Forged Barbell

Fantastic experience: Great coaches! Great community! Great experience!

Fantastic experience: Lauren is absolutely fantastic! Her depth of knowledge in all aspects of health in the mind, body and soul. There is no comparison to her knowledge in nutrition, movement, and mental conditioning.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic atmosphere at Forged barbell. You feel apart of team at this gym. Top notch programming and classes. It works if you work it!

Fantastic experience: As a woman, this is the most comfortable I’ve felt walking into a gym. The focus is starting where you are and making smart progress. The community is very supportive and I’ve never had more fun crawling around. This is a place that makes me want to be my best self and has mapped a way to get there.

Fantastic experience: Awesome as always! A gem I try to hit when I'm in the area! Awesome coaching and every athlete has a positive motivating personality. Thank you Coach Cyril for the recommendation!!!

Fantastic experience: Lauren is a very powerful coach. I had the honor of taking one of her strength training class and it is very different from all the others I’ve taken. She took into the account of breath, the QUALITY of movement and making sure each of us is able to execute each exercise with precision. This is definitely the way to stay strong and out of pain! Thank you Lauren!

Fantastic experience: Lauren is absolutely fantastic! Her depth of knowledge in all aspects of health in the mind, body and soul. There is no comparison to her knowledge in nutrition, movement, and mental conditioning.

Fantastic experience: Got a week pass when I was visiting Ann Arbor. Very good gym, has everything you could need for weightlifting. I was also pleasantly surprised that everyone was very nice and made me feel very welcome.

Fantastic experience: Forged has amazing coaches and programming. In the 8 months since I have been going there I have increased strength and cardio endurance. The knee I had been having issues with for years no longer gets inflamed thanks to Jess and attention to detail and outstanding coaching. Been doing CrossFit or CrossFit like fitness for over 5 years and this is the best coaching I have gotten!!!! They have also taken COVID precautions seriously and worked to make each member feel safe and heard. I will be here for a long long time!!!!

Fantastic experience: Complete barbell gym, excellent coaches.

Fantastic experience: Forged is a woman-owned gym and you can tell (no offense, men). I had zero lifting experience when I first set foot into the gym 8 months postpartum, and I have never once felt intimidated by any of the coaches or other members. Sure, I have felt goofy or unsure as I learned new things, but the coaches are extremely engaged and encouraging and committed to teaching the correct form. I have subsequently gained the strength and stability that I desperately needed after 2 pregnancies and have learned a LOT about how the human body works (and how it can compensate when it isn’t strong enough!). This gym has a mix of clientele ranging from people in their 70s to kids in their pre-teens. It’s inclusive and fun and I’m so grateful to have found them.

Fantastic experience: Best strength training gym in Ann Arbor. Whether you are looking for Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Strongman, or general health and fitness, this gym knows their stuff. Through COVID their health and safety protocols have been second to none. Their spacious gym has provided ample social distancing, they continue to enforce the mask mandate, and they thoroughly clean all equipment several times a day. Do yourself a favor and check them out!

Fantastic experience: Love this place. Lauren and Jess have blown my mind with their knowledge, expertise, and execution!

Fantastic experience: Wonderful gym with emphasis on form and intelligent, scalable programming. Really top-notch coaching for learning basic mechanics up through olympic weightlifting.

Fantastic experience: I'm very grateful to have been recommended Forged Barbell. I can't think of another gym in the Ann Arbor area that is like it. It places a very strong emphasis on community and doing things with correct form. It stands in stark contrast to university weight rooms and CrossFit-like gyms that sometimes favor high reps and poor form. You will also find a range of individuals at Forged, with people who are lifting weights together as opposed to lifting weights in the same space with headphones on. Check it out!

Fantastic experience: Awesome coaches and atmosphere. Lauren does a great job of approaching strength, fitness, mobility, etc. holistically. Great gym.

