The best gyms in Chicago

One of the glitziest athletic clubs in the city, Midtown offers its members a 575,000-square-foot wellness playground that includes 16 indoor tennis courts, top-notch fitness equipment, several studios, a full-service restaurant, indoor and outdoor pools, a beautiful spa and luxurious locker rooms. Heck, there's even a 55-room hotel that features a suite designed by tennis superstar Venus Williams. Of course, amenities like these cost a pretty penny, but Midtown Athletic Club is a fantastic option for families looking for the full package.

After decades of helping people reach their fitness goals and gaining a following for his classes at Fitness Formula Clubs, founder Antonio Coke made the move of opening his own space in Uptown. The experienced trainers at Bodi Shak lead clients of all fitness levels through a host of high-energy classes, including offerings in HIIT, cycling, yoga and boxing. In addition to building community among trainers and members, Bodi Shak gives back through support of Collective Chicago, an initiative offering transitional housing and support for young men experiencing homelessness.

Want a workout with a side of adrenaline and a robust, supportive community? You’ll find both at this local network of climbing gyms, which offer the mind-body puzzle of bouldering, top-rope climbing and lead climbing. Membership grants you access to all four Chicago locations (and an expansive suburban outpost in Arlington Heights), and each location posts their route-setting schedule, so you always have a new challenge. If you need a break from climbing, First Ascent also offers cardio and strength training equipment and yoga classes.

Fitness buffs in search of something upscale flock to Equinox for its high-end feel, pristine locker rooms and amenities galore. Members enjoy unlimited access to classes, ranging from kickboxing to cycling—and you also have the option to add on personal training sessions with top-rated professionals. The national club has locations in Lincoln Park, Lincoln Commons, Gold Coast and the Loop.

With seven locations scattered throughout the North Side of Chicago (Bucktown, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, West Loop, Wicker Park and even Evanston), it's not hard to find Chicago Athletic Club. While the offerings differ slightly from location to location, varied classes taught by experienced instructors, lots of well-equipped machines and comfortable locker rooms are universal. There’s also a handy app that allows you to check schedules and book classes. Access to one club ranges from $74-79 a month, while a membership that includes access to all seven locations costs between $84-89.

Inside this mammoth 350,000-square-foot space (spread over two city blocks), you’ll find a running track, four pools, an indoor driving range and several tennis courts—not to mention the largest cardio fitness room in the city, which boasts a whopping 400 pieces of equipment. Beyond the impeccable exercise facilities, members also have access to a spa, car wash, restaurants and a sun deck that's a popular summer spot. It's not cheap at $275 a month for an individual membership, but if you're looking for bountiful amenities, you get what you pay for.

Not sure if you can get in shape? FFC offers a "results guaranteed program," allowing members to try the gym for a month and get a full refund if they don’t see results after a series of baseline tests. You can also take classes, do heart-rate training, go rock climbing or take a pilates reformer class. But one of FFC's biggest perks is its footprint; find locations in Elmhurst, East Lakeview, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Oak Park, Old Town, Park Ridge, South Loop, Union Station and West Loop.

If big-box gyms aren't your speed, entrust your membership dollars with The Space in Hyde Park, a small but action-packed gym that offers one-on-one training, group classes and general gym access. Members can hit the treadmill or elliptical or take their fitness goals to the next level with a personalized training session with a roster of talented professionals.

Hidden inside the Bridgeport Arts Center, Lance's Gym is a no-frills space that's popular with powerlifters. Even if you're not lifting extremely heavy weights, you'll find stationary bikes, free weights, conventional lifting equipment in the gym, with monthly memberships available for those who are ready to sweat. Lance's Gym also offers personal trainers, who'll work with you one-on-one to help achieve your fitness goals.

