In-home personal training vs a gym in Boulder

Short answer: A general Boulder gym or rec center membership costs about $72-90 a month, and coached studios run higher. In-home training with TrainBoulder is $200 a session, so it's the bigger spend. In return, we come to your home on your schedule with a plan built around you, and the sessions are typically one-on-one. If you already train well on your own, a gym is the better deal. If you have a home setup and want it to work, in-home training saves the drive and the guesswork.

What you're actually paying for

A gym sells you access to equipment. A trainer sells you a plan, a second set of eyes on your form, and someone who expects you to show up. Those are different things, so it helps to compare them honestly.

Here's what Boulder options cost when we checked in October 2026.

Sources: City of Boulder facility fees, ONE Boulder Fitness pricing page, and Uplift Boulder's website, all checked October 2026. A budget chain in nearby Louisville starts at $15 a month plus fees.

What a month with us costs

We don't sell packages. You book the number of sessions that fits your goals.

• 4 sessions a month: $800
• 8 sessions a month: $1,600
• 12 sessions a month: $2,400

If you train with us at least four times a month, in person or in live online sessions, you can add our hybrid program for $150 a month. We plan every workout for the days we're not there, in the app, with demo videos and a direct line to us for questions and form videos. It's month to month, with no contract.

Not ready for weekly sessions, or moving away? We also coach online through UltraLife. Custom Coaching builds an individual training and nutrition plan around your goal, usually three to six training days a week and sometimes two. It starts with a free strategy session, so apply and talk to us.

Choose a gym if

• You already know how to program your own training.
• You like training around other people, or you want group classes.
• You want a pool, courts, a sauna, or a big cardio floor.
• Keeping the monthly cost low matters most. A rec center membership is $72 a month for residents.

Choose in-home training if

• You have a home gym, or you're willing to set up a simple one. A pair of dumbbells and a bench is enough to start.
• Time is your tightest resource. There's no drive, no parking, and no waiting for a rack.
• You want a plan that progresses and a coach watching your form in every session.
• You're training for something specific: a race, a Hyrox, or a big mountain trip.
• You want the days between sessions planned too.

Who comes to your door

We're Mackie and Juliet Root, a married couple who coach together. We've been coaching since 2010, and each of us brings more than 20 years of strength and conditioning experience. Juliet co-owned and ran gyms in Philadelphia for more than a decade, where Mackie coached too. We've trained athletes, executives, and celebrity clients in New York City, and we teach cycling and strength classes in person in Boulder. We're board-certified nutrition coaches and ultra runners, and we've hiked the Alta Via 1 in the Dolomites and the Tour du Mont Blanc. We've coached clients to a Hyrox NYC age-group win and to the summit of Kilimanjaro.

In your home, a session looks like this. We warm you up for the day's work, coach the main strength lifts, add conditioning when your plan calls for it, and leave you with notes on what's next.

Over 50 and weighing your options? Read what to look for in a personal trainer over 50 in Boulder.