Heat Strength — Local services in Raleigh

Heat is the best gym and fitness community I have ever been a part of.

Facilities/Class Format: Heat has everything you could possibly need while simultaneously optimizing their space to give each member room to work. Classes start with a quick stretching warm up and jog. Then you partner up and alternate exercises at several stations. Depending on the day of the week, the focus is either strength (MWF) or Cardio/HIIT (TThSSu). Every 8 weeks, there is a focus exercise that the workouts are built around. For example, we recently completed a deadlift program where we did both deadlifts and ancillary exercises designed to increase your deadlift. Also, free parking in downtown Raleigh??? Unheard of.

Community: The prior finesses levels of Heat members are incredibly broad. On one end, there are former D1 college and professional athletes. On the other, you have people who have never been to a gym. After a Thursday HIIT class, everyone – regardless of prior fitness level - is a puddle on the ground.

Also, gym friends = real friends. After a few weeks, you’ll want to come just to see people you’ve met. A great way to stay accountable.

Results/Value: In general, consistency + effort = improvement. Prior to Heat, I exercised at a free weight gym; where I would show up, use some random machines, and go home. While I worked hard and was consistent, I didn’t see the results I wanted to. I realized I was missing DIRECTION. Direction is the unique value of Heat. The intelligent programming by people who live, eat, breath fitness has proven critical to my progress. Heat made me realize consistency + effort + DIRECTION = results.

While analogies and anecdote evidences can be useful, empirical results are what really matter; right? I have been a member for 389 days where I attended 236 classes. Here are a few before and after metrics (all PRs):

Deadlift: 200 lbs - 350 lbs (75% increase) Bodyweight Pull Ups: 4 - 15 (275% increase) Weighted Push Up: +30 lbs - +100 lbs (233% increase) Dips: 10 - 30 (200% increase)

Proof is in the pudding my friends.

The Team: Meg, Jake, Holden, Sara Ray, Jena and Brandon are all experts in their own right. What’s better is they are all good people and are immensely invested in your progress.

10/10...

I first came across Heat in 2017 when there was a Yelp event there. I actually loved the workout and signed up for a class package which I of course never used because I'm lazy and would just rather eat ice cream at Two Roosters than bother to go to the gym.

Fast forward to 2022 and I've actually gotten a lot more active since 2017 so I decide to give this whole gym thing another try. I love doing outdoor cardio stuff like biking, hiking, running etc... but strength training has always kind of intimidated me just because I've never done it. Heat has made it really easy to jump into it without making me look like a total idiot at a regular gym.

There's really only two classes - Heat Strength on Mon/Wed/Fri and the regular Heat class on the other days that is more cardio/HIIT focused. The typical class involves some stretching/warm-up exercises, a few stations/circuits and then a finisher. Also most of the classes are partner/group based, which makes it easy for people to meet each other and develop familiar faces they see at classes.

I've taken classes so far with Jake, Jena, Megan and Sara Ray and everybody has made the classes really fun (Jena is the most energetic person I've ever met for morning classes) and easy to jump into whether you're a beginner or experienced. I probably wouldn't have noticed that I just spent an hour there if I wasn't all sweaty at the end of it. Definitely have enjoyed adding a class or two each week to my fitness routine and would recommend to anyone in the...

Been a member at Heat for years and I couldn’t ask for more from a gym. Heat is a super inclusive, technique focused gym that always makes me feel comfortable and pushes me to work hard and reach new personal goals along the way. I appreciate that Heat is focused on healthy movement with proper form rather than just busting out reps or compromising form and risking injury just to finish a set.

It’s easy to see that the trainers put so much effort into curating workouts that include continuity and variety, to keep progress apparent but also keep things interesting day to day. If you are considering a new gym and are looking for a community of people who want to lift you up, support you and hold you accountable- look no further. This gym is for you. Positive vibes abound at Heat.

Heat Strength and Hustle and Flow are my favorite classes. Both offer a very different look on what fitness classes can be. I appreciate being able to go in one day to focus on lifting then the next day to focus on cardio and restorative yoga.

This is more than just a gym. This is a community. This gym doubles as social hour and throws a pretty awesome party every now and then too. I love attending Heat because in addition to the physical benefits, I also get to surround myself with people who encourage me to be the best I can be and who support me...