Eastside Austin Elite

Starting with the good, the facilities are nice and there are a few good instructors at this gym. The equipment is very decent when you get a chance to use it. However, that does not make this place worth giving money. My main issue with this facility is the owner, Ben Barlin. He has, on numerous occasions, sexually harassed both customers and employees including my wife, making comments such as, «Your wife is pregnant with my baby, not yours.» I have witnessed him asking customers for dates, phone numbers, etc. He exclusively hires young females for the front desk to attract more males to the facility. In my opinion (and that of many other witnesses I have spoken with) his action are extremely inappropriate and unprofessional.
The CrossFit program is based off a template created by the first manager of the gym. He was (and still is) an impressive athlete with way more experience than the other coaches at Elite which is why the current lead instructor and coaches refuse to experiment, add or change any of the programming structure. Part of this is due to the lack of training most of the coaching staff have received as well as an idolization of the first manager. They do not seem to realize that there is no cookie cutter program for everyone, regardless of how athletic the person that created it is. For example, they use Wendler 5,3,1 program year around which is great if your a power lifter but it does not meet the needs of everyone and can even be dangerous for beginner lifters. Most of the coaches have the experience of 2 days at a weekend course and now they are your «highly experienced» trainers. The classes are usually full in the evenings and the space and equipment are not enough for 18 people. This will not change as the owner is more interested in running a McDonalds style gym where everyone gets something to eat at a low price, despite the poor quality of the product. The coaches have attempted to address the problem but the decision comes from Ben and his need for higher profits.
The MMA programs are also extremely disappointing. There is a huge amount of talent present but the leadership is lacking. When I first attended the gym, there were a few pro MMA fighters that would train there. This is no longer the case and I can only assume it is because of the lack of discipline (one of the main lessons taught my Martial Arts) and leadership. There is no program designed to develop up and coming fighters. The comp MMA class was good when the instructors showed up. The BJJ instructor knows his stuff but seems more interested in
his friends and personal life to run a strong program. For a gym this size, you would expect a strong fight program with fighters at all levels. Instead, you have a bunch of random, non linear classes designed more for getting you sweating than creating competitors. The classes do not complement or coincide with each-​other. Again, I believe all of this is due to Mr. Barlin’s leadership (or lack of).
In closing, Elite leadership does not seem to have the clients best interest in mind. With 400+ members they are running a gym more similar to 24 hour fitness. They bank on you not showing up. That is why there is such a strong push to lock everyone into contracts. If all of their members attended 3+ days per week, they would be unable to operate the facility do to overcrowding. That is why it is so comical that they hype «unlimited classes». I know there plenty of folks that will disagree with me but this is my opinion based off of my interactions with Mr. Barlin and Elite. It is for these reasons that I can not recommend this gym to any others. Your money is better spent elsewhere.

awesome gym, love coming here. Always friendly and willing to help.
5.30am crossfit classes are awesome with a great trainer and high energy.
Thank you for helping me get closer to reaching my goals

I moved to Austin a year ago and immediately found EAE. No matter what skill level you are, EAE has a class for you and the trainers are extremely knowledgable/​helpful. Classes are great, so are the people and it doesn’t hurt that the prices are UNBEATABLE.

Love this place! Great people, great equipment, and a great workout! Don’t know what I would do without EAE!

I moved to Austin, TX a little over a year ago and I am grateful to have found EAE! This gym offers awesome crossfit classes and more, such as yoga, mma, kickboxing and jiu jitsu. I needed a gym that was very down to earth not competitive energy and EAE offers exactly what I was looking for, a great community and a place to do your best and leave feeling accomplished from your workout.
The staff is amazing, great customer service and personable. The gym is ALWAYS nice and clean. It is Dog friendly too!
Their classes are very well planned and structured. The coaches really know their Sh*t and are very encouraging.
I highly recommend this gym because not only will you get a kick-​ass workout you will see a genuine the community. It doesn’t matter what level of fitness you are the coaches will help you modify your workout to achieve your goal.
Erica

