Fitness isn’t magic, but great coaching comes close. Gym Force is built around gyms that teach true skills and create a long-term path toward mastery. The key is finding the real wizards of training and avoiding the fitness muggles
In the wizardly world of Harry Potter, a muggle is somebody who lacks magical abilities. Similarly, in the real world, a muggle is, by definition, a person who does not have a particular type of skill or knowledge.
At Gym Force, we also think that’s a useful way to look at the divide between two very different types of fitness professionals. On one side, you’ve got great coaches who have spent years, often decades, honing a craft. These are people with something close to a superpower. They teach skill progression and share valuable knowledge. They know it takes time and hard work. On the other side, you’ve got people who mean well, but they don’t really offer anything of real value. These are what I like to call "fitness muggles."
To be clear, this isn’t about belittling anyone. Fitness muggles are good people. They just aren't part of the conversation in the world of actual, measurable improvements in fitness.
Picture a fitness roundtable of sorts: a world-class weightlifting coach, a seasoned gymnast, a BJJ black belt, and a Level 4 CrossFit coach. And then, say, an Orangetheory trainer. One of them doesn't belong. Not in physical performance ability, and definitely not in terms of teaching something that is beneficial in the long term.
At Gym Force, we work with gyms and coaches that do more than just put people through a workout. They teach a craft. Whether it’s martial arts, CrossFit, or yoga, these disciplines are closer to magic than most people realize. Ask someone what it felt like the first time they sparred with a BJJ black belt. It’s like fighting a ghost underwater!
When it comes to CrossFit or functional fitness, not only is the physical ability of an elite CrossFitter otherworldly, but the real superpower may actually lie in the fact that even the most novice of beginners, over time, will learn everything required to set themselves up in building a foundation of fitness that will never again leave them without the knowledge and confidence to create their own training program and complementary diet to go with it.
Wizards create wizards. Coaches create coaches.
None of those experiences are possible without skill, patience, time, and yes, actually putting in the work. That’s the difference. That’s why not every gym can become part of the Gym Force network.
That is why we exist. To separate the wizards from the muggles.
Orangetheory and similar programs are built so that anyone who can walk through the door can complete the class, giving them the false notion that they're getting something out of participation. That’s not an accident; it’s the product and built into the marketing. That methodology doesn’t really change you. It's not entirely unhealthy, but it doesn’t push you toward anything lasting. There’s no skill progression, no competitive outlet and no true depth. Unless the goal itself is sweating with music on.
This is the path of the fitness muggles, not the wizards (coaches) of fitness.
Becoming a wizard in Harry Potter starts at Hogwarts. It’s the beginning of a lifelong process of learning and growth, and it's not easy. The same goes for martial arts, CrossFit, yoga, and gymnastics.
Gym Force doesn’t have a castle full of floating candles, but we do work with the kind of coaches who teach the closest thing we’ve got to real magic. It's also not a leap to assume that Harry Potter, Hermione, Ron, and Neville Longbottom will be friends forever. In fact, Hermione and Ron ended up getting married and having a few kids. Building these types of relationships is also common, and another powerful characteristic found at great gyms, not with online Peloton classes which are lead by virtual muggles.