I'm a fan!! I am new to CF, having recently joined this gym to work more with weights, and have…read moreenjoyed the experience. The owner, Everett, has been extremely helpful, thoughtful, and teaches really well. He demonstrates the moves, and is aware of how the body works, and how folks learn. He does not sacrifice form for reps or weight and is focused on moving in healthy ways. He suggests various modifications for those who need them, and is easy to work with. He is definitely aware in the emotional/cognitive aspects of health - a trait that makes him stand out. The classes have been extremely unique, with varied exercise routines each time, and challenging to all parts of the body. The people at this gym are friendly and helpful, and easy to approach. The more experienced members help out the newer people...it's great to be welcomed in this way. This gym is clean, reliable, and low-key. There is sufficient equipment for the classes, it's neat and accessible, and there are thoughtful touches such as a pile of cloths and cleaner to use for wiping down equipment, a 'dirty cloths' pail to discard used cloths (so they are not hanging around all over the equipment), and plenty of fresh air circulating. All of these might sound like minor details, but these are things I feel and notice when I'm spending my time in a gym. Crossfit Bytown has these small touches mastered. It feels like my home in there. Finally, there is a social aspect to this gym that extends beyond its walls: Social media connections, email, and text messaging are added touch points that keep me and other members in the know, and I can opt in to whatever amount I want. I feel very supported! Nice work, CF Bytown!

I travel a lot for work and usually drop in at a CF gym in whatever city I'm in. These guys did not…read moredisappoint. Everyone was really nice. I showed up with US dollars and Coach Taylor was nice enough to lend me some change so I could get a drink from the machine. Typical Canadian, super nice and personable. This gym is fantastic.

I have been a member here for a few months now. Started as a rookie and a girl who had decent…read morecardio ability. After working out for a few months the progress is amazing. The coaches have a good eye and have slowly made sure I have great form before putting weights on the bar. It is a somewhat newer gym, opening mid 2013, and already has many classes with more being added. In addition they have mobility classes, OLY (Olympic Lifting), and then basics classes for newbies like me. Highly recommend this "box" if you are an experienced crossfitter looking for a good workout or someone looking to get into the sport without being judged.

Amazing gym! Jess (Smash) is a phenomenal instructor who…read morefocuses on the individual needs of every client. He took the time to understand my goals, strengths and weaknesses and then connected me to a group that he knew I would thrive in. The community of people who attend this gym are amazing. Everyone is encouraging and supportive. I highly recommend them!

Jess and the Strength Lab have changed my life and transformed my body. If you are tired of going…read moreto the gym by yourself and not moving the needle and making progress, give the Lab a shot. Jess has a coaching style that can push you beyond what you think you can do. It's a fun atmosphere and not intimidating at all. Jess has helped me get in the best shape of my life. Try it out!

I would definitely recommend fit4less, you really just wanna use the equipment and don't need…read moreclasses. You can't go wrong with their membership you can pick from two option. The first option is 4.99 every two week. The other one is 10.99 every two week. The first option gives you Only one location but if you know you only train one place why pay for more. Second option offers tanning, water massage bed of course all the locations, but gives you the opportunity to share it with your family or friend. Great option of you all live close. I personally go only to two different gyms this one and the one in Orleans. Orleans is definitely less busy than this location but there is also less equipment. I have to give this place a five star simply because they offer all the equipment that I need and you also have everything that you need to sanitize them. I personally don't take my shower at the gym but if you do you Fit4less less might not be the option for you.

This facility handled the covid situation poorly. Upon closure, I had personal items valuing up to…read more500$ in a locker which I was told could be recovered upon reopening. Upon return I have been informed everything has been discarded without being notified prior. I have been a valued member for years. I will not be returning to this fit4less facility or Any goodlife facility for that matter. That combined with the rough experiences I have encountered with staff, and the impractical measures implemented post covid (mandatory mask wearing during workouts, maximum 1 hour time slots, and pre scheduled workouts) make for an overall unpleasant workout experience. I would recommend going anywhere else. Look into joining 613Lift or other specialized gym facilities, at least they care about their members...plus it will support local business as opposed to massive conglomerate.

Burke's method is amazing. I've lost about 40lbs in 6 months, but most importantly, I've kept it…read moreoff. There has been no "yo-yo-ing" back and forth and my motivation has been high all the way through. He isn't the type of trainer who will yell at you and shame you into doing more. Burke's philosophy - and he'll tell you the first time you see him - is about sustainable weight loss. He's not about the 20lbs in 20-days garbage. If you're looking to make positive change, this is the guy you want to contact.