I joined EAE when I moved to Austin six months ago, after trying a few different gyms looking for a new crossfit home. It’s definitely the best value for the price among the Austin crossfit options. $ 88 per month (w/​one-​year commitment) gets you unlimited crossfit classes with many class times spread throughout the weekdays, and a couple Saturday classes. The programming is very well rounded and follows the Wendler strength program on weekdays. The programming for regular crossfit classes seems particularly geared toward scaleability, accessibility, and injury avoidance. There are separate crossfit level 2 and olympic weightlifting classes where you can work on the more technical and advanced movements. The regular crossfit classes are welcoming to a wide variety of fitness levels. You can find other crossfit gyms where the classes are smaller and you get more individualized coaching, but they are double the price of EAE. I’m so glad I found this place!

Friendly and helpful staff and great facilities. Great gym for all fitness levels. Coaches are great at challenging you to meet your goals and very helpful when you need assistance.

This gym is the best crossfit and mma gym. Staff is awesome! Everybody is really cool and very friendly. I have tried and toured other gyms but found this one to be home. I live native south austin but the drive to the eastside is well worth it.
Kevin C.

EAE is one of my favorite parts of my day! From Maryanna at the front desk, to Crossfit with Katie, kickboxing with Bryan, and all the amazing community there, it’s just a fabulous way to start my day. I’ve been at EAE for 1.5 years, and I’ve just loved my entire experience there. The coaches are passionate about their sport and give intentional coaching that allows their students/​athletes to get better, stronger, and keeps us safe! EAE also has inviting membership prices that allows a more diverse population to stay fit! Thx EAE for being great!

I wouldn’t know where I’d be without the coaches. Y’all continuously challenge my progress and wouldn’t be anywhere else.

This is the best gym I’ve ever been to! The coaches are amazing, friendly, caring and butt kicking! I’ve been going to the MAA classes and love them. I highly recommend this gym for anyone, beginner or advanced, they have a class for you!

Best and most affordable CorssFit in town. This gym is a bit more laid back than some other boxes, so great for the everyday Joe/​Jane or newbie; though also if you’re trying to take your training more seriously, the trainers will definitely make time to help you get to where you want to get.
All the trainers really love their work and know what to do. You can tell they really care about you as a client, and want to push you to get the best results you want. EAE also has really fun events like pub runs, happy hours, parties, etc. that add to the community feel that you won’t find at many other gyms. It’s also fun to know there are the MMA/​Kickboxing options if you’re ever curious. Check it out!

The gym is a grade A facility with the best gear. The trainers are amazing and really focus on form to prevent you from getting injured. The classes are really organized and explained well.
All of these things lead to their success as a gym and as a result its crowded a lot. The classes have an 18 person max but sometimes there is kickboxing, sparring, crossfit, and olympic lifting all transitioning or going on in close quarters with each other. At peak times you need to share equipment as a pair or between 3 people. You have to sign up for all the classes online and some of the more busy classes will fill up a week in advance.
The contracts are non-​negotiable. Don’t be fooled by the nice low price for the 12 month contract. You are stuck in that thing forever. It doesn’t matter if you move out of state, get into a car wreck, change your work schedule, or anything else that may, in a regular gym, warrant a cancellation. They really don’t care and wont budge on that issue.

Facilities are an A+. Clean, big, good shower/​locker area, MMA cage, wide open mats for rolling, etc.
The BJJ class was pretty good as well. A lot of beginners, but definitely some talent in there.
I agree with the previous poster about the Muay Thai class though. Instructor seemed completely disinterested. Almost annoyed by our presence. No attempts to correct student’s technique/​postures. He spent most of the time either hitting a bag himself, or talking to some other instructor/​staff member on the side. The instructor’s credentials seem legit. But that’s of no use if he’s not motivated to spread his knowledge.

