CrossFit East Bay

The trainers Andrea, Max and Chelsey Rock! I can’t say enough about them or the gym. The gym is clean and organized with well kept equipment. The trainers really care and pay attention. They learn your weaknesses and strengths and are always trying to help you exceed your expectations. They are truly passionate about what they do and it shows. If you’re on the fence on whether or not you should try CrossFit, do it at CrossFit East Bay. You can’t beat the location either, right in the heart of Jack London Square on the estuary. Joining CFEB was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I joined CrossFit East Bay in September having 8 months of Crossfit under my belt at another box. The growth I have made in 5 months under the coaches at CFEB has far exceeded what I thought I was capable of. Since there are only 3 coaches, they KNOW you — they know your strengths, areas for improvement and how and where to push you.
I also love their speciality classes. Olympic Lifting with Jake on Wednesdays is amazing, and Andi’s gymnastics class on Thursday is so fun and great for speciality skills as well as mobility.
I would highly recommend CFEB to new and experienced athletes alike!

I have been a personal training client of Max’s for over two years and as a 45+ male I am in better shape than I have ever been and plan on continuing to call CrossFit East Bay my workout home for years to come. It is in a great location with a great community that is very supportive. I highly recommend this CrossFit East Bay.

Crossfit East Bay is my new home gym. I moved from Chicago back home to Oakland about 5 months ago. I couldn’t be happier at CFEB — they epitomize all that is good within the CF world — clean and awesome facility, educated coaches, focus on performance, improvement and safety. I appreciate their focus on community — I walked in and felt welcomed and enjoy getting to know all the members.
Andy, Max, and Chelsey are all wonderful coaches who push me to excel and improve. Andy alone has changed my breathing technique to better activate my core for heavy lifts and I have made huge gains.
I would recommend CFEB to anyone — brand new or experience to CF. It is a great place and I’m proud to be a member

Passionate and knowledgable staff, awesome community, and top notch facility and equipment sets you up to achieve your fitness goals!

I have been a CrossFitter for 9 years, an affiliate owner for 8 with 2 gyms in Seattle. I travel a fair bit and over he years I have become so disenfranchised with poorly run gyms I rarely even drop in anymore. CF East Bay is an incredible exception to the trend of weak trainers, ill conceived program design and self absorbed members. I spent a few days here on a few successive trips and my experience has been outstanding. Awesome trainers. I have now seen several on more than one occasion. Well equipped, clean, set up with intention. It isn’t huge but they clearly put some serious thought into the layout of this facility. The program design here is on point. Thoughtful and intentional workouts. Members are encouraged to track and it shows. Every time I have been here someone is celebrating a new personal record. I cannot recommend CrossFit East Bay enough.

I couldn’t be happier with Max and Andi at CFEB. This is an excellent box with programming that scales well to the individual, whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior or just starting out… Max and Andi will either assist you in scaling down or pushing you harder. I have been in and out of CrossFit for a few years and travel for work so I’ve experienced many types of coaching and gyms… I’m so happy to have CFEB close to where I live.
Andi and Max offer a wide array of additional class types on top of the regular programming which is great if you want to focus on improving a specific skill set. Some examples I’ve seen include, olympic lifting, powerlitfing, running, nutrition (there may be others I don’t know of). Another plus is that they encourage a welcoming environment and the box is very organized /​clean with all the facilities you need, showers etc… plenty of equipment.
They run a tight ship and if you are looking to push yourself, focus and get stronger you will appreciate this aspect very much. Really looking forward to improving my fitness with these coaches!
As a side note: I used to workout regularly at CFO (CrossFit Oakland) and after rehabbing an injury and moving closer to Jack London I decided to try out CFEB. Good choice! (I still love CFO too of course!)

After hearing about recent changes — I still don’t understand how the owners don’t think to change their ways. They had a large group of members leave the gym due to their attitude and treatment of members and yet they don’t change. When will you understand you can’t treat members the way you do.
Every couple of months Max will change his theory on training and make the whole gym change based on his new idea of that. If you don’t fall inline or question his logic be prepared to be made an example of and treated poorly.
They solicit 5 star Unilocal reviews from members in their private Facebook group.

