Primal Fitness

Love this place. The environment is very supportive, the groups are fun, and the gym owner runs the business quite well. Decent amount of equipment, and the trainers in each class aren’t insanely hands on.

I can’t say enough great things about this gym. I’ve been to MANY gyms of many types, and Mark and his staff are just the tops. They’re knowledgeable, encouraging, and really friendly. They’ll push you to accomplish new goals and teach you cool things you never knew you could be working towards :)

Review is for CrossFit only.
I was a member here for a little over a year, until school and my work/​life balance made things a little too hectic for me to be able to attend regularly. My bottom line: love this gym and its people!
In the time that was able to go consistently, I made dramatic improvements in the areas of fitness that I wanted to work on, namely balance and endurance. My strength also increased. Improvements were such that this former slug completed a challenging mud run in 2014!
I have to thank the wonderful trainers and the owner, Mark, for their motivation, guidance, and all around great attitudes. The programming was always thoughtful and progressed organically, and when I injured myself (not related to CrossFit, don’t get excited), the trainers worked with me one on one to substitute exercises in so I could still participate in the classes.
This is far from an aggressive meat head gym, everyone is super nice and supportive. The staff and owner really try to build a community, and it shows. I made pretty great friends here, people actually talk to each other!

I’m new to cross fit, but not to physical fitness of all types and activities. This was my third experience with Crossfit and my first time trying Primal Fitness. I was in DC for a work trip and thought I’d give it a try. Have to say, the owner Mark (or M2) was so nice, awesome guy. Incredibly nice, completely focused on form and mobility for me but full workout for the other two guys. While I am physically fit and have sound technique, I need solid mobility work. He was incredibly attentive and huge into helping you (or me) improve. If you are looking for a cross fit gym to come in and smash both the course and time and try to destroy everyone around you, this is not the gym for you. They want to see fitness but total body improvement. Highly highly recommend. cool facility, nice people, excellent workout all for the right reasons!

When I first reviewed Primal Fitness, I didn’t have a basis of comparison for other Crossfit gyms. After having spent the last 6 months at a different crossfit gym, I have to drop my rating of Primal just a bit. While they did a great job of teaching the lifting techniques, the coaches didn’t always seem engaged while we were doing the workouts. This is a stark contrast to the gym I am currently a member of. Every crossfit gym has it’s own vibe, and I’d recommend trying a few different gyms out to help you decide which is the best fit for you.

I was beyond excited to try this place after hearing and reading so many great things about it. After not one, but two different running coaches telling me how awesome parkour is and how much I would like it … I used some of my Zozi points to pick up an intro class at this gym.
To be fair, everything people say about the owners being incredibly nice is true. They were the upside of this encounter. As I went through to try the parkour class, I observed the crossfit people (including a friend from work) and they were having a good time.
The downward spiral started when I went to sign up for the class and was met at the counter by someone who was unnecessarily dry and sarcastic right out of the gate. I’d never been to the place before so I didn’t think my questions of «Is this where I sign in for parkour?» or «What should I do?» where particularly stupid or offensive. I won’t unnecessarily flame what seems to be a nice small business by going through the whole two hours, but the openly condescending attitude was the norm and his negative energy was heavier than any weight in that gym. I was miserable and am now angry at myself for being stubborn and staying in the class rather than just leaving. I know from years of martial arts training that some practitioners just don’t like working with certain students. But then they don’t advertise on Zozi or Bloomspot and restrict their recruiting to those communities.
My advice would be to call and ask lots of questions to make sure you are in the right class with the right person before going, especially if you are about to pay to sign up and pay a nice bit of money. Fortunately, I only wasted a good mood and a beautiful Saturday morning.
As for parkour — as fate would have it I met another practitioner while helping prep for the Bastille Day festival at House of France. We spent about an hour playing around on the grounds and it really did feel like playing. Do I have a pair of ruined jeans and a bruised knee? Yes. Do I care? No.
So thumbs up on the parkour, thumbs down on taking it at Primal unless you are really sure you have a personality match with the instructor.

Originally I had a very favorable review as I had a great introduction to crossfit there. However, the lead trainer unfortunately left, and I cancelled my membership because I was moving out of the area. Then, I got billed for four more months. I’ve gotten two months of fees back, but they don’t return phonecalls or emails. So, $ 400 lost because of poor bookkeeping and professionalism. Unfortunate.

