Movement Climbing, Yoga, Fitness — Local services in Lake View Township

I joined Movement for 3 main reasons - a large array of TR climbing, yoga classes with a peaceful space & down-to-earth instructors, & good membership deals. Movement’s facilities are top-tier and their local member-facing staff are/were nothing but amazing. Their classes were impressively tailored to the needs of the participants as well.

Within weeks of renewing my membership which includes unlimited yoga and fitness classes, I learned all yoga and fitness programs were coming to a hault with the potential to not return until after my current 6-month membership ends. With half the services advertised being removed from my membership, the membership cost is no longer worth the cost.

When “pausing” their classes, Movement terminated all fitness and yoga instructors solely at the Chicago locations. I cannot stand by and support an organization that removes services without consulting members and informs employees with only one week notice. Some gym members solely purchased their gym memberships for the yoga or fitness classes at Movement. Movement's logo lists "climbing · yoga · fitness" in their logo, indicating all 3 of these are at the core of what movement offers. For this gym to abruptly stop offering two of the core offerings without warning is shocking, entitled, and unacceptable, especially to members who committed to 6 or 12 month memberships.

The reasons given for this were financial struggles and underperformance. Movement is currently still acquiring numerous other gyms across the country, so this organization does not appear to be financially struggling to me. In regards to underperformance, the majority of yoga classes I have attended have been almost full with over 20 people in attendance. If there was an issue with some classes being underattended, it seems reasonable to me that the less-attended classes would have been removed rather than abruptly cancelling all classes. Overall, it appears there are other reasons these classes were removed, and I along with the Movement community do not appreciate or respect the lack of transparency or community input involved in this decision.

Movement claims to be a community gym, but they seem to make very corporate decisions that do not involve the community and are willing to let go employees who were part of the community and who members, including myself, cared deeply about at the drop of a hat. If this is the way Movement conducts business, even if yoga and fitness classes are brought back, I am unsure if I can support this organization.

Lastly, just 2 weeks after renewing my membership recently, I learned that Movement is raising their prices without explanation. I am shocked at how prices can be raised at a time when half the offerings of the gym are becoming unavailable. Without yoga and fitness classes, the cost of the Movement membership is not justified given the other less-problematic gyms in Chicagoland.

A supervisor at the front desk also informed me this price increase would apply to my 6-month membership as well beginning in January even though my membership goes through May. Per the membership agreement, it states, "in no event will your dues change during the 6 month discounted dues period." If it is true that 6-month members will be charged a higher rate in January, this is not in alignment with the contracts members signed.

Overall, I am extremely disappointed in the recent actions of Movement in regards to the Movement Chicago gyms. I loved Movement and wish I could continue using the facilities and classes with the wonderful community that was formed there. I hope Movement can bring yoga and fitness classes back in January 2024, offer the class instructors we love their positions back, honor membership contracts as agreed upon, and issue a sincere apology to the community at large. I will also update my review Movement’s upper leadership acknowledges their poor decisions and...

I have nothing but great things to say about the staff at Movement LP. The front desk team is incredibly helpful and kind. The fitness, yoga, and climbing instructors are engaged and knowledgeable. The routesetters are passionate and creative. The youth coaches are energetic, lively role models that you know truly care about the kids.

It is with upper management that I have a problem. A few weeks ago, Corporate Movement abruptly cancelled yoga + fitness programs in the greater Chicago area, promptly firing over 30+ fitness and yoga instructors citing "underperformance". This decision came only days after Movement Chicago raised membership prices while still advertising yoga + fitness.

However, these classes were widely popular and anyone in the Chicago region who attended these gyms would know that they were not the problem. These classes were always at full capacity, run by some of the most wonderful instructors in Chicago. To reiterate what an earlier review stated: " They also have noted that they won't be rehiring any staff that have been terminated in which they would have to reapply for their roles if they choose to return to work for Movement. Not to mention the continued silence and poor communication with members around this whole situation."

This decision to cut yoga + fitness is an appalling one. One that has left 30+ people out of a job during the Christmas season. These people are more than just instructors or former coworkers to me: They are pillars of the climbing community. I would have none of my amazing relationships in Chicago without the yoga + fitness programs, and I know that countless others have relationships like this that would not exist without these classes. In cutting these programs, Movement have not just lost amazing people: they have destroyed a community that I hold so close to my heart.

I (and many others) look forward to cancelling my membership and never climbing at this location again. Go check out Brooklyn Boulders or First...

I've been a member of this gym for almost 2 years, and up until 1 week ago I would have recommended them to everyone I know. The facilities are beautiful, the sauna is life changing, the route setters are talented & the staff are incredible. I've loved every aspect of my time here. Unfortunately corporate has destroyed its reputation by firing their entire Yoga & Fitness staff and removing all of those classes from their chicago gyms. Oh, and this decision was put into action one week after they raised prices for membership. How are you going to have your tagline be "Climbing, Yoga & Fitness" and then remove 2/3 of that for only one city??? They have been saying that they did this to "Better suit the community needs" but they never reached out to the community whatsoever, and the cancelation was due to "underperformance" when every class ive been to has been full of people AND they blindsided their staff with one weeks notice before termination right before the holidays. Its such a shame, this place was the only good climbing option in town (I'm a former member of First Ascent but won't be returning there for various reasons) but this management has made a critical bad decision they are unfortunately sticking by. The longer they do this, the more community members they lose. I hope they come to...