If you are searching for the best gyms in Austin, check out my favorites: Big Tex Gym, Hyde Park Gym, Richard Lord’s Boxing Gym, and Iron Forge MMA. These are all gyms I’ve experienced and interacted with, and I assure you they are the best.
I have been a member of or worked at 17 gyms, from old school training facilities to sports training complexes to country club and shiny fitness clubs. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the U-G-L-Y. There are some benefits to most of these type gyms, but let me tell you about the best Austin gyms.
Why These are the Best Gyms in Austin
Gyms are located literally almost every quarter mile in Austin, Texas. So how do I pick the best gyms in the Austin area? They are all local gyms with a welcoming atmosphere. The owners and members are on fire for what they do. They are specialists, they are purists, they are amazingly hard workers. When you find them, you have a greater chance of falling in love with the process, and succeeding in your fitness journey.
The Importance of Finding the Right Gym
A determined person can make a successful training environment in many situations, but the biggest cheat code of all is to find a great gym. It’s not even a cheat, actually; quite the opposite. When you work on your fitness goals, whether you are doing personal training sessions, small group training, or going solo in an open gym, finding a great gym with people who are thrilled to be there is the key to success. It will exponentially increase your chances of finding a process you love, and getting the results you are working for.
Read the Ultimate Austin Gift Guide if you need to shop for someone. Or, treat yoself.
Of course you have to find a gym that has the check boxes you need: open hours that fit your schedule, equipment you like, maybe childcare or classes you are looking for.
But more important is finding your style, and your people. If you’re at a gym that doesn’t let you use chalk, runnnn away. You can’t grow there. If you’re at a gym that gossips and puts others down, run even faster. Good gyms are the most supportive environment you’ll ever find.
It might take a few tries, but finding a gym that’s conducive to hard work, support and continued growth is the way. It’s the way you’ll find progress, fulfillment and results.
How to Find the Right Gym
My number one suggestion is to find a local gym. You’ll find the truly passionate, on-fire-for-the-sport people and trainers there. It won’t be an ordinary corporate drab situation filled with shiny ellipticals. You’ll find real true grit at a local gym.
Start by contacting any people you know in the area and see what they recommend. Most people who love gyms have tried, or at least know of, a few in the area.
You can also check out forums and see what people are saying about local training facilities. Check out Reddit or google “best gym in Austin” or whatever you are searching. People sure don’t hold back their words online so you’ll get some honest reviews.
Big Tex Gym
Big Tex Gym is easily the most equipped facility in Austin. They have equipment for bodybuilding, including a posing room, strongman equipment with indoor turf, and powerlifting gear including calibrated plates and specialty bars.
The owners are amazing people who cultivate a positive supportive lifestyle where everybody supports each other. The vibe is truly second to none; high energy and motivated all the time.
Big Tex also has equipment that is highly valuable and hard to find in regular gyms, like the Jacob’s Ladder climber, a variety of glute and hip thrusting options, reverse hyper extension, tires, sandbags, stones, logs, and farmers walk implements.
Big Tex also makes this list of best fitness places in North Austin.
Big Tex Gym feels to me like the future of fitness; there’s always has something fun happening, and something to get involved with and excited about at BTG. Whether a strongman event, powerlifting competition, yoga classes, weekend competitions or fight nights on conjunction with Blacksheep Boxing and Muay Thai, there is something that’ll stoke your fire. This is the perfect gym for the true fitness enthusiast.
At a five dollar day rate, this is one of the most affordable gyms. You have nothing to lose by trying it out. Memberships available too.
Why is Big Tex Gym the Best?
- experienced and professional personal trainers
- free weights up to 200
- an impeccable vibe
- the best variety of strength training equipment in town
1921 Cedar Bend Dr A 130, Austin, TX 78758
512-775-7838
Hyde Park Gym
Hyde Park Gym has the greatest history yet any gym I’ve ever been a part of. It was formerly owned by Mike Graham, who is a legend in the lifting world, and even used to weld his own equipment to get precisely the lifts he wanted. The gym was later bodybuilding great Dave Goodin. Over the years Hyde Park has built a stunning number of successful bodybuilders, powerlifters, and weightlifters.
In addition to the serious lifting competitors, Hyde Park is also known as a friendly neighborhood gym. There are multiple generations that work out there and many non-competitors who just love the unique feel of the gym. The walls are covered in history and pictures of long-ago meets and now retired competitors.
I was with a client one day when a man and his teenage son walked in. He asked to look around, and after a few minutes, pointed to a picture of a bodybuilder on the wall. “That’s your mom”, he said. I never got the backstory, but what a sweet moment to witness.
Hyde Park Gym is just full of fantastic people, including the members, trainers, and the owner. I’ve been blessed to know so many of them over the years and I’ll always be grateful for the friendships I made there.
