Weight Lifting for Every Woman

Lioness Fitness isn’t like other gyms you’ve been to.

First, we believe that bodies are amazing. All of them. Including yours, right now.

We want to show you what it can do, and then watch that knowledge change your life.

It doesn’t matter how fit you are or aren’t when you walk in this door. You’ll feel like a badass when we hand you a barbell, a kettlebell, or some battle ropes.

And you’ll quickly realize that if you can do hard things here, you can do hard things anywhere.

We turn gym-haters into gym-junkies. We talk and laugh through every single class.

We dare you to NOT have fun here, even if you’ve never enjoyed a second of exercise in your life.

We teach women to move their bodies the way they’re meant to move, keeping you injury-free and strong in all the right ways as you navigate your daily life.

(If you wanna be playing tennis with your girlfriends in your 80’s before your afternoon Old Fashioned, the time to prepare is NOW, girl.)

Want to lose weight? Cool. Don’t? Also cool. We don’t assume, and we don’t obsess about it (trust us: it only makes the process worse.)

What we want for you, most of all, is to move better and feel better (physically and mentally), so you can enjoy life better, both now and later.

We’ve done our research, and we know what many fitness professionals are just starting to recognize: that every woman on earth would benefit from lifting weights, regardless of goals, lifestyles, and limitations.

We are proud to be a gym that cares deeply about women and strives to give them what they need to be the most energetic, functional, confident possible versions of themselves.

Are you ready to join the pride?

What Women are Saying

I never enjoyed working out before I started going to Lioness sessions. Now I look forward to it. I’ve seen noticeable results in my body and overall well-being. I feel stronger. I find myself making healthier choices outside of classes that I wasn’t making before. The women in class are all very kind and supportive of each other. And the cherry on top is that I’ve lost 25 pounds since starting 9 months ago!

Erin

For the first time since having kids, I just feel good in my body. I feel strong. I feel capable of doing hard things. (I've also met new friends, which is an amazing bonus!)

Amanda

Favorite gym atmosphere thus far! I like the weightlifting, the supportive atmosphere, and the knowledgeable trainers. I’ve seen more physical results than ever before, and I feel so much stronger. I’ve also made some great friends!

Hayley

When I weight lift, I grunt. I breathe loudly. I try hard. That's all encouraged at Lioness. I feel welcome there. I feel stronger. I feel like I've fit working out back into my life's schedule. And I've made some friends, too!

Christine

I absolutely love going to class and really look forward to it. The "family" feel with the rest of the participants is the best. Everyone supports everyone, cheers each other on and pushes each other to do their best. It really is the very best fitness environment I've ever been part of. Kim and the other trainers are so welcoming, funny and non-intimidating - it's like working out with friends!

Nichol

It’s a very supportive environment where I don't feel like I'm competing with anyone but myself. I'm feeling stronger and more confident, which is really awesome after having just had a baby.

Tasha

I feel better about myself (physically & mentally) and I never realized how much I like to workout/hang out with other women going through similar things in life!

Heidi

I love the energy and supportiveness of the group workouts, and motivation from trainers. And after time, I was seeing and feeling results, which made me want to stick with it!

Aimee

I love that the classes are just for women, the class sizes are small and the trainer support is amazing!!I I feel much more confident (body image) and of course I’m stronger!

Lindsey

I'm stronger in places that I was weakest. I'm a strong runner but there are always parts of my body that could use a little more strength to support my lifestyle and running goals. I appreciate the focus on form while still pushing yourself, so you can minimize injuries and maximize results.

Julie

These classes helped my energy level and ability to run after my kiddos. They also helped me postpartum ease myself back into workouts without injuring myself.

Nichol

A full grocery cart feels lighter. Besides that, the group of women I work out with are fun and caring, and I feel more confident doing athletic activities.

Jessica

I love that women from all fitness levels can come and work out together! As an individual, you can tailor the workout to what you need. It feels awesome to feel yourself getting stronger. Also, girl power!

Kara

Body Positive + Judgment Free Environment

you’re safe here

Form First Lifting

mechanics + consistency = results

Prenatal/Postpartum Friendly Workouts

low to no impact exercises with modifications for healing cores and pelvic floors

Small Classes

Plenty of one-on-one support to keep you injury-free

Appropriate for ALL Levels

modify up or down with clear directions posted at each station

Friendship + Girl Power

come for the workouts, stay for the community

Female Fitness: Redefined

We believe that fitness has been underserving women for years. And we’re here to change that.

