★ 5

Ursa Major is a great gym! With high quality equipment and a clean facility, owners Thomas and his wife Rachel are great people!

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing new gym with new equipment and great atmosphere. Has anything and everything you could want or need for bodybuilder or powerlifter.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great gym, having a blast training here during my stay in WDM. Will definitely come back. Thank you Thomas

Source: Google

★ 5

WOW! I dropped in here as a visitor from out of town and I was seriously impressed. Everything is IMMACULATE and clean. Daypass was cheap and very easy to acquire. Wide assortment of all the equipment needed for powerlifting. Loved the deadlift platform, kilo plates, different bar types, and combo racks. This gym means serious business for all things powerlifting. Highly highly recommended, I wish I had access to a place this nice at home!

Source: Google

★ 5

UMBB is a new, very clean, and large facility with a ton of great equipment. Lifting platforms, plenty of weight, multiple racks and plenty of machines to get the job done. If you're looking for a spot to train in the Metro, this is a great option. 👍🏼

Source: Google

★ 5

This gym is next level!! I walked in and felt an atmosphere of strength all throughout my bones. I knew as soon as I put both feet into Ursa Major that I was going to grow. Stronger in every way. The equipment is great Though in very humble stages I was able to hit every muscle group that I wanted to. The power lifting rated equipment was the highlight for me though, color coordinated barbells, Kilo plates as well as standard plates in pounds. I could chill in a nice environment while I was lifting and that made me want to stay! There’s various deadlift platforms and lots of benches. So I’m able to get a bench or a place to deadlift every time I show up. All in all a great place to lift! Very humble as it is right now but I know with time this place will blow up.

Source: Google

★ 5

5/5 definitely recommend this gym. Kilos, specialty bar, comp racks, to a well diverse pick of machines these guys have it. Very clean, organized and well thought out layout if your on the west side of Des Moines or just looking for a top tier gym this place is for you:)

Source: Google

★ 5

Great atmosphere, welcoming environment. The vibes immaculate

Source: Google

★ 5

Gym has everything you need. Place is always clean and well taken care of. Definitely worth checking out.

Source: Google

★ 5

Excellent Powerlifting Equipment and a great gym to train in if you are not into Powerlifting.

Source: Google

★ 5

Awesome place if you have any interest in powerlifting or lifting in general. Plenty of combo racks and kilo plates as well as bumpers and a wide variety of machines. The owner is very quick to respond and get you setup with anything you need. Will definitely be swinging by when I'm in DSM.

Source: Google

★ 5

Ursa Major Barbell is an outstanding gym. With over four full sets of calibrated kilo plates, top-quality bars, and well-maintained machines, it has everything serious lifters need. The owner has clearly put a lot of thought into the layout and equipment selection, creating a clean, well-organized space and a great environment to train in. Whether you're into powerlifting or just want a top-tier place to lift, this gym delivers.

Source: Google

★ 5

Environment was amazing. Equipment top of the line. You can jam out and vibe while you crush heavy weights or pop in your headphones and do some cardio. Whatever walk of fitness you’re on you can achieve your goals here! Tom is awesome and has built this place to become the Mecca of power lifting and fitness. Affordable, clean, and meets every need you could have! Check it out asap and get a membership going!

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is awesome! Clean and well organized. Lots of weights and a great environment to go move some weight around. The owner Thomas is amazing too. He cares about fitness and people. I love the gym and recommend it to anyone looking.

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing gym extremely clean all the equipment is brand new. Was completely empty when I was there so I have aux all to myself. There is plenty of racks to choose from and overall very locked in vibe.

Source: Google

★ 5

We stopped in during Ursa Major Barbell’s open house and were immediately impressed. This gym has all that you could need for equipment- truly state of the art! There was clearly so much thought put into the design and equipment.We love the 24-hour access.
A HUGE bonus? The owners are kind, approachable, and extremely prompt in communication. Do yourself a favor and check it out!