CrossFit East Bay has truly become a way of life for me and I am so thankful to have found a «Box» that continues to challenge me to become the best version of myself possible. CFEB has become something that I look forward to throughout my week and I know that each time I set foot within that clean, well organized space, that I can be part of a community of strong individuals who share similar fitness and mental toughness goals.
Max and Andi are passionate people, competitive CrossFit athletes and above all really great coaches. As a former Division 1 collegiate athlete, I am used to coaching coming from strong, experienced, confident personalities that command respect and attention. Overall, I feel that CFEB continues to deliver the upon the mission statement of CrossFit in that they are truly «Forging Elite Fitness» Crossfit, like other sports, delivers a matrix of results based measurements through named workouts, timed workouts, maximum lifts, etc. and with each passing month I see my results continue to climb and set new personal records.
Max, like every good and experienced coach, begins each class with me by telling me what he expects from me in the workout. My results are then documented and cataloged through Beyond the White Board (free to all members of CFEB) and I can see where I have opportunities for improvement. This is exactly the encouragement and motivational push that I am looking for in a gym. Have I shared deeply personal conversations with the coaches at CFEB? Yes. But that is not why I am a member. I am a member because I keep getting better as a crossfit athlete each week and and because I know that once I walk through the doors to the gym I am trusting my fitness to experienced individuals who bring passion and intensity to the workouts that they offer every day.

I’ve been a personal trainer and group fitness instructor for a little over 11 years, so I’ve got very high standards for gyms in general, especially if I have to pay for it. CFEB is hands down worth every penny! Arguably, I’ve gotten way more than I’ve paid for! I’ve tried out a few different boxes, and this one is THE BEST.
The top two reasons why I love these guys:
1. Quality trainers — As a trainer myself, the quality of the training is absolutely critical for me. The trainers here focus on performance, safety and practical motivation. They truly care about ensuring that your form is correct so that you are able to move through the highly complex CrossFit movements without injuring yourself. They are not shy to stop you in the middle of the workout to adjust your form. I learn something new every time I go there. Max and Andy are my favs, but all of the trainers are absolutely amazing! They speak from hard earned experience.
2. Clean facilities — Max and Andy have definitely put a lot of work into ensuring that the gym has the best equipment and that equipment is well maintained. It feels clean, and they definitely put in the extra effort to make sure that it feels welcoming.
It is really unfortunate to see all the negative reviews on here. Max and Andy were super welcoming from the first day I tried out this place last November, and they’ve remained so since. I highly recommend CFEB!

Owner Reply:
5÷8÷2015 Jeanne we agree with you that leaving CrossFit East Bay was the best decision; for you. We wish you the best of luck in all of your CrossFit endeavors.
We invite you to read our response to Jeanne’s 1-​star review below. If you are interested after reading in finding out if CrossFit East Bay is for you, email us at
, reference this Unilocal review and I will give you a free week to try us out. Read on!
Jeanne we agree with many things you say in your review: «The state-​of-​the-​art facility in Jack London Square… boasted brand new Rogue equipment, a space that housed 16 platforms, clean showers, an extended class schedule, and a gorgeous location». Creating this space was and is a labor of love and we are glad you enjoyed it! Also as you point out we made an error in your membership and we refunded the erroneous amount as soon as we became aware of it.
We do have to correct some factual errors in your review. The «very popular Virtuosity program» (Competition Prep) You reference had an average attendance of one person per class when it was cancelled. You attended this Virtuosity class five times between April of 2014 and the point at which it ended on February 6^th, 2015. Your last attendance was December 9^th, 2014. The program was not popular when we cancelled it, and you yourself, while you may have enjoyed dropping into it, only came a handful of times in ten months. The «set of ridiculous rules» that you reference were not new, but reinforcements of policies that were always in place. These rules were similar to those you might find at a serious dojo, yoga studio or CrossFit Gym, and are designed to ensure that serious students have primary and distraction-​free enjoyment of our facility. We do not apologize for these rules.
Jeanne our mission is to change lives through our workout program. The primary focus is on fitness. We do this by creating a distraction-​free environment where the group class participants are the primary focus. If you are looking for more of a social club experience CrossFit East Bay might not be for you. Members acting in ways that diminish the experience of other members is not compatible with the focused, intense training we now offer. It was entirely our fault for allowing this separate culture to develop, and we do apologize to all of the people whose workouts were disrupted by this, and Jeanne, that includes you. We appreciate the social aspect of CrossFit and have run very many social events over the years. We plan to continue doing so.
Our current members enjoy what we are now offering and we look forward to serving those people who enjoy our comprehensive and systematic method of becoming the best you that you can be.
Email us at
, reference this Unilocal review and I will give you a free week to try us out.
Updated review:
It was never my goal to create or be a part of a «social club» at CFEB. Your unfair judgement of a group of people who religiously attended class at 6AM to train and meet their fitness goals looks negatively on you. Instead of applauding the commitment and energy of your members who consistently showed up, you decided to negatively label their efforts as disruptive. And though my review of the programming as «lackluster» is clearly opinion, I still continued my membership there for several months after the changes.
In an attempt to discredit my fair review of CFEB with «facts», you have decided to reference my attendance as evidence of membership participation. 2014 was the year my father was diagnosed with and passed away from cancer, and your timeline of my attendance perfectly aligns with his. I guess my track record isnt enough to mark my review as comprehensive. I attended many Virtuosity classes, NOT to participate, but to seek the support of my colleagues and trusted coaches Marco, Zack, and Ynez. They each helped me cope during this difficult time. They cared about my well-​being, and made sure I was still somewhat active even outside of the gym. I think even in a «serious dojo», one would still be able to find solace and care from your peers.
Try and build relationships with your clients. Compassion and communication will only help you in the long run.

