House of Pain Gym — Local services in Chesterfield

I had a very uncomfortable experience at House of Pain. I initially went in just to use the restroom, and the front desk staff was kind enough to escort me there, which I appreciated. However, once I reached the restroom area, I encountered a large black dog. I have a deep fear of dogs, and this situation triggered real distress.

When I tried to avoid the dog, there was a brief encounter with the owners who told me I couldn’t use the restroom without a membership. I understand and respect that policy, and I don’t blame them for that. What truly upset me was how I was treated by other people in the gym. Instead of compassion or understanding, I was met with hostility. I was mocked, yelled at, and aggressively told to leave.

The atmosphere quickly turned hostile and unwelcoming, and I couldn’t help but feel that the treatment I received was not just rude and unprofessional but racially and culturally motivated. As a visibly Muslim woman, I was made to feel like I didn’t belong. No one deserves to be treated that way, especially not in a public space.

This experience left me shaken. I truly hope the gym reevaluates how they handle situations with non-members and how they treat people who are different from their regular clientele.

Response to House of Pain: Thank you for your response, but I’m disappointed by the way my concerns have been dismissed and reframed. I want to clarify that my reaction was out of genuine fear. I have a strong phobia of dogs, and when I encountered one unexpectedly in your gym, I panicked — something that can happen involuntarily to anyone in distress. To suggest that I was “screaming and carrying on” without acknowledging the reason for that response feels unfair and lacks compassion.

Instead of addressing the situation with empathy, I was treated with hostility and made to feel like an intruder. A more appropriate and professional response would have been to calmly help me exit the space and ensure I was okay, especially given that I posed no threat to anyone. As a guest and fellow human being, I expected at least a basic level of understanding.

I understand your policies, but the way this was handled reflects a lack of sensitivity. I hope in the future, your team will choose to de-escalate with kindness rather than blame, especially when someone is...

I'm a 47 yr old woman who's had 7 kids and I quit smoking 4 months ago. I've never purposely worked out a day in my life lol. My 25 yr old son Jason started working out 3 years ago and he started going to the House of Pain gym a couple of months ago. He invited me to join him so I thought I'd give it a try for a month and see how committed I could be. Turns out that since I've been working out with him that I'm getting healthier and most importantly my bond with him has gotten soooo strong. Now I've got my youngest son who's 14 going to the gym with me! Also Jason's girlfriend is now going to the gym with us! I'm also convincing a few friends to join! I'm so excited about this new experience in my life. Mind you I do have to force myself to go into the gym when I've got nobody to go with but then I remember all the wonderful helpful members and staff that are there. The machines are great and have directions on how to use most of them. If they don't then all you have to do is ask someone for help. Usually there's no wait time to use a machine. If there is then it's usually not to long if a wait. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! THANK YOU for bringing my kids closer to me and helping us get healthy ❤️❤️❤️❤️

BTW EXTREMELY SANITARY & EVERYONE IS COURTEOUS

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT ONE!

My son convinced me to go in but on that first day I signed up I met Joe and he was soooo friendly and talked to me as if I was a friend. It really...

I went here for a few months. Don't waste your money though. The equipment is old and outdated. When I tried to call to get information to cancel they put me on hold and then wouldn't answer when I called back. I called a few days later and was told by an employee it was too late to avoid the next membership fee but he would ask the manager if she would help me out since no one would answer the last time I tried to call. I went and talked to the manager in person and sign the cancellation papers. At first she said she would see what she could do about the membership fee for me. Then changed her statement to say she can't do anything because it was already too late when I called the first time. She then informed me that they actually need 30 days notice to cancel a membership. Why didn't she say that originally instead of saying she'll see what she could do to help? By that logic you will almost always be forced to pay for an extra month after you wish to cancel. That is an absolute SCAM of a cancellation policy. Also, when I started my membership I bought a jump start session with a trainer. He said he would make me a Google sheet with a daily program. 3 weeks later I still didn't have it. After I finally got it he deleted it before I had a chance to copy it. I had to ask him multiple times to send it...