I loved Elevate. Some ppl there are truly athletes and I am not, but they had great workouts. I felt welcome even tho I wasn’t nearly as good of shape as others. Kicked my butt in a really good way and I felt very strong. But the pandemic hit and I had a baby and I haven’t been back sadly.

I'm 40+ and joined Madabolic for strength training. It's been life changing.

OrangeTheory! It's the only workout I've ever loved. Strength training is at least 1/3 of every class and the classes are different every day. There are many of them all over DC and nationally.

It sounds like you are looking for a place like StarFit Studio (https://starfitstudio.com/), which is a class-based strength training studio for women. Unfortunately, they only have locations in Arlington, Vienna, and Alexandria, but maybe on a weekend the Alexandria location would be worth driving to? The community is the best part of it -- women of all ages, but mostly 40+, and all different fitness levels.

Jade fitness is pretty close to SW.

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a 40+ strength training group. That is all.

Same! I used to live in a town that had a gym for just women. And also strength training classes just for women. It was awesome! Women of all ages, but it was a good environment. I used to take them all the time.

I’m with OP. I don’t need/want a trainer. Tired of doing it at home. Want the camaraderie of a class, want the guidance of a teacher and don’t want to join a gym.

Anonymous wrote:F45

This. They have dedicated strength classes 3 times a week (Tu/Th and Sunday). Our studio has a wide range of age groups. From 20 somethings to 60+. I've been going for 2 years and love it.

F45

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a 40+ strength training group. That is all.

If you you know a thing or two about lifting and/or have worked with a trainer in the past I highly recommend https://www.sfinnercircle.com/

There is an app to follow with workouts that have a 3 or 4 day a week lifting options. A new program comes out every month. There are videos for all exercises and he explains lifts well with good cues.

Anonymous wrote:I'm so terrified of signing up for any gym. Bally total Fitness told me that I have to die to get out of the contract. They promised to ruin my credit also. Luckily a one way ticket to another continent convinced them to let me go, but it was month of fighting.
All seem so sketchy and now I simply have weights at home.

That reminds me of the Friends episode when Ross can't manage to get out of his gym contract, so he brings Chandler with him to make sure he stays strong and cancels. They get home both defeated because not only did Ross not quit the gym, but Chandler left with a new membership.

OrangeTheory would probably work too, plus now it has 50 minute strength-only and 50 minute cardio-only classes. The strength-only a couple of times a week would work.

Any Crossfit gym. You are their demographic. Works for me (43M) and my wife (42).

I'm so terrified of signing up for any gym. Bally total Fitness told me that I have to die to get out of the contract. They promised to ruin my credit also. Luckily a one way ticket to another continent convinced them to let me go, but it was month of fighting.
All seem so sketchy and now I simply have weights at home.

I'm pp, and I mean a 40+ class for women.