During the 6 Week Challenge, I went from 24% to 18.9% body fat - and I feel great! Included in the challenge are 3 classes a week (for a total of 18), a semi-personalized nutrition plan, ongoing communication with coaches, and a community of other gym members via Facebook groups. They don't exactly hold your hand throughout the process, but the coaches are pretty responsive via email and the Facebook group is a great way to get questions answered quickly. Just be prepared to put in some work when it comes to signing up for classes and scheduling weigh-ins at the middle and end of the six weeks - do it a week in advance and you should be good. The challenge is pretty involved and requires a good amount of effort, as any real transformation would. Each hour-long class starts with a check-in where members (usually about 15 or so) go around and state their name, pronouns (this should be standard practice everywhere!), current injuries (so the coaches can make modifications to the workouts), and a short icebreaker question. I love the class names (e.g. "Oakland Booty" for lower body strength, "Hella Arms & Abs" for upper body strength), and the coaches do an excellent job of keeping you motivated, making adjustments for those with injuries, and correcting your form (important for a gym with no mirrors). The bulk of the class features high intensity interval training, followed by a short cool-down period of stretches (sometimes aided with foam rollers or lacrosse balls). I left each and every class drenched in sweat and feeling euphoric. One thing I should mention is the atmosphere. The reason I felt comfortable going all-out during my workouts is that the Queer Gym lacks the elements of conventional gyms that usually turn me off: lots of grunting straight guys, mirrors everywhere, too many people using too few machines, and the feeling of silent judgment at any sign of being outside the norm of gender or sexuality. It's amazing how much harder I work out with all those things stripped away! Keep in mind that this is a small business in the middle of an exciting growth period. What they lack in equipment, they make up for with small class sizes and personalized coaching. There are no locker rooms, so you should either get changed beforehand or use the gender-neutral bathroom. Some might find the onboarding process to be a bit disorienting and it might take a little bit to get the hang of all the websites that are given to you during the challenge, but the resources are helpful and it's worth it in the end. They're also starting to add more social events, which is great for fostering a sense of community. If you're looking for a supportive, body-positive gym with fun classes run by queer POC, The Queer Gym is your spot! read more

I really enjoy this Gym's trainers. They are accepting, knowledgeable, kind, and curate great workouts. They make gong to the gym challenging AND enjoyable. I am a vegan and can't say that I was impressed with the diet arrangement for the 6 week challenge. I'll be working with the owner to potentially spruce that up. Great atmosphere. Definitely a great place to be. read more

I've been going to the gym for just a short time but I've already seen a great improvement in my physical ability, endurance, and even muscle definition. A super open, motivating, and accepting atmosphere. Love Coach Austin and Coach Liv! Fight club has been my favorite class so far. read more

I signed up for the 6 week challenge and met my goal! They helped me get back into healthier eating and moving habits. I had forgotten what it felt like to be more in tune with my body. I'm grateful for the opportunity given to get back into shape. The gym was clean and pretty roomy. It only felt packed a couple of times/didn't feel too crowded. They had one rowing machine and one elliptical... nice to get warmed up sometimes. The class times were pretty limited: M-Th 3 morning classes and 3 evening classes. The gym was closed Friday nights and only two a.m. classes on weekends. I get it-queers like to party and dance too, but not all of us. I enjoyed the classes but sometimes wished for: more variation and more cardio options. The names are, of course, very gay and fun. I also appreciate that they include stretching and utilize rollers and massage balls. Every class starts with Name/Pronoun/injuries/and a trivia question... it was pretty gay and I liked it. :) It really helped build community and felt nice to get to know people a bit better. I liked the people I met and loved working out with other queers, young and old-er. I really liked the instructors, but most left within 2 weeks of each other. Reading some of the other reviews, I guess this is pretty normal sort of turn around for the gym. ??? The 6 week challenge was... challenging. I went in knowing I had to lose more than 3 pounds a week to meet goal. Most medical health professionals recommend losing 2 pounds a week, at most! I didn't like that fact but felt pretty desperate to start getting back in shape. The betting-$500-on-yourself thing worked for me but I didn't like the advertising technique used: bait and switch/free gym for 6 weeks, but $500 up front with chance to win back. You go in for an orientation and they are expecting people to have $500 available the same week. This worked for me, I had the $$$, and I really liked the opportunity, but it is not for everyone. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at The Perfect Sidekick. However, the location was a bit out of my way and the hours weren't perfect. The TPS gym membership is just as much or more than other gyms who have more classes, more times, less turn over, and more equipment. I also have another gym membership elsewhere. For these reasons, I did not continue on to a membership at TPS. I recommend TPS to people trying to kick off a health journey and to those who can conveniently go to this gym. I also know regular gyms are difficult to feel safe and comfortable at for many of us... if that is an issue- you should definitely go here! Everyone is so nice and supportive. read more