Hyde Park still has a great training atmosphere and fun events like the Push Pull in the summer, which is the rowdiest lifting event I’ve ever been to.
With it’s abundant platforms, great equipment, specialty bars, and a killer location in Hyde Park, I hope Hyde Park Gym is around forever.
Hyde Park Gym has guest passes and memberships available.
Why is Hyde Park Gym the Best?
- equipment for every fitness level
- bumper plates and specialty bars for Olympic weightlifting
- a variety of experienced personal trainers
- funky little locker rooms that were the scene of my favorite water cooler moments
4125 Guadalupe Street, Austin, TX 78751
512-524-0450
Richard Lord’s Boxing Gym
Richard Lord’s Boxing Gym is a fantastic combination of nostalgia, history, tradition, and modern day hard work. There are posters on the walls of fights, fighters, events of the past, and it is now pulsing with young energy and work.
Richard is an extremely accomplished fighter and coach, and runs his gym dispensing great technical knowledge. His gym is full of charismatic and funny people who help you through the sweat fest. I have so much fun every time I go! But don’t get complacent- they know how to box!
I go to the boxing gym for exercise, so I’m definitely not one of his trained fighters. I never intend to get into a real boxing match. Despite that, the genuine experience and dedication to boxing is what I love about Lord’s Boxing Gym. It’s highly motivating to me to be surrounded by people who are passionate about what they work so hard at.
It’s so much more genuine than a pop up fitness boxing business that focuses more on fitness. I know this seems disingenuous coming from me because I do go to his gym for fitness. But let me tell you, they know how to condition people too!
Richard’s facility is as real as it gets – like Hyde Park and Big Tex, it has good equipment that you don’t find at commercial gyms. He also has LOTS of jump ropes, and tires to pull.
Lord’s Gym is unique. It is a one of a kind place, and it’s full of fun, fun supportive people.
There are a variety of classes to participate in at the gym, and you can get a membership or 1:1 sessions.
Why is Richard Lord’s Boxing Gym is the Best?
- fantastic technical instruction on boxing
- fun fun fun people and instructors
- North Austin/just north of downtown location
- gym and equipment are packed with tradition, experience and character
5528 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78757
512-451-8424
Iron Forge MMA Team
Iron Forge MMA (much of the team is formerly Blacksheep Boxing & Muay Thai) is fantastic training environment for a few fighting disciplines. Iron Forge has a large sparring area and ring, and lots of bags on the walls for members’ use. They have a variety of classes and experienced instructors for both group and on-on-one sessions.
Iron Forge is fun and high energy, and it’s filled with interesting and dedicated people. They have a fantastic community and keep leveling up. Iron sharpens iron.
Why is Iron Forge the best?
- Wide variety of martial arts classes
- plenty of parking and a big parking lot
- an entertaining and engaging style of high-intensity interval training
2000 S I-35 Frontage Rd Suite J1, Round Rock, TX 78681
512-503-5413
What Other Gyms in Austin Should You Try?
Traffic around the Austin area is getting crazier, and it’s a known fact that you will most likely go more to a gym that is convenient. Whether you are in North Austin, South Congress area, downtown Austin or on E Riverside Dr., check and see if you can go to one of these gyms I listed. It’ll be worth it to have high quality personal training services, your favorite instructors, and just be able to lift around other fitness enthusiasts. Some other gyms I have not been to but have heard rave reviews about are Castle Hill Fitness, Athletic Outcomes, Lift ATX, Factory Gym, Iron Vault, Austin Fitness Center, South Austin Gym, and Onnit Gym. Skip Planet Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness and Fitness Connection.
The big box gyms are almost always just trying to rope you into a gym membership on contract so you have to pay for a long time. They are fine (if they make you happy) but they are underwhelming. They have fancy lockers rooms, and add ons such as steam rooms, hot tubs and group fitness classes. They don’t have specialty bars, experienced personal trainers, effective training programs or the best gym equipment. It’ll be shiny, but not always a great place for a tried and true fitness program. The problem with “general fitness” is that its boring. There’s no passion in it.
Check out these Austin hiking trails with water, if you’re looking to get out of the gym and into the big wild!
Of course, if you are looking for something specific like basketball courts, a climbing gym, small group classes, tons of cardio equipment + tvs, hot yoga, or a hot tub/sauna, then you have to find a gym that has those amenities. If you’re looking for a recovery center, physical therapy office or a greater menu of spa services, you’ll have to look for a more specific or smaller gym.
What is your Favorite Gym in Austin?
If yours isn’t on the list, let me know what’s your favorite Austin gym! Send me your own list of favorites! I love knowing what gyms are around, even if I haven’t been yet.
If you haven’t, try one of the gyms I listed above. They’ll all take care of you and you might even find a place where you fit right in. Let me know – can’t wait to hear from you!
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About the author
Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.
