Force Fitness & Performance

This place is so incredibly special, I can’t put it into words. Simply stated: whoever you are, whatever your goals, whatever your experience, Force is THE gym in Bloomington. The coaching is literally world-​class, and you WILL get the results you’re searching for (ask yourself, are you reaching them with what you’re doing now?)! Personally, I lost 90lbs and gained a fabulous family/​community along with an amazing education in fitness, nutrition and myself.
This gym and it’s various programs really are for all levels. The bootcamp is great and there is no one to blame if you don’t get a great workout in but yourself. People in a more advanced athletic state are expected to do more advanced movements with heavier weights at faster speeds.
Key Words: High performance athlete training, student (youth) athlete training, weight loss, high intensity interval training, personal training, group training, nutrition, Olympic Weightlifting, strength and conditioning, safety, Functional Movement Screen (FMS), mobility, MovNat, CrossFit, Brazilian Ju Jitsu, Precision Nutrition, Whole 9/​30, paleo/​primal, boot camp, mindfulness, play/​sport, constant improvement, support, acceptance, open space.
State of the art gym (and clean!) with the best group of coaches, trainers and administrators in the business.
I could go on and on. I’ve been doing this fitness/​weight loss thing a long, long time and this gym is the height of what you can get. I’ve had to move out of state, and there’s nothing I mourn more than the loss of Force. Give it a chance.

This will always be one of my favorite gyms ever. I love the trainers and I looked forward to every boot camp. I’ve never felt like I was in better shape.
Sadly, I graduated and moved to Washington, DC. I will try to find a gym that is comparable, but it will be tough.
Thank you, Force Fitness! I miss you already and I’ve only been gone a month.

I’m updating my previous rating from 2 to 3 stars.
I was really impressed that the owner, Ryan, contacted me via email/​yelp to amend the situation I addressed in my previous review. He offered a month of training gratis, and I took him up on the offer.
As for the experience, Force seems to be a great place to get a quick workout in. The staff are friendly, and knowledgeable.
The actual ‘work’ done in a session ranges from 15 – 40 minutes. Warm up includes a bit of foam rolling, and some dynamic stretching exercises. The actual workout involves circuit-​type functional training. I like that they incorporate explosive plyometric movements for people who are more fit, and yet find modifications for people who are just getting into fitness.
Advantages:
1) No need to think. These people do the programming, you only need to show up
2) Matt (the trainer I had) was great about checking form and providing modifications to the suggested exercises.
3) I like the community. It is nice to see familiar faces at each workout… definitely helps in keeping me motivated.
4) Facility is clean, nice shower/​changing rooms.
5) I like the fact that you choose particular days and times for classes in advance; it really helps keep you on track and accountable.
Disadvantages:
1) I personally found the workouts to be too boring and easy (I don’t think I ever woke up with a sore muscle after a workout). I come from a personal training background, and I’m used to spending more time at the gym. This program is likely ideal for a person of average fitness. Often after a workout at Force I head to the campus gym to get more cardio training and lifting in.
2) I find the location of this place to be less-​than-​ideal. This is just me.
3) Certain days of the week (namely days that involve isometric type exercises) are incredibly boring. (My friends have had similar complaints)
4) Pricing: this place is a bit expensive.
Suggestions:
1) Perhaps have certain boot camp sessions cater to beginner or advanced levels of fitness. As it stands, there are too many people in a class with too many different issues to target. It is kind of a mess.
2) If you are already an athlete or experienced in training, I suggest you forgo the boot camp sessions, and try out personal training (this may be more rigorous and tailored)
Summary:
After this bootcamp, I will not be returning to Force (I may not even finish the boot camp that was offered). It is located on the outskirt of town, far from where I work/​live, and the workouts aren’t really working out for me.
I know a lot of other people who love this place (secretaries, neighbors, friends, etc.) but it just isn’t my thing.

Force Fitness & Performance changes lives. In the four months since joining Force, I have dropped weight/​fat/​inches and added muscle. I have gone from someone who hated exercise to someone who wakes up every morning craving it. I am eating a clean diet (and enjoying it). I feel empowered and re-​energized to continue on my own weight loss journey and extremely lucky to have found Ryan and this place.
Force is not like your traditional gym… you will not see a sea of cardio machines here. What you will see and get here are results. They run boot camps, personal training, and sports training. I currently take part in boot camp 3x/​week and personal training 2x/​week. The boot camp provides you with three different levels for each exercise depending on your fitness level, so really anyone who is willing to challenge themselves can do this. With personal training, Ryan takes the time to get to know each of his clients and customizes a workout that is challenging, yet manageable.
I honestly cannot say enough positive things about Ryan and the Force team. I believe in them so much, that I have committed to a full year of training and boot camp at Force. I highly recommend this place to anyone who cares about their fitness and wants to be in/​work towards being in the best shape of their life!