I found their workout challenge online and decided to try it out! I love how the coaches work to create a safe space for all members and are dedicated to creating individual goals for us so we see and feel our achievements. read more

I just finished the 6-week challenge and it was exactly what I needed to kickstart a new, sustainable health routine. They do everything they can to make you successful: - Meal plan blueprint and recipes - Challenging exercise classes - Strict "no canceling" rules to hold you accountable - Supportive and fun coaches - Mid-point weigh-in to re-tool the approach I didn't meet the goals, but I also understand that bodies are weird, and mine just happens to be resistant to weight loss. But the metrics were secondary to my own goals, which were to start incorporating exercise into my lifestyle and learn exactly what I should be eating. And as far as I'm concerned, I exceeded those goals. I'm just beginning to scratch the surface of what my body is capable of doing. I'm lifting heavier weights, I feel more energy and I'm legit happier since I started. And I feel like I'm a part of an awesome community of welcoming, supportive, and kick-ass people. For all of these reasons I decided to buy a membership and I'm stoked to keep on rocking here. read more

Great coaches, great people, great workouts. I highly recommend The Queer Gym to any and all LGBTIAQ+ folx looking for a fun fitness community that is dedicated to supporting your physical, mental, and social health! I appreciate that all classes are customizable based on your fitness level and any injuries and/or physical limitations you might have. There are also super awesome social events (happy hours, sober brunch, etc.) that connect you to the community. Love this all encompassing gym and I bet you will too!! read more

I went to TQG to see if I could start the 6 week boot camp, and eventually decided that the steep 500$ buy in wasn't for me. (I have PCOS, and can't rely on weight loss even when I'm busting my ass). For some reason though, I have been charged 250$, TWICE in the month of September, as if I was a participant. I was not notified of these charges, and I'm not currently a member of the gym. I can't get ANYBODY on the phone to address my issue, can't get an email back, and now I'm being charged overages in my bank account. I need my money back, NOW. read more

I completed the 6-week challenge last week! I love the workouts, I made it there at least three times a week (though often four times). Though I stuck to the meal plan 80% of the time, I didn't meet my goal. This is the reason why I had to take off a star: the meal plan wasn't working for me, I knew it, I told a couple of the coaches, but they insisted I should stick to it. Now that I am done, I'm continuing with the gym and they're trying a new meal plan with me! It was a little demoralizing to not meet my goals, but I'm hopeful to meet my new goals with my new plan. Overall: great people, great classes! read more

