Gym

A Pokémon Gym (Japanese: ジム Gym) is a place where Pokémon Trainers go to train their Pokémon. Just like real life gymnasiums, where one can go to work out and build physical strength, Pokémon Gyms are places where Trainers can go to sharpen their battling skills and where their Pokémon can go to gain experience. Often specializing in a particular elemental type, Gyms create an environment which allows Trainers to test both their skills and Pokémon against those of others. The most powerful Trainer in a given Gym is called the Gym Leader, whom the lower-ranking members of a Gym look up to greatly. In the games, there is a character that stands near the door giving tips on how to beat the Gym's challenges.

Official Gyms

Gyms that are certified by the Pokémon League are vital to a Trainer's Pokémon journey. Leagues are designed so that conventional Trainers must travel far and wide before entering a League Competition, as the only way to enter one is by gaining at least eight official Gym Badges, and there can only be one official Gym per city.

In the games

There are eight known official Gyms in each region.

Kanto

• Pewter Gym
• Cerulean Gym
• Vermilion Gym
• Celadon Gym
• Fuchsia Gym
• Saffron Gym
• Cinnabar Gym
• Viridian Gym

Johto

• Violet Gym
• Azalea Gym
• Goldenrod Gym
• Ecruteak Gym
• Cianwood Gym
• Olivine Gym
• Mahogany Gym
• Blackthorn Gym

Hoenn

• Rustboro Gym
• Dewford Gym
• Mauville Gym
• Lavaridge Gym
• Petalburg Gym
• Fortree Gym
• Mossdeep Gym
• Sootopolis Gym

Sinnoh

• Oreburgh Gym
• Eterna Gym
• Veilstone Gym
• Pastoria Gym
• Hearthome Gym
• Canalave Gym
• Snowpoint Gym
• Sunyshore Gym

Unova

• Striaton Gym
• Nacrene Gym
• Castelia Gym
• Nimbasa Gym
• Driftveil Gym
• Mistralton Gym
• Icirrus Gym
• Opelucid Gym

In the anime

In the anime, Gary Oak reveals that he has more than eight Badges, suggesting that there are more Gyms in the anime than players are given access to in the games. Specifically, he has at least ten badges excluding the Earth Badge. Before the Indigo League competition, Ash encounters Otoshi in Bad to the Bone; he owns eight badges, but only shares four in common with Ash. Later in the episode, another Trainer appears with eight other completely different badges. In total, Ash, Gary, Otoshi and the other Trainer displayed 27 different types of badges prior to competing in the Indigo Plateau Conference, so there must have been at least this number of official Gyms in the anime version of Kanto at the time.

Whilst on her journey collecting badges, Sakura collected badges from both Kanto and Johto, so it is unclear what the rules are for competing in championship tournaments.

At the Hoenn Pokémon League Championship, Morrison is shown to have an eighth badge different from Ash's, suggesting that there are at least 9 official Gyms in Hoenn. Many believe it could be a badge from Slateport or Pacifidlog.

During Barry's Busting Out All Over!, in the Sinnoh saga, Barry was seen to have a badge that is not present in the games and most likely will not be possessed by Ash. Barry was seen with two more unknown badges in Fighting Ire with Fire!, two of which also appeared in Nando's ownership in Last Call — First Round!.

Orange Archipelago

The Orange Archipelago also contains its own league, complete with its own Gyms:

• Mikan Gym
• Navel Gym
• Trovita Gym
• Kumquat Gym

Unofficial Gyms

In the games

Saffron City Dojo

Main article: Fighting Dojo

The Trainers of this Gym specialize in Template:Type2 Pokémon. It used to be an official Gym until Sabrina defeated its leader. After the player defeats the Dojo's leader, he will give the player either Hitmonlee or Hitmonchan as a reward.

Prestige Precept center

Main article: Prestige Precept Center

Also known as the Pre Gym, this unofficial Gym of Phenac City doubles as an academy. In Pokémon Colosseum, its leader, Justy, will not battle the Trainer until they have at least six Pokémon, and will give away TM27 (Return).