Fantastic experience: This is an update that I wanted to post as of 3.16.20. Lauren the owner of this gym is a sincere, hard working, grounded lovely human being who truly cares about her clients. I know she is doing everything she can to make the gym a safe inviting space and is concerned about your health and well being. I heard about this gym through my friend Lindsay. I absolutely love this place! My experience here has been very positive and uplifting. I must admit I was a little intimidated at first but that melted away after meeting the staff and current members. I have never lifted like this before, I am learning new techniques every time I go in and it's fun. Stop in and try it out, you will not be disappointed.

Fantastic experience: Great gym with the best coaches around. Very individual and positive fitness help, as well as nutritional advice if desired.

Fantastic experience: Amazing, helpful, terrific.

Fantastic experience: I am most impressed with the individual attention I got from all the members of the team, especially Lauren Hoffman. As an older individual, I feel most welcome and I am coached to have my special needs met. I can highly recommend this place for all age groups.

Fantastic experience: Forged Barbell is one of the most inclusive and warm spaces I have ever been to. There is none of the "macho man" mentality that so typically characterizes powerlifting atmospheres, and all of the coaches guide each member with such individual attention and precision. Lauren (the owner) is an absolute wizard when it comes to form, alignment, and lifting regiment. The programming is extremely creative and varied. I have never powerlifted before coming to Forged Barbell, precisely because I was intimidated by the stereotype of what I thought heavy lifting was, but now I am addicted! Forged Barbell is the exception to the rule, and so much more!

Fantastic experience: Amazingly helpful and she knows her stuff

Fantastic experience: Great coaches and a great atmosphere. This is a great place lift whether you're learning how to use a barbell for the first time, or approaching your 800th lb on the deadlift.

Fantastic experience: This is not only a gym, but a community. Everyone I have met here is genuinely invested in my success and that optimism is contagious and has spilled over into the rest of my life. Each coach takes form, your goals, and safety very seriously. While they may be quick to push you beyond your previous limit, they will also not hesitate to be your cheerleader. I'm still relatively new, but I already feel at home.

Fantastic experience: Forged has everything you need, whether you’re a noob or a seasoned pro, to make the gains you are looking for, however small or ambitious they may be. Including top notch coaching from trainers who have a wide range of certifications, and walk the walk. No frills.

Fantastic experience: I went to this gym having never lifted before. I am in my mid-40’s and knew I needed to increase my strength and energy. Lauren was amazing to meet with before I even joined. She made sure that she thoroughly explained things and knew what I was doing. Once I started she prescribed a personal plan for me based on my fitness goals and abilities. This is the first exercise I have ever stick to. Six months in I feel so much stronger (I know longer have to worry about being stuck in a foam pit at a kid’s play place). I also feel more confident with everything in my life. Not to mention that I look so different and fit that even my boss’s wife said something to me. This is a great gym no matter your skill level. There are very beginners like I am all of the way up to competitive lifters. I have never once felt awkward or out of place. There are so many amazing coaches and people at Forged Barbell!

Fantastic experience: Lauren and Anna are amazing coaches! They understand movement and how to work with each person, where they're at in that moment. The goal is always to keep moving and to be stronger for a long and healthy life. And for this mom of 2 active boys, the Kids Olympic Lifting program has been a wonderful experience! They can't wait to compete!

Fantastic experience: Awesome programming and flexible scheduling make Forged a perfect fit for me. Lauren and Anna are awesome coaches and will help you move towards achieving your strength and fitness goals in a safe, fun environment.

Fantastic experience: Im so thrilled by my experience at Forged, even just once a week (all my schedule permits) i am stonger and healthier than i have felt in years! Lauren is an AMAZING coach, with so much knowledge and strength that she brings to every person who walks through her door.

Fantastic experience: I learned of Forged Barbell through a friend. I’ve done CrossFit and the like before, it just wasn’t my scene. That said, I really like Lauren’s approach to fitness. She takes the work seriously, but isn’t elitist or aggressive in her style. She does a wonderful job of explaining what we’re doing, why, and how it will benefit me. I’m currently in the midst of one-on-one sessions, but will be joining full-time when that finishes up. I would recommend to anyone looking to gain strength, and get fit in a welcoming environment with other looking for the same.