I joined the gym because it was close to my apartment, had a friendly atmosphere, and seemed like a great place to work out. I was really happy with it until things went downhill this summer. The short version: great trainers, fantastic environment, members are nice, but management has some issues. I went into the gym taking the negative reviews of management with a grain of salt, knowing that Yelp tends to inspire the very best and the very worst. I have to say that the older reviews seem consistent with my experience with the management. I'm really sad to leave the trainers here and the amazing people I've met, but there are better, less expensive options out there. The good: The instructors are super great, the atmosphere is non-judgmental and friendly, and the small class sizes were just right. I have definitely made great friends, learned a lot, and was really happy with the workouts we did. I fell in love with lifting heavy. When I joined in May, classes were capped at 6-8 people (sometimes 12 for classes like yoga), which meant that there were enough people to feel like you weren't alone, but a lot of individual attention. With three squat racks, it didn't feel crowded and there was enough equipment to go around. I cannot say enough about Nedra, Kendra, and Kay. They are not only amazing trainers and athletes, but genuinely fantastic people who somehow always manage to hit the right note in their coaching. I have never had a better experience with coaches/trainers, in any context, than I have with these three people. They are the only reason I have stayed with the gym for the past month. High-fives all around to these three amazing people! The bad: It started with the "6 week challenge" in July 2017, during which the owner signed up a bunch (75-ish?) new members over the course of a week or so. It meant that classes, typically capped at 6-8 people, were now 12. It was cramped, sweaty, and chaotic. There was much less individual instruction and coaching. Workouts started feeling rushed, the space was packed, it was hard to even get into a class (scheduling was tough), and there wasn't enough equipment. We stopped lifting heavy, and then we stopped using barbells in general. The workouts felt watered down in intensity and very chaotic -- which happens when you nearly double the membership by adding lots of people, many of whom haven't been working out regularly before joining. This was not only inconvenient and disappointing, but it felt like there was little consideration taken to ensure that the workouts, fitness, and schedules of the already existing members weren't disrupted. Nathalie moved to a new space on E. 12th Street abruptly (we got an email a few days before the move), shutting down the Park Blvd location. The new location, while much bigger, has even tighter parking and is really hot/humid because of the lack of ventilation. It doesn't work for me. I requested that my membership be canceled with the cancellation fee waived, considering my cancellation was due to the gym's abrupt move and changes in programming. Management is insisting that I pay $99 to get out of my contract. I'm really disappointed in the way this has been handled. I really liked the gym and stuck around despite the "growing pains" (as the owner described them) that came with increasing membership so rapidly due to their "6 week challenge" program, mostly because I really liked the trainers (Nedra and Kendra, seriously, they are the best) and wanted to make it work. I'm concerned by how abruptly programming changes and the way the move to a new location was handled. Even if the new location was convenient for me, I would be hesitant to stay -- who knows what other changes would happen so suddenly? This doesn't seem to be an isolated incident of poor choices made by management. In general, there also seems to be a lot of turnover with the staff. Three of the trainers who were there when I started in May are gone. It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. read more

These folks made workout classes accessible and fun during this crazy pandemic. Thank you all for helping build a community where we can feel welcomed and heard. read more

I am so thankful I made the leap to join the gym. I had been eyeing it for years and finally decided to make the investment. I not only got to experience great online classes, I was able to feel welcomed into a community. I really love how you can feel comfortable to just be where you are at in your own process. The trainers do a great job at making everyone feel comfortable and supported when participating in the classes. I started out by participating in a month long challenge and now am continuing on as a member- I am so happy to have started incorporating movement back into my life! read more

This is an inclusive, welcoming family of folks who provide a fitness regiment and meal plan to folks who might not feel comfortable in conventional gyms, and the coaches focus on accountability. This is safe space for all. In the age of COVID, they've moved their workout classes online on Zoom, which is great for people who want to work on getting more in shape or reaching fitness goals. read more

I participated in their 6 week fitness/nutrition challenge and I feel SO much better than when I started ;) I was really nervous about the workouts that were filled with exercises I'd never done before, but the coaches are skilled at what they do and folks are super friendly. I give the gym 3 stars because while I felt really well-supported in my workouts, the politics of the gym are more complicated. The new space is in a part of East Oakland where most people's first languages are Cantonese, and other Asian languages. It feels like there hasn't been any discussion about the spatial implications of the gym moving in there. The language used in communication from the owner tended to rub me the wrong way as well. With all this said, I'm very grateful that I had six weeks of accountability to reset my health and I feel like I gained a lot of insight about my body and fitness from the talented coaches. Thanks! read more