We’re tired of watching fitness programs work women into the ground, leaving them exhausted, injured, and ready to quit. (All current research clearly points to the fact that working smarter > harder.)

We’re tired of the assumption that all women are (or should be) trying to lose weight at all times. (Especially since all the fixation on weight loss is leading to less success in losing weight.)

We’re tired of watching fitness programs prey on postpartum moms during an unbelievably tender time in their lives, pushing the “pre-baby body” agenda rather than encouraging thoughtful, compassionate postpartum recovery.

And we’re just plain tired of watching the effects of all this pressure on our culture. All of the self-loathing and self-punishment is distracting us from being the strong, confident, compassionate LIONESSES we were meant to be. 

Join Us Online or In Person!

Meet Our Team

All Certified Personal Trainers and strong women!

Kelley Sinclair

Owner / Trainer

Raised by runners, Kelley learned the importance of movement and its positive effect on mind and body at a young age. She began pounding the pavement in college and ran half and full marathons in her mid-20s.

After the birth of her second child Kelley took a sabbatical from her first career in music education to pursue the role of stay-at-home-mom. Her desire for adult connection in a world of nap schedules and goldfish crackers led her to Kim. She needed something to shake up her workout routine, but strength training was always something she had avoided. Kim and her Lionesses changed all that. In fact, she loved it so much that she became an NASM certified personal trainer and joined the Lioness training team! She loves sharing her passion for building muscles and confidence with every Lioness!

Outside of the gym Kelley enjoys hiking with her partner and two kids, baking delicious treats, catching up with friends, and party planning.

Tessa

LIFT Trainer
Tessa is a dedicated personal trainer with a deep-rooted passion for health and wellness that has guided her journey from an early age. Her fascination with physical activity was ignited during high school, setting her toward a career in health and wellness.
Tessa received a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology and a certification as a personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Tessa honed her skills as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, where she inspired individuals to unlock their potential and achieve their fitness goals. She seamlessly transitioned into the public health field, contributing her expertise to this vital field while pursuing a Master of Public Health.
Currently excelling in public health, Tessa aspires to merge her twin passions – public health and fitness. Her vision revolves around fostering physical activity and holistic wellness within communities, making exercise an accessible and indispensable aspect of everyone’s lives. She firmly believes that the rewards of a healthy lifestyle should be accessible to all.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Tessa enjoys an active lifestyle, whether weightlifting at the gym or venturing into the great outdoors for biking, hiking, and rock climbing. You can also find her in quieter moments, where she finds solace in indulging in romance novels and sharing cozy moments with her two large dogs.

Jordann

LIFT Trainer & Yoga instructor!

Jordann is a Registered Yoga Teacher and Certified Health Coach with personal training and group fitness experience.

This summer, Jordann will celebrate her 6th year living in Madison, after moving from DeKalb, Illinois. She grew up in a small town (in the middle of nowhere, to be exact), where she was always active; and not just because there wasn’t much else to do! As a 3 sport athlete through high school, she quickly learned the importance of taking care of her body, both on and off the court/field. A back injury ended her sports career, but brought her to the yoga mat, where she decided to stay.

Jordann’s passion is making fitness and exercise accessible to all. She teaches adaptive yoga classes for adults with disabilities, provides one-on-one yoga sessions to autistic children, and leads a rowdy group of seniors through chair exercise each week. She’s seen the joy that movement can bring to others, and she works to ensure that each client is able to participate and push themselves to achieve something new.

When she’s not working, Jordann can be found hiking around Madison, paddle boarding until she becomes motion sick, running around after her puppy, or climbing into bed at 8:00 pm with a book. She enjoys brunch (although her friends argue that it’s actually just breakfast if you eat before 9:00 am), an extra dirty martini, and riding her e-bike to bar league volleyball.

Evie

Virtual Assistant/Guest Trainer/Forever Lioness

Evie loves introducing people to the joy of movement, and helping them learn what their bodies can do. After trying a wide range of different sports and activities growing up, Evie began to get more and more interested in learning the hows and whys of what she was doing, which led to becoming an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. In addition to traditional weightlifting, Evie’s workouts often include TRX, kettlebells, and joint health for injury prevention. With a particular focus on functional body mechanics and sustainable exercise habits, after a class she wants participants to feel good, challenged and excited to move. Outside of fitness, Evie is usually cooking, reading, or trying to keep her houseplants alive.