Functional Fitness Bristol

Fantastic experience: I really like my training sessions here. Rich is a great coach who succeeds at progressing my ability in the gym incrementally. I find my time there challenging and rewarding. I am learning all the time (rather than simply bashing out a work out). It’s a small gym that works well.

Fantastic experience: I've been training at Functional Fitness for around 7 months now. Joel is an excellent coach: knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. His PT sessions are bespoke and targetted towards my goals. I've been thrilled by the progress that I've made so far (much more rapid than when I was training by myself), and am excited to see how I'll continue to progress into the future.

Fantastic experience: I would highly recommend Functional Fitness. Both Joel and Rich who own the gym are very friendly and approachable. They have a great mix of classes and personal training on offer with optional social activities on some weekends.

Fantastic experience: Exactly what I was looking for. Cardio, strength, calisthenics and stretching workouts focussed on good form. Rich and Joel are very knowledgeable about functional movement and correct technique. They demo exercises before sessions begin and give feedback on your form throughout the session. Having only moved to Bristol a month ago, I'm so glad to have found a gym like this. They also put on monthly adventure days which is such a fun way of getting everyone together. Can't recommend this place enough!

Fantastic experience: Been going to the gym for a few years now. Joel and Rich provide a great selection of classes and excellent coaching. My fitness, strength and calisthenics ability has grown significantly throughout the time and despite moving house out of Bristol I still make an effort to come here because I just haven't found anything to match what they can

Fantastic experience: I've been going for PT training sessions with Rich for 2 years. In that time my strength and flexibility have improved immensely - I feel fitter in my 40s than I have done for decades and am amazed at what I can achieve now. I've had various recurring back and knee pain issues which have improved through targeted exercises so I can move more confidently without pain in daily life, and Rich's knowledge of physiology, movement and taking the time to get to know what works for me has been a huge part of that. Rich and Joel are approachable, encouraging, challenge you when you are ready, and this is probably the longest I've stuck with any gym or programme because of that. I always walk out of the studio feeling better than when I went in.

Fantastic experience: Couldn’t recommend Joel and Rich enough. Really welcoming and friendly gym with supportive coaches who genuinely care about fitness and nutrition.

Fantastic experience: Joel is an awesome coach man. He took me from down here to up there.... literally. He helped me through some muscle imbalances and within 6 months I was doing bar and ring muscle ups and handstands consistently. He's a good man for the chats and his classes are always a good balance of humour and intensity. A real community with good people.

Fantastic experience: Rich and Joel are fantastic coaches. Their classes are fun and social and effective. One of the warm-up routines has become my go-to even when I'm working out by myself.

Fantastic experience: Really nice trainer, brilliant atmosphere, engaging and helpful class.

Fantastic experience: The guys here are amazing and offer some of the best coaching and training in Bristol

Fantastic experience: Fab gym, really personal service and friendly team.

Fantastic experience: Excellent service and people skills. Exercise made fun and adapted to your physical needs.

Fantastic experience: Friendly, relaxed and welcoming to all levels of fitness. The trainers know what they are taking about and are passionate about helping people become healthier, stronger and fitter.

Fantastic experience: Rich quite possibly saved my life by helping me escape a black Rhino charge. I have just go back from a hiking trip in Namibia that Rich had been helping me train for. His training helped me enormously, giving me what seemed to the rest of the group abnormal amounts of energy. At one point in the trip we came upon a black Rhino that then charged us. Having two tons of prehistoric monster charging at us at 40mph was daunting to say the least, by the time we noticed it was charging us, there were mere metres between us. I had to throw myself out of its path while wearing a full backpack. There is no doubt in my mind that the training of squats sit drops, and walk sits amongst other things that Rich had me doing in my training definitely helped me here! Both Rich and Joel are amazingly friendly and extremely knowledgable about fitness and the correct way to train. It is more expensive using a personal trainer than just training yourself, but they get you doing excercises right, they motivate you and drive you to push harder than you ever would on your own. I would highly recommend these guys to anyone who would consider that having a better level of fitness would be a good idea. They might just help save your life.

Fantastic experience: We attended the Natural Movment class in Ashton Court, which was brilliant. The class was unusual and creative, delivered in a natural setting. The instructors were good fun and knew there stuff. I would highly recommend.

Fantastic experience: My pt sessions with Oli were excellent! I needed help building muscle strength in my leg after a knee ligament injury and Oli worked out a really good training plan which I can now do at home. Really supportive and very communicative. I would highly recommend Oli and the functional fitness team

Fantastic experience: Joel and Rich are really terrific. They are fun and accommodating while putting together a challenging programme, which gets results. Despite my ridiculous work schedule, I have made huge gains, recovered some of my previous fitness and now have a comfortable maintenance programme. Their dedication to their clients, ability to keep it interesting, and customer service set them apart. The only reason I wouldn't recommend them is to make sure I keep my preferred training times.

Fantastic experience: The Stress Breaker sessions are excellent. They are held in Queens square and tend to follow a similar format each week. We stretch, have a bit of a laugh, do the main exercises then warm down. Each week the exercises are different - after 6 months I'm yet to do the same one twice! One thing is consistent though - and that is that they are suitable for everyone. If you're feeling fit, you can push yourself harder and they can subtly adjust them to make it more difficult, or if you're not feeling so fit, then they can reduce it down to something that you can do. Rich and Joel are very relaxed, friendly and knowledgeable and keep the sessions enjoyable and varied. I genuinely feel better afterwards and I'd encourage everyone to give it a go.

Fantastic experience: I have been training with Rich and Joel for nearly 2 years and in that time it has completely changed the way I train and not least my fitness and body shape. I am stronger and fitter than I have ever been due to the functional nature of the training. The bootcamps are always full of variety making exercise fun as well as challenging. Their knowledge of physiology is impressive and Rich working with my physio successful resolved a long standing shoulder injury through focused and tailored exercise. Would wholeheartedly recommend Functional Fitness Bristol.

Fantastic experience: My experience is with the twice weekly bootcamp and kettlebell classes. Richard and Joel are great motivators, their sessions are challenging and enjoyable. The activities are able to be undertaken at various levels to challenge all abilities. I discovered Functional fitness two years ago and in all that time they have never repeated a bootcamp. My fitness level has increased and for the first time I am enjoying exercise.

Fantastic experience: I had always tended to avoid gym or group classes and was content content with my own fitness regime. But I decided to take the kettlebell classes at Functional Fitness Bristol to try to counteract the hours spent behind a desk as a PhD student - and I can't recommend these guys enough. Joel and Rich manage to strike the ideal balance between creating a friendly atmosphere and yet still pushing everyone to improve their strength and technique. I have since come to realise the benefits of being properly coached through the different techniques by qualified professionals as my overall strength and power has improved massively. The last couple of months I have also been attending their "Natural Movement Training" where I have been coached to jump higher, sprint faster, climb walls, and more!

Fantastic experience: I contacted Functional Fitness in March 2015 after coming to the realisation that I needed to change not just my fitness programme, but also my general lifestyle. After years of gym membership and undirected exercise, I finally bit the bullet and engaged the professionals. Now, 5 months on, I cannot recommend Rich and Joel highly enough. Under their direction I have lost body fat, built muscle and can exercise harder and for longer than I ever have in the past. Most importantly of all, I now feel confident in myself and look forward to pushing my body to its limits - whether that is in my own personal workouts or in competitive sport. Supportive, motivational and inspirational, I cannot recommend these guys highly enough. Whatever the future throws at me, I am better able to face it thanks to my time training with Functional Fitness.