The Lab Gym

Great coaches and I love how Olympic lifts are incorporated to the cross fit classes. I just wish I could go every day but work schedule is a beast sometimes. Bonus is that you can access the cross fit or the team lab area (if you’re signed up for those) and do the workout ²⁴⁄₇ with fob access.

The gym itself is great. I was a member for a few months in mid 2014. The owners and the way it’s run is kind of shoddy though. They are nice enough people, but not what I was looking for. It’s also pretty expensive for my needs. If you’re an olympic lifter or you are the upper echelon of fitness, it’s for you. I’m not, so not for me.

I feel like I’ve been here long enough to write a review. I will probably update later in the year as my training goes, but I’ve had a good time so far. All of the management is super friendly and nothing like those gyms where it’s really obvious they’re just after your money. They really care about your health, schedule, and your situation. I’ve had 2 trainers so far because one left to school. They were/​are both friendly, motivating and knowledgeable. Lots of fine equipment, space, and clean.

+ Super knowledgeable trainers and staff
+ Passionate, friendly people at this gym
+ Top-​notch Crossfit
+ Amazing online resources
I started Crossfit on a whim because of a «why not» moment on Groupon. Why not? Perhaps since I’ve started, I have never been this sore in my life, nor have I ever had any desire to jump rope until I pee my pants. Why yes? Crossfit at The Lab is FUN. The coaches and your fellow gym rats are PASSIONATE people. They love what they do and it really shows.
I was hesitant to try Crossfit due to all of the things I heard about how it can cause serious injury (rhabdomyolysis anyone?) due to overtraining and pushing oneself too hard in the name of competition. Not here at The Lab. You go through a 3-​class «ramp-​up» to get you acquainted with the basics and to guide you through proper form so that you can be familiar with the basic movements before you venture into a regular class. The trainers are so knowledgeable and so invested in helping you achieve your potential — everything from correcting your form to staying late after class to answer your million and one questions. Everyone is kind. No one is judgmental. I have never felt so welcome to a gym, as a newcomer or not.
It’s super inspiring to see people of all levels and expertise training alongside you. Not just because you happen to be a weenie and are benching only 43lbs (including the barbell lol) because it’s only your first real-​deal post-​ramp up class. Ogling the people doing handstand pushups while you are struggling to finish your damn regular pushups is inspiring. At least it is to me. If you’re into that kind of thing — seeing what others can achieve and knowing that with some hard work and sweat one day you can get there too.

Top notch CrossFit programming, targeted at improving olympic weightlifting ability while greatly increasing fitness.

I went to Heavy Metal CrossFit because I found a Groupon and it was close enough to where I live. After having tried– and loved!- another CrossFit program, I thought this would be fun! COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. Things I learned: every gym is different.
Heavy Metal CrossFit has large military-​like classes run with no opportunity to ask questions or get feedback (there are a few exceptions to this statement, but rarely).
Also, while I like doing the olympic lifting as a part of CrossFit, I feel that this CrossFit program is an olympic weightlifting program in disguise. It would be nice to have a varied workout rotation (9 days?) so Mondays aren’t ALWAYS snatch practice, etc.
There is a 7 day rotation for basic lift/​strength training. If you can only come on Mon/​Wed/​Fri, you will never have the opportunity to work on lifts covered on Tues/​Thurs (unless they’re in a WOD, in which case you don’t have much time to perfect any movement… you’re usually in a HURRY!).
The trainers seem passionate and knowledgeable, but are mostly inaccessible due to the large class sizes and them shouting the fast paced workout at you.
Overall, I like challenging fitness so I would go back (if it weren’t so $$$). I wouldn’t recommend this gym for beginners or for anyone that didn’t want to spend half of their workout on olympic lifts.

The best gym I’ve ever joined. The staff members know my name and they always say hi when I come to workout. I’ve never experienced this at any other gym.
Additionally, my trainer Drew is amazing. He always pushes me to do my best and always has a good answer to my questions about diet and weightlifting.
If you’re looking for a personal trainer, I highly recommend The Lab Gym!

