WHY BALANCE GYM?RESULTS, THAT'S WHY.

the Best Gym in DC

BALANCE Gym, A meaningful story; a community-driven gym.

Why is Balance Gym the Best Gym in DC? If you haven’t read the story about our Founder, Mark Crick, we highly recommend it. Mark was a professional rugby player from Australia, who immigrated from Australia, played in the World Cup for the USA, and started one of the best gym facilities within Washington DC that has grown to three locations.

Look Like an Athlete by Training Like One…and have fun while doing it…

The vision behind Balance Gym came from Mark’s lifelong journey as an athlete. When he first came to the U.S., he was dismayed by gyms that solely had long rows of cardio equipment facing mirrors, with every member plugged into headphones. He missed the open, functional spaces found in athletic gyms, and wanted to do away with mirrors and bring back free weights and turf where you can sweat alongside your teammates.

His recipe of athletic workouts, group motivation, seasoned staff, sustainable programs, and a large dash of fun, is still served today: changing his members’ lives and building a community of like-minded individuals, striving to be fit, social, and better people.

At Balance Gym, we inspire people to create balance within their lives by demonstrating how fitness can be fun and sustainable. We know there’s more to staying fit than just getting ‘regular’ exercise.

Mark Crick

— Co-Owner and Founder of Balance Gym

BALANCE Gym WAS BORN IN DC

Balance Gym is a DC-born and bred business with humble beginnings: Balance began as a boot-camp space off a basketball court in Kalorama, where our founder Mark Crick dreamed of opening a gym to house the city’s very best trainers and a no-BS attitude toward fitness. Fifteen years later, Balance has two award-winning gyms in the Foggy Bottom, and Capitol Hill neighbourhoods, and three award winning gyms in Foggy Bottom, Capitol Hill, and Buzzard Point. Our Capitol Hill location is also home to Balance Lagree – one of only two Lagree fitness studios in DC, and the only one to feature the Megaformer MS3.

One thing hasn’t changed: our commitment to “train for sport, train for life.”

Balance Fitness Facilities in DC

Our three locations – Capitol Hill, Foggy Bottom, and Buzzard Point have their own unique assets and features, but all maintain a fun vibe and provide a quality place to train hard–whatever your goals may be. In each location, Balance is proud of our exceptional personal trainers, most of whom have had a competitive sporting background and specialize in all aspects of the fitness industry.

Classes to Fit Your Schedule

Balance offers more than 100 classes per week, including our signature Balance Bootcamp (which we take outside to the surrounding neighborhoods or our roof deck when the weather allows), Balance Body, and Balance Ride classes; traditional classes like yoga, barre, and Zumba; and more unique offerings like pole dancing and PILOXING. In addition, CrossFit Balance, led by Danielle Dionne, sent teams to the CrossFit Games in 2017 and 2018 – and the team brought home sixth place in 2018.

How Balance Makes Fitness Fun

What is particularly close to our hearts is our community. Throughout the year, Balance hosts hikes, rooftop parties, scavenger hunts, farm weekends, and many fitness events for our members. No matter where you are in their fitness journey, we know you’ll feel welcome here at Balance. Coaches and members become friends, trainers and clients attend sporting events and concerts, and we pride ourselves on our involvement in the local community through annual support of many charities and local sports teams, such as the DC Eagles rugby team and the DC Strokes rowing club. In addition, Balance has been a leading supporter of both Bike to the Beach and Cupid’s Undie Run for more than a decade, is an annual participant in the Capital Pride Parade, and for the last two years has partnered with the Women’s Strength Coalition to host the second annual Pull for Pride Deadlift Competition in support of Casa Ruby.

BALANCE GYM WINS MULTIPLE BEST GYM IN DC AWARDS

Balance Gym is proud to have been recognized as the best gym in Washington, DC on multiple occasions spanning a decade! Our team of instructors, personal trainers and staff have raised the bar high enough to be awarded this recognition by our customers.

Balance Gym Awards & Recognition

People love us!

Balance Gym is proud to be recognized as one of Washington, DC’s top gyms. Over the years, we’ve been honored by leading local publications for excellence in fitness, personal training, and CrossFit.

2021
2021

  • Best Gym — Washington City Paper

  • Best Personal Training Gym — Washington City Paper

  • Best CrossFit Gym — Washington City Paper

2020
2020

  • Best Gym — Washington City Paper
  • Best Personal Training Gym — Washington City Paper
  • Best CrossFit Gym — Washington City Paper

2017 - 2019
2017 - 2019

Best CrossFit Gym — Washington City Paper

2016
2016

  • Best Gym — Washington Post Express

  • Best Gym — Washington City Paper

  • Best Gym — Washingtonian Magazine

2015
2015

  • Best Gym — Washington City Paper
  • Best CrossFit Gym — Washington City Paper
  • Best Place to Get Ripped — Washington Post Express
  • Best Gym That Doesn’t Intimidate You — Washington Post Express
  • Best Gym — Washingtonian Magazine

2014
2014

Best Gym — Washington City Paper

2013
2013

Best CrossFit Gym — Washington Post Express

2012
2012

Best Gym — Washington Post Express

2011
2011

Best Gym — Washington Post Express

Best Gym — Washington City Paper

Our Partnerships

Balance Gym believes that we are only as strong as the community around us. We have built partnerships with authentic, inspirational, accessible, and innovative companies within the Washington DC Metropolitan Area that reflect our core values and celebrate fitness. Join us in supporting these local favorites!

Our Charitable Partnerships and Events

Keep It Local: Our DMV Partners

DC Food and Entertainment

Additional Partners

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD A STRONGER YOU

Find Balance in your life and you’ll find a sustainable way to meet your fitness and personal goals at the best gym in DC.

  • Valued members of Balance Gym
Google
Matthew Swartz
October 3, 2025
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Membership there is invaluable
Google
Jin Aura
March 26, 2025
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great gym with plenty of room and smartly organized areas. Lots of bits and bobs for serious lifters, too (incline heels, assisted bars, bent bars, rubber plates, Olympic plates, various ruck Sims, and a ton more. Plus, some classes are included!). Jacob, Moses and Josh are highlights of the gym, all in their own way. Jacob is the manager and quite helpful and knowledgeable. He was part of our tour briefly though the other front desk person, Karina, was great, always informative and conversational. Moses also had the same great qualities about him as well. I highly recommend this gym because it seems to always be clean, everyone is quite personable, and they don't seem to be any people that are overly emphatic about their lifting routines.
Google
Cyriac Edappully
February 18, 2025
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Nice gym with no frills. They offer Tango classes here which is why I go. Staff is very friendly. Bathroom facilities are clean.
Google
Drew Dougherty
October 17, 2024
Google star 1Google star 2Google star 3Google star 4Google star 5Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great no-frills gym with supportive staff, right in the heart of Capitol Hill. Clean and well maintained. Has everything you need for most workouts. Plenty of equipment, free weights, and machines. Classes available, although I haven't partaken. Highly recommend Eric for personal training - he's great to work with as a gym newbie jumping into fitness and weight loss. I wanted more of a workout partner than a drill sergeant - Eric put my mind at ease with multiple options, and crafts the perfect workouts designed to hit my goals every week. Results after a few months have been noticeable, and still going!