How do you go to sleep skinny and wake up fat?! Well, that's what happened to me...that's my story…read moreand I'm sticking to it. Almost 2 years ago I moved to Houston for work, where I work from home most times. Being in a new city not knowing anyone and working from home is the perfect storm to gain weight. I've tried working out on my own, diets, and other gyms but could never stick with it or saw any results. Finally I made up my mind this weight was not ok and I needed to make a change...I wanted a personal trainer. I did some research on Yelp and looked in to a few different trainers. But hit the jackpot when I found Above the Bar Fitness! I went in for my consulting and got the full run down on Above the Bar Fitness and took a short tour of the gym. They train out of The Core gym, the gym is clean with top of the line equipment. The gym is mostly a trainer/client environment so there aren't any classes offered. Above the Bar Fitness is a team of two trainers, Nicole and Jen. Both are very qualified and want to see you succeed. They listen to what your concerns are what your goals are and tweaking workouts to help you achieve those goals. They push you past what you think your limit is but in an encouraging way. With each workout you feel yourself getting stronger and leaner. If you're looking for a new training I definitely suggest you contact Above the Bar Fitness.

Awesome! Nicole and…read moreJennifer provide a great service: dedication and results while having fun! Key aspects to highlight: - They understand your starting point and where you wanna get - Set realistic goals - Monthly stats to track progress - Routine is personalized and changes periodically - They explain you why you do everything and more important, how to do it right! The gym is fully equipped and used only by personal trainers - no need to wait or fight to do the next set. I had to stop training for personal reasons but would definitely be back soon with them!

Super friendly not crowded atmosphere with top instructors who really know how to set the tone for…read morehigh end exercises. As a health professional for over 20 years and former group exercise instructor, I can see how the Instructors motivate with a specific exercise strategy . They have helped a former patient of mine to get ready for Army officer training and it has made a big difference in his fitness being able to climb up large obstacles courses with heavy packs on and crawling under barbwire at Army base. Highly recommend if you want a smaller gym with huge experience and skilled instructors that offer personal instruction.

Houston I have finally found my place for fitness. This specialty gym offers small specific…read moretraining classes that are some of the best I have seen. From HIT classes to strength and conditioning, it has made a difference in my ability to ruck at Army training with #35 on for 13 miles without feeling I couldn't make it. The staff is highly trainied with former professional soccer players and others doing the classes. Their staff really understands what is needed to improve my flexibility and strength. Thank you to Natalie, Mark Jeremiah Lana and Julie for the extra time to make sure each class is personalized, professional and Specific to my needs.

Best gym in town. There is all the equipment you need and it is a clean space. Doesn't get too busy…read moreon most days. Great feel and definitely a lifetime member.

Awesome gym. The trainers were very helpful knowledgeable and welcoming Lamar is awesomeread more

I will start off by saying this review may be a bit lengthy, but worth the read. I found Illuminate…read moreFitness through Instagram when I was thinking I would hire a personal trainer for my wedding next March. I recognized one of the gorgeous personal trainers Jourdan from high school and immediately reached out to her and filled out the intake form. Seeing how in shape she was and her feed really motivated me to pursue this gym. The intake process was relatively quick and I came in for my first session with Jourdan. She showed me a couple of workouts and showed me around both Illuminate Fitness and Illuminate sweat. We sat down and discussed goals and I was so pumped to start this journey. I will say from the first meeting I was so hooked by Jourdans bubbly personality. She is SO freaking sweet. She set me up with my current PT, Kelly who I adore. It's been about five weeks since I've started my meal plan and training with Kelly twice a week as well as attending the group classes four times a week. I've seen so much change in my body and even on the inside (my confidence, self esteem etc) I could literally cry. I was lying to myself before I started coming here eating whatever I wanted and "working out" in a constant cycle of going 110% and then quitting. I was so tired of the BS. This gym has transformed me inside and out. Everyone here is extremely genuine and supportive. I love that I have them to look up to. I love the community feel and how they are always looking out for their clients. I want to give a major shout out to Kelly, Jourdan, Nate, Colby, Emily and the rest of the team for everything you guys do for your clients. You guys really have something amazing going on here and I can't wait to see this business blow up. Y'all are amazing. And may I add I have lost four pounds, four percent body fat and gained about 3 pounds of muscle. I will attach my InBody results to show you, that you can do it to. I'm a nurse who works 3x a week. Once I cut the excuses, the results came. I'm so so happy. Can't wait to see my future results.

I went to check this out and it didn't disappoint. Large space w their new expansion and it's a…read moregood vibe. Plenty of equipment for any type of training. It is a good bodybuilding gym.