The Lab Gym is a gym unlike any other I’ve ever belonged to. The owner, Justin Thacker, has charisma, leadership, experience, knowledge, and passion for his «human performance lab» that will absolutely blow you away. I’ve been with the Lab long enough to know that he personally cares about each and every client — and that commitment from ownership definitely is reflected in the outstanding and accomplished staff. Crossfit coaches from around St. Louis come to the Lab to seek help with olympic lifts, and you only have to give the olympic lifting program an honest try to see why. Heavy Metal Crossfit is cross fit with a strong foundation of an organized and thoughtful strength program built in to the week. Lab Athlete Emily Abbott qualified for the Crossfit Games and competed this year after only one year of serious cross fit training, and much of that was through the Lab’s virtual training program which she implemented at her home gym abroad. I would never choose another gym over the Lab, and can whole heartedly recommend it to anyone.

Top shelf place in old falstaff brewery near slu. lent trainers n clientele. Not glam or for meatheads.

Recently became a member at The Lab. They just moved from Forest Park Pkwy to Manchester near Kingshighway. They’re still going through minor construction but i can’t wait to see everything when they’re finished. All the staff is super friendly, i’m excited to start attending some of the classes.

Top knowledge in the industry.

Moving from St. Louis after 2 years at this gym and I am going to miss it. The price was unbeatable with their student discount and every now and then they would send perks such as a voucher for a massage or a gift card. Staff was friendly and the facilities were great. For me, the best part was the no-​nonsense atmosphere where I could get a good workout without feeling crowded, even during rush hour.

I used to be the type of person that would go for a jog or hop on an elliptical for 45 minutes, and call it done. I wanted to join a gym when I moved to STL, and a Groupon led me to The Lab. When the 3-​months of the Groupon was up, I became a member with no hesitation.
Needless to say, The Lab has completely changed my workouts and it’s for the best! The Lab definitely focuses on strength and has taught me lifting weights does not mean bulking up (unless you want it to!). I LOVE the group fitness classes.
Don’t get me wrong, I still like a nice jog around the park every once and awhile, but if you are the type of person that wants 100 ellipticals with personal TVs, this gym isn’t the place for you (although they do have about 12 plain jane ellipticals and 5 treadmils).
This isn’t a gym with a glamourous locker room either. Although it is kept clean, it’s really just a place to change or store your bag. I live nearby and shower at home after workouts.
Overall I’d say this gym focuses on getting you in shape while being super welcoming and never intimidating!

Gym atmosphere — 5 stars
Amenities — 4 stars (particulary because of parking and locker room availability).
Personal training — 5 stars
Group fitness — 5 stars
Staff — 5 stars
Amenities:
— Towel service
— Food Items. I believe they partnered with a nutrition organization that actually can prepare and deliver food to your home. That food was also provided in the gym and includes things like egg whites, fruit, salads, protein options, nuts, and some other food types. There are also beverages available for purchase.
— Nutrition expert consultations available for a fee
— Massage Therapist available for a fee
— And a few others that I can’t recall
I heard about this gym and saw the opportunity to try it out by purchasing a 3-​month groupon special, which included a full 3 month membership, and 3 personal training sessions. I think this deal was valued at approximately $ 400.
This gym is owned by a former Olympic power lifter and he uses that philosophy towards training and fitness. That means there are not a bigillion cardio machines for all you folks that believe in endless cardio as the answer to burning fat and building muscle.
This is the type of gym where the regulars know each other and so does the staff because it’s pretty small. 189 occupancy, so that gives you an idea of the size. However, I feel that it should Be much smaller. I would say there are 4 – 5 elliptical machines and 5 – 6 treadmills. The rest is weight training equipment.
Typically I go into a gym with a mean face to prevent people from talking to me because I am actually intimidated by some of the people that work there so I try to show my strong face (go figure). However, it’s not like that there. Everyone has a friendly face. Most patrons also have a face that means business.
This gym is structured for personal training sessions. When I come on a Saturday morning and there were approximately 6 personal trainers working with clients. I completed three sessions with a trainer and she was very knowledgeable, motivating, and thorough. I believe her name is Jessica. I have observed in working with her and interacting with other staff members that their philosophy to proper form is core element to healthy and safe fitness. There are several postings of dynamic warm ups and cool downs that the staff expect for clients to complete before starting any routine. I found it very helpful in properly warming up the body without defaulting to stretching.
If you are not into personal training (or can’t afford it) then I think the next bet would be the group fitness classes here at the Lab Gym. What I really love about the group fitness classes is that you can sign up at least five days before hand to save your spot online or in person, particularly because space is limited. Unlike other gyms, the group fitness room only fits 15 (depending on the class) so it doesn’t feel that crowded. They will also send emails out to all members if a class has been cancelled or rescheduled at the past minute. The majority of the group fitness classes designed by LesMills and most start with the world ‘body’. Body flow (yoga/​Pilates), body pump (weight training), body combat (kick boxing), Zumba, and RPM (spinning). The classes listed above are included in your membership. There is one special boot camp class that’s taught by the owner for an additional per class fee. I have tried Body Combat and Body Pump consistently during my membership, both of which were good full body workouts so I would definitely recommend taking them. I also tried Zumba once, but wasn’t too interested in that form of workout.
*Tip — When I was there, the group fitness schedule was often structured (regarding body pump and body combat) to have body pump first, and body combat following. I typically signed up for both classes to get resistance training and cardio in for the day.
Women’s locker room: really small! One shower (which I never used) about 30 school size lockers, 4 stalls. When there was more than three women using the locker room it felt crowded. Because of this, I would often change before coming to the gym– if I was coming from work, for example. However, the locker rooms were always clean.
Parking: there is meter parking, a small 15 car lot that is shared by 3 other businesses, and a smaller non-​metered street behind the establishment, which is a little sketch (from a woman’s perspective) so I don’t park there. Parking lot is typically full by 5pm on the week days (peak gym time) and by 9am on Saturdays. However, I can’t speak to other times outside of the ones stated above.

