Brightside Barbell, Oakland CA

Brightside Barbell is an incredible gym. The coaches here are all thoughtful, encouraging, and incredibly talented at teaching skills and form to everyone. Coach Brooks is especially talented at making CrossFit and lifting accessible to all; they always have scaling options prepared for every movement in class, and come with a no judgement approach designed to get you moving. The community is welcoming, nonjudgemental, and just fun to be around! I’ve never been into exercising before Brightside, and now I feel excited to head to the gym multiple times a week. I leave every class feeling accomplished and encouraged to keep coming back. I can’t recommend Brightside Barbell enough!

Love this gym, I’m new to CrossFit and have felt so supported and safe at Brightside Barbell. I’m so glad this place is in the neighborhood and would recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Over the last year this gym has become my favorite gym of all times. The owners are the nicest humans, and the owner/headcoach Brooks is the best CF coach ive ever had. They have the rare combo of a brilliant mind and a gentle hand. The way they coach has made me understand the lifts in ways Ive never understood them before. Love this community, so hardworking and so gay, so good.

Brightside is a great place to visit or join for anyone who is looking to get in spicy CrossFit workouts or improve on their Olympic lifts at Barbell Club. There is even an option to get your sweat on while helping the community through fundraiser workouts on Saturdays!

The programming is thoughtful and scalable for all. The coaches are welcoming, encouraging and all offer a wealth of knowledge in movement and fitness. Members here are friendly and supportive. Diversity at this gym is a plus!

Whether you want friendly competition to help push you in workouts or just looking to accomplish personal fitness goals … you can get that here!

For me - working out/lifting weights helps me relieve stress and makes me feel strong. Brightside has been a safe and fun place for me to do so and I’m thankful they are part of the Oakland community.

More than a gym, this place is a community of friendly folks who want to help each other feel strong and competent in their bodies. The coaching here is top-notch, and regardless of your fitness level or goals, the team here will help you get there.

The coaches at this gym have helped me grow in my own fitness journey by leaps and bounds, and they can do the same for you regardless of your current level of physical fitness or comfort with working out!

Brightside Barbell is home to some of the best coaching I’ve ever received while doing CrossFit. Brooks is a master at teaching skills and form to beginners and advanced athletes alike. The space is clean, the workouts leave me feeling accomplished and satisfied, and the community is extremely welcoming and inclusive to all. Whenever I’m in the East Bay I love dropping in for a workout here

Best gym I've ever been to! This is an incredibly welcoming gym, across all dimensions: no matter how much experience you have, no matter what your body looks like, no matter what gender you are, if you want to have a solid workout, this is the place to do it. The coaches are welcoming and know how to scale the workouts for all skill levels. They're here to make you strong—nobody is trying to make you "lose weight". And the community is small, tight-knit, and just as welcoming as the coaches are! I joined as a complete beginner six months ago and I'm now the strongest I've ever been in my life—really grateful to Brooks and the whole team!

I love this gym! It is so welcoming, inclusive, non-judgmental/non-shaming, friendly and fun! It’s a great place to be with a diverse group of down to earth folks. I’ve worked with the head Coach (Brooks) for about a year and my time with them has been incredibly instrumental to my overall well-being. Highly recommend Brightside Barbell and Coach Brooks!

Love the team at Brightside Barbell. I have chronic back pain. I started doing 1: 1 training with Coach B and had the best time. They crafted routines for me that helped me significantly strengthen my back and increased my overall mobility. Coach always made it interesting, accessible, and a positive experience. I love the new gym and especially the Saturday Community workouts. They often turn the work out into a fundraiser for important causes. They also differentiate the activities so a variety of skill levels can participate. Check out the great website to catch one of the community workouts and you will be hooked!

I have been to this location twice and have inquired about operational hours and to look at the facility. Unfortunately both times i was ignored. The first time, I walked in I was told I had to make an appointment. No hello, no welcome to our gym, no customer service. I was told to look online at the schedule. Today I thought, I would give them a second chance. I saw someone working out and I tried to go in but the door was locked. There was a women sitting at a desk directly at entrance. When I tried to open the door did she did not react. Maybe she didn't her me. So, I then knocked on the window and was told we are closed. No hello and no friendly customer service. Just a cold stare! Both times I felt like the individual women who worked there were either of afraid of me or really just didn't want my business. Not throwing in the race card but I am an AA male. I have lived in this neighborhood for quite some time now and have never been treated rudely by any of the business merchants. Is race an issue, it very well could be. Were they rude on both occasions, yes! So if you are an AA male trying to work out here this is not the place for you!

This place is great! They offer a community class on Saturdays that I absolutely love. The space is inclusive and welcoming, as are the coaches. A great addition to the neighborhood.

Great place to get a kickass workout. I took a CrossFit style community class here from Coach B and it was incredible and well adjusted to suit everyone's needs. Pretty chill group and a safe & welcoming space for all. Their website is pretty thorough as well.
Looking forward to my next workout here!

This is my favorite gym. It has everything you could want. I was nervous about being new to crossfit but the coaches made me feel instantly welcomed. They are so knowledgeable and supportive, and I was excited to learn so much about how to improve my techniques. What I love is that I'm constantly learning in every class. Everyone is also really friendly. It is a very diverse and kind group of people which can make anyone feel welcomed. Besides the fact that you will achieve your fitness goals at this gym, you will enjoy being here. Oh and the classes are fun, I look forward to each one!

Brightside is hands down my favorite gym I have ever been a member at. Brooks is the best coach. They make olympic lifting and Crossfit accessible, scalable, not intimidating, and all around fun! They have built an incredible, welcoming community that is friendly to newcomers and seasoned lifters alike.

I started consistently training with Brooks about a year ago and have crushed PR after PR. Brooks's programming is super effective. They are also amazing at assessing technique and adapting cues to what will work for you. This includes in group classes. Truly feels like getting personal training level attention to technique in a group setting. And if you're not about crushing PRs that's okay too! This is a place where you can really feel comfortable doing whatever works for you on your strength journey.

If you're looking for a place to get stronger, fitter, and happier, I can't recommend Brightside enough.

Brightside Barbell is an absolute gem of a gym. Affordable and with an accommodating schedule of classes. But the coaches and community are what bring me in every week. I've been working with Coach Brooks since 2018 and when they opened their own gym it was a no brainer to join.

Whether you've never lifted before or are a CrossFit/Olympic lifting regular, you'll feel right at home at Brightside.

Great little local barbell/crossfit gym in a convenient location (street parking is almost always easy to find). The folks who workout here are friendly and encouraging, the coaches are fantastic, the programming is always just the right amount of challenging.

My friend put me on to training with the head Coach, Brooks, last year. Haven’t looked back since! They’ve been an integral part of my wellness and healing journey. Super chill, patient, funny, and knowledgeable. I appreciate the gym space, other coaches, and inclusive community too. I say check it them out!

Awesome gym! Inclusive, friendly, great community and excellent coaching. Lift heavy things here!

Simply the best gym in the east bay. Great equipment, peerless coaching, and an amazing, welcoming community of members.