I recently had the opportunity to attend Blue Lion Fitness. Below is my honest review of the gym and the experience.

If you just want a summary then here you go…

SUMMARY:

Very welcoming gym with high quality equipment. It resembles Crossfit in some aspects. Rigid course schedule with little explanation. Strong sense of community.

BRIEF BACKGROUND:

I work out at multiple gyms in Ann Arbor. As a former college soccer player, I look for high intensity interval training. I regularly attend Final Round MMA gym, Title Boxing Gym, and Liberty Athletic Club. I run a few times a week as well.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS:

Gym is clean and welcoming. As soon as I walked in a trainer greeted me and was kind enough to show me the facility. It’s small but definitely equipped. He informed me that this first session was “on the house” (much appreciated). I signed-up on the computer, stretched a bit, and got ready for the hour long session.

WORKOUT ROUTINE:

During the week Blue Lion Fitness runs group fitness classes. They are broken up into four parts. Forgive me as the names and times aren’t exact, but they are roughly as follows:

Warm-up (~10min) Core (~10min) Strength (~15min) Circuit (~15min)

The warm-up is nice. Consisted of some calm, deliberate movements like lunges, stretches, and slow rowing. Nice to get the body moving.

Core was okay. Typical stuff like Russian Twists (while holding weights) and crunch movements. It’s as hard as you want it to be. The core routines at Title Boxing are better so if that is your priority then I’d have to recommend trying Title out.

Strength is focused on weights. Each day of the week has a different focus. The day I attended was lower body whereas the next day was upper (chest if I recall). This schedule is the same every week.

For me, this is where things got too… “crossfit-y”. The typical Olympic weight lifting stuff. Squats with weights (our workout that day), deadlifts, bench press, etc.

You do a set and take a break while your partner does their set – and just keep hammering them out.

I did one set and then did some cardio instead during this section of the workout.

I have participated in athletics (at a high level) my entire life and never once have I needed to do this stuff. I’m not used to it, and frankly I prefer exercises with kettlebells or my own body weight as they are more natural with less risk of injury.

As I did my cardio I watched a number of people with atrocious form (and no correction from the staff). Good thing these people were young because otherwise they'd be liable to blow out a knee.

I get it, these kind of exercises are very “in style” now, so from a marketing standpoint I understand why Blue Lion uses them in order to appeal to that segment of the population. They are clearly competing with Crossfit.

The Circuit segment (last one) was my favorite. On our day it was as follows:

Run 200 meters 12 kettlebell squats Row 200 meters 10 pullups Run 200 meters 10 wall ball throws (throwing medicine ball up the wall) Repeat

This is the kind of circuit stuff that I really enjoy. Got a good sweat in.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Despite the 4/5 stars, I will not be back to Blue Lion Fitness.

The course schedule is too rigid. Each day of the week is roughly the same. If you can only get there on Tuesdays then you are doing the same strength focus exercise every single week.

Secondly, I did a bit of reading on Blue Lion before going. There was a lot of talk around the program being designed for athletes. I quickly realized that it was just marketing hype. The program is pretty generic, using ‘en vogue’ exercises to compete with other popular gyms (Crossfit).

In the end I recommend that you take Blue Lion up on their “first class free” offer to see if it’s something that you like. I can appreciate their efforts, it’s just not a good match for my...

Been coming for a few months and they've already changed my life. I was new to lifting in a group when I joined, with a longer-term background in cardio and some more recent solo lifting. The size of the classes is ideal: you're getting individual attention on your form (especially early on) but also given your own space to be as social or as focused on yourself as you want.

Most of the classes center on a compound lift (slower, lower-rep, higher-weight), often with a barbell, with core work before and conditioning (faster, higher-rep, often body-weight) after. My body has benefitted for sure, but I think the effects on my mind and my mood are even more important. I can't think of someone who shouldn't try BLF; everyone who does is better off.

UPDATE: I did a DEXA scan at EMU the week I started at Blue Lion and went in for my follow-up today. Nine months of personal training and group classes and the results speak for themselves! Shout out to my coaches Ike, Alan, and especially Jaime for showing me the way. Blue Lion can change...

Blue Lion Fitness is a fantastic gym that offers a welcoming and motivating environment. The facility is clean, well-maintained, and equipped with everything you need for a great workout.

The staff and trainers are knowledgeable and approachable, always ready to help or provide tips to improve your technique. The group classes are well-structured and fun, with options for all fitness levels. Whether you’re into strength training, cardio, or just looking for general fitness guidance, there’s something here for everyone.

I appreciate how the gym fosters a sense of community without being overwhelming. It’s a place where you can focus on your goals while feeling supported. If you’re looking for a solid gym to stay active and improve your fitness, Blue Lion Fitness is worth...