Primal Fitness doesn’t have a membership quiz, but if it did, it might look like this.
1. Why did you start doing Crossfit?
A) I wanted to be an ultra elite warrior who looks great and gets all the chicks
B) Intense training is suited to my intense intellect
C) Nothing better to do in Afghanistan
2. What do you want out of a gym?
A) A total lifestyle system that recommends expensive products and nutritional supplements and T-​shirts and everything that will make me better than other people
B) Something that reinforces my own sense of superiority
C) A simple, effective and satisfying workout in an unpretentious atmosphere
3. What are your ideal gym instructors like?
A) Alcoholic ex-​Navy SEALs who tell me to do 1000 box jumps for time until my ACL tears and turns me into a cripple at age 32
B) Scantily clad women who immediately admit that I’m better than them
C) Honest people with a great attitude who will always help you out
4. Imagine you’re in the perfect gym. What does it sound like?
A) Lots of grunting and clanging as dudes constantly slam 200-​pound weights on the ground
B) Various noise from thirty different televisions to entertain me while I work out
C) Weights, street noise, maybe some really good 80s-​90s hip-​hop
5. Which of these statements best reflects your feelings?
A) It’s important to know the right way to do kettlebell swings like they do in eastern Europe and also Crossfit is better than Starting Strength since I post about it 500 times a day on the Crossfit online forums
B) Eating paleo and reading Rand and voting for Ron Paul will turn me into a god among middle-​class white guys
C) I don’t give a shit
If you got mostly A answers, somebody needs to punch you in the face.
If you got mostly B answers, you might be my ex-​boyfriend and if you call me again at 11 PM I am getting a restraining order.
If you got mostly C answers, Primal Fitness is definitely for you.

This place is really good for SERIOUS parkour/​crossfit folks.
It may be the nature of crossfit/​parkour, but unless you have experience (either in their intro classes or in general) you can’t really just stroll in on their drop in class on the weekends (plus, it can get expensive).
I took the intro to parkour boot camp via a bloomspot deal (although I could only attend a few classes), and I enjoyed it a lot. The only thing holding me back from continuing is the cost.

I have been training for 7+ years so I can honestly say this place is amazing. The instructors are literally the best in the world. The gym is spacious and has all the obstacles you could hope for. The CrossFit classes are run superbly. But perhaps the best part about this gym is the fantastic community. Everyone is so friendly, helpful, and fun!

I took a Cross Fit class at Primal Fitness a couple years ago and have meaning to give them props on Unilocal ever since. The only reason I didn’t give them 5 stars was that the facility (at least at the time, maybe it’s changed now) doesn’t have A/​C. For me, this seriously limits the value/​usability because 4+ months of the year, it’s just too hot.
That said, I had a great early spring experience with this place. They were hardcore, yet supportive in a way that made my generally non-​athletic self feel kinda hardcore too. They were pretty aware of my and other people’s limitations and while they pushed us, they never pushed us past where we could go.
I really liked the race-​against-​the-​clock format of some of the exercises. It motivated me to work harder and beat my own time (rather than making me feel inadequate because my time was slower than a lot of people’s). The people were friendly, the workouts engaging (and I hate working out!) — all in all a great experience.
UNITL. Summer came. I would have definitely continued with the classes, if June hadn’t come with a vengeance, making it waaaaay too hot to run around the block (the standard warm-​up) or use the gym space.
Oh, and a warning to people with joint problems — lots of running and squatting (knees), pull-​ups (rotator cuff) and holding yourself up on parallel bars (wrists). At least in Cross Fit, so if you’re thinking of that, you might want to talk to them before you sign up. They’re very responsive — and will be sure to let you know what to expect.

When I found Primal, I was sick of my boring routine of running and lifting weights with no significant gains. My then co-​worker, now boyfriend, started going to Primal’s crossfit classes and told me to give it a shot. I was instantly intrigued each day by what the next workout would be. I would look at it thinking there was no way I could do it, but somehow I did. I stopped the boring long runs and have actually lost fat and gained muscle when I thought I needed to run to do that… plus the workouts are fun!
Besides the physical aspect of going to Primal, the head trainer, Jesse, is the best! He’s very knowledgeable in various fitness and nutrition topics. He’s also very flexible with clients if they have a specific goal they want to achieve or an event they want to train for. I’ve been to other Crossfit gyms that require you to just follow their daily programming. I love the flexibility of Primal and Jesse goes above and beyond by programming specific for those people or groups that are working towards something.
The biggest joy of going to Primal is the other clients. We have all become friends that push each other in the gym but also hang out afterwards or on weekends. I can’t imagine going to another gym!

