Austin Barbell Club (South) — Local services in Austin

Update Sept 2023:

I am at the beginning of my fourth year with ABB. In the past 3 years the club (and I) have continued to grow and become stronger. We have more, very talented, coaches now and 2 amazing places to train. Our medal wall continues to shine! Personally I have hit a lifetime best in the snatch and qualified for American Open finals. I am a confident competitor now and feel I can trust my form most days yet there are always improvements to be made. Just yesterday I got some new coaching on my elbow positioning at the end of my snatch pull that made an immediate difference in the stability of my receiving position. Things like that keep the sport endlessly interesting.

I still don't really worry too much about the numbers on the bar and just try to improve my process consistently. As a masters athlete I appreciate the thoughtful programming and hope to compete into actual old age.

As far as community, these people are family. I am so proud of the young people I have watched grow up and go away to college, even one on a weightlifting scholarship. I look up to my coaches and trust them. I even have some athletes ahead of me on the timeline of life that remind me what is possible. ABB continues to be an important part of my life and health, an excellent way to spend my time and money.

September 2021:

I have been at Austin Barbell a little over a year, I had just moved to Austin last summer and was looking to do something good for myself to help balance the stress of working in healthcare and living in a new city 2020 style. The intro lessons were my birthday present to myself, a simple decision lead to more benefits than I could have imagined.

Initially, I was concerned about changing how my body looked and building strength but that changed a lot as I fell in love with the sport and became part of the community. I never would have thought I would compete but after watching my teammates challenge themselves at a local meet I was truly inspired to give it my all and grow as much as possible.

Since then I have competed twice, and made major progress with my technique, power and mental toughness under pressure. Each week I get a customized training program and work to get myself in 3-4 sessions that last approx 2 hours. The coaching staff gives careful and precise feedback as needed. We even have a sauna to use for recovery!

Other important things to know, coach Rob is not a good salesman. In fact, money is far from his first, second or third priority. He is careful to prioritize the well-being of the team and emphasized this when I was was initially attempting to join. I was a little surprised by that, but as time goes on I understand the value of choosing athletes, beginner or advanced (some even world class) that will maintain and elevate the supportive and positive environment at ABB. I have benefited immensely from being part of this team and feel that I have a really wonderful tribe of people who work hard and encourage me to be at my best day in and day out. We love...

Since moving from California it has taken more research and literal going into Clubs, Boxes, and Facilities to find the level of coaching commitment and skill I was looking for. The Coach’s Rob & Coach Rene are sterling reflections of dedication, excellence, and precise technique to the sport of Olympic Weightlifting. Each Athletes program is individually planned each week by coach Rob to focus on each Athletes personal goals and development in sport excellence. They are creating a culture of champion training practices in this camp that I wanted to be a part of! After only 5 weeks of training under their direction I competed in my first meet ever gaining my entrance into American Open 3 and qualifying for State Championships!!! I have several personal goals that would challenge anyone -and my Coach’s just continue to point, que, and lead me in the direction of my dreams. I know it is never up to my Coach to make my dreams come true -that is on me —But in no way can ANY Athlete ever attain greatness without a Coach. In this case I am surrounded by Coach’s that believe the best in each Athlete and bring fresh enthusiasm for every training session.i am so BLESSED to be a part of this camp!! Lastly, the Team Spirit within the club builds upon each other - everyone is rooting for the best in each other - when one successfully completes a lift there is space created for another to do the same! It is unparalleled—“the place to be” if Olympic Lifting is...

I joined Austin Barbell in October 2021. While I played sports growing up, I had no CrossFit or weightlifting experience before the Foundations course I took with Rob. After those two sessions (one on snatch, the other on clean and jerk), I was hooked. I immediately signed up to be a part of the team and it’s the best decision I’ve made for both my mental and physical health in years. Austin Barbell has created community. A community of supportive and just all-around good humans. This community cheers on every single PR, for every single lifter, regardless of whether you’ve been lifting for years or a few weeks. It’s a community where anyone can learn and fail forward. That’s why training at Austin Barbell is the best part of my week. I come 5 times a week just because I love it so much. That’s also a big testament to the coaches. Rob and Oleg are excellent instructors and see potential in every athlete that joins the team. If you want to compete, they will guide you step by step. If you just want to learn, this is also the place for that. Regardless of your goals, Rob and Oleg are careful stewards of your Olympic weightlifting journey. Whether you’re starting or continuing that journey, do it at Austin Barbell. I guarantee you...