Great gym, great location! Everyone needs something different when it comes to working out. The owners here, and Max in particular, do a wonderful job of creating solid programming to allow everyone to get stronger and fitter. Like with every gym, people come and go based on their own needs. But one thing is for sure, if someone is interested in being a part of cross fit classes and getting in great shape, CFEB is a wonderful gym. From the initial onramp period to my more advanced workouts months later, the entire staff has been top notch and respectful each and every day.

What makes CrossFit different from many other types of gyms or exercise classes is the community and camaraderie that develops from like minded athletes tackling new skills and tough WODs – all the while encouraging and supporting each other. It is natural that great friendships are formed from this special bond. The camaraderie extends after gym hours. I was happy to see and meet friends at the gym. We encouraged our other friends to join, and their friends and partners. We were happy with our community and second home. That’s the essence of a great CrossFit gym. I’ve been a part of many gyms over the years, and have dropped in on over 5 both here and overseas. The one common aspect that I’ve seen, is the very special community aspect. Not a social club, but a community based on shared passion for fitness and the mindset and desire to put in the work. Add in great trainers and a prime location, this gym had it all!
In one of my very first on-​ramp classes at CFEB, I witnessed something that immediately turned me off. Max (gym owner) was talking about a jumping pull up. I was impressed with his knowledge and realised I had a lot to learn about a seemingly simple maneuver. A young man, obviously new to CrossFit, and an on-​ramp attendee dared to question Max about the legitimacy and actual benefit of this move. In addition to his more than sufficient explanation, Max then made this poor guy stand up on a box and go through 50 jumping pull ups. OK, a few would have been good, point made. But no, Max had this guy go through 50, counting out each, while we all stood and watched. It was completely awkward and a complete turn off.
Against my gut feeling, I decided to go back to the gym, hoping to get a better feel from a different setting, different trainer, different day, etc. I didn’t want to make any judgments until I learned more. I finally landed in a morning class that not only changed my life, but also where I found the greatest group of people. Had it not been for the great community I had found and other amazing trainers (now gone), I would surely not have stayed.
While a state-​of-​the-​art facility, the inner landscape feels like it has deteriorated in just a little over a year. Over time, it felt like the naturally evolving community of fun and camaraderie was no longer a welcome aspect of the gym. Different people were treated differently. I’ve seen Max speak in a condescending manner to long time loyal gym members. This really upset me, but tried to overlook it. Rules based on common sense are one thing, but rules that foster a feeling of extreme caution and reserve started to inhibit the great feeling that I once had at this gym.
It is confusing to see a reviewer speak about the owners thinking about which clientele to serve. Every CrossFit gym I’ve been to has always been inclusive and accepting of all types of people. Had I known there was a specific clientele that the owners preferred to serve, I might have been more inquisitive and careful with my money. I’m not a super athlete, though not a slacker, am I’m not doing CrossFit just for a social life. I am not sure how I fit or do not fit the aforementioned preferred clientele. I thought I had a place here. I thought my friends had a place here. I thought the trainers were happy. Apparently they weren’t either.
I do not think anyone ever expected this gym to become a social club. This sort of evolves in any gym, with the right amount of heart and soul. I think CFEB was lucky to have had the clientele they had, as the community that had developed was full of very talented people both in and out of the gym. I will always believe that the right chemistry of people (trainers, clients, interns, and owners) can work together to create the right balance of everything wonderful about CrossFit, serving all who dedicate themselves to the work and community.
Unfortunately in this case, it seems as if all were on-​board except for the owners.

