knife. Lucky to be alive! All in all it's not what you would expect when you're looking for a gym. Safety is lacking and so is any cleaning. Rather disappointed but glad I did find another gym nearby.