The Barbell Compound

My previous gym closed and I was left to find a new gym. I was referred to Barbell Compound, i reached out to the owner and he provided me with a tour. I fell in love with this gym. This is a real gym. If you are looking for a place took take selfies and bullshit, please do not come here. This is a real gym with real athletes that come here to get the job done and train. Each room is broken up by muscle group which I love. Its huge space and super clean and Matt goes above and beyond to make sure each client is taken care of. Let me be clear this is for the experienced member who trains and knows what they are doing. Matt thank you for bringing a real gym to Chicago!! The membership is month to month bases and no contracts or BS to deal with.

This has to be the best gym in Chicago that I've ever experienced. Right as you walk through the door they have generation iron playing. And when I fill up my water bottle they have pumping iron playing above the water fountain. The walls are covered in famous quotes and motivational phrases that made me want to work harder and harder during my workout. Definitely getting a membership here.

My old gym was one of those corporate, sign off the highway types. It had lots of men with gelled up hair and tribal tattoos and trainers that only bothered with you if you paid a hefty sum to hear about protein shakes. This gym was not for me especially since it only had 1 squat rack and a red-headed man would always be there doing curls while the rest of us waited patiently to do squats. My flat Mexican butt will never get anywhere if I can't do squats in the squat rack.

After some searching, I found CSF. This is one of those gyms where if you just want to go in and actually work out, you can. In fact, they recommend that you work out instead of stand by the mirrors and flex while 20 friends around you comment on your awesomeness.

Instead, CSF has all the weight lifting materials and squat racks a girl could dream of. There's tubs of chalk to make my hands happy, a giant tire that I will one day be able to flip over, and a mysterious Russian man who can deadlift a million pounds while conducting a symphony of kittens. There are bench presses and rows of weights just waiting to be picked up.

I like CSF because as a girl that does not look like Kristin Clever, I can go there and still feel welcomed. There's enough writing on the wall to make a thousand tumblr gif's for motivation and now they've added yoga. It does not have a fancy sauna or girls in midriff tops but the owner isn't bad looking so I guess if you want eye-candy, go during the day.

And finally, CSF does not play Nickelback. If I never have to listen to another gym play terrible music, I'd rent the space under the monolift as an apartment and live there.

Amazing gym with amazing people. We need more places like this. Highly recommended.

This gym is my second home. I have been a member since October and have never been more motivated or inspired to keep coming back. If you are debating on whether or not to check it out, you should stop thinking about it and just come in. Membership is on a monthly basis and you can cancel anytime (though you won't want to).

Matt, the owner, is also one of the personal trainers in the gym. I've been training with him ever since I joined, and I've even increased the amount of sessions I have with him per week. He has me doing a variety of different exercises: bodyweight, bands, kettlebells, sledgehammers, tires, yokes, sleds. You name it, he's had me try it or it hasn't been warm enough outside for me to do it. I keep track of every session, and it's so hard to recreate my calorie burn and general bad-assery feeling because Matt's energy is just awesome every time. I think he has a computer for a brain because I can't fathom how he remembers all the weights I can lift (as well as everybody else he trains). As I get fitter, I'm actually starting to burn more calories per session. I hit 550 calories in 45 minutes today - and this is a consistent kind of calorie burn that I can only get when training with Matt.

He's also a great gym owner - the gym is constantly evolving to make its members happy. He knows everyone by name, he's in the gym more often than he's not, and he's just a very welcoming person. He adapts to everyone's personality and I have yet to see one person unhappy in this gym.

As for other people in this gym, I haven't met them all, but I know the regulars who come in while I'm training. You might think they're meatheads - but I know for a fact that they are not. They are just people who come to lift big and work hard and sometimes they'll grunt while they're doing it. It's not a problem (Planet Fitness) and not everyone does it.

As for the gym itself, you can't understand it until you see it (and you SHOULD). There are machines for every body part, squat racks, power racks, benches, dumbbells, kettlebells, boxing bags, and pretty much anything else you may need. The only caveat is that you need to remember that this is a TRAINING gym - there is a small amount of cardio machines (no treadmills - one of the recent upgrades. Yes, upgrades) and a heavy emphasis on weights. There are great motivational quotes spray painted all over the gym, including my favorite "don't hate on my success like we don't have the same 24 hours". There are photos of bodybuilders through the years, as well as some Marilyn Monroe. Matt works hard to make sure that motivation is available in all kinds of ways. "Pumping Iron" plays on the TV 24/7, and how can you go wrong with Arnie??

However, it's understandable that it might be intimidating to some people. I assure you, though, that we are all nice people who look out for each other. If you're confused, asking for help isn't a big deal. In fact, if our favorite Russian powerlifter is in the gym, he'll just come over and help you anyway, also asking if you've deadlifted before and then he'll want to introduce you to it immediately. He's one of my favorite people in the gym, and pretty much a staple. My powerlifting buddies are pretty amazing as well.

I've run out of adjectives for "amazing", so I'll end as concisely as possible. Chicago Style Fitness cannot compare to other gyms because it offers what they don't - a place to do real training, with a real free-of-judgment zone. That's why this is my second home and why I always have a gym bag packed in my car. There is a lot of respect that goes around in this gym, and to cheer on a complete stranger deadlifting 600 something pounds is normal. It's who we are.

Cancelled my membership back in August. Don't really get why they still have me on the auto payroll. Will be contacting my credit card company to report them as fraudulent transactions.

Matthew J Roeske, owner of this gym, owes Sam Legg money! He paid you one year in advance for gym membership, then you close the place within a few months! You need to return his gym membership money!! I'm going to make it my job to put your name and what you've done, out on blast, on every social media available! You have no right stealing someone else's hard earned money!!

You come here to do work! All the equipment you ever need. Nothing like your typical fluff gym. Great atmosphere but is lacking some in cardio equipment.

Not your typical gym.

Planet Fitness says they don't judge you. They will probably give you a checklist of exercises to do and may have an unqualified person show you how to use a machine. You will end up walking on a treadmill not even exerting yourself and soon you will be depressed and quit because of lack of results. You won't cancel your membership because you would feel guilty.

The owner lists several qualifications, certifications and licenses he holds as a personal trainer. He will not walk next to you on a treadmill telling you things you want to hear. He will asses you on a personal basis and give quality guidance.

They will have you doing things you didn't think were possible. Ever see a lady flip over a tractor tire?? I am not talking some elite athlete, just a run of the mill NW side housewife. Neither did I until I joined CSF.

The other day I saw a young guy with arms the size of my head get pushed to utter exhaustion by a trainer. This is not one size fits all training.

Gyms love new years resolutioners because they come and pay the bills. You sign up and they toss you in the deep end where most will sink to the bottom.

CSF will put you on the road to success. I am pretty sure they offer a free training session so you can try it on for size. They have a private studio for one on one training too.

The weight area is a masterpiece in progress. The equipment is laid out in a logical order. There are more squat racks than curl bars if that helps paint a picture on how serious this place is.

Now that gyms are becoming rooms full of treadmills the serious lifters are being displaced, lucky for them CSF is a welcome new home.
Legitimate world class lifters train at CSF. Ever see a 61 year old man deadlift 600 pounds? You will at CSF.

Not only that but they are quick to offer tips even for a novice like myself. No pushy trainers trying to make a quick buck, if you want to get trained great if not then that's fine too.

They offer classes like Yoga and martial arts if you are looking for those sort of things.

It is definitely worth stopping in and checking out. There is no joining fee (at the moment at least) and no contracts.

Great for working out if you like loud-uncencored music.