Our Philosophy
At Brightside Barbell we are working to create a gym where you can walk in and feel at home, like our space is a place where you can show up to train and be unapologetically yourself.
Strength. Community. Empowerment.
The fitness industry as we know it is often problematic; constantly bombarding us with images and rhetoric that tell us we are not "enough" and we need to change. At Brightside Barbell, we are committed to creating a more inclusive space where misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, racism, body shaming, and diet culture are not casually accepted as the norm.
Whether your aim is to learn a new skill, relieve joint pain, celebrate or improve your relationship with your body, PR your Clean and Jerk, or just show up and hang out with your friends, we aim to provide incredible coaching and programming to help you have a good experience and reach your goals.
We opened our doors in 2022 with three guiding principles: Strength, Community, and Empowerment.
Strength. Strength training is an outstanding mechanism for improving physical and mental health; it's good for your bones, it can help stave off muscle loss as we age, it supports improved function in activities of daily living, and it can directly translate into greater confidence inside and outside of the gym. Plus, picking up heavy stuff is fun and feels good. While our functional fitness programming is designed to promote broad all-around fitness, you may find we have a bit more of a strength training bias than some other functional fitness gyms.
Community. Group classes are at the heart of what we do. Our classes are led by experienced & enthusiastic coaches who work to make sure each class is effective, safe, and fun. Group fitness classes offer an excellent opportunity for community-building and camaraderie. The support of your gym friends (and some times a little friendly competition with them) can often provide a boost of motivation right when you need it most. We hope our group classes can foster a sense connection and belonging that contributes to your overall well-being.
Empowerment. All Brightside athletes are encouraged to track details about their workouts in a personal log (such as the app SugarWOD) as a way to collect critical data that will help them monitor their progress and make informed choices as they work towards their goals. Ultimately we want you to become the expert on you own abilities. Our coaches are here to provide you with instruction, feedback, and guidance along the way.
We’re not perfect, but we’re committed to continuously questioning the status quo, pushing the fitness industry and community to be better, and unlearning the societal B.S. we’ve all been taught. We strive to build a community of people that share our values and want to get stronger physically and otherwise, without the toxicity that is often so ubiquitous in fitness spaces.
Will you join us?