Source: Google

★ 5

Came here to get a lift in and I was not disappinted. Fully furnished with new competition equipment and machines, this place is a powerlifter's heaven. I've got a competition coming up so training here was perfect. The only problem I've got is that I live an hour away so I'd only be able to visit once in a while 😅

Overall: vey spacious and quiet, atmosphere is nice, gym owner is also a fellow competitior, and its 24/7 via app access! Highly recommended!

Source: Google

★ 5

Very Solid Gym for any type of lifter, whether it comes to bodybuilding, powerlifting, or Olympic lifting. Toms got it!

Source: Google

★ 5

On August 3, I competed in the National Senior Games in Des Moines in powerlifting. I have a coach where I live in Minneapolis, but he was unable to accompany me to Des Moines. I get nervous before competing and thought that having a powerlifting coach with me at the competition would be ideal. Three gyms blew me off, but Thomas Hovden at Ursa Major responded that he would be happy to help me. Thomas was AMAZING! He was so supportive and encouraging and he kept me calm and focused. As a result of his assistance, I won a gold medal in my class, Masters V (80+) with an 80 lb. bench press and 180 lb. deadlift. If I lived in Des Moines, my gym definitely would be Ursa Major, just so I could train with Thomas! His new gym is super nice too. Great equipment and plenty of room. Check it out!

Source: Google

★ 5

Great people to work with highly recommend !

Source: Google

★ 5

I stopped by for the open house and got a lift in. I didn’t realize how much of a difference good equipment makes until I benched on a full competition setup. Super comfortable with great support. Honestly, it was one of my best lifts of the year. The equipment selection is spot-on, which is what you get when the gym’s owned by someone who actually competes. The space was clean, well-organized, and the people had a great vibe. Will definitely be coming back!

Source: Google

★ 5

This is an outstanding gym — clean, well-maintained, and thoughtfully designed. It’s the perfect size: not too crowded, but fully equipped with high-quality gear, especially great for powerlifting or just getting a solid workout in. The bathrooms are surprisingly spacious, and the addition of a shower is a great convenience. Whether you're serious about lifting or just looking for a comfortable, well-equipped place to train, I highly recommend Ursa Major Barbell.

Source: Google

★ 5

I had a feeling Ursa Major Barbell was going to be the place for me just from following them on social media. You can see the hard work and dedication that’s gone into building this gym, and that really stood out to me.

Walking in for the first time, it felt like home right away. The facility is huge, with plenty of space to train, and the equipment is top-notch, everything you need for athletes of all levels. The owners are awesome—super kind, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about what they’re building here.

It’s exciting to be part of something new, If you want to be part of building onto what already is a great community, this is the spot!

Source: Google

★ 5

Very nice gym. The cleanliness is amazing with you not having to be sketched out if something has a lot of sweat on it. For powerlifters, there is ALOT of kg plates allowing you to lift heavy without the fear of using all the plates in the gym or, if you are a bigger guy, mot sure if you can do your workout because there’s not enough weight. The bars feel fantastic with the correct ammount of nurling and if you are anything like me, they are fed approved for the highest level. This is all of course accompanied by a great owner who strives to no only be the best gym, but after talking to him wants to build on the powerlifting community as a whole. To build a space that is safe for all levels of experience and just have a great time. (For others this is not JUST a powerlifting gym, you can do generally fitness here, and body building alike as they offer a wide variety of of machines and equipment in general)

Source: Google

★ 5

Clean. Very well furnished with new equipment. Many combo racks and calibrated plates. Also a platform for OLY Weightlifters. The owner really thought of the little things. Spacious and quiet. Very good gym for those serious about training try to get out of the nutshell of commercial gyms and level up training.

Source: Google

★ 5

This is a beautiful new facility; the equipment is new and well maintained, the area is spacious and clean, and the owner is dedicated to bringing the best lifting experience to West Des Moines and the surrounding metro. I like that it's a small business with an accessible owner rather than a faceless mega gym corporation. Make this your next gym home!

Source: Google