Fivex3 Training: A Strength and Conditioning Gym in Baltimore (A Starting Strength Affiliate)

Awesome environment, and very friendly and welcoming to beginners. Enjoyed my coaching experience with Jay, the coaches will walk you through the very basics of barbell training

“I love going to the gym” is not a phrase I ever thought would enter my vocabulary, but this place is just that awesome!Emily is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about helping people get stronger, and it is evident throughout her gym.The atmosphere is friendly and encouraging, and you will feel welcome and valued no matter what skill level you’re at. When you begin, the coaches really take the time to teach you how to lift properly and make sure you’re ready to move on before adding weight.After that, the format is open and you’re free to work at your own pace but you are never really lifting “alone.” There is always a coach nearby to watch your form and provide instruction. And they are amazing at it! It is clear that the coaches are genuinely interested in seeing you progress and succeed.Oh and the program works!!! So it’s pretty fun to do things you didn’t think you were capable of too :)

The best gym I've ever been a part of and easily the best gym in Baltimore. The coaches - Emily, Craig, Diego, Gretchen, Ryan, and Jay - are all incredibly knowledgeable and welcoming. It's a privilege to train with them. If you want to get strong and make some great friends along the way, then this is the place for you.

Great Coaching, Great Atmosphere

Thanks, Liz!!!!

My husband and I continue to be so impressed with the knowledge of the owners and their commitment in helping people learn. This gym is great for all ages and levels of lifters. The best experience I've ever had at a gym!

I've been a member for a little over a month now. This gym experience is like no other I've had.Most importantly - this is a gym where they know your name. Emily, Diego, Jay, and Craig are all there, keeping an eye on everything and offering helpful advice and coaching.Emily and the rest of the gang set the tone for the building. This is a positive environment and I really feel like everybody (and every body) is welcome. I spent some time not wanting to go to the gym because I didn't think someone with a body like mine would fit in. That notion was dispelled in my first session here. All kinds of people here are at every stage in their strength pilgrimage.The coaches are talented and accredited by a program I trust. The starting strength method is about 5 lifts, and these coaches are experts. It's not a certification you can get in a weekend or by taking an online class.This place is more expensive than other gyms. That turned me off for a little while. But a gym like this doesn't just happen. When I am there on an average Wednesday evening after work, there are maybe 5-10 people working out and there are 2-3 coaches training them. That kind of personal attention is worth far more than the sticker price.One night my wife went in without me (I was working late, caught up with her later) and they asked where I was. Most gyms count on you NOT coming in to make money. This gym NEEDS you to come in because their business is making athletes.

I’ve been an online client of Emily and Diego at Fivex3 for almost four months now, and it has been nothing short of outstanding. Their coaching, support, and guidance has exceeded all of my expectations. I think the first time I went up to Fivex3 was back in 2015 for a squat camp, and I’ve always enjoyed working with these two amazing coaches. At that time I was somewhat of a noob, and it was really great listening to them give me and the other beginners basic form and programming advice that was extremely useful, and then also hearing how they could seamlessly answer specific questions for a more advanced competitor that was also in attendance.I’ve had it in my head that I want to eventually test for the SS Coaching Credential, and for some reason I thought this meant I should be stubborn and attempt to program for myself. After all, I had read the books, watched plenty of videos, and kept up with the form checks and Q&A sections of the SS forums. This didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. However, I finally decided that I needed professional help, and I preferred to work with Emily and Diego, since I have worked with them in person a decent amount, and really respect their professionalism, knowledge, and abilities.I set up a garage gym at my house back in the fall of 2018, so I really have no excuse to miss a workout. However, sometimes life gets in the way and you just can’t find the time to train, or you just want to go to bed at 6pm. I never let this become a habit, but it was easier to delay a training session when I was just lifting by myself in my garage. Among other things, online coaching provides you with a sense of accountability, and everyone knows that consistency is one of the most important aspects of training. If I miss a session, not only am I letting myself down, I’m letting the coaches down, and am I not getting my full value from paying for online coaching.The initial few weeks as an online client was the typical break-ya-down to build-ya-back-up scenario; the coaches made some adjustments to my form, reset the weights a little bit, and saw how it went for a few sessions, then made other minor adjustments as appropriate. There were definitely some ups and downs with my training during this timeframe, but I knew in the end I had to “trust the process”, which ultimately meant trusting the coaches. After all, they are the professionals. This was something I would have never been able to accomplish on my own. For example, I would crush a heavy set of five on the deadlift, and the following week, I could barely get one rep up with only five additional pounds on the bar. Emily and Diego really took the time to discuss the potential issues and provided the appropriate fixes. This type of feedback and individual attention has been invaluable to me, and is one of the many reasons I have continued to be an online client of theirs.It is very hard for me to explain and write out how important it has been for me to get constant feedback on my lifts. My form is nowhere near perfect, and I usually have the same few issues, but it is extremely useful to get that consistent feedback from the trained coach’s eye week in and week out. I’m lifting weights that I never thought I would be able to and with vastly improved form. The weights always feel heavy, and I sometimes I don’t know how I will keep adding weight on the next workout, but this is why it has been so important for to have a professional objective eye review my lifts and give me the reassurance that I can add more weight next time.Emily and Diego have been certified Starting Strength Coaches for almost ten years, and have been coaching for much longer. You can’t put a value on that type of knowledge and expertise, and the fact that they still take the time (and have the patience) to guide people through their training and goals is a testament to the type of people they are. Emily and Diego are not only the best coaches I’ve ever had, but the best professionals I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.

Without question the best gym in the Baltimore/DC area for getting strong. The facility is wonderful and the coaches are some of the most respected in the industry. I can't say enough good things about the quality of the gym and coaching staff.

A Starting Strength gym, took a private session and a squat session. Great place, Emily and Diego are awesome, really know their stuff, very motivational.