Dumbbells Direct · Independent gym guide
Explore strength gyms in Phoenix.
A researched guide to independent gyms, lifting equipment and visitor access.
In Phoenix, everybody drives, and the strength gyms worth the drive sit on the east and south sides of the city: on 24th Street, on South 36th Place and out on Ray Road in Ahwatukee. Two of the three are set up for strongman as much as for powerlifting. A lot of the Valley's best barbell rooms run privately, by appointment or with a waitlist, so we kept to gyms where a visitor can actually get in. All three offer 24-hour access, which earns its keep in summer, when a midday session is the last thing anyone wants.
ATP Gym
ATP has more than 11,000 sq ft to work with: calibrated plates, combo racks and a monolift for the power lifts, and IWF bars and platforms for the Olympic ones. The strongman kit runs to Atlas stones, logs and yokes, and the coaches host Strongman Saturdays.
Members train 24/7, and day and week passes are available for visitors.
Website: atpgymaz.com
Omega Strong Gym
Omega Strong describes itself as a non-commercial gym, and the equipment backs that up: kilo plates, combo racks, deadlift platforms and specialty bars.
Members have 24-hour access. Day passes are requested through a form on the gym's site, two to four hours before you want to train.
Website: omegastronggym.com
Liberty Performance Training
Liberty calls itself a private performance facility, and it works that way: your first visit is by appointment, and after that you get 24-hour access. The floor carries powerlifting and strongman equipment, and the coaching side covers personal training and athletic development. Day and week passes are there for lifters passing through.
Website: libertyperformancetraining.com
Prefer to train at home?
Not every session needs a monolift. For the days in between, a few pairs of dumbbells cover a lot of ground: build your own setup with individual dumbbells you add to over time, or train with fixed barbells for curls, presses and rows.
Back to: Best Gyms in the United States