The Hard Way to Get in Shape: Hard Training Club

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HARD TRAINING CLUB (1726 Kalorama Road NW; 202-234-4273; Hardtrainingclub.com) isn't like other gyms. Instead of boasting about fancy name-brand equipment, founder Mark Schuler brags he has "a guy" who hand-welded the machines himself. Rather than tout a state-of-the-art entertainment system, Schuler stiffens up with pride when he declares, "We don't have any TVs." There are also no locker rooms, no group fitness studios and no membership staff.

So, what does it have "A family" says Schuler, who believes the fitness industry has taken a wrong turn in the past few years as health clubs have become more about pampering than pumping. With this small, two-story, "no frills" facility in Adams Morgan, he hopes to get back to the old days of weight training. The sort of amenities you can expect here are homemade medicine balls (made out of a basketball, sand, liquid nails and duct tape) and barbells. There's a rope to climb and a tire to hit with a sledgehammer. "You can bang stuff as much as you want. We're open-minded," Schuler says.

The cost for joining ($45 per month and up), while lower than many other gyms in the area, may still seem high. But Schuler says that's because the goal is to keep membership numbers limited. "You won't go nameless here," he promises. And after enough time with the Hard family, you won't go away feeling weak, either.