Late last month I headed west. We (my wife and I) packed up the dogs for two mini stays–the first of which was in Escalante, UT, followed by a another stay along California’s central coast.
Usually on my travels I don’t set aside all that much time for direct training. My usual plan is to hit the gym hard for the weeks leading into a trip–effectively putting myself into a state of ‘overreaching’ so that my time away from home and away from the gym can actually be restorative and help me recover from my training.
This trip was different. The trip was a total of 15 days and 6,500 miles on the road.
Over a period like that the body tightens up and I could feel my tissue quality getting worse by the day.
So when we got into San Luis Obispo–our second destination for the trip–I was a-hurtin’ for a gym.
By total chance, our Airbnb came with gym passes for Headstrong Fit, so we decided to check it out…
Headstrong Fit
I know I’m fortunate to have my own gym where I can do as I please on the exact equipment that I want, whenever I want. So I try to keep expectations low when I train anywhere else.
But Headstrong Fit delivered. Prior to dropping in (Headstrong does allow drop-ins), I messaged the owner asking the single most important question I could think of for determining how legit a gym is….
Do you have a reverse hyper?
Yes.
Exquisite.
After so long in a vehicle I was looking forward to that level of loaded extension just to regain some posture and help me keep chugging along on my road trip.
Arriving
We made it to Headstrong Fit mid-morning and didn’t have any issue with nearby street parking. This was a logistical benefit right off the bat.
The interior is easily navigable and opens up from the administrative / front desk area into a very large, very open training space.
Everyone has their own particular training style, which may not be matched by the environment but Headstrong really has my basis covered–even as a strength & conditioning coach with an interest in a wide array of training modalities, this place has it all.
In fact, if I had to try to think about something that this gym was lacking, I don’t know that I could… Some of the modalities that I noticed:
- Miscellaneous kettlebells, sized small to large
- Slam balls
- Multiple racks and rigs
- Specialty bars (my conjugate senses were tingling)
- Plyo boxes–hard and soft
- Reverse Hyper
- Platforms
- Echo Bikes
- Concept 2 Rowers
All of the good shit really.
To top it off, if training in a large open space isn’t your thing, they have a smaller room complete with most of the same amenities of the larger training area. So you could theoretically train in a smaller environment with more privacy, if that’s your thing.
And if training in large open spaces is your thing, then you can train in the largest open space of them all–the outside. The facility is equipped with a pretty large outdoor training area which would definitely come in handy in SLO’s temperate climate.
While there, I was able to bang out a few circuits of the Reverse Hyper paired with some Flying Step Ups onto the soft plyobox. Plus a handful of other exercises to help bring my spine back to life after so long on the road.
My wife was able to utilize the platforms for some olympic lifting. Headstrong Fit’s SLO location is very well-equipped for olympic weightlifting, as Cal Poly’s weightlifting ostensibly uses this facility.
Drawbacks
I’m adding this section to try to cut back on my own personal bias. This gym is well-suited for my style of training and my preferences. The drawbacks that I’m listing are only what I could possibly think of as being an issue to some other users.
Cleanliness… MAYBE. This is a very large facility in a warehouse-type environment. I’m sure if Mr. Clean came in here decked out in all white, you may get some dirt from the training floor, MAYBE. The facility definitely does its due diligence in maintaining the facility, but there are realities associated with managing such a large, high traffic, training environment.
We also came at an ‘off’ time from a gym attendance perspective. I’m sure that there is a possibility that things can get hectic here in the early evening hours when most gyms are experiencing their highest volume of foot traffic.
The gym does have a recovery suite equipped with cold plunge and some other modalities, I, however, wasn’t able to access this area while I was there so I can not speak what amenities they have on the recovery front.
Other Advantages
I think the price tag is crazy cheap. Given all that you can get out of this facility, the price tag is a bargain. For both drop-ins as well as monthly members (and even members of the CrossFit classes), the price is hard to beat.
The way Headstrong works its pricing model you don’t really need to pay for any more than you need. If you want a gym membership and to be left alone, you can do that. If you want to train with the group, or if you want personal training, you can do that too.
The Verdict
I can’t think of a single training style that wouldn’t be well-served in this facility. I know this will be a new part of my routine whenever I return to California’s central coast. SLO, and the other areas served by Headstrong, have no shortage of competition but Headstrong Fit is a solid choice for maximizing your fitness. If you’re just a drop-in, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how little you’ll have to deviate from your training because of the wide array of equipment. And if you’re a local looking for a new place to train or a place to begin your fitness journey, Headstrong Fit’s San Luis Obispo location is a great choice.
You can learn more about Headstrong Fit here.
Have a question about my experience at Headstrong or need to get in touch with us about something else? Email us at info@RuthlessPerformance.com or visit our contact page.