I don’t know how to write a review for a place that is like a home, where I’ve met nearly all the people I hang out with in D.C. It’s the best. The people are great, the workouts are killer, and the facility is gritty.
I’m sure a lot of people have had the kind of experiences I’ve had with Crossfit in general and Primal in particular. I came in doing a lot of yoga and biking, feeling pretty fit, but being generally weak. I am easily healthier, stronger, faster and feel better than I did when I was in high school and college. This place changed my outlook on fitness and strength, for the better.
When I first came in, I was a little intimidated because I knew nearly nothing about weightlifting, but people are great, start offering encouragement and tips, and soon become friends. They could be your friends too!

I kept putting off going to cross fit because I could not make any of the «intro programs» that every place wants you to attend. My schedule is hectic so I emailed Jesse at Primal Fitness. He told me just to come in and try out the gym. The workout kicked my butt and I was hooked.
I have been going for 2 weeks and I really like the place. It is not pretentious. People go there to work out! Instructors are always there to help me with anything new and provide encouragement during the workout. I missed a scheduled workout time last Friday but they let me come in and workout on my own anyway.
I also travel for work. Some times I travel for a few days and some times I travel for months. I hate paying start up fees and paying for services I can’t use while I am away. Jesse has been very understanding and has been very flexible. He has agreed to put my account on hold when I travel for work so I only pay when I am in town.
Thanks for everything Primal Fitness. You have another cross-​fit convert and a loyal customer.

I am one of the owners of CrossFit SoCal in San Diego and was in D. C for a month on business. I have been doing CrossFit for 5 years and training CrossFit for 4.
One of my members recommended that I attend Primal Fitness while I was here.
I joined for a month had a great experience. The quality of a CrossFit gym as well as any other gym can be assessed based on the the skill and personality of the trainers. The two trainers I worked with, Jesse and Quint are both outstanding. They know the material and are extremely inventive when it comes to developing programing. They clearly take training seriously and spend a lot of time reading about various approaches to fitness and are creative in integrating these approaches with CrossFit.
They also both possess what I feel is the most important skill a trainer can have: A good eye. They can be in front of a group of clients who are competing for the best time on the workout of the day and pick out the problems with form and clearly and succinctly explain how to fix those problems. They take the time to provide individual attention where it is needed throughout the well designed workouts.
Whenever I am in D.C. this is where I will train.

I went for the Parkour and did the level 1 and 2 bootcamps. All in all, this place is amazing. If you are looking for a place where you can look cute on a treadmill then take a spa-​like shower and blow dry your hair, this place is NOT for you. However, if you enjoy feeling like you got the sh*t kicked out of you after a work out, you will LOVE primal fitness! The instructors are all amazing! As Salil, who is now one of the awesome instructors also, put it…“They’re friendly, they’re really helpful, they’re in AMAZING shape, and they know how to push you.”
Being able to learn Parkour in the gym environment was such a great experience. I am SO happy I did it and can’t wait for for the snow to melt so that I can pratice outside!

