Blue lion fitness

I’ve been going to Blue Lion for over 2 years now and am in the best shape of my life. Being a Retired division 1 athlete I was worried I would lose my passion for competition after graduating. Here at blue lion I’ve found an amazing community that pushes me to be a better person. I compete everyday to get stronger and push those around me to do just the same. It’s the only place I will workout at!! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I was a member of the gym for over three years and only left because I moved out of state. It was a sad day when I left! Blue lion was definitely my most favorite gym! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Came in from out of town and I couldn’t be happier with the workout I got. The coaches were awesome and beyond helpful. When I come back to Ann Arbor for work I will definitely be coming here!!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Love this gym! Great coaches and knowledgeable staff. The classes give a well balanced workout for all levels of fitness. 10/10 recommend!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Amazing coaches and very good workout! Best gym in Ann Arbor- hands down!

Reviewed on Google Maps

This place is awesome. They hosted a free workout class for Big Brothers Big Sisters - love a place that cares about the community! I brought my Little Sister there so we could experience a workout class together. It was her first one, and we had a blast. The workout activities were difficult but fun, well thought out, and the coaches were supportive and very knowledgeable. I would definitely go back to Blue Lion on a regular basis if it were a bit closer to where I live! The atmosphere was very motivating and I have no doubt I'd be in the best shape of my life. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

After years of working out without many results, I am so glad I have found BLF. All of the workouts are planned for you, and the trainers are all so knowledgeable. Once you go BLF, you never go back. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

I attend this gym. Atmosphere is great and very encouraging. It's hard to take rest days cuz I love going every day.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Hell of a workout

Reviewed on Google Maps

Two and a half weeks in, I am more than sold. I came to Blue Lion after ten years of CrossFit, and Blue Lion's approach fits my personal needs better. The workouts are tougher (though scalable), but safer. The time in class is used fantastically: regardless of the day, I feel I get more than my money's worth. The atmosphere is awesome: friendly and supportive, regardless of who you are, how fit, strong, or old you are. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Thank you for putting us CHAARG girls through an amazing workout tonight! I will definitely be feeling it tomorrow!

Reviewed on Facebook

If you're not working out at Blue Lion Fitness, you're doing it wrong.

Reviewed on Facebook

Absolutely love Blue Lion!! I am always excited to be there and look forward to my future workouts! If your not going to BLF you are missing out!!

Reviewed on Facebook

Super great time everyday! Hard work made fun! 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️For sure GO BLUE!! ����

Reviewed on Facebook

Excellent gym! Great staff and clientele. Push you to work and have your back. Learning so much.

Reviewed on Facebook

Awesome workout today!!! Great staff, great equipment, great group of people overall! Excited to check it out again soon!!

Reviewed on Facebook

BLF is fantastic! A great atmosphere, incredible coaching and endless support to help me reach my goals! I am thankful every day for my BLF family!

Reviewed on Facebook

Loving this place-kicking my butt in the best way. Love the vibe and the great trainers.

Reviewed on Facebook

Best part of my day! Amazing facility, people/community, staff and workouts. Everyday I'm pushed harder and further than the last and some how through every challenge it's super fun. Love it!

Reviewed on Facebook

Walked in as a beginner and walked out feeling like I could do this. When my arms are able to lift to an normal range, from my fantastic workout, I'll be back. Great gym, great equipment and knowledge of what is required. I can't wait to look as stacked as some of these dedicated people of Blue Lion Fitness. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

It's been about 1.5 months since I joined BLF. I have loved every second of it. I am pushed to my limit and I have a TON of fun doing it. Love the people and community.

Reviewed on Facebook

A real gym on all accounts. Knowledgable, no-joke staff... all the equipment you could ever want, great location, and you leave feeling like a BOSS. Keep on crushin' it Blue Lion Crew! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

This place will change your life for the better! I have been a member from day 1 and seriously can not wait to walk through the door each day and become a better person both mentally and physically! I ran my first ever marathon on Oct. 11th and the only reason I even considered doing it was because of the gains I made working out at Blue Lion! I not only did I exceed my expectations but during my first marathon I qualified for Boston! Blue Lion is more than a gym -- it's a way of life -- it's family! Check it out, because you are missing out! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

After 2 kids and super stale gym routine my husband and I took the plunge and I can honestly say I will never look back. The competitive spirit coupled with awesome community and expert staff was exactly what I needed. I was a runner and always turned up my nose to strength and conditioning, this was a huge pill to swallow but i am so thankful I did. My body has never been stronger, the baby weight is gone, and I am encouraged and pushed daily by a great group of people that have now become friends. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

The community is great, workouts are intense, the facilities are excellent. There's not much I would change or could ask more for in a gym, all for a great price too. Take a test class, you won't be disappointed. More...