I'm happy to be a member at The Queer Gym. Before coming to the gym, I had never worked out much with weights or focused on strength training (I run and do yoga) so the work was challenging and eye opening and I was impressed with how quickly I saw results. The trainers are friendly and motivating and seem to really care. I've loved being a member here and the 6 week challenge program was a good way to get me back on track to a fitness level that I had lost over the past year. My only complaint is that, while I achieved great results during my 6 week challenge, I do not feel the meal plan is the best in terms of nutrition. read more

There are no bad things that I can say about this gym. I came across a advertisement on my feed for the Queer Gym several times but never thought too much about it. I figured it was just another gimmick to get more enrollments. I was wrong. I was planning on running a half-marathon and wanted to get into shape again. I was terrible at following a plan and even worse at getting a diet/meal plan together. The best part of the 6-week challenge was that I had to do very little on my own. Coach James and Nat were amazing in getting this program started. I knew my expectations and what exactly I needed to do in order to achieve my goals. I cannot express how amazing the trainers are here as well. Specifically, I had the privilege of working with Coaches Requia, Jacqueline, Jimmy and Mira. Each one was great at keeping the classes motivated and interactive. I would not have been able to get through the workout without them cheering us on. The Queer Gym is more than a workout locations, it's a community. I would LOVE to see these concepts expand to other parts of The Bay Area or across the country! I have never felt so comfortable walking into a gym, surrounded by strangers because I knew, no matter the fitness lever, we were all cheering each other on. So happy to be part of the FitFam! read more

I love Queer Gym!!! I did the 28 day challenge in February and it was so much fun and I met so many amazing people. It's truly an individualized and community-based experience. You get a lot of personal attention from coaches, even during classes because classes are kept quite small. The classes are fun and creative and as challenging as you want to make them. I was really needing some support regarding my mental health/body image and being around all these amazing folks (on Zoom!) was really helpful. 10 out of 10 would recommend!!! read more

I just finished the 14 day free challenge and genuinely loved it. The staff is so authentic and fun. They create this welcoming judgement free bubble of love for us to marinate in during our workouts (yes, even with the classes being over zoom). I personally need someone holding me accountable to get my butt up and moving and I'm going to have that with an assigned accountability coach. I loooved the sunrise yoga sessions and weights and meditate classes most of all. I put a ring on and became a full time member to keep the progress going but also because I have one body and I want to take care of it! read more

Ever since covid shut all gyms down I've had a hard time getting myself back on track. That is until I got in to a 14 day challenge with the quuer gym. At first I was skeptical because I'd never even used zoom. But I soon realized zoom workout classes and the accountability from the coaches was just what I needed to get back on track! Great workouts and interaction by all coaches! Would give 10 out of 10 if I could. read more

I joined the gym after following them on Instagram for about two months. I thoroughly went thru their social media and decided to join for the Homebody Challenge after doing research. From the first call with Coach JoJo I knew this was a place for me. The coaches are amazing, they all have great energy and gave us amazing workouts. I have arthritis on my spine and gastrointestinal issues as well. Getting coached by the amazing Coach KJ was an incredible experience. I was working with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist that was very invalidating and would not listen to my requests that I needed to stay on a vegetarian diet due to the GI issues and the arthritis. Coach KJ was so much more helpful than the RDN with providing nutritional guidance and validating what I was experiencing. I did blood work right before starting the challenge and again this morning and the inflammation markers have gone down significantly!! It takes a village and I certainly know that with the nutrition piece together with the workouts I have been able to improve my health overall. My main goal was to be stronger, not necessarily to lose weight. I asked for modifications to the exercises when I needed it and that was also very helpful. I joined to help my body deal with the arthritis and I have been accomplishing that. I feel so much better, my physical therapist even cleared me today so I don't have to see her anymore. She recommended I just continue with my workouts through the gym. :) Lastly, I will add that the community piece helps a ton. I found the space where I am accepted for who I am, I can't really do that in many spaces in my daily life, a place that doesn't involve alcohol. Everyone is so friendly, encouraging and amazing. All the coaches are amazing at what they do. We held each other up and cheered each other on. It's been overall a pretty awesome experience. :) read more

