Best Gyms with Functional Training Equipment near Arlington, Virginia

I visited Lifetime Clarendon in November using a friend’s Guest Pass, with the intention of potentially joining this gym later in the month. I’ve heard good things about Lifetime facilities and was looking for a more upscale gym experience. Unfortunately, after my visit, I was very disappointed by the way my friend and I were both treated and how Lifetime handled the situation, which has led to my decision not to join. After entering the locker room and getting ready for my workout, my friend and I headed to the squat rack area. We were in the middle of our warm-up sets when a female staff member approached my friend and informed her that she had to leave immediately, without offering any explanation. Despite repeatedly asking for clarification, we were left in the dark about the reason behind the request. There was no explanation given and the Lifetime employee seemed to take joy in the power dynamic they had over us. It was a very confusing and unsettling experience, as we felt unfairly singled out and treated with a lack of respect. I had to watch my friend be pushed back into the locker room and then escorted to the front desk all the while not being given an explanation on why this was transpiring. My friend was in shock and traumatized because of how she was treated. I was appalled at the lack of human decency afforded to my friend through the entire ordeal. We later discovered that the situation was related to a membership issue. For something so small, the whole experience was blown out of proportion given my friend was treated like she was a criminal even though she had not bothered anyone. We were forced to leave the club and it was all handled in a way that made both of us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. After leaving the club, my friend alerted me to the fact that she was followed into the locker room by the staff member as she gathered her belonging and changed. That is really dehumanizing. While Lifetime markets itself as an upscale gym experience, this encounter left much to be desired in terms of customer service and communication. Unfortunately, I won't be returning to Lifetime Clarendon. For those in the NoVA area, there are other gyms like Vida that prioritize treating members with kindness and respect and a sense of community that I did not get at all when I visited.

I absolutely LOVE this gym. The classes are a lot harder than other lifetimes in the northern VA area and feel more like a professional workout class. I’ve only been doing the classes for about 2 weeks and already notice a huge difference in my physique. The gym is not crowded, SUPER clean, and the employees are helpful and very kind. I usually have the spa area to myself and listen to meditation music…it’s like I’m on vacation. If there are other people in the spa area it’s super quiet and peaceful 😌 Cons - the cost is pretty steep, free parking in the garage provided but for only 3 hrs. Would be awesome if they upped it to at least 4 hrs. There’s no pool. But other than that, totally worth it and life changing!

I love this gym for so many reasons! The community is fantastic, and it’s a great place for networking. One of the best features for parents is the kids’ area, where they can play indoors in semi-structured classes while I get a solid workout in. It’s perfect for those days when the weather isn’t ideal. The “Parents’ Night Out” program is a game-changer—our kids enjoy pizza and games from 5-8pm while my wife and I have a date night. On school days off, like teacher conferences, Lifetime has been our go-to. The only area for improvement would be adding more amenities, like a pool, pickleball courts, and additional indoor sports spaces. The upstairs work space feels like a big miss. In the summer, we often have to drive to Reston for a nice outdoor pool, which is inconvenient. I’d gladly pay extra for those features. Overall, this gym is a fantastic family-friendly space with great amenities, but the lack of certain facilities like a pool keeps it from being a full 5 stars for me. Highly recommend it if those aren’t deal-breakers for you!

Definitely a premium destination! I was surprised at how much space this city location had as compared to the Atlanta Buckhead location. A lot of equipment, so if it does get crowded, you have choices even for squat racks. I managed to get there while it was quiet around 10.30 or 11am, but it started picking up as I was finishing my workout. There is a cold tub which is unique to this location and is very refreshing after the intense breathing and "ah, oo, that's cold". Steam room is very nice to get all the impurities out of your system. You can chill out at the lifecafe, or there is wholefoods next door so finding a quality snack or meal is easy. Nicest and friendliest staff out of all the VA locations! Go check it out!

Great workout facilities and very peaceful spa area. The space and the equipment are very well kept. There is no pool, tennis courts or any of the athletic faculties however. The classes are great. Definitely try out the heated yoga with Natalie . She is amazing and has an amazing playlist!

This facility is actually one of the nicer Planet Fitness gyms I’ve gone to. I recently joined here just for tanning after canceling a more expensive tanning boutique membership. The beds that they use here are the same beds that are one of the top-tier memberships at the tanning boutique I used to go to and for just $25 a month you really can’t beat this. I do have another gym that I go to in the area, but the cleanliness and overall atmosphere of this gym makes it a great facility to go to when I can’t get to my other gym that is a bit further away.

