Forge Training

Fantastic experience: This place has great friendly staff! Thanks again..

Fantastic experience: While visiting Victoria as a Port of Call on Crown Princess, I was able to find this Gym! So glad I did, great equipment/experience. Highly recommend if you’re visiting or in need of a gym to call your “training” home.

Fantastic experience: Great trainers and staff! Jack and Isaac helped me improve my strength and shed some pounds!

Fantastic experience: Started going to Forge about a month ago after my old gym put out new policies that affected my training. I’m so happy I made the move! I’m always warmly greeted when I enter the building and the staff are always supportive when I have questions. I also never have to wait to do my compound exercises because there are so many racks in the gym . It’s fantastic. Can’t wait to complete month 2 at Forge!!

Fantastic experience: Adam had some pretty big shoes to fill when he took over the BWF classes at Forge. We are so grateful he did and we are able to continue our morning workouts. Adam always keeps the classes fun & upbeat with new exercises and movements. Recently, He really went the extra mile with a themed class and special shot. We are excited to continue with him for the next round of workouts at Forge.

Fantastic experience: I started going in 2018, after the birth of my 3rd child, and no matter my fitness level I have found the space to be welcoming and inclusive.

Fantastic experience: Lots of squat racks, no wasted space

Fantastic experience: Forge is a phenomenal gym. The facilities and culture are excellent and how can you beat floor to ceiling windows with a patio to workout on in the warmer months?!? I've been a member for a year and a half now and I highly recommend it!

Fantastic experience: Love forge! Best coaches, best people! I have been taking classes here for about a year and a half and I have learned so much!

Fantastic experience: I do calisthenics and this gym has everything that I need, super rare and I really appreciate it

Fantastic experience: Hands down the best gym in Victoria. I have been working out with Lachlan for a number of years now. Gym is welcoming, friendly and supportive of everyone’s ability. Positive environment to work out. It has been amazing to see Tina, Hal and Lachlan grow this community. All the best.

Fantastic experience: I've been coming to Forge since 2018/2019, when they were in the old space. It's only gotten better and better over the years. Hal, Tina and Locky go above and beyond to cultivate a great gym space and a great community, and the constant improvements to the space, events, and equipment is notable and appreciated!

Fantastic experience: As a noob to strength training, I initially worried that Forge might be an intimidating environment. Absolutely the opposite. I love the supportive, welcoming vibe here from trainers, staff, and other members. It’s inspiring to see the range of experience, including complete beginners trying something new to athletes at the peak of their craft. Compared to my old gym, Forge is luxuriously spacious and well-stocked (mainly focused on free weights rather than cardio machines). I especially appreciate the large number of squats racks and cable machines.

Fantastic experience: Great gym, lots of very effective high intensity classes but also very welcoming to all fitness and skill levels

Fantastic experience: Forge is hands down the best gym in Victoria. Excellent culture, friendly staff, and great space to work out. Super motivating to see people of all ages and abilities working together to improve. Love it here!

Fantastic experience: Well equipped and well maintained gym in the downtown core. The community spirit built and fostered by the owners is almost more important than the facility itself. Both creating and participating in multiple fundraisers and events a year these folks build community as much as strength.

Fantastic experience: Top notch gym. Great atmosphere, people and equipment. One of my favourite places to workout.

Fantastic experience: Great gym, tons of space and equipment. They've added a lot of additional class options as well as expanded their space over time to suit the growing membership numbers. Really positive and supportive environment, would recommend!

Fantastic experience: I’ve been going to the Forge for about a year and a half. The environment is very welcoming, and there’s always someone nearby to say hello to, and have a quick conversation. I was slightly intimidated when I first started , because I’ve never been a competitive lifter , then as I got more used to it, the more I enjoy it, or I can just do my own thing. The staff are always friendly and willing to help.

Fantastic experience: In the few cities I’ve lived in, Forge is the best gym I’ve ever worked out at! The staff and other members are so supportive and the atmosphere is great. Regardless of where you’re at in your fitness journey I’d highly recommend Forge! Also, Tina is the absolute best ❤️

Fantastic experience: Best gym in Victoria! Good people and always a good buzz around the gym. Great location right downtown. Well outfitted gym and great trainers.