Everything I loved about this place is gone!
The coaches, my fellow CrossFit athletes, and the fun community is all gone.
Things like not be able to workout after WODs, no talking anytime in the box.
It just became a very uncomfortable place to work out with friends and get fit.
The program has taken a huge hit since all the amazing coaches are now gone.
There are wonderful places to join a CrossFit box in the Bay Area, but this is no longer one of them.

I came to Alameda/​Oakland for a temporary 4-​month work visit and the hunt was immediately on for a box that would let me join for my time there. I first tried Bladium Crossfit in Alameda, but was blown away by their cost and inflexibility in creating a membership for anything less than a year. Never went back.
A few weeks later, my work moved me from a hotel in Alameda to one in Oakland, so I decided to give CFEB a shot. Max and Andrea were incredibly welcoming from Day 1 and were understanding of my need for a short-​term membership. All coaches gave great instruction and the programming was a step up from my previous box. All the members were super friendly too. I had to miss Thanksgiving due to my being in Oakland, but CFEB put on a Thanksgiving Day run/​hike at Sibley Volcanic Park, which totally made my day.
I wish I could move CFEB around with me!

I joined CrossFit East Bay when it first opened in Jack London Square, following my trainer Zach who had just started teaching there. Zach convinced me that CrossFit was the next step in my physical journey and I trusted him. His skills coaching classes are motivating and engaging. After all, how many more burpees could he actually make me do (famous last words).
Over the past year and half or so, I’ve made great strides with my fitness under the direction of Zach and Marco (another trainer at CFEB). In addition I’ve been lucky enough to make some of the closest friends in my life based on the leadership of Zach and the community he created. We push each other in ways we never thought possible. With in this time I convinced by boyfriend to join and he immediately started seeing results from work with Zach in personal training sessions. Both of us couldn’t be happier with CrossFit.
During this time everything certainly wasn’t roses and rainbows like it sounds, enter the owner of the gym. Over time I watched the owner coach new members with a robotic and unfriendly manner, insisting his way was the only way. People were encouraged to not speak and work in a silent environment. An unrealistic set of «rules» was created ranging from only being allowed to put your water bottle down in specific areas to micro-​managing experienced trainers. I’m not saying that it should be lawless, but it was a drastic change to the atmosphere that I came to know at CFEB in the early days. Communication is key in situations like this, do or die attitudes are not the correct form of delivery. The righteousness of the owner was the final straw… I overhead conversations of him negatively commenting on members weight and why they shouldn’t be the focus of special recognition at the gym and how he didn’t like special snowflakes (which was his pet name for many members).
Needless to say… at the end of the day, this gym has had three core groups leave; the initial competition group, his ENTIRE staff, and by a quick count 30 – 40 people who helped get CFEB off the ground when the Jack London Square location opened. The lack of loyalty, etiquette and respect you get from the owner was why my friends and I have all left to find gyms that provide a better atmosphere to pursue our fitness goals.

You have got to come down and see this BOX (gym where you work out). It is conveniently located next to Jack London Square.
The equipment is up to date and layout is exceptional and I have been to over 50 different BOXES of the years.
I really enjoyed how they focus on correct technique and review what level of ability your are capable of before they set up your routine. When I was there they had three levels of workouts and continually reminded you to keep good structure for your health and safety, not just strenght and speed.
They are very reasonably priced especially compared to health insurance costs today for the sick in our community.
My friends will always be referred to CrossFit East Bay when they go to Oakland and especially if they live anywhere close to the facility.