This place was not for me. I did the challenge, I had fun, and chose not to continue. I will say that for folks who don't have equipment for the gym, have funds, need help with nutrition, and want to some queer community, the Queer Gym is a sweet place. It is important to note that they do need to update their nutrition info to be a little more sensitive to folks who are in ED recovery, though there are Queer Gym folks dedicated to making that happen. All in all, it's not perfect, but it may be a great fit for you. read more

Just wrapped up the 6 week challenge and met my goals! Here is my breakdown of my experience and the gym: Positives: -Coach James is Awesome! Super attentive in classes and challenges you to push yourself in a way that doesn't feel like you're going to injure yourself. -The gym is really inclusive-- all ages, body types, fitness levels, and identities. By far the most diverse gym I've ever been to and I loved it. -I usually avoid group exercise, but I enjoyed the variety of classes and instructors here. I thought all the classes were challenging. -Coaches are skilled and professional and are able to modify exercises to each individual based on abilities of the attendee. Cons: -There is no shower or locker room. There is only one bathroom for the entire gym, which is really limiting when you need to get changed/ bathroom/ store your stuff. -Membership is pricey. read more

I completed the 6 week challenge! I lost 9 lbs in six week. I also went down in Body Fat percentage to 14.5. Personally, this was a very transformational experience for me. After following The Queer Gym on social media and in the news for a few years, I decided to take the challenge. It was all worth it and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a rewarding experience. The gym itself is spacious and a very positive and friendly environment. On day one I walked in to a Beyonce song playing and that's when I knew this was going to be fun. Throughout the program the coaches were very helpful and motivating, thank you Coach Akana, Lauren, James and Jimmy! I loved the community and comfort of the environment during the workouts. 100% recommend it! Thank you Queer Gym! read more

I signed up for the 6 week challenge and am so glad I did! I met my goal and have never felt healthier. My whole body has changed, and I'm developing muscles that I never knew I had :) The early morning classes have been a great start to my days. I really like all of the trainers I've worked with - they're supportive and super patient, but also know how to give the right push to surpass your own limits. Meal planning in the beginning was a challenge, but now it's become a part of my routine and one less thing to think about during the week. I've decided to continue my membership with the Queer Gym, and am doing so happily - I can't wait to see my continued development with them. I highly recommend this gym and the 6 week challenge! read more

I started going to the Queer Gym for the 6 week challenge, and had a really amazing experience. Details: Every class begins with all members and the instructor giving their pronouns, naming any injuries they have and answering an ice-breaker question. Instructors are always flexible with altering activities to suit the needs and abilities of members, the energy is consistently welcoming and positive and the community is very diverse in age, race, body type and gender. The new gym space is twice as big as the old one, and really is a huge upgrade for gym members, though it is definitely in a neighborhood where it is culturally and financially out of place. I'll also note that the language the Queer Gym uses may not be for everyone - there is a lot of talk about "getting sexier" and burning fat, which might strike a bad tone for some folks. All of that said, my experience (as a white, cis woman without disabilities) with classes and coaching was great. Not only did I see super exciting changes in my body through the challenge, including feeling WAY stronger, but I made a ton of new friends. The gym hosts tons of fun events for their members - game nights, parties, etc. - and I've never had such a big queer community. I highly recommend the Queer Gym to anyone looking to build high intensity workouts and a super great queer community into their life. read more

