Best gym in Chicago, hands down! I've been going to Quads for years and it truly stands out from…read moreany other gym I've been to. The trainers and staff are incredibly knowledgeable, supportive, and always willing to answer questions or offer advice, no matter your experience level. The owner, Sharon, is so welcoming and has created such a great community where everyone feels comfortable and motivated. If you're serious about lifting, this is the place to be. They have an amazing variety of machines and equipment that you won't find at most gyms, and everything is designed for people who really want to train properly. The atmosphere is motivating, the people are friendly, and it feels like a gym where everyone genuinely wants to see each other succeed. A couple of my friends joined after I recommended it, and they're so glad they did. I couldn't recommend Quads more!

This is the most difficult review I've ever written for Yelp because I honestly love the idea of…read moreQuads and its history, but after a trial week, I ran back to my pathetic Planet Fitness. For years, I walked by and looked in the window just to see if some of the vibe would entice me to walk in and get energized by all the real-life Marvel Superheroes working out. And I'm glad for the week of experience I had because Quads has some of the nicest, knowledgeable, and dedicated fitness people I've ever met. From the moment I walked in to my final exit, the desk staff, the family members who run it, trainers I encountered, and a few guys who could deadlift car engines whom I asked questions how to use this or that, I felt a lot of compassion for me being the new guy in a sea of bewildering equipment that could either change my fitness life or scare me away. Bear in mind that I truly love Quads but coming from a lengthy history of memberships at Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, Gorilla Sports, YMCA, Holmes Place, Chicago Athletic Clubs, and Planet Fitness (with visits to FFC, Crunch, East Bank Club, Cheetah, Life Time, Bally's, and Midtown Athletic Club), I have to do a pro and con thing. Pros It's a good environment to watch others doing astonishing calisthenic exercises and massive lifts and squats. I'll never get to that level, but it's an inspiring place to get jazzed about your own routine. Quads has a diverse membership. You'll see everything from people doing their daily treadmill to pro bodybuilders doing four-hour circuits. I saw every kind of body type and age group. People doing rehab exercises and a person with a visual impairment. The specialty here is bodybuilding, though everyone is welcome. You'll hear grunts, fits of anger, yelling of encouragement, the rage of accomplishment, and claps of high-five. I felt like I was in a place where great bodies are refined. The membership prices are fantastic for the amount of equipment you're offered, and the hours are comparable to other gyms. They offer a few additional membership discounts not listed on the website, so go in and talk with them. Kudos to a gym that finally understands the right way memberships should work--upfront and no hassles. You are constantly reminded of your potential. There are photos and awards everywhere of past and present bodybuilders and pro and amateur athletes, and you can't help but soak up some of that greatness. You're in a place where celebrities have trained, too. Cons Here's where I have to be brutally honest. I may not know the difference between an Iso-Lateral Front Lat Pulldown and an Iso-Lateral Wide Pulldown, but I do know when machines are so old that they need to be replaced. If a machine's pads are worn, replace them. If a Selectorized's weight stack has half its weight labels missing, that should be fixed asap. If a machine's so old that the frame's been painted a number of times, it's probably a good time to replace it. I'm going to guess most of the equipment is older than the members. Sure, old-school machines can be great, and a lot of bodybuilders want them, but at some point, you need to replace them. Hammer Strength, Precor, and Cybex are constantly evolving the science of ergonomics, body mechanics, and safety. Please, Quads. Get new equipment. I didn't see any dumbbells less than 10#. That's not a bad thing, but small weight dumbbells would be great for people doing rehab or weaklings like me starting back at doing simple free weight exercises. In fairness, Planet Fitness dumbbells start at 10#, too. Other reviews are correct: A lot of the equipment, especially the Selectorized machines on the first floor, are squished so closely that safety could be an issue. There are a few machines so close together that parts could touch if used in full range of motion. If you're used to a defined circuit from a previous gym--especially if most of your workout is using Selectorized equipment--you might have difficulties matching it to the machines here. Plate-loaded and cables, no problem; they'll have one of anything you'll ever want. But for Selectorized, nothing made sense because a lot of what I needed was spread throughout the gym on both floors and in hard to find areas (e.g. the pec fly/rear delt machine was in a dimly lit corner, and most of the weights in the stack had no labels). I won't go into cleanliness. Suffice it to say this is a well-worn gym. The rusty lockers and second floor smell attest to the longevity of Quads, for better or worse. Overall, you should try Quads for a week to see if you like it. Most people swear this is the best gym. No, Quads doesn't have a pool, a sauna, towel service, group fitness classes, fancy self-locking lockers, a three-story climbing wall, or sleep rooms. They offer a world of fitness possibilities in an old school gym where amazing happens.