Fantastic experience: Best gym in Victoria by far! Great gym with a great community! Amazing trainers and staff. Highly recommend for all fitness needs!

Fantastic experience: Been going to Forge for years and somehow never wrote about how great it is. The community is at Forge's core. Every time you go in, you hear chatting and say hi to 2, 5, or 10 different people you know by name. The owners, Tina, Hal, and Locky genuinely care about their clients and the gym as a community. It's a gym more focused on lifting heavy, rather than rows of cardio machines, but it only looks intimidating - in reality, it's welcoming.

Positive experience: Forge at its original location was a great establishment. They have since moved to a new location underneath a multi floored building. Because of this, they have had to soften up the floors to remedy the loud and vibration of weights being dropped. For most, this is a non issue. However, for powerlifters and serious weightlifters I would consider looking for a different gym. In addition, they only had one power rack at the time that included an online booking which really made things inconvenient for the price of the membership. The parking in downtown during afterwork hours was also a nightmare. For those who starting their lifting journey, forge is an excellent location to begin. They have an extremely friendly staff that are helpful and kind.

Fantastic experience: Shout out to Sam!! I moved to Victoria to go to school and was very busy. I wanted to show up and be told what to do and how to do it properly, with someone knowledgeable. Fortunately I found Sam, he is an amazing trainer and coach! He met me exactly where I was at in the beginning and after just over a year, I am amazed at my progress! Training with Sam kept me sharp through the most stressful times at school and I loved leaving it all at the door to focus on myself. He has a great energy, he’s funny, and cares a lot about providing a great service. 10/10!!

Fantastic experience: patron of 2 years I've had memberships at Saanich rec, YMCA, UVic, UBC, golds, GoodLife, misc CrossFit, etc this is hands down the best experience I've had at a fitness center because of the intersection of: equipment, policies, staff, atmosphere, value The owners are also trainers. you see them in there every day. their pro-customer priorities are extremely evident. every member of staff is a keeper. you also get to avoid all of the scummy practices you're used to dancing around with fitness memberships. Need to take time off cause of injury or work? just...do it. No contracts. I don't have to go into witness protection or prove to them that i moved to another celestial body outside of 3 AU from the next closest location. just for the possibility that they maybe might consider letting me cancel my membership (with a fee). not that im bitter or anything

Fantastic experience: It's a great place to work out. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. Always excited to go back.

Positive experience: This facility is nice and the equipment is well maintained but the gym has its quirks. Namely the change rooms are in a separate building from the main weight area, and the requirement to book stations really hampers the desire to show up spontaneously. Other than that this place is awesome.

Fantastic experience: I used to do the boxing/kickboxing classes there and also had some personal training sessions as well. The coaches were always awesome and the training facility is top notch! Highly recommend Forge Training.

Fantastic experience: I have been to so many gyms , Forge has the best service so far. They listen to your requests and not burden you with any pressure to keep the membership unlike most of the gyms wanting 1 year contracts. Amazing environment, like minded people and staff!!

Fantastic experience: If you're serious about training, Forge is the place to be. Have made so many lifelong friends here. Very strong sense of a community.

Fantastic experience: A great gym ! I heard about forge from a friend and checked it out over the summer. It had all the equipment you would ever need, the staff are all really helpful. I also had some billing issues and they were really realistic and relaxed about it. Thanks for being such a great gym ! I would definitely recommend Forge to anyone.

Fantastic experience: I went to Forge from Sept 2021 to Aug 2022 - unfortunately, I've since moved back to Vancouver and had to leave. Forge is easily my favourite gym I've ever joined. Clean, affordable, well stocked with quality equipment, and a friendly unintimidating atmosphere. If you're comfortable with barbell and free weight exercises, then Forge is a fantastic place to train. If you aren't, Forge has a deep roster of trainers who can get you going. I trained with Jose for the vast majority of my time there, and couldn't recommend him enough, super approachable guy who built a program around my goals that was challenging but maintainable. Since moving back to Van, I've come to realize how unique Forge is, has taken nearly two months to find a gym that is even remotely close to Forge.

