Ballard Barbell & Boxing Club

Nathan runs an excellent gym with members from all walks of life. Nobody is there to win a title belt. Everyone trains at their own pace/​level. Unfortunately, I’m moving in a few days, but I hope to be able to find a facility and coach of the same caliber as Ballard Barbell & Boxing Club. The first session is free, so you have nothing to lose. Stop by, check it out, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.

I love BBBC! I started boxing about two years ago and had to leave my first gym a year and a half ago. I found BBBC and I new I had found the perfect gym for me. Nathan has helped me grow as a boxer. I suggest BBBC to anyone who wants to have a good workout while also learning to box. Nathan manages to keep you getting stronger/​more skilled while also keeping you motivated. BBBC is awesome!

I went to BBBC for three months and I absolutely loved it. At first I was a little intimidated by it being a boxing gym but there are people from all walks of life who go to this gym (young, old, male, female, fit, out of shape), and the regulars make an effort to say hi and get to know you. The workouts themselves are hard but fun. I’d never done any boxing before but I loved it and it truly is a full body work out. The format of the classes are warm up for 10 minutes, boxing exercises (usually with a partner or on bags) for 20 – 30 minutes, and then a crossfit-​esque workout for 20 minutes. Although the workouts are difficult while your in them, I always felt really satisfied afterwards and had a lot of fun. There is also a lot of variety at each class so your always working different muscle areas and doing different exercises. Nathan, the head coach, and the other coaches are all great and push you just enough so that you work harder than you thought you could, but in a very encouraging way! Although it costs more than a traditional gym it is seriously worth every penny. If you attend classes (I went about 3 times a week) you WILL see results! I felt stronger, thinner, and had more energy just in 3 months! Go to this gym, it’s a hidden gem!!!

I’ve been to BBBC three times now. Three days after the first free class, after I could move my legs again, I came back. I signed up, bought wraps, gloves, and a t shirt. I have found my gym. I haven’t been in a coached sport since junior high. I’ve been missing out. Nathan is the owner and main coach at BBBC. He definitely makes sure you get a work out… As in, this will kick your everlovin ass.

This gym is fantastic. Yes, it’s a class, but it’s unlike any other fitness class I’ve ever taken. It feels more like you’re working with a personal trainer than participating in a group class.
It is a very intense workout, no matter what fitness level you’re at. If you’re used to all the exercises, you’re using more weights and doing more reps. If you’re not, then you’re taking it a little bit easier, but the trainers are pushing you to push yourself out of your comfort zone.
I felt very intimidated before my first class and almost chickened out of going several times, but I’m really glad I went. I was expecting the gym to be full of giant muscle heads who you see in the weight sections of typical gyms– the guys who stare you down if you ask to share a machine with them– but everyone who goes to this gym is super positive, supportive, kind, and encouraging. The more experienced boxers actually enjoy helping to teach the newcomers.
This was a really surprising find for me, and I wish I could take this place to the next town I’m moving to.
If you’re on the fence about trying this place, just go for it. The first class is free, and if you’re anything like me then you’ll really enjoy it and be really glad you made yourself go.

At 55 years old, former smoker and former dedicated couch potato, I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve been in a long time! Love the boxing lessons and work outs. Nathan and Sam are terrific at working with individual needs and limitations. Great members as well! Very supportive and upbeat. Highly recommend!!!

Nathan is so great! He really pushes you to do your best. It’s like a family environment in the club and they are very welcoming to the newcomers. I work out quite a bit and was worried I wouldn’t get the workout I needed but that was not the case. Each session I left feeling very pleased with my workout and loved that we not only just boxed but also focused on the whole body.

BBBC was a fantastic find! For the past several years, I’ve tried Barre Method, Cross Fit, and Core Power yoga, all of which had their strengths. I really liked Cross Fit, but their prices are REALLY high (same with Barre Method), and I wanted to go to a smaller place. While Nathan’s gym isn’t huge, it’s well equipped with everything you need. A typical class consists of a warm up, like jumping rope, then boxing drills, and finishing with series of tabata style drills, kettlebells, or some other high intensity interval training. I guarantee this will kick your ass! This is a serious workout, but there is no arrogance here, just no slacking off. Nathan it’s great-​he pushes me to do my best, but manages to make me not hate him for it.

I’ve been going to crossfit for a few years now, but I’ve always been interested in learning how to box, as well. Ballard Barbell & Boxing Club is a perfect mix of the two. Crossfit offers great strength and conditioning, but the mental and physical challenge that boxing presents is a fantastic compliment. It’s sounds cliché, but you really get a full mental and physical workout at BBBC. Plus, like a lot of the other reviewers have said, it’s incredibly fun. I leave exhausted, but can’t wait to go back. Nate really does a great job of assessing your skill level and works closely with you to encourage and train you to progress and improve. The variety of the workouts keeps it interesting, as well, which prevents you from burning out.

Amazing. If you want to get in great shape, have fun, and learn from experienced trainers, go to BBBC — They even give you your first session free.