Reviewed on Facebook

So so so amazing. I highly recommend Matt. He’s the best trainer ever.

Reviewed on Facebook

First class today, Daniel and Matt were very informative and nice, making me feel comfortable for the first time. Workout is TOUGH but can be tailored to your needs. Small space, but intimate and great workers. (and I loved there was a little pup running around!) Great first time experience, thanks! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Workout that kicked my ass: check
Community that made me feel welcome: check
I’m in .... love this place.

Reviewed on Facebook

Great workout

Reviewed on Google Maps

Visited this gym from out of town. These owners/coaches really knew their stuff as former athletes and certified trainers and made interval training with a huge group of athletes really enjoyable, even on a Sunday! Wish I lived near there so I could go back again and again. They have some great equipment and a really awesome set up. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Blue Lion is the BEST!! I wouldnt choose anywhere else to workout while in Ann Arbour!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Great workout with friendly folks and helpful coaching.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Become a Lion Chaser TODAY! You won't regret it. When you first start they make you feel right at home and adjust workouts to your ability level. As you continue to go the workouts challenge you in many different ways. The community makes you want to keep coming back for more. I've noticed strength gains and my fitness has skyrocketed in four short months. It has increasingly become the best part of my day! Thanks BLF More...

Reviewed on Yelp

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 fitness goals. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Awesome staff, real quality equipment, great location, and you leave feeling amazing!

Reviewed on Google Maps

My girlfriend I are visiting from out of town and were looking for a facility just like this. The equipment is clean and organized, and the staff is friendly and welcoming. If you're in Ann Arbor or just passing through and want something more than what the run-of-the-mill commercial gym has to offer, definitely check this place out. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

I love this gym! Ive gone everyday since I signed up! The coaches rock! The members are really friendly!!

Reviewed on Google Maps

Love this gym. Losing weight and they care.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Great programming, great community, great results.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Blue Lion is by far the best gym in Ann Arbor, regardless of fitness level. I consider myself to be in good shape and wanted a gym where I could push my workouts to the next level, without drinking crossfit kool-aid everyday. From day 1 I have loved this place. The classes are a great blend of strength, core and conditioning and every exercise is explained in great detail. On top of that, the people here are great. The trainers are knowledgeable, but also down to earth and always willing to offer advice. The people that go here are amazing as well, regardless of fitness level, everyone always encourages each other.Don't be intimidated! The workouts seem intense at first, but I have seen people who have never worked out a day in their life come in and do completely fine. Workouts are tailored to your fitness level, but expect to work and get in damn good to!Finally, it's one of the nicest facilities in Ann Arbor, hands down. The weights are top of the line and so is the plyometric equipment, rowing machines etc. There really isn't a dull workout with all of the options available to you. Highly recommended. More...

Reviewed on Yelp

Great gym, amazing staff. This gym is a great place for anyone at any fitness level who is willing to put the work in. Every class is pretty small and has very knowledgeable coaches to help out with anything.

Reviewed on Google Maps

I've been working out at conventional gyms since I can remember, and was constantly losing motivation..sometimes for a week, sometimes for a month, sometimes WAY longer. With Blue Lion Fitness, there's a community and a sense of family, which makes me not want to ever miss a day or a class. Everyone cheers you on and is there to support you, no matter how good of shape you are (or aren't lol) in! More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Amazing gym, amazing staff, amazing workouts. You absolutely can't go wrong when you work out at Blue Lion Fitness.

Reviewed on Google Maps

I am going on my 7th month at BLF and I remain relieved to have found this little gem here in AA. I am a mom of 2 under 3 and was a D1 athlete but that was sometime between 15 years and a lifetime ago ; ). Whatever your fitness level, the exceptional coaching in place at BLF will engage, challenge, and push you to achieve more. The community here is warm, vibrant and refreshing. Having gone pro in something other than a sport, I have especially appreciated the exercise phys. knowledge the staff brings to lifting in their ability to instill proper technique in favor of reps, weight, speed, etc. A truly smart, tough team here. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Gym has great equipment and the trainers know their stuff!

Reviewed on Google Maps