Positive experience: Dropped in during my stay in Victoria and found that all Oly lifting platforms/ spaces by the rack were booked in advance and wasn’t able to lift. I guess it’s ok to book the platforms, but it puts people that dropped in a disadvantaged situation. The gym was also very crowded ( Labor Day morning) and reminded a typical globo gym. Having said that, there is a lot of nice/new equipment, and if you are there just to maintain you fitness level - it will work, I guess. For fellows Olympic weightlifters I would recommend to look for another option.

Fantastic experience: Amazing staff and trainers, great community gym.

Fantastic experience: I’ve been coming here for about 5 months and Forge is the most friendly and enjoyable gym I’ve been a member of, anywhere. The staff, coaches and owners seem to really care about everyone in the building, and it feels like a genuine community they’ve built with the members. Can’t give enough praise to the boxing and barbell/conditioning class instructors, very knowledgeable and approachable. Particular shout out to trainer Johnson Nguyen, who has given incredible guidance and confidence in learning powerlifting for the first time, and makes every class an enjoyable hour I’d recommend Forge to anyone, regardless of age or fitness level - the members here cover the whole spectrum!

Fantastic experience: I've been going for almost 8 months and figure it's time for a review. I've worked out at several different gyms over the years and Forge is near the top. I've almost transitioned to classes exclusively, specifically the ones led by Johnson, he's a great instructor and the energy in the class is always great. The gym space itself is decent. I wish all of the racks were labeled with numbers to help with booking/navigation. If the squat racks had some sort of marking system for the adjustment, that would reduce trial and error getting the bar rests matched. The free weights area by the desk can get cramped, it feels like it was an afterthought and that's the only place it could go, but it works. It's probably not the gym for everyone, but it's a solid space.

Fantastic experience: best gym in victoria and the nicest people!

Positive experience: I've only been there 3 times. I like the efforts Hal and his team put into this gym - it is complete! Weights and Martial Arts!! One thing that really annoyed me was the music. It is too loud and unnecessary. I tried to plug my earbuds in but the gym's music is too distracting. I found it really hard to concentrate on my workout with this rap/metal music playing. If people carry their own headphones, they can listen to whatever they feel like, and this way it wouldn't bother others who don't want to listen to certain type of music or don't want any music at all. I want to be in full control of my emotions and energy and not have music drive it. I sincerely request the owners and the team to consider this. If there is no music being played by the gym, people can use their own headsets and everyone gets to enjoy the gym. But if the gym plays music it only benefits those who are interested in that type of music, and harms everyone else.

Fantastic experience: Super well equipped gym for those who love their more serious weight training.

Fantastic experience: Forge is the best gym and has the best service. You can book a space in advance and use it the entire time without being bothered. Every station has all the equipment you need. The staff are friendly and accommodating. There are no hidden fees or sign up charges. You can put your membership on hold without penalties. Top notch. I couldn’t imagine going elsewhere!

Fantastic experience: I've been going since they reopened in June and have had a great experience. The staff are knowledgeable and very safe with public health orders. The trainers are great (ask for Danzel). Equipment is top notch. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience: I contacted Forge because I was interested in learning how to powerlift and needed some personal training, but was hesitant due to high pressure, high cost sales that I've experienced at commercial gyms. I am so happy to report that this isnt the way it's done here. Tina, was genuinely welcoming and encouraging right from the start and easy to learn from and work with. She made sure I could stay within my budget and set up a program that's easy for me to follow. I appreciated that I could tell from the start that this wasnt about her making a sales quota, but about a genuine love of fitness and helping people smash their goals. I felt comfortable, cared for and positively motivated. I look forward to working with her more in the future and highly recommend this gym to anyone who is looking for a great place to workout. It's clean, fully equipped, follows Covid regulations, friendly staff, affordable training, and has a great atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: Tina and everyone at Forge are always friendly and welcoming since I started training there almost 4 years ago. The gym is always clean, tidy and they get new equipment in regularly. They have also done a phenomenal job fundraising for local charities. Forge will continue to be my go to gym while I remain in Victoria.