NOTE: The star rating I gave is for the gym/challenge combo. I would give the challenge 3 stars on it's own and the gym 5 stars if it wasn't for the challenge. But here I will try to focus my review on the 6-week challenge The good: - The challenge definitely gave me the motivation to hit the gym and reach for the salad - The coaches are all great and really tried to get to know me - There's a strong social component to the gym. I can see myself making lots of queer gym friends eventually - I felt like I was walking into classes as a whole person not just an attendee - The $15 no show/late show fee pushed me to make it to class every time The bad: - There isn't much transparency upfront on the specifics of the challenge. Only once you're in your consultation do you learn of the $600 you have to put down and the specific pre-determined goals (5% or 20 lbs). The pressure to sign on at that point is very high - The custom meal plan was hardly custom. It was given to me based on my answer to "How much do you weigh?" And generally implied that everyone should be losing weight.. It wasn't until I was half-way through the challenge that I learned I was supposed to be gaining weight - There is no structure for accountability partners. You're told to find people who have similar schedules, given 10 min to do it during orientation, and that's it Recommendations for the gym: - Allow people to go home, think about what you told them during the consultation then sign a form, provide card info, etc online - Meet with everyone in the challenge during the first week to talk about their specific goals. This would've solved my problem with the meal plan and given me a better idea about which classes to take - Introduce a team component to accountability partners so they have a shared goal/responsibility to keep them motivated and well, accountable Recommendations for people considering the challenge: - Do the challenge if you have a will of steel or are willing to part with your money. If you're already small, I would consider it an extra 3 times - The gym is a good place full of good people, socialize read more

Did the online challenge and it definitely kicked my but! Teachers and community are great just a bit too expensive for me to join but greatful for the kickstart read more

This gym is the EXACT kind of community that I needed to find. They offer plenty of classes, all posted in advance for easy scheduling. You get out what you put in and the coaches make you want to give it your all. All of the staff is friendly and I can guarantee that you will connect with AT LEAST 1 of them. They have a great group of leadership. I definitely recommend this gym if you have had a hard/discouraging time trying with gyms that don't specifically cater to creating a safe queer space. read more

Woohoo! I just completed the 6 week challenge (actually in 5 weeks since I have to travel the final week), and it was a great experience! Thanks to Perfect Sidekick's coaches and well thought program, I achieved my Body Fat percentage goal and also lost 11 pounds. The Perfect Sidekick appeared on my social media and they were recommended by a friend of min, so I decided to sign up for their bootcamp/6 challenge. I was happy to discover a great support system and community, including the coaches who were very helpful and supportive. I appreciate and would like to thank Coach Nat, Akana, James, and Jimmy! I'm feeling great and look better because of the program! I highly recommend their program to anyone who is looking to up their physical fitness and want the motivation of a supportive coaches and community! Great experience. read more

The turnover at this gym for trainers is terrible which always screams mistreatment. I've been at the gym for 3.5 months and 3 out of the 5 trainers quit (or were let go) with little to no explanation or notice. These three trainers were amazing and were the reason why I was so willing to pay more than 300+ a month for membership. After the third coach quit I started to ask around. A coworker I have told me she was a part of the gym in 2018 and there was a crazy amount of turnover then as well. After doing more digging I found out THE COACHES GET COMMINSION BASE PAY ONLY. This is so ridiculous considering that as members we pay from $200-300+ dollars to be a part of this queer community and that money primarily goes into the owner's Nats pocket because she doesn't compensate her workers properly and no longer pays for rent for a physical gym. Also the trainers are pressured to work ONLY at the queer gym. I noted that the three trainers that quit were heavy on the schedule right before they quit. So let's put this all together. If trainers are maxed out on hours and don't get compensated properly and asked to not work anywhere else what would the reason be to stay other than the need for this community. trainers are being taken advantage of because like the members we are in need of a safe space to workout in that's not dominated by cis hetros. This mistreatment in my opinion is straight up exploitation. Now that I've put all the pieces together it makes me so disappointed that I've contributed at all to this financially. Taking a deeper dive into experience of past members was eye opening and depressing. Members at some point were required to do weigh ins where they felt fat shamed. Trainers wanting to teach fitness but instead were only trained to sell. Lower prices for memberships are only offered when you threatened to leave while knowing that many queers suffer from financial inequality. Body hair shaming. Forced trainers to sell vitamins (like why?) Schedule is super inconsistent so you never know what you're signing up for monthly. NOT ASKING PERMISSION TO TAKE SCREENSHOTS OF CLASSES and posting them on instagram EVEN DURING BURLESQUE WHEN SOME OF US ARE VERY VULNERABLE.Using the queer gym IG as a personal Ig posting vacations which now annoy me even more knowing that the workers are being under paid.   The list goes on and on I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way and that's why the comments have been turned off on the queer gym IG. The owner says she has trolls but I have a feeling it's just people trying to hold her accountable. This really could have been a great safe haven for queers but in my opinion it's a hot mess that I regret putting money into.  The coaches are amazing but I would seek them out individually for independent training so they can get paid properly. In my opinion this business is afloat because it's burning through a constant conveyor belt of queers looking for a safe space. This is not a safe space. It is a space of greed and exploitation. read more

