You've Already Earned
Your Spot.
Firefighters. New parents. Rugby players. People who haven't touched a barbell in a decade. The whiteboard has your name on it. The coffee's already on.
Every Question You've Been Too Nervous to Ask
Real questions. Real answers. No gym-bro posturing.
Tap any card to hear exactly what a Forge coach would tell you — and meet the member who asked first.
"Will I be the weakest person there?"
Probably not — but even if you are, nobody's watching. Forge runs on a simple rule: compete with yesterday's version of yourself. We've had national-level powerlifters train next to people who had never touched a barbell. The only thing they had in common was showing up. Your first session is just about learning the movements and meeting your coach.
"What if I haven't exercised in years?"
That's exactly who we built this program for. Every new member starts with a 30-minute movement screen so your coach knows what you can and can't do that day. We scale every workout — the barbell might be empty, and that's fine. You'll be sore. You'll come back.
"Do I need my own belt?"
No. We have a full rack of belts, straps, knee sleeves, and lifting shoes in sizes 6–15. Bring yourself and a water bottle. Once you've been training for six months and you know what you actually need, then we'll talk gear.
"Is this safe postpartum?"
Yes — with proper clearance. We have two coaches with pre- and post-natal certifications. Before your first session we'll ask about your clearance date and any symptoms. We won't load the barbell until your core and pelvic floor are ready for it. Rebuilding from the inside out takes longer than six weeks. We know that.
"I work shifts. Can I still commit?"
We run sessions at 6am, 9am, 12pm, and 5:30pm Monday through Saturday. Members who work rotating shifts drop in when their schedule allows — there's no penalty for missing a week. Your programming is logged and your coach picks up where you left off.
"What's the vibe actually like?"
Chalk dust. Iron. Bad playlist arguments. Someone will bring donuts on a Saturday and everyone will pretend they didn't notice. We have firefighters, nurses, teachers, a retired jockey, and a 68-year-old who out-squats most of the room. It's a warehouse, not a showroom. People sweat and grunt and ask each other for spots.
What actually happens
A session at Forge. Start to finish.
Every session is 60 minutes. No waiting. No guessing what to do next. Your coach has it written on the board before you walk in.
Warm-up
Movement prep, mobility work, and a quick coach check-in. This is where you mention the knee.
Strength Work
The main lift — squat, deadlift, press, or Olympic. Coached, logged, progressed every session.
Conditioning
Short, purposeful — not just cardio punishment. Scaled to your capacity that day.
Cool-down & Log
You write your numbers on the whiteboard. Your coach writes the feedback. You remember this.
The team
Coaches who've been where you are.
Ryan Castellano
Head Coach & Founder
Former D1 strength coach. Built Forge after watching too many people quit gyms that made them feel like outsiders.
Simone Adeyemi
Strength & Rehab Coach
Specialises in return-to-sport and postpartum programming. Has coached two fire departments through department fitness standards.
Tomás Ferreira
Olympic Lifting Coach
Competed nationally in weightlifting for seven years. Now coaches rugby clubs on in-season strength retention.
The only question left
When are you coming in?
You've read the answers. You know the coaches. The whiteboard has a spot with your name on it. The coffee's already on.