The Staff are too nice, and very knowledgable. The studio is amazing and although its a good price 150 is to much for my current budget. Try there free week and if you can commit to 12 months you can get it for 88 dollars a month. it one of the coolest gyms I’ve been to.

Eastside Austin is an amazing gym! The coaches all have different styles and vibe and keep the classes fun and upbeat. There is always a positive energy flowing through the gym and you are pushed hard! There are a ton of different classes (Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing, Crossfit, olympic lifting, yoga) to chose from, for every skill level, so you shouldn’t get bored (unless you’re chuck norris).

Best all-​around crossfit gym I’ve found in Austin. The price is hard to beat ($ 105/​month with a six month membership and $ 88/​month with a 12 month), the class schedule is great, and the instructors are very professional, friendly, and experienced. They throw in free unlimited yoga with a crossfit membership, and they also have MMA and kickboxing options if you prefer that over crossfit. They also keep the indoor area relatively cool, which is great for the summer months.

Just had my «free week» at the Calles location. It is exactly what it sounds — a week for you to try out yoga, MMA and crossfit classes. I attended 3 crossfit classes and i’m officially hooked. For $ 100 a month for unlimited Crossfit and Yoga — –that is UNHEARD OF in Austin.
Was so nervous my first class and worried since I was coming back into fitness after an injury. The trainer was awesome. when something was bothering my back (where my injury was) he was quick to give me an alternate exercise to do. Great gym, great trainers. Can’t wait to get back from winter break and become an official member of this gym!

Showed up at 6:02 on the night before Thanksgiving. Hurried into the gym to stretch and get ready for class to find out I was the ONLY class member. I expected them to send me away, ask me to come at a different time or wait until the next hour. NO such suggestion.
Instead i got a one on one session (down to the last minute) by instructor Vince Barbosa. Ten minutes of practice and instruction on hang cleans. My form is now much better. And there was no corner on the WOD! He counted every rep. Throughout the workout Vince was Cheerful, instructive and supportive.
Oh, I should also tell you I was a walkin.
This will be my gym if I ever move to Austin!

After four years at another box, I’ve recently switched to Eastside Austin Elite and have been there for a month now. The «Box» is very impressive. It is over 12,000 square feet of awesomeness and even some outdoor areas if that wasn’t enough.
While I go for the CrossFit classes, there is a huge variety of different classes. Muay Thai, kick boxing, Brazillan Jiu-​Jitsu, Russian Sambo, yoga, modern dance, sparring, etc. It’s pretty insane.
Speaking of insane, check out the resumes of their trainers. They’re all very accomplished in their area of expertise. The quality of the training is very high and they’re all super nice.
I’m not really into the MMA stuff (sorry peeps), but they do host fights there in their full sized octagon. Apparently, the last fight had close to 800 spectators. There is even a VIP area for you pimps. If you get to class early, you can also use the free wifi in the VIP area and watch everyone working out below you.
The CrossFit programming is very well done. Every class begins with a quick warm up, some stretching, core-​work, plyometrics, and agility work. After you’re done with that, they move into some strength focused work. They follow the Wendler programming which is awesome, and I’ve already seen some gains on my maxes. Then, after all of that, they finally move into the actual CrossFit WOD.
The membership for CrossFit costs $ 100 (currently) and comes with unlimited CrossFit and yoga. You can come any time as long as you sign up for the class using MindBody Online. I believe unlimited everything is $ 150, which is awesome compared to most boxes around town.
Did I mention that the gym is air conditioned and heated, which if you’re (a pansy) like me is a HUGE plus compared to most CrossFit boxes. They also have «Big Ass Fans» which are exactly what they sound like, hah.
Plenty of weights to go around and the equipment is all new. I do wish that they had GHD machines though. This box has only been open for a year and it seems like it is getting more popular by the day.
I highly recommend checking out Eastside Austin Elite (Exitium CrossFit).