After playing a collegiate sport as an undergrad, I looked for 4+ years in Ann Arbor for a gym that…read morewould push me to get in better shape. I joined various gyms (i.e., boxing, spinning, yoga, kettlebell, and barre gyms) and running clubs hoping to find a place that would help me achieve this. Nothing seemed to fit....the workouts almost always started great but were so repetitive/impersonal that I eventually got bored and left. Anyways, I decided to drop-in to a free class at Joust and instantly loved this place. The trainers are kind, friendly, and know their stuff. They look at each person in a group workout individually - scaling the workout if necessary and pushing you so that you are almost always sore but never done so at the expense of form. Further, the fellow gym members at Joust are phenomenal, smart, people at all different fitness levels who are beyond supportive. As a woman who is almost always trying to lose 'just more 5 lbs,' it was so nice joining a place where my focus was completely redirected to learning new skills and getting stronger. I have only been a member for 6 months and am bummed that I am moving states (i.e., leaving Joust), but if you are thinking about joining, I can't recommend this place enough!

Even at 6 am, this is a great place to work out. They have a different workout every day so I don't…read moreget bored. They challenge me to do just a bit more and do it better, but not so much that safety is compromised. They show us how to do the lifts every time. Some gyms just assume you know how to do it. Joust reviews the technique every time, and then coaches go around the room helping us do it better. The atmosphere is friendly and fun, and there are people of all ages, genders and fitness levels. Some are absolute Amazons, and some are lifting for the first time ever. If you need to shower before work, they have showers. I have enjoyed Crossfit gyms in several different cities from Maine to California. They are all fun. In some of them, you just jump on boxes, flap your arms some, and lift weights and everyone is friendly but no one pushes you to do better. This one will help you improve your fitness level without going so far as to make you throw up or fall off the equppment.

What is CrossFit:…read more Constantly varied: different movements per session and within each session High-intensity: Your max effort Functional movements - Moves you do in everyday life - Squat,pull, jump, sit-up Designed for universal scalability (adapted for all levels and abilities) The workouts are an hour - that includes warm-up, Workout of the Day, and mobility (stretching) The schedule is plenty for anyone to find a slot that works for their schedule and class options are pretty cool. Try the paddle board class or one-on-one with the Coach. Clocktower-CrossFit is the newest BOX to open in Chelsea - located behind the old Teddy Bear factory; led by head coach Steve Koski, former coach at HyperFit. The owners' group of Clocktower came together to create a new CrossFit community in greater Chelsea area. Box just opened June 1st and they have all been very welcoming and encouraging, even though I am no where near their level of fitness. The facility is outstanding. A lot of space, open air and nicely appointed. A strip of turf runs along the back of the Box for warm-ups, mobility work (stretching out) and field-athlete training. There is plenty of equipment for when the classes get larger. TRX bands for adapted pullups, pushups, etc. Great bathrooms with shower and plenty of space for all of it. The owners have so much experience in the practice of CrossFit; I appreciate their attention to details - like the overhead fans to keep the air moving, the water bottle fill station and the hair ties in the bathroom for when mine breaks. It's the little things sometimes. Coach Koski also has a degree in nutrition. I am very optimistic of my ability to implement the life-style changes to my eating habits, under his instruction. I am not a complete novice when it comes to a balanced diet, however, I don't have the expertise and am happy to have found a Box and Coach that can help guide me. Clocktower-CrossFit is the ultimate CrossFit community Box. I cannot praise it enough. Contact them for a free class, get a 10-visit punch card to try it out for a few weeks, join the beginner CHIME class at a smaller membership fee, or do the all inclusive. There are so many options.

So, what can be said about a gym, a Crossfit gym, that has not yet been written 100s of times…read morealready? Well, from a first time crossfit participant, well, CHIME participant, I can say that this place rocks. I have done other, 'similar' classes, even taught a few, but this place is defined by more than their equipment and facility- it is defined by its people and its atmosphere. From day one, yes, you will see that the gym itself is immaculate, but it is the welcoming people that make up Clocktower Crossfit that make the difference. The head coach, Steve Koski, has a deep knowledge, both practical and academic, that allows him the expertise of coaching in proper movement to avoid injury- very important. And while I could go on about the rest of the coaches- Bea, Chris, Steve; it is easier to read about them here: http://www.clocktower-crossfit.com/about Everyone is made to feel welcome and everyone is encouraged to push to their ability- a little beyond. I have met some great people here and look forward to making my own improvements. I would completely recommend Clocktower Crossfit to anyone- the newbie and the experienced.

