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Ashley Metcalfe
January 24, 2025
Looking for the best Medellin gym studios?
You’re in the right place!
Matthew and I spent nearly 4 months in Medellin, Colombia. It was a total dream because we drank premium coffee every day, tried all the delicious restaurants and even worked out 3 times per week. The work-life balance was pretty good as a digital nomad in Medellin and as Latin America digital nomads, in general!
So if you’re a digital nomad or remote worker living in Medellin for a few months, you’re going to need to find a place to get your workout in right? Maybe you’re an expat or local who calls Medellin home? You’ll also need to find a gym if you want to exercise regularly.
There are plenty of options to choose from in Medellin but how do you choose? We will be the first to tell you that there’s only a select few Medellin gyms that are truly worth it.
Are There Good Gyms In Medellin, Colombia?
Yes, there are plenty!
One of the things I noticed when we first landed in Medellin was that some people really cared about their fitness and health. We went to Estadio on a Sunday and there were so many families and friends that were rollerblading, running, walking, biking and more.
In fact, health and fitness are something the government wants to promote and encourage. They actually close some big highways on Sundays so that people can run, walk, bike and rollerblade without any traffic. It’s amazing to see and join if you can!
We weren’t quite sure what the gym scene in Medellin was like but we were happy to see that there were quite a few options!
2 Types of Gyms You Can Find In Medellin
You can rest assured that there’s enough gyms to choose from based on the kind of exercises you want to do. Whether that’s a group class, an individual class or a standard gym – there’s something for everyone in Medellin.
Here’s what we found in Medellin gyms:
- Personal training
- Standard gyms
- Group classes
For me (Ashley) personally, I love going to group fitness classes. Matthew enjoys a standard gym where he can create his own workout program and use the machines/weights.
We’re going to share 3 types of Medellin gyms – personal training and standard gyms. I tried to join this group fitness class (mostly HIIT) but couldn’t figure out how to get in contact despite messaging them on WhatsApp and visiting their studio. We found the next best thing!
Medellin Gym: The Best Gyms For Your Fitness
Looking for the best gyms in Medellin?
You’ve got a lot of options!
Depending on your workout style, whether you like to train individually or with a group, or if you want to do your own thing or join a class – there’s something for everyone!
Here’s the best Medellin gym options for you.
Impetu Centro de Entrenamiento (Laureles)
Impetu Centro de Entrenamiento is a personalized training center that focuses on form, technique and improving your fitness goals.
Want a more personalized workout session? At Impetu Centro de Entrenamiento, they offer smaller group classes and private 1:1 gym classes. If you want to improve your health, and overall performance, or simply get better at your workout – Impetu is a great option for you.
We searched for Medellin gyms around the Laureles area where we stayed for 2 months. As I mentioned above, I tried to go to this functional HITT training group but I couldn’t seem to get in contact with them.
The next best thing we found was Impetu. Although, it ended up being the best option for us! We chose the 2:1 private workouts with our own personal trainer who came up with a program specially tailored for each of us.
Features & Amenities
Impetu is a very special, specific gym in Medellin. They like to focus on you and your fitness goals. If you go to them with specific needs/wants eg. to improve your form, they will create a program based on your objectives.
Here are the features you can expect from Impetu Centro de Entrenamiento:
- professional, knowledgeable trainers
- personalized programs
- evaluation of your body/fitness
- meal plan programs
The services you can expect from Impetu are:
- small, intimate group classes
- private 1:1 workouts
- duet 2:1 workouts
- virtual home training
- physiotherapy/rehabilitation
- capoeira
If you have very specific fitness or weight-loss goals, a personalized training experience could be the right option for you! That’s why we chose to work out with Impetu during our time as Medellin digital nomads.
Location
Wondering where to stay in Medellin? Laureles is a great neighborhood that has plenty of restaurants, cafes, coworking spaces and gyms for everyone to enjoy.
Impetu Centro de Entrenamiento is located in the heart of Laureles.
This Medellin gym is located specifically by the big highway called, Avenida San Juan. There are signs around the exterior of the building but the gym itself is located on the 3rd floor of the building.
Coaches
Impetu has 3 main coaches: John David, John Paul and Stephen. They also have assistant coaches to train individuals and small groups.
We were coached by Daniel who did an amazing job for us. We could tell he really cared about our fitness and improving our bodies in all kinds of ways. Before training with Daniel, Matt found it difficult to hold a squat without lifting his heels. Once we were done with our time in Medellin, Matt could do just that!
Daniel encouraged me to do a push-up on my feet (and not on my knees) which has always been difficult for me. By the end, I was able to comfortably do push-ups on my feet (plus, I’m no longer scared to try lol!).
Prices / Membership Options
The pricing at Impetu works a little differently because it can all depend on you. For example, if you want to go 5 times per week instead of 3 times per week – it’s obviously going to cost more.
Here’s the pricing we were given:
If you want a trainer that speaks English, it’s going to cost about 10% more. Just add 10% of your chosen membership and that will be your total. If you can speak/understand Spanish, you won’t need to pay the extra 10%.
How To Book Your Membership
The best way to book your membership with Impetu is via WhatsApp and their number is +57 302 286 7234. They can speak English on WhatsApp but Spanish is usually preferred.
Smart Fit Medellin (Locations Everywhere)
Want your standard, familiar gym you can find in most countries?
