I've had memberships at 8 DFW gyms over 6 years. Here's the definitive ranking.
Best overall value:
- Gold's Gym (multiple DFW, Dallas-founded!) — $30-60/month. Real lifting equipment, squat racks, platforms, free weights. The Mockingbird location is a serious gym. Source: goldsgym.com
Best premium: 2. Lifetime Fitness (multiple) — $100-180/month. Pool, spa, cafe, childcare, basketball, classes. It's a club, not a gym. Source: lifetime.com 3. Equinox (Highland Park) — $200+/month. The nicest gym in DFW. Eucalyptus towels, premium everything. If you can afford it. Source: equinox.com
Best budget: 4. Planet Fitness (everywhere) — $10-25/month. Clean, basic, judgment-free. No squat rack at most locations (dealbreaker for some). Source: planetfitness.com 5. Crunch Fitness (multiple) — $10-30/month. Better equipment than PF. Some locations have pools.
Best for serious lifters: 6. Destination Dallas — powerlifting focused. Serious atmosphere. Source: destinationdallas.com 7. Metroflex Gym (Arlington) — legendary. Ronnie Coleman trained here. Source: metroflexgym.com
Best boutique: 8. Orange Theory (multiple) — $59-169/month. Heart-rate monitored HIIT. Structured, coached. Source: orangetheory.com 9. Barry's (Dallas) — $30-40/class. Treadmill + weights HIIT. Intense. Source: barrys.com 10. F45 (multiple) — $50-65/week. Functional training circuits. Source: f45training.com
Sources:
- Gym websites for pricing
- Google Reviews for quality
- Personal memberships at 8 DFW gyms
Where do you train?