I knew boxing was going to be a good workout, but I had no idea how mentally engaging it is. This is such a fun way to get a great workout in, learn something new every day, and AND be able to impress your friends with your new skills.
Nathan, the owner is awesome– He is a great teacher in terms of translating a skill or an idea, and he is challenging and encouraging without being a tool… which in my extensive experience in athletics, gyms, boxes and studios around the country is really quite a rare skill.
It starts with a warm up and then about 20 min of boxing specific skills– every class there is something new to work on and think about.
Finally there is a 20 – 5 min Crossfit/​HIIT type workout that is different every time. Scalable to your fitness level, the more you put in the more you get out.
The hour FLIES by, and when you leave you got a great workout in AND learned something.
AND you feel like a bad ass because you have been punching things and getting stronger :)
The place also attracts a group of really welcoming and enthusiastic patrons. Its intimidating trying something totally new, but I have always felt super welcomed and comfortable.
I highly recommend!

This is gym is great. I wanted to learn how to box for a long time, but was leery about joining a gym that made be feel like an outsider because I knew absolutely nothing about boxing. This gym was the answer. The coaches are the best, very approachable and helpful. I like the format for each group session. We warmup with jump ropes, do several boxing drills, then complete the workout with an intense cross-​fit routine. When I came to this gym I was overweight and out of shape. After 5 months, I lost 15 pounds, increased my muscle mass and fitness level. I could not do a single pullup when I joined; now I can do many. This is definitely the place to get fit and learn boxing.

No fancy overpriced BS or gym-​fashionista crap here — just a ton of workout in a short time, a never-​boring approach and excellent value. Plus Nathan is one of a kind.
Anyone who is looking to get in better shape faster, gets bored by the same old routine or is usually trainer-​averse should check BBBC out. It’s a gem.

Six months in, and it’s time for an update. Going to the BBBC is one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time. I’m in much, much better shape, in fact I’m probably the most fit I’ve ever been. I even have better posture. And it’s been FUN. Classes are the high point of my day,
Best Gym Ever.

Whatever your body type, physical background, and fitness goals Nathan is a great example of how to adjust workouts to meet his clients needs but also making sure that he challenges them to reach beyond what they expect. I recommend this gym to everyone, especially if you’re sick of the «Big Box» gym mentality.

If you want to be in the best shape of your life, definitely join this gym.
I had a fitness goal to reach in a month, and completely surpassed it! Nathan, the owner, is genuine and knowledgeable; he’s a boxing trainer, experienced crossfit instructor, and certified nutritionist. The workouts are challenging and interesting because there is always something to learn. Another bonus is the atmosphere is supportive.
Basically, BBBC is rad.
I’m looking forward to reaching more goals!

Nathan’s moved his gym to a great big industrial-​feel warehouse down the street. BBBC how has all the charm and one-​on-​one focus of it’s car garage roots with space and functionality enough to go toe-​to-​toe with traditional gyms. Bring on the indoor, year-​round wall balls: D

Great place to join if the traditional gym routine has you bored. I have been going for the past month and absolutely love it. The workouts are killer, and they never get boring.
You will get pushed and sometimes want to give up, but w/​the competition and Nate driving you, you get in amazing workouts. This is not a 24 hour /​LA Fitness type facility, no screwing around here, simply great workouts and great results all in a timely fashion.

I grew up playing most sports and riding dirt bikes, mostly for the fun of the activities. In my early 20’s I began weightlifting and realized that staying in shape was turning into a lifestyle for me. One day in my late 20’s I was roped into going out for a 5 mile run with a buddy of mine who runs marathons. After the first couple of miles I thought I was gonna die.
It was then that I realized I was not in the shape I thought I was in. So I began to run. hated it. So I reconnected with my youth and joined a recreational soccer team. Loved it. I realized that I needed to run on the side to play soccer well. The two fed off of each other as my motivation to run was to be in better shape than the other players I faced.
As I got older though, the injuries started exposing themselves, not only injuries from soccer and running, but also the damage that I did to my joints through my lifting years. I joined a yoga class to recuperate from my 4^th knee surgery at 48 y/​o and was faced with the real possibility of having to hang up my cleats for good.
This is about the time that I met Nathan. He was offering a Boot camp Cross fit experience. Being somewhat skeptical at first, and realizing that I can only fit so many activities in a day, I decided to try out a class. The workout was about 20 minutes, but I thought I was gonna die.
Nathan has been torturing me good for the last two years. His knowledge of the phases of physical exertion, his attention to my form and mechanical detail and his honest determination to ensure that I reach a high level of fitness has combined with my own determination to help me continue to be in better shape than most players I face on the pitch. His focus is on the entire body. The exercises are designed to strengthen the whole body in a way that helps prevent injuries rather than cause them. I truly feel stronger than I did 10 years ago and Nathan’s classes are a large part of the reason why. Now, I know I’m not gonna die, I’m just gonna get stronger.
Thanks Nathan for your help!

I’ve been a competitive swimmer since age 8, competed in triathlons, marathons, short distance running races. I’m an endurance athlete, but lack strength and coordination. I’ve always had lower back pain from running and not strengthening my lower body. Ballard Barbell and Boxing training has me stronger, faster, lighter and more capable to do the things I want to do.
Nathan is a CrossFit, Kettlebell certified trainer. He is experienced, fitness savvy, and very supportive! Every workout is different, workout time can be as little as 15 minutes, and totally FUN!