The Washington gym built for women

strongher is a small, women-only studio in Washington, Tyne & Wear. Beginners are the norm, the coaching is hands-on, and nobody expects you to know what you're doing on day one.

Book a free look around See the classes
  • No joining fee
  • Cancel any time
  • Free Pilates every Sunday
A group of strongher members standing together outside the pink strongher shopfront in Washington, with a coffee van parked beside them.

Looking for a gym in Washington?

If the thought of a huge, busy floor full of machines makes your heart sink, you're in the right place. strongher is one calm room, coaches who show you everything, and a lot of women who started exactly where you are now.

Why we're women only

Being a women-only gym isn't a gimmick. It changes the whole feel of the place. You can try a new lift without wondering who's watching, ask a question without feeling daft, and wear whatever you're comfortable in.

If you've never trained before, or joined a big gym and quietly stopped going, you're exactly who the studio was built for. Read why we started on our about page.

  • Nobody watching you

    Every member, every class, every session is women only.

  • Questions are welcome

    Coaches explain each movement before you do it.

  • Every level, every class

    Take anything up or down to suit the day you're having.

A small group of women doing barbell back squats on mats during a coached class at strongher in Washington.
A Washington strength class, all levels in one room.

Personal training in Washington, in a small group

If you've been looking for a personal trainer in Washington, small-group PT is the place to start. Here's what the main classes look like. The full list and the live timetable are on the classes page.

strongher Small Group PT

Coached strength training in a small group, with your own programme and someone watching your technique the whole way through. The closest thing to personal training without the personal training price.

  • Small group
  • Coached throughout

Lift Club

Barbell and dumbbell work, taught from the ground up. If you have never lifted before, this is where you learn how, with weights that start where you start.

  • Strength
  • Beginners taught from scratch

Sculpt

Resistance work for the whole body using lighter weights and higher reps. Muscular, controlled and a lot less daunting than it sounds.

  • Resistance
  • All levels
A strongher coach standing over a member and spotting her barbell bench press in the rack.
A coach spotting a bench press, so you're never lifting alone.
Squats, coached rep by rep.
A member lying on a mat by the studio mirror, pressing two dumbbells above her chest.
Dumbbell floor press, a favourite first lift.

Pilates in Washington, mat and reformer

Not everyone wants to start with a barbell, and you don't have to. Our Pilates classes are controlled, low impact work on core strength, posture and mobility. No jumping, no rush, and one of the gentlest ways into the studio.

We teach both mat Pilates and reformer Pilates in Washington, so you can try the floor first and move onto the reformer when you're ready, or mix the two in with your strength work. There's also free Pilates every Sunday.

A coach demonstrating a move at the front of a reformer Pilates class at strongher. A full mat Pilates class of women lying on mats with their legs raised on the wooden studio floor.

Real results from real members

No filters and no dramatic transformation shots. Just one member's working weights, written on letter boards when she started and again later on.

  • Bench press10kg → 25kg
  • Squats8kg → 40kg
  • Hip thrusts15kg → 50kg

Small, steady jumps, with someone checking your form every time the weight goes up. More on strength training for beginners on the blog.

A strongher member holding before and after letter boards showing her bench press, squat and hip thrust weights going up.
Before and after, on her own letter boards.

Getting started, in three steps

There's no joining fee and you can cancel any time, so there's very little to lose.

  1. Book a free look around

    Use the form below, or email strongherstudiosgym@gmail.com. Say as much or as little as you like.

  2. Come and see the studio

    Someone will walk you round, show you the kit and answer every question, however small.

  3. Choose what suits you

    Have a look at the prices in your own time. No pressure to sign up on the day.

Right in the middle of everything

Washington sits between Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead and Chester-le-Street, which makes the studio easy to reach from all four. Whether you live in Washington itself or just down the road, it's never far.

We don't stay indoors all the time, either. Our women's run club, run with Love Lily, heads out at Herrington Country Park near Penshaw Monument, and the events page lists everything from puppy Pilates and Pilates & Pumpkins to our Christmas social and strength competitions.

Coming from further north? Here's why women travel from Newcastle. Or if you just searched for a women's gym near me, start there.

Two strongher run club members smiling in their running kit with Penshaw Monument on the hill behind them.
Run club, with Penshaw Monument behind.

Washington gym questions

The things women most often ask us before their first visit.

Is strongher really a women-only gym?

Yes. Every member, every class and every session. It's the whole studio, not a ladies' corner in a bigger gym.

I've never been to a gym. Can I still join?

Absolutely. Beginners are the norm here. Lift Club teaches lifting from scratch, Pilates is a gentle way in, and every class has options.

Do you offer personal training in Washington?

We offer strongher Small Group PT: your own programme, coached in a small group, with someone watching your technique the whole way through. It's the closest thing to personal training without the personal training price.

Can I do reformer Pilates in Washington with you?

Yes, we run both mat and reformer Pilates. Check the classes page for the live timetable, and ask us about the free Pilates we run every Sunday.

Is there a joining fee or a long contract?

There's no joining fee and you can cancel any time. You'll find every membership option on the pricing page.

How do I book a free look around?

Fill in the form below or email strongherstudiosgym@gmail.com, and we'll find a time that suits you.

Come and see us in Washington

Book a free look around, ask about a class, or just tell us you're nervous. Plenty of women do. We'll come back to you ourselves.

We'll only use your details to reply. No mailing list unless you ask.