What does 24/7 actually mean at The Den?
It means the gym opens when you’re ready, not the other way around. The Den Fitness is a 24/7 gym in West Edmonton at 10609 172 St NW. During staffed hours, members walk in the front door. After hours, members on a monthly, six-month or one-year membership use a key fob to get in through the back. Same equipment, same dumbbell rack that goes up to 200 lbs, whether it’s 6 PM on a Tuesday or 4 AM on a Sunday.
That sounds like a convenience feature. It’s more than that. For a lot of people, the hours on the front door are the real reason they stop training. Not motivation. Not genetics. The clock.
Why “no time” kills more training plans than anything else
Ask people why they stopped going to the gym and you’ll hear the same answer over and over. Researchers hear it too. Studies of adults across multiple countries keep finding lack of time near the top of the list of reasons people don’t exercise, and a study comparing adults in Southern Ontario and South Carolina found it was the most common barrier in both groups, for men and women alike.
The interesting part is that “no time” isn’t always about total hours. An Australian study of 725 adults found that how people allocated their time mattered more than how much they had. In plain terms, most people have the hours. What they don’t have is a gym that’s open during those hours.
Think about who that hits in Edmonton. Nurses and paramedics on rotating shifts. Trades workers on early starts or camp rotations. Parents who get one quiet window after the kids are asleep. Students juggling classes and part-time evening work. Statistics Canada data shows about 1 in 20 Canadian workers usually work regular evening hours, and that’s before you count rotating, night and irregular schedules. A gym that closes at 10 PM simply doesn’t exist for those people.
Then there’s the Edmonton factor. On the winter solstice the city gets roughly seven and a half hours of daylight, with sunset around 4:15 PM. For months, plenty of people leave for work in the dark and drive home in the dark. When the day feels that short, having a gym that’s always open removes one more excuse from the pile.
Does the time of day you train change your results?
Short answer: not much, and not in the way most people think.
A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis by Grgic and colleagues, published in Chronobiology International, pooled studies comparing morning and evening resistance training with everything else matched. Muscle growth was similar regardless of training time. Strength gains were also similar overall, with one useful wrinkle: strength seems to adapt a bit to the time you train. If you always lift in the morning, you get better at lifting in the morning.
That’s good news for anyone working with an unusual schedule. The 5 AM lifter and the 11 PM lifter can both build muscle. What the research doesn’t let you skip is the work itself: enough hard sets, progressive overload, solid nutrition and recovery.
Should competitors care about training time?
A little. Because strength appears to be somewhat time-of-day specific, a powerlifter with a morning meet might move heavy sessions closer to that window in the weeks before. A bodybuilder doesn’t need to worry about it for hypertrophy, but peak week and posing practice often get easier when you can control your own schedule. The Den’s posing room is there for exactly that.
Consistency beats the perfect time slot
If the time of day doesn’t matter much for growth, what does? Showing up at the same time, over and over.
Researchers at Brown University looked at 375 adults in the National Weight Control Registry who had lost weight and kept it off. About 68% trained at a consistent time of day, and those people did more physical activity per week than people whose training times varied. They were also more likely to hit the 150-minute weekly guideline. A follow-up study of 709 participants found consistent timing was linked to stronger exercise habits over a year.
This is where 24/7 access earns its value. A habit needs a stable cue, and a gym with limited hours forces your cue to move whenever your shifts, classes or family schedule change. With round-the-clock access, you pick a slot that works for your life and keep it, even when the rest of the week gets messy.
For context, the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity a week plus muscle-strengthening work for the major muscle groups at least twice a week. ParticipACTION’s 2025 Report Card found only about 35% of Canadian adults meet the strength part. Two lifting sessions a week is a low bar. The schedule is often what stands in the way.
Is training late at night bad for your sleep?
This is the first worry most people have about late sessions, and the evidence is more reassuring than the old advice. A 2019 meta-analysis in Sports Medicine by Stutz and colleagues reviewed 23 studies and concluded that evening exercise generally didn’t harm sleep in healthy adults. Participants actually spent slightly more time in deep sleep.
The exception: vigorous exercise that ended an hour or less before bed was linked to taking longer to fall asleep and sleeping less. So if you’re a night lifter, a few practical habits help:
- Finish hard sessions at least an hour before you plan to sleep.
- Save the brutal finishers and high-intensity conditioning for earlier in the week if you can.
- Watch the pre-workout. A late stimulant dose is more likely to cost you sleep than the training itself.
- Keep bedtime and wake time as consistent as your schedule allows.
Who gets the most out of a 24/7 gym membership?