SmartFit could be the gym for you! It’s a well-established gym that offers a big, spacious space with all you need to work out such as weights, exercise machines (treadmills, etc), group classes, locker rooms and more.
SmartFit has hundreds of locations all across Colombia, not just Medellin. This means that no matter where you travel across the country, you could have access to a gym. They are the leading Medellin gym because of their sheer volume of spaces available and their member prices are going to be some of the lowest you’ll see.
If you want value for money, you’ll find it at SmartFit!
Features & Amenities
SmartFit is your typical franchise gym in Colombia. Their gym space is very modern, clean and professional. When we had a look around, the equipment looked relatively updated and well-maintained for the amount of use they get.
Joining SmartFit but not sure what’s included?
Well, it all depends on the membership you decide to take and the location you will eventually attend. But here’s what you can expect from SmartFit:
- well-maintained exercise machines (treadmills, cross-trainer, rowers)
- group classes led by a trainer (eg. rumba, combat, shape)
- clean, big space/buildings
- mobile app to book classes, check in, etc
Not every SmartFit gym is the same which means the types of equipment and the size of the buildings will vary which is very normal for commercial gyms. For example, not all group classes take place in each location so you have to make sure you’re going to one that does.
Note: SmartFit is a very popular gym which means you will get big crowds of people. If you join this Medellin gym, you might need to strategically time your workouts because it does get busy and you might be wasting time waiting for equipment to become available.
Location
SmartFit has locations country-wide in Colombia. There are tons in Medellin alone, in most neighborhoods. You can easily find at least 2-3 in each popular area like Laureles or Poblado.
A lot of people choose to join SmartFit because of the convenience, they are literally everywhere – it’s hard to not live close to one. We found one that was always around 5-15 minutes walking from us.
If you plan to test out different neighborhoods in Medellin, it’s also a great option because you’ll have a gym no matter where you move.
Coaches
For your general workouts, you will be working out independently at SmartFit.
However, they do have personal trainers available if you decide you want to do that. If you attend a group class, there will be a head instructor teaching the class and it’s ultimately up to them how close they watch your form.
Prices / Membership Options
SmartFit is your typical commercial gym which means you’ll have to watch out for lock-in contracts and sign-up fees. Here are the prices and membership options at this Medellin gym:
Note: Inscripcion is like a sign-up fee. When you pay this, you usually don’t have to be locked in for 12 months. The inscripcion fee is about a month’s worth of gym so you should consider that too, although it’s honestly not much!
How To Book Your Membership
You can book your membership online, however, we highly recommend visiting a location first. You can go to any location of theirs and personally ask the staff about joining. We always prefer doing this before committing to a commercial gym! You don’t want to be surprised by hidden fees or anything of the sort.
BullBox Medellin (Laureles)
Are you a fan of CrossFit?
You’ll love BullBox Medellin! They have a great team of trainers and the community isn’t at all obnoxious. Just a bunch of people that love to work out hard!
This Medellin gym has classes throughout the day so you can choose a time that works well for you. The number of people is capped which means you will never have a crowded workout session.
If you love CrossFit and the culture that comes with it, you’ll feel right at home in BullBox MDE!
Features & Amenities
BullBox MDE is your typical CrossFit gym. They have all the equipment you need to conduct each WOD and there’s enough space for everyone to adequately do each exercise.
The workouts are varied which means you will never get bored. They change it up every so often which is perfect!
When you join BullBox MDE, you will be able to go once per day at the hour you book. They have quite a few classes throughout the day, obviously, the later classes (5pm onwards) are going to be the busiest time.
Location
BullBox MDE is located in the amazing neighborhood of Laureles, right in the heart of it. The space is pretty big and they also use the outdoor space to run which is a cool variation!
We were staying at a coliving in Medellin and our friends went to BullBox MDE. It was only about 5 minutes walking from our coliving space! I think I would’ve joined if I had known about it because they only said good things. They are also quite the CrossFit fanatics and believed it was great value for money.
Coaches
The trainers are friendly and genuinely care about improving your fitness goals. They will teach and correct you on your technique and form as needed.
The instructions are mainly in Spanish but they will later translate them into English for you which is very kind! The other members will also help out when they can, you won’t have any issues following the workout.
Prices / Membership Options
For their latest prices, you will have to message them. Their best contact number is +57 313 2910433. Unfortunately, they do not have a website which makes it hard to see all the membership options.
How To Book Your Membership
For this Medellin gym, the best way to book is to visit their location. They will be able to assist you and share all the prices/information you need!
You can also contact them to find out all the information at +57 313 2910433.
The Best Medellin Gym You’ll Find
Which is the best Medellin gym?
Well, it depends on the kind of workouts you’re looking to do! We enjoyed our personal training with Impetu because it felt so customized and we loved our trainer – Daniel! He helped us get our form right and he was so friendly throughout our time together.
If you want a simple commercial gym, SmartFit is the best option in Medellin. You can do your own workouts as you like and they are easily accessible wherever you live in the city.
Want something different? BullBox MDE is a great option for CrossFit lovers. They have great facilities, equipment and trainers to help you out.
Here’s the truth: there isn’t a shortage of gyms in Medellin for you to achieve your fitness goals as a digital nomad/remote worker. It’s easy enough to live a healthy lifestyle. We hope you found this guide helpful and get your workout routine in order!
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