Fantastic experience: This gym got everything, love it, love it, love it very much! I get bored easily, so sometimes I am a crossfitter, sometimes kickboxer, sometimes gymnast, all in one gym! Staff is amaizing, super friendly and very professional, helpful! Thanks Forge, see you tomorrow!

Fantastic experience: Great gym! My trainer Ryan is great! Very reasonable training and just an all round great facility.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic gym. Friendly staff. Excellent personal trainers and equipment. Very well organized system for booking workouts. I love working out there!

Fantastic experience: Spacious, clean, and friendly staff!

Fantastic experience: Open space. Great equipment. Satisfying online booking functionality

Fantastic experience: Jason is a great trainer

Fantastic experience: Great gym for professionals. They don't have some machines for leg curl. You barely find anyone using their phone during workout and you don't need to worry if you got superset and there is time waster occupying a machine or else.

Fantastic experience: Great gym. Great atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: Love Forge! Great facility, equipment and staff!

Fantastic experience: Feeling super safe in the best gym in town!! Nice work forge...you're crushing it!

Fantastic experience: Love it. Great people and great equipment.

Fantastic experience: I want to shout out HAL for being such a great personal trainer! I have NEVER stepped foot inside a gym before and Hal has been helping make the process so much easier than I thought it could! I still have a long way to go for my fitness goals but I feel like it's a real possibility that I could make some strides :) thank you Forge and thank you Hal!

Fantastic experience: Love this place, excellent covid response, very comfortable and accessible

Fantastic experience: This is one of the best gyms out there! They are so welcoming to out-of-towners, which I very much appreciated. Great selection of equipment too. Awesome experience!

Fantastic experience: Forge is such a fantastic gym, I’m so thrilled to have found it. The boxing and Muay Thai/kick boxing classes are incredible. The instructors are welcoming, encouraging, but still very challenging. I’ve trained at other gyms both in Victoria and elsewhere and absolutely love Forge. I don’t particularly use the upstairs facilities because I take every boxing or kickboxing class I can. That being said, the upstairs gym/weightlifting area seems top notch.

Fantastic experience: My god what a gym, I miss it so much. I've been meaning to write a review since I moved a couple months ago and I'm following through now because I still think about this place all the time. I try to make a point of going to the gyms where the strong people go, mostly because I think it's good to be around people who are invested in what they're doing and not because I'm particularly hardcore. Still it's not always easy to walk into a barbell gym with a martial arts scene - I think we've all been intimidated by gyms before. If nothing else, I'm here to tell you not to be. There's a reason the members are so fanatically in love with this place, it's crazy supportive and if you're like me and wanna train some fight sports you can have that warm atmosphere and also get some REAL solid instruction. I'm in Vancouver now looking for a boxing gym and I'm following most of the clubs on Instagram. Forge has been here for a couple tournaments and the fighters are cleaning up! It's great to see that kind of representation from a Victoria club. I truly believe this place is on par with anything I'll find here and if I could have taken it with me I would have. There's too much to say, just go here, they'll take care of you. Try the punching classes if you want to feel like an absolute beast within a month.

Fantastic experience: I really struggled to find a gym with an atmosphere I really liked, and I am so happy to have ended up here. All the coaches are fantastic, and the camaraderie and atmosphere is unparalleled. I've gained a lot of friends through this gym and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a welcoming gym!

Fantastic experience: Top notch gym. Only downside is early closing weekend hours.

Fantastic experience: Forge is such a fantastic gym, I’m so thrilled to have found it. The boxing and Muay Thai/kick boxing classes are incredible. The instructors are welcoming, encouraging, but still very challenging. I’ve trained at other gyms both in Victoria and elsewhere and absolutely love Forge. I don’t particularly use the upstairs facilities because I take every boxing or kickboxing class I can. That being said, the upstairs gym/weightlifting area seems top notch.

Fantastic experience: I've been going to forge since 2017. Great location, fun small classes, great knowledgeable trainers, and friendly staff.

Fantastic experience: Forge is easily my favorite gym I've ever trained. Phenomenal vibe - a really good community and culture, great equipment as well!