This is a great neighborhood YMCA with a good variety of amenities and classes. One of the biggest…read morehighlights is the outdoor pool, which is heated during the winter and stays open year-round unless temperatures drop below freezing. The pool also has a 9-foot deep end and a few lap lanes. One downside is there's very little shade around the pool area. Inside, there are free weights and cardio areas, basketball courts, TRX setup, and several group fitness rooms offering classes like yoga, pilates, Zumba, pickleball, and other fitness programs. The instructors and staff have always been very friendly and welcoming. The men's and women's locker rooms also include a steam sauna and hot tub, which are nice amenities. However, the steam saunas are frequently closed or broken for maintenance, so I'd recommend calling ahead to confirm what's currently working before visiting. Another downside is that the lockers require you to bring your own lock--they do not have built-in combination locks like many newer gyms. They offer memberships for different age groups, and another huge plus is the free covered parking garage. However, during weekday evenings (around 6 p.m.), the garage can get pretty full due to after-work crowds and youth programs. I've been a YMCA member for several years and would definitely recommend this location.

I chose this gym bc of the pool and bc it doesn't allow filming inside the fitness center which in…read moretodays age it is an amazing experience to be able to workout without fear of ending up on social media without without your consent. I also like the weight room as it has an impressive selection of smith machines and cardio equipment such as the treadmills which have fans incorporated into their machines. There are 3 things I have noticed that I don't like: 1. the weight room doesn't have a bench that allows you to do workouts in declined mode and the staff wouldn't let me donate a commercial bench with that option. so Declined DB or BB press cannot be done which is strange as it is offered at most corporate gyms. 2. DB selections for the most common weights sets such as 10-25 lb are lacking with only 1 set of DB weights per designated weight for a gym that might have 15 people working out in free weight room (the very least offer *3 sets of 12 lb dumbbells). 3. the men's locker rooms wooden benches and the three leather seats by the tv are stinky dirty and we know this bc every-time I placed my towel on the seats or the bench to change out of my clothes; this foul smell is left on the towel. The smell is so potent that it transfers to my gym bag like trash left out on the sun for several days and I find myself having to wash the towel and the gym bag just to get the homeless stench off. I have learned to avoid the men's locker room like a plague and instead use the lockers found across the gym to put my belongings.

I started going to gym with no background in fitness. I had Luis train me for about a year until I…read moremoved. He helped me understand muscle group workouts and was easy to work with. Luis is super flexible with scheduling which is a big plus. If you put in the time, Luis will take your training to the next level.

I have been working out with Luis for about 2 years now and am really happy with the results. I had…read moreseveral personal trainers in the past, Luis is by far the best!

Brice is the first personal trainer I've worked with and he is phenomenal. He is very knowledgeable…read moreand will cater to your needs and body condition that day. I once came in one day with a sore shoulder from overuse and the light shoulder exercises Brice had me do helped my recovery significantly. I was 90% recovered by the next day! Ihas helped me learn proper form and actively made sure I maintained good form throughout my exercises. It's only been a month of training with Brice, and I already feel better about my body and even my posture. Did I mention how nice the gym is? Brice recently moved to a new gym and it is spacious with brand new equipment. All his clients are friendly people too! Give Brice a try for meeting your workout goals, I'm confident he won't disappoint.

Brice is the first personal trainer I have ever worked with. I did quite a bit of research to find…read morehim. What a great fit! I feel very blessed. He knows what he is doing, pays attention, and genuinely wants the best for his clients. THE CORE gym is clean and has plenty of parking. When the previous gym shut abruptly, Brice had us up and running in the current gym basically overnight. Amazing. He prices his services to motivate you to go 3x a week. That may sound like a lot but it creates a routine. And that's GOOD. He pushes you in a "you can do this" way but is realistic if the weight is just too much. Brice balances the sessions so that your whole body gets a workout over the week. And he is big on stretching. He works hard to plan productive sessions where your time is valued. Not much on chitchat and no "lollygagging". Heather covers on certain days of the week; she is knowledgeable as well with a dry sense of humor. I highly recommend giving them a try. Your first workout is complimentary, I think, so really what do you have to lose? Just do it. It's time.

Great Gym ! cool Staff! This gym has been here forever since the early days of the 80's.. Machines…read moreare easy to hop on without waiting on other people to finish there reps. Not To mention It's A 2 minute drive from my residence...

It is truly a hidden gem--an old-school gym that features great machines, innovative equipment, and…read morerecently improved ladies' restrooms. The atmosphere makes it feel as though they have brought the gym into a cozy home setting that caters perfectly to both hardcore athletes and newbies alike.