From Backyard Garage to Vancouver's Elite Training Ground
Look, I'm not gonna feed you some polished corporate story. Crystalis Forge started in 2018 because I was tired of cookie-cutter gyms that treated strength like a checklist instead of an art form.
I'd spent years coaching athletes who were bouncing between commercial gyms and mediocre training facilities, never really finding that space where intensity, technique, and community all clicked. So I started running sessions out of my garage - just me, some beaten-up barbells, and a handful of athletes who actually wanted to push past their limits.
What started with 8 dedicated folks has grown into something way bigger than I imagined. We moved into our current 12,000 sq ft facility on Granville in 2020, right before everything went sideways with the pandemic. But that's when our community really proved itself - members were checking in on each other, we ran outdoor sessions in the rain, and nobody bailed when things got tough.
Today, we're not the biggest gym in Vancouver, and honestly, that's by design. We've kept our roots in serious strength work and athletic conditioning because that's what we do best. No gimmicks, no trendy nonsense - just proven programming, experienced coaches who actually care, and a crew of members who'll push you harder than you thought possible.
- Marcus Chen, Founder & Head Coach