Glad to see this one was located in the Pentagon city area. Much better than the hotel gym but smaller than other Planet Fitness locations. Understandable bc of location.

On 12/16 visiting from Rhode Island this location I expected better. First treadmill I hopped in was rickety and clanked. Hopped on a second treadmill next to it and when I was at 15% incline the entire machine swayed side to side, hopped on the third treadmill and after my workout the machine failed to resume to a 0% incline and was stuck. The black card spa was even worse. Massage chair #4 sounded rusty, the air compression didn’t work and the right side massages harder than the left side. Lastly, only ONE equipment cleaning station was stocked with paper towels. Five other stations had no paper towels. One sink in the men’s room didn’t work and one hand dryer was out of service. Thankful to return to my Middletown, RI Planet Fitness.

Of the Planet Fitness locations in the area, this is definitely the best. Crowd is usually manageable. It's always clean.

This Planet Fitness is an excellent gym with superb hours, wonderful equipment, and a redlight machine to reduce wrinkles! The staff here is responsive, friendly, and helpful.. This is the best gym in VA for the best price..

01/15/2025 The management does not care to fix and upgrade broken equipment and features and provide average service. 1. They charge double monthly fees in December to fix/upgrade equipment but they don't fix anything on time. One year dues = 13 months! 2. The steam room has been broken for over a month since 12/10/2024. Photo is attached 3. The stretching mats are always missing or beat up. They won't replace them. 4. They will increase your monthly dues without any notice 5. The water fountain was broken for 2 months. The front desk is not bothered to pass the issue to management and get it fixed!

I was a member of the gym before and now I’m back after some time being abroad. I love that the gym has a variety of classes. As a new member you get two complimentary personal training sessions and after my sessions with Kevin I decided to continue them for a few months. I was impressed by Kevin’s knowledge which was the reason for my continuation of personal training. I have back pain and I needed to strengthen my muscles and body before I can do things on my own correctly. Kevin ensured that all exercises are a good fit for me and that I hold a correct posture which is really important to me. I love that he incorporates mindfulness, breathing and visualization while exercising. It’s inspiring to train with him!

Kevin is the ultimate personal trainer!! He seeks to understand your fitness goals before engaging.( I think that’s very important). He gently but firmly will encourage you to push yourself, while remaining attentive & present with you in the moment. Above all he ensures you retain the good & safe exercising skills & techniques you learn to continue to build on your success & wins from the sessions you get with him & beyond.

Nice gym and great trainers - specifically Kevin who is phenomenal! After not having been to the gym in months due to a broken wrist, it was difficult for me to return back to my old routine. After just two sessions with him, he helped me with my motivation and get me back to looking forward to entering the gym. From the start, he has helped me figure out my goals and has given me a customized program to work through and view my progress. While the one-hour full body sessions are intense, he has pushed me and shown me what I am truly capable of doing. This is supplemented with his great insight and knowledge on proper form, techniques, and mindset. In particular, he has taken great care in making sure I can be healthy and improve my performance through ways outside of the gym with nutrition and lifestyle advice. I went from barely making it 30 minutes into a session to pushing my limits through the entire hour. As someone who has frequently gone to the gym over the past couple of years, it has truly been a breath of fresh air to work with Kevin. By returning to basics and building a solid foundation of form and mindset, it has taken me just a month to break through plateaus that I had been stuck on for almost a year. If you are looking to build your physical fitness, find motivation, and build a strong mentality, you have to work with Kevin.

After a two-year break from OneLife Fitness to focus on running, I decided to return because I wanted to focus on strength. The gym offered a free assessment and a session with a personal trainer, which is how I met Kevin. Since working with him, I’ve seen great progress in both fat loss and muscle gain. I feel stronger, more stable, and my posture has improved—a big relief for my back. Kevin also encouraged me to join his Saturday core and mobility classes, which have become one of my favorite parts of the week. These sessions complement my strength work and have made a noticeable difference in how I feel day-to-day. What really stands out about Kevin is how detailed and thoughtful he is. He explains each exercise clearly, shows me how to do it, and ensures my form is always correct. This focus on technique has helped me avoid injuries and get the most out of every workout. Kevin has also been a great resource for nutrition advice, offering simple, practical tips that fit with my lifestyle. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made so far and grateful for Kevin’s guidance and encouragement along the way.