I knew something cool was moving into the old firehouse at 2^nd and M NW because my friend’s old dance studio used to be upstairs and well, he moved to a new location. This location has housed some pretty cool stuff, like the Clavekazi salsa dance group, a capoiera school, and now, it houses Primal Fitness.
I’m always looking for something off the beaten track and closer to home (I’m sorry Yong Studios, I love you, but you are so inconvenient to work now!). Primal Fitness offered a while back a weekend woman’s seminar to introduce parkour to women. Not that women can’t do parkour with men, but honestly, it IS a male dominated sport and it can be really intimidating… especially since I’m almost old enough to be some of these kids’ mother. This is a great learning adult for the uh, adult traceurs, so to speak. Anyway, the seminar rocked. And I was hooked. They beat us down, had us doing quadrapalegic movements up and down concrete steps and trying to scale 10 foot walls in no time.
The thing about parkour is that its fun. You almost forget its a workout because it brings it back to being a kid. Jumping over walks and railings and figuring out how to get to that place. The downstairs gym is spacious and set up half for the crossfit folks and half for parkour folks. There’s a friendly rivalry between the two groups, although honestly, they compliment each other really well. The crew there created custom obstacles and walls and railings to provide a safe learning environment. As much as learning how to roll on concrete sounds appealing, I like the controlled environment.
The bootcamps are a great 6 week introduction to see if you like it. The instructors scale the training for each person so even if half the class are naturals, those of us *cough* me *cough* who aren’t don’t feel like we’re completely behind. This is a gym where the instructors know your name, hang out with you after class, and actually want to hear about your weekend.
I know some people think parkour should be done outside and not in a class, but like many people, I require structure and discipline and someone yelling at me to just do it and stop being a wuss.

I’m not a fitness fanatic, but I do work out 3 – 5 times a week. I was looking for something challenging and different and the cross-​fit concept seemed to fit that description. So, I signed up for their cross fit bootcamp, which isn’t really a «boot camp» as much as it is a series of intstructional sessions that will familiarize you with some of the weight lifting techniques used in a cross-​fit workout. The boot camp is challenging because cross fit itself is intense, but you’re not killing yourself for a full hour. The instructor that runs the class (usually Jesse, but sometimes Mark) are knowledgable and encouraging. There’s no glamour in the cross fit work outs at PF, but they are a good workout and I’ve learned a lot.
A couple criticisms:
1) The instructors sometimes could watch the new people a little more closely for technique. These are new moves for me and I know I’m doing some of them wrong.
2) The gym itself (a converted firehouse) is primal, but it’s also a little dirty. There are no real changing facilities or even a water fountain. The rubber floor could use a daily cleaning too. Maybe they don’t want to make the place too «cushy» like standard gyms, but a couple basic amenities like a clean floor and a water fountain would be nice.
Overall, I like the concept. The grittiness of the place keeps the gym posers away. The instructors are knowledgable and friendly, and the workout is tough and interesting. Check it out.

Amazing.
First, this is the only place I know of to train in parkour in a gym environment. There’s debate as to whether a gym is truly in the spirit of parkour, but i’ll leave that debate aside. I, personally, like to try crazy things then there’s a pad instead of concrete below me. Plus it allows you to steadily ramp up the difficulty level, which (imo) allows you to improve faster.
Second, there are a lot of egos in parkour in general, but Primal Fitness is pretty much free of them. The instructors are kind and supportive, even if you aren’t someone who learns to do flips on your own. They break the movements down into the fundamentals, so you can really improve the technique.
Plus it’s one of the best workouts i’ve ever had — beating crew, capoeira, and krav maga. And that’s no mean feat.

When you first walk into Primal Fitness, you may be a bit intimidated, maybe scared, because this place is so. .. primal. Nothing but a big open room with a stretch of black rubber mats on the floor. Various plates, dumbbells, bars, and other equipment sit off to the side. It’s all so simple.
But don’t think that simple equates with ineffective, and definitely don’t think that simple equates with easy. Primal Fitness will get you in top notch shape with no-​nonsense classes and equipment. Those plates sitting along the side are bumper plates, you’ll use them often for Olympic lifting. Or maybe you’ll slide into the squat rack or squat stands they have to the other side. Or maybe one workout will have you swinging, rowing, pressing, or even throwing the dumbbells (they go up to 100 lbs). They had climbing ropes and rings set-​up at their last facility, and I believe they have them set up again (haven’t been there for some time).
There’s also parkour training. A style of training that allows you to deal with the obstacles of everyday life. Did you see the new Bond film? That scene where they run through the construction site? Yeah, that’ll give you an idea of what they teach and practice here. They’ve even built a variety of unique obstacles to work with.
The owners, Jesse and Mark, are two of the nicest, smartest, and most driven guys you’ll ever meet in the fitness industry. Their intern, Will, is a big pile of muscle and just as dedicated.
Primal Fitness will be unlike any gym you’ve ever stepped into, which is why it’s better. Most gyms are filled with too much unneccesary fluff. This place is filled with hard work and iron.
This is the best business to occupy an old firehouse since Ghostbusters. Check them out.