Being that it's a new location, the place is clean. I see the staff members cleaning the machines…read moreon a regular basis. I've been here in all hours on different days and while it's not as busy as the one on Stadium Blvd. location, their crowd meter on the app vs the actual folks in the gym are off... not sure what kind of algorithm they use on that app, but some times it shows 1 bar when it's busy and show 2 bars when it's super busy. If you go in the evening - around 7:30pm, expect to run into a lot of the local high school students working out and unfortunately they like to spread out and it seems all the free weights and equipment's around that area are occupied. I also noticed they tend to stay on the equipment's longer than necessary as they are chatting with their buddies or on their phones. The ideal time to go is between 12:30-2pm. Not too many folks are here, maybe like 20 in total and you'll get a better chance of using the equipment's. I adjusted my visits now so I'm here around 1pm and out by 2pm and so far so good, no issues. I get to use the equipment's that I need. Yes, I go everyday :) For the weekends (Sat/Sun), I would recommend time frame of 9:30am to 12pm, I noticed that there's less people here during this time.... now, don't quote me on these times lol... things can change and probably has :) Staff are friendly and nice. No issues with getting my QR code scanned when I enter. But can someone tell me why the main entrance door's left door is always locked??? This is the first set of the doors from the outside. They should have a sign that say to use the right door.

Really arbitrary rule enforcement…read more When I go I can simply scan my phone and be let in, but my buddy (who goes to this location multiple times a week) has to sign in on paper every time he comes in, and they've never explained why. We both have black cards. Why does he need to go through all that when no one else does?? Make it make sense.

Excellent programming, fun and motivating atmosphere, and top of the line equipment. Get a great…read moreworkout and a fitness family all at once! CrossFit Overthrow is expert at striking a balance between professionalism and being welcoming/friendly. Other gyms in the area might emphasize one or the other, but Overthrow does both effortlessly. Come try a class today!

it is a good place to get skinny and strong I highly suggest…read morethat you should come here and do your work out it will help you a ton

This is the place I've been looking for!!!!!! I'm so excited, I can barely contain myself…read more The Amazing: - The gym is nicely situated away from the hubbub of Ann Arbor. That means there's parking. And it's even free. - The people that work here are awesome. They are friendly and knowledgeable. - The pricing structure is spectacular. You pay $68/month. This gives you access to the gym from 6a-9p every day (yes, every day). You can cancel at any time (YESSS!!! I love them for this. I hate those gym contracts. So so much. I always feel like I'm getting scammed or talked into stuff I don't want or need too. Not here!!!) - The equipment is the shit. They have everything in there that I could want. I did enjoy doing crossfit when I did it... it was fun. But it was just too hard on my body. Regular gyms don't contain much of the crossfit stuffs (slam balls, wall balls, rubber bands, free bars with the big weights, hex bars, kettle bells, and more). This place fixes that by providing all this cool stuff, w/o the cost or crossfit workout. LOVE. They also have the rowing machines that I like to use and I'm excited to spend a little time getting into shape using them. :) - The "Lunch Hour Energizer" class put on by Jeff is perfect. Thirty minutes long, great variety, personal attention. I generally am not a class person, but this is more like group personal training. It's awesome, and I highly suggest you give it a try. What needs just a little TLC: - The website is hard to follow. It's hard to know the hours, what's actually included in the prices, and what the class schedule is. Their website doesn't need to have so much instagram on it, as it distracts from what they have to offer and what I'm there to do - see what the place is about. They should also have a link to their fb page on their main site. I had to go to fb and manually type it in. Okay, okay... first world problems. :) In a nutshell, this is my new favorite gym. I've been a member of a LOT of gyms. Have lived all over the world and visited gyms in other countries. So the fact that it's my favorite is saying a lot. Of course, personal preference on what you're looking for in a gym will alter your wants/needs. If you want a sauna and hot tub... well then, this isn't it. But if you want a solid workout that's fun with all the equipment you could need, here you go!

A great experience! Trainers provide personalized workouts based on your needs. They are friendly…read moreand knowledgeable. Trainers explain the exercises and answers questions. Melissa is excellent. Would recommend to someone who is starting a fitness program or for someone wants expert guidance.