A friend and I spent the last 5 months working with Lane weekly. As beginners to lifting weights,…read morehe made us feel very comfortable and taught us a lot. He is very personable and the space is very clean and easy to get to. He is also good at catering to any injuries or areas of concern. I would definitely recommend anyone to sign up for personal training here.

Lane has been a great resource for me during my journey of reprioritizing my fitness. I come from a…read morebackground of a very active lifestyle but also a history of medical injuries which have only gotten worse as I've gotten older. Lane has been very patient to help me navigate through my fitness and health by figuring out what exercises and body movements work best for me without making me more injured or sick. It's great to be able to have an entire studio to be able to focus and have access to a variety of equipment at our disposal. Thanks Lane for your knowledge and can't wait to continue our sessions together.

Excellent service. They come right to your building to make things easy. Also they are extremely…read moreflexible and work with you on your times. If something comes up, they work with you and aren't punitive. Always on time and keep it challenging. Highly recommend.

I have been training with Tracy for just over 4 months, and am incredibly happy with the progress…read morethat I've made to-date. I feel stronger, sleep better and am seeing results too! Tracy keeps me challenged and motivated by incorporating new / different exercises, and also has helped me to improve my form and technique (thank you!). I still have progress to make, and look forward to continuing to work with Tracy. Overall, Chitown Trainer is great because they come to me (and arrive on time!) and are extremely flexible in working around my schedule. I highly recommend Tracy and the Chitown Trainer! Excellent quality and experience.

Complete creep that will take advantage of you. Helped him and was told I would get a discount and…read morerefused to follow through.

My friend made an appointment with Dan, and then told him she was bringing a friend with her to the…read moreappointment. After that message, Dan canceled. I'm not sure if he had poor intentions with my friend or even if he's a real business. Seemed sketchy and unorganized -- very odd.

Tailored Strength has been a game changer for me. I work 1:1 with Nik who is a quiet genius of his…read morecraft. I love a highly varied workout routine and Nik mixes it up every time in a very thoughtful way. It's never slogging through the same sets-- it's making steady progress on strength areas but coming at them in different, dynamic ways. (If more regimented routine is your thing he does that too of course). He's got a really chill energy that makes my visits to TS such a welcome break in my day. I've been working with him through my first pregnancy (I'm now 7 months) and I'm in my 40s so was nervous about what toll this pregnancy would take on my body. I couldn't be happier with the results. I've had zero back pain, zero leg cramps, really none of the musculoskeletal maladies that people so frequently experience in pregnancy. My weight gain has been right on track and feels healthy not out of control. I think working out has kept my other symptoms to a minimum too (nausea, insomnia, moods, and the whole list of delightful things one looks forward to in pregnancy have all been totally manageable in the great scheme of things). I've kept my conditioning up even as my belly's gotten bigger and heavier, and I have even built strength during this period. Even this late in pregnancy, I am striding and out and about, and am not "waddling." People are telling me all the time how great and healthy I look. I truly credit all of this to the steady work I've been able to do with Nik. I am confident that I am doing everything I can for my baby's health and my health with Nik's help. Some other notes: The gym is a perfect size-- has a great amount of space, lots of different equipment, but is not massive or impersonal. (I've worked out at other gyms that were either too small to comfortably accommodate all clients, or too big for my preferences. Don't want to feel like I'm in a warehouse). I get the sense that the folks at TS meter how many folks are in the space at once so it's never been over subscribed when I've been there-- good hum of activity but good availability of equipment. The community of other trainers in the space is wonderful. They are fun, upbeat, positive, warm, and inclusive. They are invested in fostering a community. Couldn't recommend this business enough for folks who want to invest in their longevity and health.

When I first came to Nikholas at Tailored Strength, I was suffering with a lingering knee injury…read morefrom pickleball that six weeks of physical therapy couldn't fully fix. Not only did he help me regain strength and mobility beyond what I achieved in PT, but he also prepared me to conquer my first Hustle Stair Climb--I was not fully mentally ready but the strength and endurance that I've gained ensured that I accomplished a goal I previously thought I couldn't! My brain fog has lifted, my energy is soaring and I continue to hit new milestones in strength and flexibility every week. What sets Nikholas apart is his dedication and genuine care. He doesn't just coach during sessions--he checks in post-workout to make sure I optimize recovery and keeps me accountable to nutrition and protein goals. As a former athlete himself, I appreciate how he uses his real world experience to tailor every session to how my body feels, making progress feel achievable no matter how I'm feeling when it starts and even when he's pushing me way harder than I'd ever push myself. But the magic doesn't stop with Nikholas. Tailored Strength's boutique gym culture is a game-changer. The trainers--Nikholas, Ryan, Joe, and Drew--rotate leading semi-private classes, and their collective expertise creates an environment where every athlete is seen, coached, and motivated. They prioritize proper form and weight selection to ensure that whether we're newbies to strength training or seasoned athletes, we're challenged while crushing our goals safely. This isn't just a gym--it's a community that celebrates progress and champions injury-free training. If you want a trainer (and a gym family) that truly invests in your success, look no further. Nikholas and Tailored Strength have leveled up fitness for me--10/10, would recommend!

