Stella got a good response asking about gyms in the Seattle/Atlanta area so I thought I would give it a try. Anyone have a rec for a good gym in the NoVa area? Thanks Mike
most of the gyms in Northern Va suck. Your best bet is the Gold’s Gym in Vienna, VA at Pike Plaza.
Hey I’m from NoVa. There aren’t that many good gyms in that area. My favorite gym was Herndon Gold’s on Elden Street. It has a very good free weight section, compared to other gyms, and the staff really maintain the gym equipment clean. (No smelly stuff in the gym! Everything’s wiped and sparkling clean)
I found Chantilly Gold's to be less than clean. Fairfax Gold's is OK although it's not as nice as Herndon. Ashburn and Springfield Gold's is owned by the same guy who owns Herndon, so I think both should be good also.
Lifetime Fitness is open 24/7, but the gym is about 60% cardio machines, 30% machines, and 10% free weights. But it's clean and new and has a pool if you want to swim and a basketball court if you want to play basketball. I personally find Lifetime Fitness freeweight section to be highly inadequate compared to other gyms.
No.Va. is very very foofoo/preppy, so you wont' find any hard-core gyms. JMHO.
I live in NoVA too, but i work out at my base’s “fitness center” dominated by pencilnecks and fat, retired military people body for lifing. Of course i tend to scare the majority of them when i come in and put the metal on the stereo and start working out so their never an issue…what is an issue is the lack of a squat rack in our gym so when i get a driver’s license i’m gonna check out Ft. Belvoir’s gym…i hear good things but have never been there.
USCG Dog
P.S. Is it just me, or is having a pencil neck or being skinny fat a requirement to live here?
When I lived in Virgina, I went to the Herndon Gold’s on Elden Street as well. I was amazed at how clean it was. I commented to the manager how clean it was and he said that they wipe down all the equipment 2 times a day. By far the cleanest gym I ever went to
Mike, The World gym in Sterling is pretty decent. At least you can do deadlifting and power movements in this facility. Plenty of freeweights with a decent selection of machines. Very cheap mem. rates too. Worth checking into if you’re in the neighborhood. Right off rt.28 a couple miles south of 7.
What times of the day do you tend to work out?
I have a Gold’s membership and work out at the Tyson’s Golds currently. There are a ton of Gold’s around and seeing that you can work out at all the others in the area, you are fairly safe picking up a membership there. That said, I believe the Herndon Gold’s does not fall into the circle because of franchise issues.
When I was stationed at Andrews I worked out there. Decent weight rooms (They have two in the same gym) and had a good atmosphere. If the main gym got to crowded there was an East side gym that was never crowded (Guard and reserve over on that side). The best base gym in the area was Boling AFB, very hard core but very vocal. I found it distracting to work out while others were shouting.
BTW… I used to hate those retired fat guys, that is before I retired two years ago…
thanx, I’ll definately have to check out Bolling when i get a car cause it’s like 15-20 minutes away, but i’m gonna check out Belvoir first…their 7 miles down the road!
-USCG Dog
USCG Dog,
You're indeed correct. In case you haven't noticed, when you cross the Virginia border and enter Northern Virginia, there's a big sign that says "If you're not FAT or SKINNY FAT, you don't belong here."
A word about worldgate - don’t go. I’m a student down south, but when I’m home I use the family membership. They aren’t very receptive to the hardcore audience. They have lots of amenities, though. Worldgate employees have made me stop doing one arm barbell snatches before. I hear nothing but good about world in sterling though.
Adam Marshall
LOL @ Stella…I when i reported i took the train…i guess they forgot to put that sign up on the RR tracks.