Modeling the 6,000-square-foot, industrial-style space after their first neighborhood gym in New York, the owners of Wicker Park Fitness provide an alternative to more expensive luxury gyms that's open 24 hours a day, so there’s no stress about trying to fit a workout in on a time crunch. You can also get personal one-on-one training from an experienced instructor or—if you're a first-timer—you can stop by for a free workout and see what Wicker Park Fitness has to offer.

Calling this Lincoln Park space a “gym” feels reductive. What do you call a place that feels more like going to a friend’s house—albeit one with safety and cleanliness standards—than your average fitness facility? Edge Athlete Lounge is a place that knows its members intimately: Accountability, emotional support and a tight-knit community are embedded into every aspect of Edge’s operations. Not showing up to classes for a while? You’ll get a check-in text from the owner, Robyn, to make sure you’re okay. Worried about an upcoming running race? Coaches will walk you through mental strategies. And forget the sterility of your typical fluorescent-lit gym. At Edge, members don recovery boots (or simply naps, in the case of many) on plush leather chaise lounges, eat and mingle, and take part in a robust offering of community service like pet therapy at nursing homes. This LGBTQ-friendly space also has hot and cold tubs to complement training. Squealing in the 50-degree water is a no-no, but comforting yourself with one of the owner’s three pugs is highly encouraged.

Housed in an 10,500-square-foot, 1890s-era warehouse in Roscoe Village, locally-owned Ethos is designed to be your home-away-from-home, where fitness is more than just squeezing in a quick workout. With a strong emphasis on community and training focused on joint health and longevity rather than burnout, Ethos prides itself on becoming your all-around support system. Besides group and private training, recovery options include a 15-person sauna and three cold plunges. On-site holistic wellness like acupuncture, massage, breathwork and more are also available, and members also have access to The Ethos Den, a cafe-style area for coworking or socializing outside of class. 

West Town’s locally-owned gym and community space The Garage started in a small backyard garage in 2020 and has since grown into a strength and conditioning space (housed in a refitted auto shop), a personal training space, and a yoga and recovery studio called The Apartment. Focusing on strength, recovery and community, athletes of all levels are welcome at group classes like the strength-building “Heavy AF” and “Strong X,” which prioritizes functional fitness. Maintain new friendships outside of class at weekly run clubs and events raising funds for local nonprofits. And stay tuned for the forthcoming nutrition space, The Third Space Cafe.

If you feel daunted by where to begin your fitness journey, try Hyde Park’s Anthos Training Clubs. Voted Best Gym in Chicago by the Chicago Reader, they focus on helping newcomers feel confident in what’s typically perceived as an intimidating atmosphere. Here, you’ll do community personal training, a setup where each person follows their own training plan alongside other members. Get guidance from the supervising trainers and feel ready to level up.

Whether you’re looking for private or group training classes, Lakeview gym Defined Training offers general fitness and specialty classes for all levels, like weightlifting technique and women-only sessions. This LGBTQ-friendly space has been touting “good vibes and high-fives” for over a decade and beyond training, the community gets together for events like Bingo Night fundraisers and recovery yoga. And soon, Defined will offer saunas and cold plunges for recovery.

Set inside of the One Chicago residential building in River North, the first Chicago outpost of the national Life Time chain bills itself as a "luxury athletic resort" Members get access to a sprawling 126,000-square-foot space outfitted with cardio and weight machines; studios for yoga, pilates and cycling; an indoor lap pool and a regulation basketball court. There's also an in-house spa and restaurant, in case you need to fill up (or relax) after a workout. Members can also access a rooftop deck and an outdoor pool for an additional fee, which seems worth the splurge to us.

Located in Andersonville, this neighborhood gym hosts more than 40 group classes every week, allowing its members to drop in for vinyasa-style yoga, pilates, kickboxing and bootcamp courses. Another perk of joining the gym? It also offers massage therapy from licensed professionals, perfect for any sore muscles after a tough workout. 