I've been training remotely with Brit for over a year and I can't recommend her enough. She has a…read moretrue passion, not only for fitness, but for understanding her clients--what they need as individuals and what they want as athletes. Under her guidance, from 2,000 miles away, I've seen consistent improvement in my strength and overall performance in the gym. Brit has helped me push through plateaus and achieve many of my current fitness goals. If I could stop eating like a wild animal who doesn't know when they will see their next meal, I could probably be doing even better, but hey, I have young kids so lay off me. But that's also the reason Brit is great. I have young kids and I don't have a lot of time to be in the gym or think about my program. Brit makes the programs easy to follow and understand. Through her app, everything is laid out for me. I don't even have to think about it until I get into the gym that day. Every week is scheduled in advance. She checks in routinely and is regularly asking for feedback on how the workouts are going. There is also a level of accountability which I love. Brit really is a champion and a motivator--even from a distance.

I have been working with Brit for five years! I have lost 25 pounds and increased my mobility and…read morestrength. Brit is an exceptional trainer who cares about her clients' success. She has extensive knowledge and the ability to customize every session to fit my goals and needs. She is also genuinely kind and caring, making each workout feel supportive.

Fitresults has been a "godsend" for me. I joined the gym back in April of 2019 and as a result my…read morehealth and fitness has never been better. Lou, the owner and trainer extraordinaire, truly cares about the people. Lou has created a culture and community of people who look at one another as FITFAM. I highly recommend this gym, you will get personal attention and care like no other gym. The owner is the FITFAM's biggest cheerleader. There is no better gym. During the COVID re-opening Lou has taken extreme measures while following all CDC guidelines. There is thorough cleaning nightly and throughout the day of all equipment and workout areas, everyone is required to wear masks and he added hand sanitizer stations all over the gym. There are also strictly outdoor workouts for those who feel more comfortable, and indoor workouts with stations 6 feet apart. They workout plans all allow for everyone tonhave their own weights and space. He truly is going above and beyond. You will feel safe being here.

I've been a member at Fit Results for three years, and it's truly more than a gym--it's a…read morecommunity. From the time I moved to Chicago to getting in shape for my wedding, this place has been part of my life. After a major surgery (a myomectomy to remove a large fibroid), I struggled both physically and mentally. When I returned, I weighed 165 pounds and felt very weak. The Fit Results team met me exactly where I was. They customized a program for me through semi-private training, supported me with nutrition guidance, and helped me rebuild my strength safely. Because of this support, I'm now down to 149 pounds, stronger than ever (from squatting 15 lbs to 125 lbs), off my diabetes medication, and no longer a candidate for cholesterol medication. Group classes are fun & challenging, but if you're recovering from surgery or dealing with cyclical weight changes, I highly recommend personal or semi-private training. Be transparent, they will help you achieve your goals! No judgement! Huge shout-out to the owner AND every trainer at Fit Results--they are all incredibly skilled and truly know how to support you no matter where you are in your fitness journey. #STARTNOW #GETFIT

I worked out here for almost 2 years before moving cross country. When I first came in I was 260…read morelbs. and not far removed from weight loss surgery which helped me get down from 360 lbs. I felt overwhelmed and anxious about the whole thing but my trainer, Alex, quickly made me feel comfortable, as did the owner, Chad and the rest of the trainers there. I lost a further 50 lbs. and got in the best shape of my life there. The workouts were always custom tailored to my exact needs and Alex was extremely patient with me and my limitations. I also spent a few months working out with John who was just as great. These guys are highly educated and know what they are talking about. I recommend them highly to any age or fitness level. I also felt the prices were very reasonable and that the gym was never overcrowded and always immaculately clean. 10/10

Small group training studio and workout at its finest. Loved the space, equipment, staff, and…read moreworkout. It's very structured and easy to follow while also being able to make accommodations as needed. Instructor was very knowledgeable and had a great playlist.