Dirty Water Fitness

Dirty Water Fitness is a woman-owned strength training gym in East Cambridge offering one-on-one personal training and small group personal training. It was started by four personal trainers who left big corporate gyms, frustrated by an industry they saw as driven by fear and profit. The gym aims to welcome people who feel intimidated or lost in a typical gym, giving each member a clear training plan, evidence-based workouts and modifications suited to their body and experience level.

The 3,000-square-foot space near the Lechmere T station has top-of-the-line strength and conditioning equipment, gender-neutral bathrooms, hydration stations and workout gear for sale. It says it is the only gym in Massachusetts using the Perch velocity-based training system, developed at MIT and used by NFL and NBA teams, which gives real-time feedback on lifting speed. Co-founder Joe Adelman, a UMass Boston exercise science graduate, holds CSCS, Precision Nutrition and USA Weightlifting coaching credentials.

What to Know

• Small group training is offered on plans of two, three or four days a week.
• New members can start with a four-week trial of small group training.
• Community events are a regular part of gym life.
• The gym is listed with the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce and the East Cambridge Business Association.