I have been training with jared for about 3 months now and he has been extremely helpful! I have…read morenot worked out regularly in years and he has been patient and very informative. Definitely would recommend!

Country Crossfit is in a small, stand alone building on Old US12/Jackson Rd. Plenty of parking all…read morearound the building. My first intro class was last Saturday. Cyril White, Shannon and Reagan are coaching the Couch to Crossfit 6-week program; which is a special offered 6-weeks for $95. Talk about reasonable! Six weeks of personal coaching, scaled workouts and small class sizes for individual attention. This guy knows his stuff. Everyone is welcoming and upbeat. I didn't feel out of place at all - though the thought of joining an new elite level gym had me thinking I should have before stepping in the doors. My third class is tonight and I am really looking forward to getting back to it and working hard. The place is small but very effective setup and layout. Great equipment, bathroom/changing room and even bottled water and sports drinks at cost out of the fridge. Just like any Crossfit gym, there is loud music, and shouts of encouragement. They make the workouts fun with workout parties on Fridays and special events or classes here and there. Check out Country Crossfit webpage. You can check in, log your workout, and reserve your spot for the class you want. Country Crossfit will give you a free class to check them out, or if you get a referral from a member (me), then you get one month of free membership to take as many classes as you want and get a feel for who they are and what they do. They really do a great job of creating a comfortable, inclusive atmosphere. Don't be intimidated - come check them out. PM me if you want a referral - I don't get anything from it (just so you know). Come with a positive attitude, ready to work and you will like it.

Strong Together is the Place to build: confidence, muscle, flexibility, technique. People of all…read moreages work out here. I joined in Jan. 2019, and have already made great progress. The coaching is consistent. The workouts never dull.

Even though I moved away from Michigan almost three years ago, I always try to make it a point to…read moresqueeze in a workout with Josh or Tim (owners & trainers at Infinite Iron) whenever I'm back. I am NOT a fitness freak and often make excuses to be active, so it's saying a lot that I go out of my way to do this. Josh and Tim are amazing! My husband and I trained with them a few years ago after being totally sedentary. I had gained a ton of weight in med school and felt like a blob. Besides losing over thirty pounds in a year working out three to four times a week, I also gained muscle (but not in the unfeminine way that I was thinking I would), strength, and confidence. All I had to do was show up and do what they told me, which was a mix of strength training, flexibility, and cardio. Seriously, I went from not being able to do a 'real' push-up to being able to do over a hundred in a minute after about a year, which was super amazing for me. I like that both Josh and Tim will push you to your limits and give you a really good workout but won't yell at you, judge you, or make you feel bad about yourself. (I'm sure they can yell at you if you want them to, but that doesn't work for me). Their workouts are efficient, always changing, and challenging. They also teach you great form while doing different exercises (with or without equipment), and other trainers I've worked with after them have commented on my form and being taught well. Finally, they can also give you nutrition advice if you want it. Besides all this fitness stuff, they are also just great guys to hang out with and talk to, and you can tell that they are really passionate about their jobs. Do yourself a favor if you want to lose weight or get in shape and check them out for a few months. They have a fitness assessment when you start that can help you track your progress. You'll be amazed at what can happen over a few weeks!

In the service industry, success requires both talent and bedside manner, and in personal training…read morethe latter matters tremendously. Who wants to be physically vulnerable to someone you don't care for or trust? I've been training with Josh at Infinite Iron for a few years now, and a large part of that has to do with how he works with me: he's great! I'm not someone who responds particularly well to yelling--I want to do whatever it is set in front of me, but occasionally I need help with keeping count and remembering what's next. Josh is highly observant and picked up on that pretty quickly, with no yelling along the way. He's pretty easygoing to start. I've also had the chance to observe him work with many different kinds of people, old and young, and he modifies his style as necessary. If yelling's your thing, he can accommodate. He's also well-versed in nutrition and continuously modifies what we do. When I first started, I had different goals than I do now, and he takes that into account. We've done a variety of exercises using all sorts of things, and just when I think I've experienced it all, he comes up with something new. He's also motivating when it comes to accountability. Initially, I only planned to stay a few months to learn things and then continue on my own, but I realized training with him several mornings a week was a large part of the success of the rest of my day. Check him out! You'll be glad you did.