FitnessAdvisor exists because the fitness industry has a trust problem. Supplement brands fund their own studies. Affiliate sites recommend whatever pays the highest commission. Review scores are manufactured. We started this site with one commitment: to only recommend what we have personally used, tested, and believe in — and to be honest when something doesn’t deliver.
Who We Are
FitnessAdvisor is an independent fitness review and education platform operated by RF Media Holdings LLC, based in Philadelphia, PA. We are not backed by supplement brands, fitness equipment manufacturers, or any company with a financial interest in what we recommend. Our revenue comes entirely from affiliate commissions — a percentage of purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you — which means we only benefit when we recommend something worth buying.
We are a small team of people who train seriously. Between us we have competed in powerlifting, completed multiple Hyrox races, run half-marathons, spent years in commercial gyms, built home gym setups, and spent an embarrassing amount of money testing supplements so you don’t have to. We are not sponsored athletes, we are not paid consultants for any brand, and we do not accept free products in exchange for positive reviews. Every product reviewed on this site was purchased or sourced independently.
Our editorial team includes certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and experienced fitness writers. Where we cite scientific research, we link to primary sources. Where we make recommendations, we stand behind them with our own experience.
Our founding principle
We only review products we have personally used. We only recommend products we would buy with our own money. We only publish content we believe will make you better informed. If a product is not good enough to recommend honestly, we say so — and we explain exactly why.
How We Test Products
Our testing process is consistent across every product category. It is designed to produce reviews that are genuinely useful — not reviews that exist to rank for search terms and collect affiliate clicks.
Supplements
Every supplement we review is used for a minimum of four weeks at the recommended dosage before we form an opinion. We test across multiple team members where possible to account for individual variation in response. Our assessment covers label accuracy (we cross-reference declared ingredients against third-party testing data where available), ingredient dosing relative to research-supported levels, taste and mixability across multiple formats (water, milk, and cooking applications where relevant), GI tolerance, and cost per serving versus direct competitors.
We explicitly do not accept: free products from brands in exchange for coverage, sponsored reviews, or paid inclusions in our rankings. If a brand reaches out to offer samples, we decline. Our supplement rankings are based solely on what we have purchased, used, and assessed independently.
Gear and Technology
Fitness trackers, recovery tools, and connected equipment are tested across a minimum of 30 days of real training use. For wearable trackers, we assess GPS accuracy against measured courses, heart rate accuracy against chest strap reference measurements, battery life across normal and GPS-intensive use, sleep tracking quality, and the depth and usability of the companion app ecosystem.
For recovery tools — massage guns, compression systems — we assess them within structured recovery protocols across multiple training blocks, comparing DOMS resolution and subjective recovery quality with and without the device.
Training Content
Our exercise guides, training programme reviews, and training methodology content are written by practitioners who actively use the methods described. Technique guidance is based on established biomechanical principles and cross-referenced against current sports science literature. Where we recommend specific programmes or training approaches, we have personally followed them or coached athletes through them.
Gyms and Studios
Gym and studio reviews are based on in-person visits. We assess facilities, equipment quality and maintenance, coaching and class quality, value for membership cost, and suitability for different training goals and experience levels. We do not review gyms we have not visited, and we do not accept complimentary memberships in exchange for coverage.
Every product reviewed is used by our team — minimum 4 weeks for supplements, 30 days for gear. No exceptions.
Rankings are never influenced by brand relationships, advertising spend, or affiliate commission rates.
Claims are supported by peer-reviewed research. We link to primary sources and update content when new evidence emerges.
Our Rating System
Every product we review receives a score out of 10. The score is not a single subjective impression — it is a weighted composite across the criteria most relevant to that product category. The weightings are published on every review page so you can see exactly what went into the score.
A score of 9.0+ means we consider it one of the best available options in its category and would actively recommend it. A score of 8.0–8.9 means it is a strong product with some trade-offs worth understanding. A score of 7.0–7.9 means it is adequate but has meaningful limitations. We do not publish reviews of products we score below 7.0 — if something is not worth recommending, we do not write about it.
Scores are reviewed and updated when products are reformulated, when direct competitors change the landscape, or when new pricing significantly affects the value calculation. Every review displays the date it was last updated.
Editorial Independence and Affiliate Disclosure
FitnessAdvisor earns revenue through affiliate marketing — when you click a link to a product and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the retailer. This commission comes at no cost to you and does not affect the price you pay.
Our affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial opinions or rankings. The products we recommend are the products we believe are genuinely best — not the products with the highest commission rates. In several cases, our top-rated products carry lower commissions than alternatives we rate less highly. We would rather recommend the right product and earn less than recommend a worse product to earn more.
All pages containing affiliate links are marked with our standard affiliate disclosure. For more details see our full Affiliate Disclosure page.
Our Educational Mission
Product reviews are only part of what FitnessAdvisor does. We believe that the most empowering thing we can do for someone starting their fitness journey — or returning to it — is give them the knowledge to make good decisions independently, not just tell them what to buy.
The fitness industry profits from confusion. Conflicting supplement claims, contradictory training advice, and deliberately opaque marketing all serve brands that benefit from consumers who don’t understand what they actually need. We set out specifically to counter this.
Every training guide, nutrition article, and exercise breakdown we publish is written with the same standard as our product reviews: grounded in evidence, practically applicable, and honest about what the research does and doesn’t support. We explain the why behind every recommendation — because someone who understands why a training principle works can apply it intelligently, adapt it to their circumstances, and evaluate future information critically.
Whether you are walking into a gym for the first time or preparing for your third Hyrox race, our goal is the same: to give you the most accurate, useful information we can, in plain language, without the hype.
A note from the team
We started FitnessAdvisor because we were tired of reading review sites that exist to rank keywords rather than help people. Every piece of content on this site is written by someone who trains, cares about the subject, and has actually used what they are writing about. That will never change. If you ever have a question about our editorial process, a concern about a specific review, or a suggestion for something we should cover — reach us at info@rfmediaholdings.com.
Corrections and Updates
We get things wrong sometimes. When we do, we correct them promptly and transparently. If you spot an error in any of our content — a factual inaccuracy, an outdated recommendation, a broken link — please contact us and we will review and correct it. Corrections are noted directly on the relevant page with the date updated.
Product rankings and reviews are updated on a rolling basis as new products launch, formulations change, and pricing shifts. We do not leave years-old reviews live without reviewing whether the recommendation still holds.
