Ames Fitness Center - South — Local services in Ames

I love AFC South. I work with my dietician, Nathan Schwartz, and my personal trainer, Melissa Brooke.

I started working with Nathan in June 2023 and it has been nothing short of AMAZING! Absolutely life-changing. I am a totally different person. I had been doing personal training for a while and it was the nutrition that was the missing piece for me. I have lost 55 pounds working with him! If you say you've "done everything" to lose weight, I don't think you truly have unless you've tried working with a dietician/nutritionist. Nathan has a ton of knowledge and teaches you so many things. Instead of going to the internet and trying to sift through all the recommendations--most of it conflicting!--you have one person as your go-to who knows everything you need and will guide you on a PERSONALIZED plan to meet your goals. Although I've tried before to just "watch what I eat" I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't want to do fad diets or a diet at all. But even then I didn't know what to focus on, what my goals should be. Nathan knew ALL of that, and we started with small changes and kept building and building. Luckily, I had the personal training habit already and I was already committed to walking a lot and eventually I've gotten into running which has been easier as I have lost and continued to lose weight. But it just truly was the missing key for me and I started losing weight immediately. I saw the scale go down every day! It also was not a "diet" so it was sustainable life-style changes that I know I can continue even when I am at my goal weight. I'm still eating what I want and like and not having to give up everything. I also have learned to incorporate fruits and veggies and I LOVE them more than I ever have which is awesome! I'm 100% confident that this weight is not coming back and I have Nathan to thank for that.

I am so much happier, healthier, and I love the way I look and feel. I have learned so much, I know the weight will stay off, and I didn't have to do any crazy diet to do it. Now these last 10 pounds are tough, but that's for anything! I still know I'm in the best shape and mental state possible. I was never miserable through this whole process.

So if you are TRULY ready to commit and listen and follow an expert's advice, you need to get with Nathan NOW!!! Don't wait! I'm so glad I stopped by that one day just to "check it out" and got signed up and started. The hardest part is the first step--so get out there and take...

I’m in my late 40s and wouldn't call myself a fitness buff. So when I first walked into Ames Fitness Center South, I had no idea what I was doing. I was completely new to strength training and a little intimidated by the free weights and machines—I guess you could say I was gymtimidated. I knew I wanted to get stronger, but I didn’t know where to start, so I decided to work with a personal trainer. That’s when I met Frank.

Frank has been voted Best Personal Trainer in Story County for a reason—he knows his stuff. He doesn’t just tell me what to do—he actually teaches me. He’ll point out which muscle I’m working, where I should be feeling it, and how to fix my form if something’s off. That education makes a huge difference because now, when I’m working out on my own in the main gym—the place that used to make me feel gymtimidated (oh, you get it now—gym + intimidated)—I feel more confident…and less worried about becoming a #gymfail meme.

The South location is clean, and the equipment is well-maintained. It has everything I need—free weights, weight machines, cardio equipment, and a track. The parking lot is well-lit, which is great if you're coming early in the morning or later at night. The staff are friendly, eager to help, and there’s a great energy the moment you walk in the door.

The biggest downside? It can get really busy, especially in the evenings. If you go during peak hours, be prepared to wait for equipment or adjust your workout plan. But if you can go during off-peak times, you’ll have a much easier time finding open machines—and you won’t feel rushed by more seasoned lifters.

If you too have ever felt gymtimidated and want to build your confidence along with your strength, I highly recommend this place. A year ago, I walked in with no clue what I was doing. Now? I still don’t totally know what I’m doing—but I know more than I did a year ago, and that feels pretty amazing. And if you’re new to strength training like me, working with a personal trainer—especially someone like Frank—can make all...

I have been going to AFC North & South for about 6 months now. While, it is the "best" option in Ames, I would hesitate to recommend it.

I mostly use cardio and resistance equipment, and most of their equipment is heavily worn Life Fitness and Hammer Strength. The track in AFC South is kinda cool. Many of the treadmills have excessive wear on the belts, which creates an uneven surface when using them. Some of the bench presses were not assembled properly and are crooked, making them awkward to use. The rubber handles on ALL of the pull up bars are only half way on, meaning that you might grab onto the handle, only for it to turn flaccid and you lose your grip. Many machines have damaged pads and handles. There is one cardio machine that has been out of service for at least 3 months now. The only equipment that I can think of that is not damaged is a few of the squat racks at the south location.

There is also a severe shortage of equipment in general: plates, benches, squat racks, machines, barbell collars, you name it. I only go during non-peak hours, and my workouts are usually interrupted, because I have to hunt for plates, or I have to wait for a machine to be available. The cardio equipment seems to be exempt from this, but I can say the same thing every single other gym I've been to. This is especially atrocious, given the absurd cost of the gym membership.

When I signed up the membership was $69/month, and if I remember correctly they charge you a $200 initiation fee if you do not opt for a 2-year contract when signing up. The previous gym I went to (which was locally-owned and not a big-box gym) cost $25/month, had better equipment, and had none of the issues I mentioned above. AFC might be worth it if you need a gym with a tennis court, or a pool, or a sauna. Otherwise, it is hard to justify.

Once my membership expires I will definitely look into other options. Unfortunately, Ames doesn't have many good options when it comes to gyms, so I am hoping some new gyms...