Hardcore Training Facility
Arlington, TX · The Original Since 1987
Not a franchise. Not a chain. The place where it all started and where it still happens every day.
Locations
19 locations across the US and Japan. Each one built on the same standard.
Reviews
Real reviews from Google and Facebook.
“This place will literally change your life. The energy, the people, the equipment, it's everything a real gym should be.”
Arlington, TX
“There isn't any gym around that can replicate the hardcore no-BS atmosphere that you get the second you walk through the doors. Words cannot describe how inspiring and motivating this place is.”
Arlington, TX
“Staff was very welcoming and treated me like family. You even get the opportunity to place your name on the wall in front of where Ronnie did his famous 800lb squats.”
Arlington, TX
“The gym equipment is leaps and bounds above the gym norm, and the vibe is immaculate for any lifter.”
Oceanside, CA
“Both indoor and outdoor you won't find some of the unique and strongman training equipment anywhere else in the Inland Empire.”
Murrieta, CA
“The commitment to cleanliness is evident throughout the facility, with impeccably maintained bathrooms and workout areas.”
Tampa, FL
“The atmosphere makes me want to hit it harder than I have anywhere else! Real iron, real people, real results.”
Arlington, TX
“A great gym, different atmosphere than your typical gym, everybody is putting in work. Trainers are amazing and affordable.”
Fort Worth, TX
“More than just the best bodybuilding gym in north county. It's a space of community with top-tier equipment and people, always welcoming to all levels of fitness goers.”
Oceanside, CA
MetroFlex Apparel
The iron. The legacy. The look. MetroFlex Apparel is coming.
Tees, hoodies, and shorts forged from the same standard as our gyms. Built for lifters who carry the MetroFlex name.
FAQ
Memberships are $50 per month and day passes are $25. Contact your nearest MetroFlex for any location-specific details.
Ronnie Coleman was a police officer when he first walked in. Branch Warren couldn't afford the door fee. Every level is welcome here. What matters is that you show up and put in the work.
Most MetroFlex locations offer personal training with coaches experienced in bodybuilding, powerlifting, competition prep, physique transformation, and nutrition planning. Contact your local MetroFlex for trainer availability and consultation.
MetroFlex gyms feature barbells, heavy dumbbells, competition-grade benches, squat racks, deadlift platforms, cable stations, and specialty equipment built for serious training. Many locations also feature strongman equipment and outdoor training areas.
MetroFlex has 19 locations across the US and Japan — 17 US locations (in Texas, California, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) and 2 Japan locations (Soka City and Chiba). Visit our Locations page to find the nearest gym.
MetroFlex is the only gym brand in history built on 8 Mr. Olympia titles. The equipment, the environment, and the standard of training are not available anywhere else. This is where champions are made.
The gym where it all started. Where Ronnie Coleman trained for all 8 of his Mr. Olympia titles.
MetroFlex Gym Arlington
2921 S. Cooper St. #109
Arlington, TX 76015
Mon to Fri: 8am to midnight
Sat to Sun: 10am to 6pm
Hours may vary. Contact us to confirm.
Membership, training, or general inquiries.
402lb bench · 705lb squat · 700lb deadlift · Founded 1987
Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but don't nobody want to lift no heavy-ass weights.
— Ronnie Coleman
Founder & Owner
Born in Detroit, Michigan. National-level bodybuilder and powerlifter with a 402lb bench, 705lb squat, and 700lb deadlift. Founded MetroFlex in 1987 to build a training culture for serious lifters. Discovered Ronnie Coleman working as a cop and offered him a free lifetime membership on one condition: let Brian train him for competition. The rest is history.
Training philosophy: “Explosive lifting on basic movements with heavy weight, followed by stricter, more concentrated movements with lighter weight.”
The homeless outreach that Brian and MetroFlex members started in Fort Worth is still going strong, now carried forward by Open Door Church. His faith drives everything, from how he treats members to why MetroFlex has always been more than a gym.
Brian Dobson founds MetroFlex Gym in Arlington, TX
Ronnie Coleman wins the heavyweight and overall titles at Mr. Texas in his first show
Coleman wins first of 8 consecutive Mr. Olympia titles
Coleman scores a perfect 300 at Mr. Olympia for the third consecutive year
"The Cost of Redemption" filmed: 800lb squat for two reps, 2,300lb leg press
Coleman wins 8th Olympia, tying Lee Haney's all-time record
Branch Warren wins first Arnold Classic title
Benedikt Magnusson pulls 1,015 lb raw deadlift world record at the Ronnie Coleman Classic
Peter Edgette becomes youngest person to bench 600 lbs raw at the MetroFlex Wild Game Feast
John Haack sets 90kg all-time world record total (2,055 lbs) at MetroFlex Powermania
Danny Grigsby (1,030.7 lb deadlift) and Joe Sullivan (850.9 lb squat) set all-time world records at MetroFlex Battle for the Yard, Murrieta CA
MetroFlex Gym Japan opens in Saitama, the first international location
MetroFlex Japan expands to nationwide licensing agreement
MetroFlex grows to 19 locations across the US and Japan
“I saw this cop walk in and I knew right away, this guy had the genetics to be Mr. Olympia.”
— Brian Dobson
“I snuck in the back door because I couldn't afford a membership. This gym changed my life.”
— Branch Warren
“Ain't nothin' but a peanut.”
— Ronnie Coleman
The Blog
Training insight, legacy stories, and what’s happening across the network.
The DFW area built more IFBB Pro champions than any other city in America. Here's where the real work happens.
Arlington has options, but only one gym produced 8 Mr. Olympia titles. Here's what serious lifters need to know about training in Arlington, Texas.
Ronnie Coleman trained at MetroFlex Arlington for all 8 consecutive Mr. Olympia wins. Here's how he did it.