Finding a gym where you actually feel like you belong isn’t always easy. But when you walk into a Black-owned space where the energy feels right and you’re not constantly explaining yourself or defending your goals, it’s a completely different experience. The community gets it, and that matters more than most people realize.
From strength training gyms to boutique studios, these Black-owned spaces are changing what fitness looks and feels like. I’ve been lucky enough to train at some of these spots across the country, and each one brought something different to the table.
Here are some of the gyms getting it right.
Coach Jamal Liggin runs JLT Performance in Hollywood, and if you want to train like a professional athlete, this is where you go. Liggin has spent over a decade training athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MMA, so when you show up for bootcamp or personal training, you’re getting that same level of expertise. The facility is 4,000 square feet with Olympic racks, free weights, and indoor turf for speed work.
Recovery is a major focus at JLT. They have an infrared sauna, Therabody equipment, massage therapy, and chiropractic care all available. They also do run clubs, themed events, and member dinners, and I got to see firsthand that this gym is built to be a community, not just a place to get your sets in, and leave.
HerFlexFitness (Forestville, MD & Hyattsville, MD)
Okay, I’m a bit biased on this one because it’s one of my home gyms. But HerFlexFitness is an all-women’s weight training gym, and owner Samaiyah Williams (you might know her as @musclesbymya) created a space where women can train without feeling watched or judged.
She opened the first location in Forestville back in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic, and then opened a second spot in Hyattsville because the demand kept growing. Williams got into fitness in 2016 after being diagnosed with PCOS a few years earlier, and she wanted to create a space where women could come in, be selfish for an hour, and just focus on themselves without any judgment or weirdness.
The classes are challenging but everybody’s at different levels, and that’s totally fine. Everything is strength and conditioning focused, so you leave sweaty and worked out in the best way. They offer group classes, semi-private sessions, and virtual options if you can’t make it in person. It feels like a safe haven. You walk in and immediately feel like this space was made for you.
Down in Houston, Fenixx Fitness offers everything from cross-training style bootcamps to hip hop step aerobics, yoga, and dance fitness, but it’s all centered around strength training. The bootcamp classes will have you working through functional movements, resistance training, and performance drills that’ll leave you feeling it the next day.
Everyone who trains there talks about the atmosphere. It’s genuinely motivating, and that’s not always something you find in group fitness settings. You need that energy to keep showing up, especially when the workout is kicking your ass. And it will.
A former Division I collegiate athlete, Camai Brandenberg founded Embody Pilates in 2020 (virtually) before eventually opening a physical studio in 2024 in West Hollywood.
They offer contemporary mat Pilates classes and semi-private reformer and tower sessions. Brandenberg’s teaching style is disciplined but supportive, and she’s intentional about making the space inclusive. Which as we know, in boutique fitness, that’s not always a given. The reformer studio is in Beverly Grove, and classes cap at three people for semi-private sessions, while their mat pilates classes next door go up to 18.
Now this one, I haven’t technically worked out at yet, but hear me out. The owner, Thomas Boatswain, formerly ran JTW Fit, also in Harlem, which I used to train at. So knowing how he gets down, I already know they’re getting work in at this studio.
It’s on St Nicholas Ave, and Boatswain runs personal training sessions, small group classes, and has open gym time if you like to do your own thing. He meets you where you are. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a weight before or if you’ve been lifting for years, he’s going to make sure you’re challenged but not overwhelmed.
Also, what I respect most about Boatswain, and his legion of expert trainers, they’re super community-focused. He’s not trying to capitalize on fitness trends or turn this into an Instagram aesthetic thing (there are enough of those). It’s about helping people in the neighborhood get stronger, build confidence, and show up for themselves.
Sweat DC (Washington, D.C.)
Gerard Burley founded Sweat DC, and if you’re in the DMV and want a workout that feels like a party, this is your spot. You’ll walk into club lighting, yes. Great music, also yes. But most importantly, science-backed strength workouts. They have multiple locations now: Georgia Ave, H Street, West End, plus they expanded to Baltimore.
Their Sweat Strength and Conditioning program cycles through power, strength, and endurance focuses each month. If you have never touched a barbell, they will teach you. The classes are 50 minutes and the vibe is “come as you are (and they actually mean it). Throughout your session, you’ll work with barbells, do circuit training, get some cardio in, and have fun while doing an intense workout.
Similar to Uptown Strength, I previously worked out with the owner, Jah Washington, at his former gym, Harlem HIIT. So when he opened The Harlem Method at the end of January, I knew it was going to be good.
Washington is a Harlem native who worked in finance for nine years before he quit in 2016 to pursue fitness full time. He wanted to create accessible, affordable fitness options in his neighborhood, and he’s been doing that ever since. The Harlem Method combines structured strength and conditioning programs with holistic recovery offerings like mobility training, restorative yoga, assisted stretching, Hyperice recovery technology.
Washington is intentional about creating a space for women of color. He is building a place where people can train with confidence and feel comfortable. The studio is on West 129th Street, just a couple blocks from where he grew up.
BOOMBOX Boxing Club in Navy Yard is all about music-driven boxing workouts that pay homage to classic hip-hop and street culture. It was founded in 2018 by two fitness enthusiasts who wanted to combine their love of music, boxing, and community into one space.
The 50-minute heavy bag classes are cardio-intensive but beginner-friendly, so you don’t need any prior boxing experience to jump in. You’re literally boxing to the beat, which makes the whole thing feel less intimidating and more fun. It’s located right by Nationals Park, and they offer wraps for sale if you don’t have your own, plus glove rentals if you need them. You show up, work up a sweat, and leave feeling like you actually accomplished something.