I learned about this gym and their 6-week challenge through an article in the Chronicle. I've been working out for most of my adult life, with varying degrees of success; hampered for the past 12 years by recurring shoulder injuries that would sideline me for 6mos; bored by my usual routine at 24hr; and resigned to my spare tire as I entered my 50s. I've had a great experience: the workouts are short, intense and surprisingly fun, the coaches are DTE, friendly, watchful, helpful; and the meal plan a little difficult (I'm a foodie) but surprisingly effective. I 'won' my challenge and am continuing with the gym. Yes, the facilities are modest and not necessarily the best equiped; yes, the gym can be a little uneven with communication; yes, it's relatively expensive (as other crossfit gyms are) compared to a corporate gym like 24. But this is a small business that is committed to creating a safe space in which the LGBTQ community can come together and achieve fitness goals, infused with genuine kindness and positive energy, that I'll choose any day over the shiniest, brightest equinox. This gym has given me hope that goals I had long given up might actually be within reach, which for me is truly incredible. read more

Just finished my 28 day challenge, I loved it! I feel so much more fluid, flexible, and stronger. The trainers are so great at giving advice and providing modifications if needed. I thought the work outs might be easy because I didn't need any equipment and I was at home, I was wrong! No slacking just because you're at home! Your coach will catch you! I was constantly sore and working my butt off! I love it! read more

Working with Coach Nat and my peers at the Queer Gym has been amazing. The value of weekly workouts, nutrition guidance, and accountability coaching cannot be beat. Add to that the webinars, PDFs, and creative explanations about the most complicated things you didn't know about food, exercise, and how to live a healthy, organized, and successful life! Literally a gym that will kick your whole life into shape. So worth it. Glad I'm a member. read more

I participated in the Queer Gym 6 week challenge in Group 13. This was my first real interaction with any class forward gym environment and I enjoyed the motivation that came out of working with others in a small setting with a trainer. The trainers all seem knowledgable, helpful and kind. The trainers and setting definitely felt inclusive, not only to queers, but also gym newcomers like myself. The monetary downpayment definitely brought incentive to the completing the challenge properly - and in the end, the 18+ classes amounted to less than $27 each, which seems pretty reasonable. I'm glad I participated in the challenge and had the structure and guidance to push myself to a place I've never have before. I hope to continue a healthier more active lifestyle that the challenge enabled me to jumpstart. read more

I recently finished the 6 week challenge, and it is a challenge! I have Lyme disease, so they made an exemption, but do be warned. The challenge is primarily geared around weight loss. They have you on a semi-individualized meal plan, and it seems the only way they can measure if you're following the meal plan is to track body fat percentage and/or how much weight you lose. It seems there's an option to have your goal be to gain 8lbs of muscle. I would not have done the challenge if I had had to abide by these goals, since weight loss is not something I want to do. They seem really willing and able to work with people, and they were very responsive to my needs. In class it was tough, they do push you. But I found that the coaches were really responsive to my needs, when asked they gave me modifications, and if I was taking a break they'd check on me to make sure I was ok but they wouldn't push me. I will say the coaches do give unsolicited advice, and they'll tell you to try a lot of things so you just have to put your foot down and say no. Like, you know your body, you might have a doctor you're working with, follow the advice of your doctor and not the coaches. Like, they were giving me nutritional advice that was the opposite of what my dr tells me, and not that doctors are always right but my dr is pretty dang good so I politely declined basically all of their advice. They mean well, they do want to help, but I think they forget that what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. TLDR: the challenge is about weight loss, coaches and staff try to work with you as best as they can, everyone was really nice, don't feel obligated to follow their nutritional advice. read more