Shift workers are the obvious answer, but they’re not the only ones. Early risers who want the gym before work get a quiet floor and no waiting on the pendulum squat. Late-night trainers get the same equipment without the after-work rush. Competitors in prep can fit cardio and lifting around work without bargaining with front-desk hours. And beginners who feel self-conscious often find a quieter time slot is the easiest way to learn the equipment and build confidence before training at busier times.
That said, 24/7 access is only one piece. A 24-hour gym with a handful of tired machines doesn’t help you much at 3 AM. The question isn’t just “Is it open?” It’s “Is it worth being there?”
Why The Den is West Edmonton’s go-to 24/7 gym
Plenty of gyms in Edmonton advertise round-the-clock access. What sets The Den apart is what you walk into when the door opens.
Equipment built for bodybuilding and strength
The Den was built by athletes and coaches, and the floor shows it. Members train on premium machines from Hammer Strength, Atlantis, Cybex, Panatta and other manufacturers, a dedicated leg zone, barbells and dumbbells up to 200 lbs, plus treadmills, ellipticals, stepmills and bikes for cardio. Members regularly mention machines like the pendulum squat, multiple leg presses and older pieces that aren’t made anymore. Equipment variety matters because different machines load the same muscle through different angles and resistance curves. That gives you more ways to train around an injury, more ways to bring up a lagging body part and more ways to keep making progress.
A training environment, not just a room with weights
The Den has a posing room for competitors, a supplement bar and pro shop, in-house massage therapy for recovery and clean locker rooms. Members also mention small things that matter when you’re training around a busy schedule, like being able to heat up a meal on the way out.
Coaches who actually train
In-house coaches from Trademark Physiques work out of The Den and specialize in bodybuilding, training, nutrition and health coaching. The owners are coaches and competitors themselves. If you’re training at off-hours and want a plan that fits, you can connect with a coach during staffed hours and take that plan into your late sessions. Outside coaches may also train clients at The Den with management approval.
Different goals. Same respect.
You’ll see someone a few weeks out from a show training beside someone who’s six weeks into their first gym membership. Nobody needs ego to prove they belong. Members describe The Den as welcoming and judgment-free, with people offering spots when you need one. That culture doesn’t switch off after hours, and it’s a big part of why people keep coming back.
How The Den’s memberships handle access
Not every pass includes after-hours entry, so it’s worth knowing the difference before you sign up. The Den offers monthly, six-month and one-year contract memberships. All three include staffed-hours access through the front door and after-hours key fob access through the back door. That’s the full 24/7 experience.
The 10-visit punch pass and the single drop-in pass are designed for visitors and people testing the gym. They cover staffed hours only. If you’re in town for work, visiting family or just want to see the place before committing, they’re a good starting point. New visitors can also come in for a free trial workout.
Pricing and promotions change, so check the memberships page for current options. If you’re not sure which membership fits your schedule, the team can walk you through it.
FAQ
Is The Den Fitness open 24/7?
Yes, for members with the right membership. Monthly, six-month and one-year members can enter through the front door during staffed hours and use a key fob to train after hours, any day of the week.
Do drop-in passes include 24/7 access?
No. The single drop-in pass and the 10-visit punch pass cover staffed hours only, through the front door. After-hours key fob access comes with the monthly, six-month and one-year memberships.
What are The Den’s staffed hours?
The Den’s website currently lists staffed hours of 8 AM to 8 PM Monday to Friday and 8 AM to 6 PM on weekends. Hours can change, so check the website or call (780) 455-1448 before visiting.
Is it better to work out in the morning or at night?
For muscle growth, it doesn’t seem to matter much. A 2019 meta-analysis found similar hypertrophy from morning and evening training. Strength may adapt slightly to the time you usually train, so the best choice is the time you can stick with consistently.
Will working out late at night ruin my sleep?
Usually not. Research on healthy adults found moderate evening exercise didn’t hurt sleep. Vigorous sessions ending within about an hour of bedtime were the main exception, so finish hard training earlier when you can.
Is a 24/7 gym good for beginners?
Yes. Quieter hours can make it easier to learn equipment and build confidence. At The Den, beginners train beside experienced lifters and competitors, and coaches are available if you want guidance on where to start.
Where is The Den Fitness located?
The Den is in West Edmonton at 10609 172 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 1P1.
Can I try The Den before buying a membership?
Yes. New visitors can book a free trial workout, or buy a drop-in or punch pass to train during staffed hours before committing.
Come train with us
The research is clear enough: the best time to train is the time you’ll actually show up for, again and again. A 24/7 gym makes that possible for almost any schedule. The Den makes it worth the drive, with serious bodybuilding and strength equipment, coaches who know the work and a community that respects every goal on the floor.
Early bird, night owl or somewhere in between, there’s a slot at The Den with your name on it. See our memberships, try The Den for yourself with a free workout, or talk to our team if you have questions.