I just became a member of this place, and I love it so far. This place is serious about getting you in shape. There are personal trainers everywhere, so there’s no reason for you to not get whipped into shape. I got 3 free sessions when I joined so I could get on a good program, and they give you the opportunity to get 3 more sessions for $ 100.
The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is because this place is strictly for working out. There are no tennis courts, racquetball courts, pool, etc.

I joined the Lab using a Groupon when I moved back to the CWE. What a testimonial for Groupon because I love this gym. The gym is nice, the staff is even better and the workout classes provide a good variety. Anna, the fitness manager and Justin, the owner seem like drama-​free great people.

Love this gym. I have been to many gyms in my lifetime. Many of them turned into «meet markets». This gym is the real deal. Not intimidating, friendly staff, with enough equipment to please everyone. Many squat racks, free weights, machines, treadmills, and ellipticals. Love this place

Dropped in for a couple days over Thanksgiving holiday. These guys are the real deal! I follow my own program that includes aspects of Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and CrossFit — these guys had all the tools and toys I needed, were super friendly, and let me go off and do my own thing for a very reasonable fee.
Only glowing things to say about the management and facilities. Also saw some very legitimate quality Olympic lifters training while I was there, which is always an excellent sign.

I’ve been a member of The Lab for just under a year and I’m very pleased.
The patrons are all business; these people have come to the gym to work out and improve themselves. No dilly-​dallying, no messing around, no abuse of the equipment… it’s fantastic.
The staff is knowledgeable and generally friendly, though I usually keep to myself and get my work done.
The equipment is nice and plentiful. I’ve never had to wait for a squat rack or bench press, which is a miracle to me.
I hear it gets busy early in the morning, but I usually work out in the late afternoon or evening. When I’ve been there, it’s almost always fairly empty, which is awesome for my workout style. I use a lot of equipment and rest minimally, so being able to move from the squat rack to the bench press to the pull-​up bars with no downtime is great.
I love The Lab, and it’s a great deal, too!

The new location is great! Much larger than the old gym w/​all new equipment and alot more of it.
24 hr gym access
The new place actually has a group exercise room now where they offer a bunch of new classes. I’ve tried the Body Pump and RPM classes and both have been great workouts. I’ve also been a member of their boot camp for the past couple yrs which is also a really great workout w/​a variety of different things each time… it’s like having a personal trainer for the group each day. They even have showers/​lockers now which they didnt have before.
The Lab usually offer some pretty good specials on their site if you wanna stop by and try it out or get a buddy special.