Fantastic experience: Forge is a great facility with all of the equipment needed for power lifting, Olympic lifting, CrossFit type workouts, or any type of training. It is a nice open space which is kept clean, with new and functional equipment. They offer a membership at a very reasonable price, which includes access to lots of different types of fitness classes for all levels. I'm stoked to have found Forge and happy that it's so close to my school downtown!

Fantastic experience: Just an amazing gym. As a student, I was struggling to find a kickboxing/boxing gym that wasn't going to cost a fortune in membership fees. Not only are the memberships affordable, but they include unlimited classes IN ADDITION TO the use of the gym and boxing gym. AND everyone is incredibly friendly and approachable. I cannot say enough good things about this gym.

Fantastic experience: I can not say enough about how forge has changed my life. The trainers have taught me not only how to be the strongest version of myself I can possibly be, but also the training has eradicated my chronic back pain I had been living with for 20 years. As an RMT I only trust my clients to visit the staff and trainers at Forge because I have seen their skills and trust in their abilities. The staff here are gems, and the management team are unbelievable. This place changes lives, dont miss out!

Fantastic experience: Amazing gym, with well-maintained equipment and facility. Trainers are all super knowledgeable. It's a very friendly and welcoming gym for all levels of fitness and caters to a bunch of different fitness goals. Definitely worth checking out!

Fantastic experience: I was extremely nervous when i Started to do the Kickboxing/Boxing classes but Hal is such a NICE teacher! its the best place to go If you are a beginner!!

Fantastic experience: I find gyms intimidating and uncomfortable so was hesitant to try, but from the first moment I stepped into Forge I felt welcome and included. I've been going to the boxing classes for just over a month and I love it. The facility is clean and tidy, and the staff are unbelievably supportive. They take the time to adapt things so they work better for you (like altering exercises so they are more or less difficult), and are invested in each person's growth - whatever that looks like. I can't recommend Forge enough.

Fantastic experience: Excellent gym - all the equipment you need for all kinds of training, very friendly, helpful staff with tons of experience. Expect to get fitter and make friends.

Fantastic experience: I joined Forge to try out boxing. The instructors are very friendly and helpful and the classes are really fun and a great workout. The atmosphere is very welcoming to newcomers.

Fantastic experience: Amazing gym! I’m thrilled to have found Forge - it’s more than a gym, it’s a vibrant community of people who are passionate about health and wellness. The space is bright and clean, location is super convenient if you work/live downtown, and every trainer I’ve worked with has been friendly, engaging, and just genuinely awesome at what they do. Whether you’re looking for an open gym, energizing and challenging group classes, or martial arts - you can find what you need at Forge. Monthly membership is very affordable too. 11/5 stars.

Fantastic experience: The training environment at Forge is fantastic. All of the staff are welcoming, equipment is well maintained, and the gym is CLEAN! Both their class instructors and personal trainers are great. I work with Danzel and he is always engaged for the full session. He has also put a lot of effort into designing workouts to strengthen my specific weaknesses and to work towards my own personal goals. No Cookie Cutter workouts, here!

Fantastic experience: Forge is truly an awesome gym. The owners are on-site 24/7 and it's clear how passionate, caring and knowledgeable they are. I love their approach to educating their customers. Whether it's muay thai or weights classes, the instructors are outstanding. I have trained in many boxing gyms and Forge has to be one of my absolute favourites! If you're looking for a gym, you'd be nuts to not do the $10 for 10 days trial.

Fantastic experience: Forge has everything you need and more. I was intimidated when I started looking for a martial arts facility, but every single person I have met at Forge has made me feel incredibly comfortable in my skin. I am able to grow mentally and physically in this clean, organized, and friendly environment. Great facility, great staff, and great members!

Fantastic experience: Best Gym I've been too in this fine city. It's impossible to not pick up on the passion that this gym culture has thanks to the leadership and its members. Normally I just lift weights on my own but the classes are amazing. The boxing and kickboxing classes are taught by world-class teachers. I've also enjoyed the regular classes too.

Fantastic experience: Great gym! Super friendly

Fantastic experience: Love this place! Great place to Kickbox and Box 7 days a week. Hal and Tom are amazing!