Founded by a queer parent, this Lincoln Square gym is designed to welcome families of all kinds and celebrate movement and play for Chicagoans of all ages. The majority of Brush Park’s group training classes include childcare, and the kids will enjoy the classes, camps and indoor/outdoor play space designed for them. Part gym and part community space, patrons can also take advantage of free Wi-Fi for coworking or cozy up with a coffee around the fire pit in the chill space.

What do you do if you're a personal trainer disappointed with the lack of inclusive and accessible fitness spaces? If you’re Han Training founder Minky Kim, you start your own. Han Training operates under the core belief that “our bodies are our birthright,” and strives to create a movement space that is accessible, affordable and affirming of all bodies. Kim and trainer Parker Haines offer a variety of approaches in their intimate space, including small-group training, open gyms and written workout plans tailored to clients’ individual goals.

John Coleman’s South Shore gym is more than a place for neighbors to work out—it’s a community center. Coleman and his team offer rigorous strength and conditioning classes and boxing for kids and adults to help them get energized, de-stress and meet their goals while providing a safe space for people to come together. An active community advocate, Coleman has also collaborated and received funding from Jahmal Cole of My Block, My Hood, My City as part of the nonprofit’s #BlockFit initiative.

You don’t have to be ready to rumble in order to have a good workout at Gold Coast’s Rumble Boxing—the gym welcomes first-timers and breaks down each of the six punches they’ll be using during class five minutes before it begins. Like a boxing match without a knockout, classes consist of 10 rounds, alternating back and forth between boxing on bags and strength and conditioning, making sure you’re ready to jab, cross and hook with the best of them.

Between the Lincoln Park and Illinois Center locations of Lakeshore Sport & Fitness, you’ll find everything from a climbing wall (the highest indoor wall in the country) to a golf simulator to multiple pools for aquatic group classes. There are also facilities for racquetball, pickleball and basketball. Post-workout, visit the rooftop restaurant for dinner and a view.

Outfitted with industrial accents and ornate mirrors, Mode Gym is a luxury fitness center that prides itself on the integration of fitness and technology. Before you hop on a treadmill or start lifting weights, you can get a 3D body scan (free for members) to determine your body composition, tracking stats like your BMI and BMR. The gym also offers a free one-day pass so anyone interested in the high-tech fitness center can try it out before making a commitment.

You'll find CrossTown Fitness gyms in the West Loop, Roscoe Village and Wrigleyville, all with state-of-the-art equipment, personal trainers, and hour-long classes that focus on cardio and strength training. If you're the competitive type, you'll love the CTF Games, an annual summer competition (open to members and non-members) that allow you to show off your fitness prowess.

If you’ve ever craved a private space to work out beyond your home office or living room, The Gym Pod’s two locations in South Loop and West Loop are ideal. You can lift, spin and reach your goals with intimate, state-of-the-art space for just you, and a trainer or a workout buddy.

If you’ve heard your really in-shape friends talking about CrossFit and thought you should give it a try, then look no further than MagMile CrossFit. The gym offers several different membership options, including drop-in options for either a day or a week for those who are curious about the workout but not ready to dedicate themselves to it just yet.

With a zen, spa-like feel, this boutique River North gym takes an à la carte approach to its services, including personal training, open gym memberships, a variety of classes, and massage and acupuncture. It's easy to choose the package that's right for you, whether you want to pay as you go or buy an unlimited class package.

Co-owners Sean and Maria Armstead and their expert personal training team bring a people-centered, individually tailored approach to helping you achieve your fitness goals. At their open Near South Side space, trainers use a variety of tactics and tools, including kettlebells, battle ropes and suspension training, to help clients improve their strength and endurance and feel their best.

DePaul University students use The Ray to help avoid the freshman 15, but it’s not just for college kids. While undergrads have the membership cost included in their tuition, graduate students, staff, faculty and members of the community can purchase memberships for $91 per month. The 12,000-square-foot open fitness area has more than 100 pieces of cardio equipment, free weights and strength equipment. The gym also offers up a six-lane swimming pool, a banked jogging track, racquetball courts and more than 40 group classes each week.