This review is really 3.5 stars. I've been an on and off member of this location (last attended Vida regularly in 2023/started back up this Jan 2025) and the overall upkeep of the gym has gone done a bit. With a monthly membership upwards of $120+ there shouldn't be 5-6 broken treadmills. I've gone to the gym during peak hours and non-peak hours throughout the week and people are waiting for equipment to free up, so they can do some level of cardio. Depending on the timeliness of repairs, I'll gladly edit my review. Vida Fitness-Ballston is a great gym, just was disappointed to see the overall quality of it go down since coming back... The recent reviews of the Steam/Sauna are a little fabricated, because they do feel clean. The cleaning staff does a great job and they definitely deserve the shout out for all that they do.

This gym and it's staff are absolutely top notch. I have been a long time member of VIDA and have been to various locations over the years. The Ballston location is hands-down the best. The facilities are always super clean, the staff is so kind and helpful (shout out to Isaac being the GOAT), the selection of equipment is vast, the restorative spaces of the spa & saunas are spotless and always smell nice, and the entire gym's layout makes sense with room to spare. Thanks again for all that you guys do!

I like this gym. Been going for 2 years. I do wish the steam room was cleaned more often. Update: I steam room has only gotten worse, its almost never clean even though there is a sign that says its cleaned daily. Also, there is a new manager here and he only hits on the good looking women, including my wife. No one ever sees his speak to male guests and whenever there is a good looking girl working out, its guaranteed he will mozey on over and start a conversation 10/10x. Like bro, this is not tinder… the steam room needs to be cleaned but this guy is thinking with his you know what. Pic of him in action today:

Vida Ballston is a beautiful and well outfitted gym and the employees have all a been very kind and helpful to me! Especially Isaac, my membership specialist, was extremely helpful for me in terms of navigating my new membership. A great gym and a great team!

Been a Vida member since 2018 and they've been nothing but spectacular. I've been a frequent member at every single location while moving around DC and now living in Arlington, I've been at the Ballston location for 2 years now. My trainer Jonas has helped me reach my fitness goals and then some! Front desk dude Sam is all smiles as you walk in and makes sure to have your smoothie ready when you're leaving. Gwen the Sweatbox instructor/manager has an AMAZING Sweatbox class and really motivates you to keep going. They also keep getting new equipment to keep it fresh! Loving everything about it!

I was a member here for ~5 years or so but moved to a different area so had to end my membership. This is a great gym, the equipment is very well maintained and clean, the staff and other members are really friendly. It’s a great environment to work out in / staff does a really good job of maintaining everything and creating an awesome experience for their members. Would absolutely recommend and sad to be leaving this place!

This is a great gym! Always clean, never too busy, and great staff and trainers like Cin who goes out of the way to help members feel comfortable and welcome!

Been going to this gym less than a year and it’s been a good experience. Tons of cardio and lifting equipment to get a good workout in. They add plastic privacy screens between the cardio machines to allow each member to be protected in our COVID era of life. It’s a clean gym, open 24/7, friendly staff, fair cancellation policy and a convenient location for myself. I would recommend you come to do a tour and see for yourself.

I've been to many AF gyms. Definitely a five star! Well maintained. Clean!!! Well done.

If you don’t fit their target demographic and forget to not sneeze, as soon as you step foot outside of their gym, you will receive a creepy email alerting you that you do not fit their “gym guidelines”. I was in the gym for less than 15 minutes, used 3 equipments and got a nasty creepy email indirectly and condescendingly telling me I do not belong. Do better, and that’s just this AnyTime location. Had no issues at the other ones

Great spot if you’re traveling and need a full gym. Not too busy but has all the gear and free weights you need for a full body workout

Good military gym

Great clean gym. In the winter (even the summer) the cardio room is mad cold for whatever reason. The equipment selection is great with a true CrossFit room and tons of equipment. Though you won't find a conventional pulldown/row cable machine

***You will have to have military base access in order to attend this gym.*** A great morning workout was had! 💪🏽🦵🏽 Gym machines, indoor turf area for easy circuit training, & indoor track for running laps.

The fitness center is huge and has almost everything I want for my workouts. Even better, they have 24 hot access for benefit holders. The layout is a bit chaotic and equipment is stuffed anywhere there is space.