Fantastic experience: I dropped in for their $10 for 10 visits promotional offer; this is the best-equipped gym I have seen outside of Muscle Factory in Bangkok. Staff were welcoming and the training environment was positive and energizing.

Fantastic experience: Just an amazing gym. As a student, I was struggling to find a kickboxing/boxing gym that wasn't going to cost a fortune in membership fees. Not only are the memberships affordable, but they include unlimited classes IN ADDITION TO the use of the gym and boxing gym. AND everyone is incredibly friendly and approachable. I cannot say enough good things about this gym.

Fantastic experience: Forge is a fantastic space for Olympic, Powerlifting and Boxing. They have a great variety of equipment, clean and friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Great gym, great classes!

Fantastic experience: great gym and has free quality classes included in membership :)

Fantastic experience: This place and people made me fall in love with fitness. Thank you

Fantastic experience: Great classes, great workout and a schedule that fits my life. LOVE the early early morning classes!

Fantastic experience: The training environment at Forge is fantastic. All of the staff are welcoming, equipment is well maintained, and the gym is CLEAN! Both their class instructors and personal trainers are great. I work with Danzel and he is always engaged for the full session. He has also put a lot of effort into designing workouts to strengthen my specific weaknesses and to work towards my own personal goals. No Cookie Cutter workouts, here! Review update: 4 years later and I am updating this to say that the gym continues to be an amazing place to workout. The owners truly care about members and the level of service and support is unlike any other gym I have ever attended! We are so lucky to have this gym in Victoria!

Fantastic experience: 5/5*

Fantastic experience: Awesome gym and atmosphere

Fantastic experience: GREAT group workout, great trainers! gotta LOVE IT to be up at 5:30 am for group training ! its freaking AWESOME!

Fantastic experience: I have trained in numerous gyms around the world, and I can say this is by far the best fitness facility I have trained in. The open concept and tons of light makes it easy to get to on stormy winter days! There is no wasted equipment, and the gym is easy to navigate! Most importantly, the staff who work there are hungry to improve the health and wellness in everyone who walks through the doors. A genuine passion and care that is missing in a lot of gyms these days. No lack of smiles here! 5/5

Fantastic experience: Very nice space with great lighting and lots of equipment: many squat racks, 2 lifting platform, several sets of rings, medballs, Kettlebells, dumbbells, a turf for sled pulls/drags, as well as some fitness and boxing classes! Membership price is quite affordable too!

Fantastic experience: Best gym I have ever been to. Great staff, everybody is super helpful and approachable. Clean, well equipped and awesome atmosphere.

Fantastic experience: Great facility, amazing trainers!!

Fantastic experience: I've been going to the boot camp on Tuesday and Thursday mornings since February and have found the facilities clean, the workout challenging, and the staff to be amazing. Recommend Forge fully!

Fantastic experience: I love Forge so much! The staff are incredible; the sessions offered are fun and challenging. Its the first gym that's ever captured and maintained my commitment. Definitely recommend taking some classes!

Fantastic experience: Forge is a great place to train with people of all ages and ability levels! Whether it's group training, scheduled classes or 1:1 personal training, there's something for everyone. Each trainer is supportive and encouraging, and you'll always be greeted with a welcome. This is the only gym that I've ever stayed with and won't be going anywhere!

Fantastic experience: I've been training as a bodybuilder for decades and Forge is the best gym I've found in many years, whether in Victoria or southern California. Hal Kreisel does a great job of understanding my goals and pushes me towards them with intensity and skill. I have had injuries with other trainers, however with Hal's knowledge of anatomy and kinesiology, that has never happened. The facility is bright, clean and well-stocked with the necessary equipment.

Fantastic experience: I love going here! Every trainer I've worked with here has been accommodating, professional, and committed to providing an environment that feels safe and inclusive for all types of clients, regardless of skill level, age, size, etc. I also really enjoy the class scheduling that makes it pretty easy to hit up a number of different classes. Since going here, I've accomplished goals that I would have never thought possible for myself, thanks to the guidance and encouragement of the trainers. I highly recommend Forge to folks that are wanting to try a gym for the first time, but feel intimidated or just don't know where to start.