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

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...

I’ve been a member of Fivex3 since September 2020 and joining this gym has honestly been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life! I was specifically looking for a gym that focused on Starting Strength, which initially intrigued me as Fivex3 is a Starting Strength affiliate. It was meeting with Emily and seeing the space that sealed the deal. I was brand new to strength training and greatly appreciated the introductory sessions my partner and I had with Craig. These sessions were instrumental in learning proper form for all the major lifts, correctly setting up the squat rack, and starting weight numbers. I felt comfortable flying “solo” after those initial sessions though I’m never “alone” as the coaches continue to provide me helpful feedback as necessary, which I greatly appreciate.

Emily created a personalized training plan for me based on my starting weight numbers, which has grown into a routine over the last two years. My program is not rigid and has been adjusted as needed. For example, Emily has added isolation exercises to my program at my request. I’ve found that everything (e.g., introductory sessions, training program, coaching, etc.) at Fivex3 is intentional. The biggest takeaway about the training program is: If you are consistent and show up, you will progress in your training - it is inevitable!

The gym is very welcoming - I love seeing everyday people (like myself) from different backgrounds ranging from young adults to seniors coming in to lift weights. The coaches are extremely knowledgeable - three are Starting Strength Certified (SSC) - and they all genuinely care about their members as people. Most of them lift in the gym, which is cool to see. It is a true gym community where folks celebrate each other’s success and PRs.

I would highly recommend this gym to anyone (especially women) interested in getting stronger. If you are curious and want to learn more, I encourage you to do the following things (in this order): (1) Check out their IG page to see the Fivex3 community, (2) Listen to an episode of Fivex3 Radio podcast to hear how knowledgeable Emily and Diego (both are SSC) are about strength training - available on ITunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast, Podcast Addict, and Google Podcast, and (3) Email Emily to schedule a...

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...