In the anime

A.J.'s Gym

This Gym is run solely by the Trainer A.J., and is notable for its rigorous training methods. It is unknown what prize if any A.J. gave to any victorious challengers, because he left it to enter the Pokémon League after he defeated 100 challengers in a row using only his Sandshrew. This Gym appears in The Path to the Pokémon League.

Fighting Spirit Gym

This Gym was run by Anthony, who was training his Hitmonchan for the P1 Grand Prix. It did not appear to be used for actual Pokémon battles. Instead, it had the appearance of a gym used for training and exercising.

Kaz Gym

This Gym in Dark City wanted to become an official Gym to earn money, but was rejected by the Pokémon League. It has Pokémon of various types, but its primary Pokémon is an Electabuzz. This Gym appears in Showdown at Dark City and is run by Kaz.

Yas Gym

This Gym in Dark City wanted to become an official Gym to earn money, but was rejected by the Pokémon League. The Gym trainers specialize in Fighting but the Gym Leader's Pokémon is a Scyther a Template:Type2/Template:Type2. This Gym appears in Showdown at Dark City and is run by Yas.

Coastline Gym

This is an unofficial Gym that was featured in Just Add Water. It is located on the outskirts of Blackthorn City. Led by Dorian, the Gym specializes in Template:Type2 Pokémon. Unlike the other Water-type Gyms, Dorian holds his battles underwater.

Although the Gym is unofficial, Dorian is hoping that by word of mouth it will become more popular. In fact, after Ash and his friends visited the Gym, they promised they would tell everyone at the Silver Conference about it. However, it hasn't been mentioned since then.

Differences among generations

• 

  Generation I

• 

  Generation I

• Gym GSC.png

  Generation II (Johto)

• Kanto Gym GSC.png

  Generation II (Kanto)

• Kanto Gym 2 GSC.png

  Generation II (Kanto)

• 

  Generation III (Hoenn)

• 

  Generation III (Kanto)

• 

  Generation IV (Sinnoh)

• 

  Generation IV (Johto)

• 

  Generation IV (Kanto)

Trivia

• For Gymbaliar!, Professor Oak's lecture is about Gyms. He writes this Pokémon senryū about them: かてるまで　なんどもちょうせん　ポケモンジム Kateru made nandomo chōsen, Pokémon Jimu "Until you win, battle again and again; that is a Pokémon Gym."
  • This is also the episode Team Rocket set up a fake Gym, with Jessie acting as its Leader.
• In Generation I, a glitch allows Trainers to fish in the statues at the front of the Gyms.
• No known Gym has specialized in Template:Type2 Pokémon.
• Pokémon Platinum is the only game where the Gym order is changed from its predecessors, which are Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in this case.
• As the Fighting Dojo in Kanto was once official, every region except Unova has had a Template:Type2 Gym at one time.
  • Despite the above fact, there has been a Fighting-type specialist in every region, either as a Gym Leader or an Elite Four member.
  • A Trainer in the Glitter Lighthouse also says Jasmine used to specialize in Template:Type2 Pokémon, meaning every region except Unova has had a Template:Type2 Gym at one time.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, each Gym's frame is colored according to the elemental type, except for the Viridian Gym, which has no specialist type. The Viridian Gym's frame is green.
• In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Walking Pokémon are not allowed in the Blackthorn Gym because the Gym's flooring is unstable.

• In Generation V, some of the Gyms serve dual purposes, both as a place of battle and as a service; Striaton Gym is a restaurant, Nacrene Gym is a museum, Castelia Gym is a gallery showcasing the paintings of the Gym Leader Burgh, Nimbasa Gym is a set of roller coasters to go with the Ferris Wheel in Nimbasa City, Driftveil Gym is a mining operation, and Mistralton Gym is an airfield.
• Generation V is the first generation not to have a uniform style for the exteriors of the gyms.
• Both Dragon-type Gyms are the last to be challenged in their respective regions.
• The Rock-type has been the first Gym Leader's specialty for the majority of the regions.

In other languages

Language Title Mandarin Chinese 道館／道馆 Dàoguǎn (anime) 練功場 Liàngōngcháng (manga) Danish Styrke Center (The Original Series and Advanced Generation) Sal (Season 10 - present) Dutch Styrke Center Finnish Sali European French Arène German Arena European Spanish Gimnasio