beware of the "FREE" challenges!! this gym is expensive as hell and nothing is free here really. I did a 6 week challenge after some nudging from my best friend and it cost 500 dollars or so. The idea was that if i lost 20lbs by the end of the 6 weeks i'd get a refund. i should have done my own research before signing on but it is also so high pressure and they said once we left for the day it would be hard to sign up another day. so after i wasn't meeting my half way goal i finally did research and realized that losing 4lbs a week is ridiculous, not likely, and overall unhealthy and that is the expectation of this challenge in order to get your money. As well, at the half way meeting i was told that i could use the money i put in to do drop in classes and that they would work with me to find a way i could continue coming to the gym. However, at the end of my challenge i was 5 lbs shy of the goal but the only way i could stay working out at this gym was if i signed up for a membership which cost about 167 a month. So basically i paid 500 for a month and a half of a gym membership. Being a graduate student with a very fixed income felt straight up swindled. I made it clear from the start that this was a huge risk but if that i could somehow still work out here then it might be worth it. They act very understanding and like they are ready to work with you on the money end but ultimately they know this gym is mad expensive and i left feeling like they are just out for folks money which sucks! BECAUSE if you are queer or fat identifying and want a safer place to work out the people that come to this gym are pretty amazing and supportive! most of the coaches are incredible like Xay and Jimmy and i hope they are at least being paid well considering how much they charge us. The "personalized" meal was also just pre printed and determined handout given to you by size even though at the consult they assured us they could work with dietary needs and restrictions. Their was really very little support on this end. Overall if you can afford a 500 dollar deposit and a 167 a month gym membership then you might like this place! if this isn't do able for you, avoid it!! and look for classes at the YMCA. maybe not as personable and not as queer but if you want to be around a health community and afford it, i'd start here which is where im going back too. Truly wish they were upfront about what this cost! and how much they try to sell you on the membership and all these other extra supplements on top of that. read more

Took part in their 6 week online coaching program, and I really enjoyed myself and got good results. I've done many other fat loss programs before, and I work out regularly, so I was not expecting to learn anything really different about nutrition and fitness from this program. However, I was wrong! What I love about this gym is that it is a queer gym, so my coach, KJ, taught me some stuff specifically related to queer people's bodies. The accountability, tools, and resources that the gym provided during these 6 weeks were very helpful to me. read more

So I found out about this gym from my friend Ebony and The was talking about a Booty Challenge. I signed up and started getting text about the program. My appointment was for 7 pm I got there at 6:59pm on the dot. I walked in there was a lady at the desk I signed in and sat down 5 minutes later another lady walked in with her guest and signed in. We stay for about 20 minutes only one person came out to talk to us and show us this book of Testimony. By 7:20 no one came out or spoke to us. This is so crazy that they told us to be prompt but never showed up to conduct the orientation. Won't come back read more

This gym has been a life-saver for me during the pandemic. The coaches and owners are all queer and mostly POC. They worked with me to make the gym accessible financially, and most importantly, the sense of community and camaraderie has been a godsend for my mental health. The Queer Gym is such a good community and such a good way to take care of yourself. I recommend starting with one of the challenges and going from there! Coach KJ is the literal best. read more

I have been to countless gyms, in many different cities, trying to find the perfect one where it just doesn't feel weird. Somewhere I can actually workout without feeling like I'm being judged. The queer gym was definitely the answer and then some, being trans FTM, they understand what it's like, and so are your fellow gym members. There's no judgements, and your coach is right there making sure you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. I haven't ever been in such a great environment where I feel like it's actually fun to workout and have a good time getting to know everyone. The workouts are awesome, the coaches are even more cool, and it's a welcoming environment. What more could anyone ask for? read more