After years in school and not making my body a priority in my life, I decided to change. Looking…read morefor a personal trainer in Ottawa wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. There are many and most fitness centers have mixed reviews. I met with Burke and was quickly impressed by him... His approach was thoughtful, calm and collected. Looking back, I think it was how fast I felt comfortable around him that gave me that extra push to do this. It was a combination of weights, cardio and, most importantly, learning new ways to eat. I trained with Burke a few times per week. Once I started improving we reduced that to twice. It's been 2 years and I'm still feeling healthier than I can remember! My results speak for themselves: lost 40 pounds in 6 months. And yes, those were my old pants in the pic I added in my gallery! If you're considering Burke and have any questions, feel free to PM me. I'm giving 4 stars for the sole reason that I don't want anyone to think there's a perfect solution. The change that I went through was extremely difficult. It's important that people know that a lot of it comes down to you.

This is a great place for me as it is close to home and I can nip in on my way from work. The…read moreclasses are great and the staff is pretty friendly. I like that there is a large selection of cardio equipment. Downfalls: not such a large selection of weight machines. Small change room, small space in general. (And people who sit on the weight machines like they own the place, when I'm trying to do a circuit). I wish the staff would do a better job at checking in on their clients. Overall this is an ok place.

Great place! I think it would be helpful if they had a twitter or facebook account. I come after…read morework for the classes and it is a big dissapointment if I trek there to find out a class has been canceled. I also find there isn't enough space to do floor work, its quite crammed. Staff also need to do a better job enforcing that peopel leave their belongings in the change room. Trying to do a cardio class with bags and jackets littered on teh edge of the room is annoying and unsafe

I used to work on MetCalfe and made use of this place every lunch :)…read moreThe trainers are excellent! You make it what you want it BUT the trainers will push you and you'll lose and Tone up your body in no time! I owe a lot to Greco and highly recommend this gym! COVID has been tough on everyone! Do yourself a favour and trust me- Even try it out for a bit and see if it works for you :) Moving back to work downtown and plan on heading back daily :) -Sean

I've always hated gyms. The crappy music, the grim-eyed people, the smell, the jacked-up guys…read moredesperately trying to forget their scrawny high school selves. Ugh. I'd tried a bunch of the big corporate gyms and always quit. I'm not even sure why I decided to try Greco's 10-week plan. It's pricy, for sure, but some girls I work with had raved about it, and I knew a new one had just opened on Sparks. From the start, everything about this place appealed to me - knowledgable trainers, friendly owner, good space, short (45 min) classes. I wanted to die my first time out, but I slowly got stronger. And it's always fun. The style is crossfit-esque - weights and cardio mixed together - and the classes are no more than 25 (though if you pick the right times, you can end up with just 5-10 others). The change rooms are too small, but that's never been a huge problem for me. The location is great for those who live and work downtown. Basically, if you're willing to shell out some extra bucks, I can't recommend this place enough. I've been a member for six months now, and it's still never boring - and only annoying when Justin Bieber is on the music rotation.

a NO for me. It was…read morevery confusing for me to find their entrance. The doors are located right next to the garbage bins, so the smell will be "pleasant". The receptionist was really nice to me. Their freaking toilets are dirty, nasty and smelly. The equipment is very old and there is only one cable machine which sucks. The smell inside the gym itself is really bad, so I suggest they would turn on the fans. Overall, I was disappointed because their reviews were mostly 5 star. Maybe they were just friends with the owner, Idk. P.S. The prices are great though $49 for students and $59 for regulars, but they do not even have a normal water fountain for reusable bottles.

The gym is a new thing for me and I'm not one for treadmills. That said, I've been working from…read morehome a lot recently and felt I needed something to help me get moving even when the weather is yucky outside. Elgin Fitness was a great choice for me because I don't feel any pressure from staff or members and there isn't a big financial strain. I was given a day pass to try out the gym before committing to a membership. There were no sign up fees and there isn't a contract (if you sign up for automatic payments, they want you to stay around for at least 5 months though) and no penalty for cancelling (just a 30 day notice). The rates are really reasonable--we got a couple's plan for $80 and you can't really beat that anywhere else. I really like that the membership includes access to yoga classes. I went to one today, my first ever, and found it to be a relaxing and invigorating experience. The instructor wasn't overly serious and she was open and made the environment feel safe. When I couldn't hold a pose for as long, or had to modify a pose, there was no judgement and I felt positive about my body. The change rooms have been clean and well kept every time I've gone. They even have hair dryers! There are showers, bathrooms, lockers, and a space for beautifying oneself. The change rooms have never been crowded and I've never had a problem getting a locker (free, just bring your own lock). The gym itself is everything that I need and nothing more. There are a variety of cardio machines--treadmills, stair climbers, ellipticals, upright bikes, recumbent bikes. I've never had to wait for a machine and everyone I've seen use them remembers to wipe them down after use. There is also a good assortment of weight training equipment and a stretching room. The stretching room has swiss balls and mats and the yoga classes are held here--which means the room isn't open to everyone when a class is in session. So if you're within walking distance of this gym, I would recommend trying it out.