I came to Crossfit East Bay in January after having healed from a back injury just a month prior.
I was very skeptical to start doing crossfit because of my long history of playing too hard in sports such as tackle football and competitive powerlifting, and wasn’t sure how safe it would be for me.
I am a personal trainer and have seen many injuries as a result of crossfit (in reality it is usually from poor execution on the individuals part, NOT from the exercises themselves). Still I decided to keep an open mind, and I am very happy I did!
I felt very well taken care of from the moment I set foot there. Max, the owner, turned out to be a really cool guy that I got along with right from the beginning. I started taking classes with Zac, and boy were those fun! So many people, such a good vibe, everyone pushing each other to be better, cheering each other on. Most of them are very sociable and meet up outside of the gym for fun and shenanigans! Great folks!
Andrea’s classes are incredibly valuable. I absolutely love how thorough she is in technique and form, and how precise she is. I am a form Nazi, always have been, always will be, and this is the place you want to be if you want to fine tune! She has always been so supportive and considerate of my past injuries, and she is extremely knowledgeable.
I haven’t taken classes with any of the other trainers, but I have had several conversations with Ynez, who I really like and feel has a very well-​rounded approach to the sport.
It is evident that the trainers have spent much time on their education and that they have a true passion for what they do and for sharing the gift of crossfit with everyone who is willing to put in the hard work!
I have been out for a few months due to illness (unrelated to crossfit), and I cannot wait to start again as soon as I am well!

Crossfit Eastbay is by far my favorite place to workout. The fact that’s it in my neighborhood (Jack London Square) doesn’t hurt. I’ve been training at Crossfit Eastbay for over year, and I have made great strides in my fitness. I played collegiate athletics, but neglected to workout for over 5 years. I was initially concerned about Crossfit as I had heard so many negative things, none of which have been true, but it has been the best thing that has happened to me fitness wise.
The staff at CFEB are professional and friendly. CFEB is an environment in which training is fun and the members treat everyone from founding members to drop-​ins like family. The equipment is top rate and they even carry supplements for those looking for a little protein post workout!
Coach Zach and the 6 am workout crew are by far my favorite!

I want to preface this by saying that I travel a lot for my job, so I’ve had the privilege of working out at a ton of CrossFit gyms (or ‘boxes’) around the country and the world. That being said, I think that CrossFit East Bay is one of the premier CrossFit locations on this planet. What makes it so good? Well…
1) The trainers: It’s pretty obvious that the trainers here legitimately care about EVERYONE who walks through the door. From greeting anyone they don’t know and talking with them about their experience and abilities, to remembering what their regular athletes’ strengths and weaknesses are, to cheering on and helping out classes when they aren’t even working, the trainers here are amazing.
2) The facilities: Constantly evolving, the space at CFEB is beautiful, functional, and inviting. Almost any piece of equipment an athlete could need is here, and classes are kept small enough to make sure there is no crowding.
3) The community: Sure, you could come to the gym, work out, and go home. But while CrossFit is all about getting stronger and gaining an awareness of your body and it’s abilities, it’s the community that really sets the sport apart from all the others. And damn do we have a great community at CFEB! There are a ton of fun events happening all the time outside the gym, including potlucks, tailgates, fun runs, and karaōke sessions. What’s more, members go to great lengths to support each other in everything from CrossFit competitions to life events (recent examples of this include a group meeting at 6am on a Sunday to cheer on a group of racers and a gym baby shower put on for two of our members).
CrossFit has been making some big waves lately. Yes, it’s going to challenge you, possibly more than any other physical activity ever has. Yes, there are some risks to it, but not more than most other sports, and the benefits are certainly worth it. Yes, it’s not cheap; but when you account for all of the above, it’s a much better deal than a 24 hour fitness could ever be. And yes, you might just get sucked in and become one of those people who keep posting photos of themselves lifting huge weights over their heads on facebook, but you’ll also have a bunch of new friends who will like every one of them. So, what are you waiting for?

Great facility, awesome people!!! I travel a lot for work and regularly do CF so finding a great box on the road is challenging. These guys were awesome and the workouts were tough! I will DEFINITELY be back round next time I’m in the Bay Area
:)

Crossfit EastBay, Max and the staff are all fantastic! If you have ever even thougt about Crossfit, this is the place to go. They have a new schedule and class setup that gives a ton of flexibility in your training. I have been with them for a few months now and couldn’t imagine my life without Crossfit EastBay! On top of all of that, they have a fantastic space in Jack London, right next to the water.
As I said before, if you are even remotely considering embracing fitness in your life, there is no better option than joining the Crossfit EastBay family.