Crossfit Bulletproof (Austin, TX)
Philip Tamez was sick of working in corporate America and needed something else in his life. He started a box in his gym and then inspiration hit him one day that said “I enjoy helping people get better. Improving people’s lives. I’m doing it for fun, I should do it as a career!” So he quit in July 2012, moved the box down the street to a bigger location and that was the birth of Crossfit Bulletproof. Now they have 135+ monthly members. Truly a success story.
I won’t lie- this is very parallel to my life as well. Wanting to just better people’s lives that are around me instead of working for some scmuck in an office that I can’t wait to exit from so I can go to the gym and hang out with my friends. It’s the last part that Bulletproof has acknowledged and made sure to emphasize.
Sure, it’s a gym, but it’s a social hour. Not in the aspect of talking- I think I gasped a few words to a few people during the rests- but there was a softball-team sign up (with 36 names on it), rockclimbing events, happy-hour nights and kid-days posted on a littered cork-board on a wall.
I had come early and watched the 20+ “newbie” class knock out the “Grace + Elizabeth” wod. People of all sizes and shapes were there lifting, panting, possibly happy-crying, while 3 (sometimes 4) coaches walked around, gave tips, corrected forms and broke down the movements for the other athletes.
They have a “level 2” class, which is designated for people who have been doing crossfit for a while and need minimal help on the movements. This is the class where the other coaches train and Philip was the main/master coach during this WOD. It was exciting to work with Austin’s elite. (A team is made out of these guys and then taken to competitions that random boxes around Austin hold. There’s about one every month, apparently!)
All in all, I’m glad I visited/sweat with these guys- and I would definitely check them out if you’re looking for a long-term stay. Short-term won’t cut it here… This is a family that you will become part of once you join. 🙂
