The District

This gym is really cool in regards to the equipment it has. You can do just about any type of movement or exercise here and I loved it as my place to workout everyday. I would give the facility itself 5 stars, but have chosen only 3 due to a disrespectful employee. His name was Josh and he was very disrespectful to my husband (who is in the military). Also, when I went to the gym to cancel my membership (due to having to move for the military) a couple of days before it would renew and charge me again, Josh was working and took care of it but told me I couldn’t workout there for the rest of the month I had already paid for, which makes absolutely no sense.
So the gym itself and other employees– five stars
But I’d give this place one star if the only person working there was that kid.

I went looking for a new way to workout. I used to climb so seeing The District on Instagram, and their awesome rock wall, I was excited. Then I find out they have a $ 5 open gym night on Saturday. I’m there! The staff was super friendly and showed me around the deceptively large gym. I was shocked at everything they had. I was a little scared to try out stuff without some instruction but was drawn to the silks. I tried some stuff on my own but didn’t have a whole lot of luck. A sweet girl came in and offered to show me some moves. With some instruction, I was able to achieve the moves. It was so exciting! Before I left, I was offered some samples of a tasty bite. For the life of me I cannot remember what it was but it was delicious.
All in all the District is the cure for the common workout. Don’t be surprised if you see guys flying by, flipping over furniture or people swinging from the rafters.

Small space but wonderful people. Routes range in difficulty, so still a good spot for newbies like me.

The District is a young gym. In fact, it wasn’t even a year old when I first showed my face there in 2013. The bathrooms were rudimentary, the rock wall was small, the climbing holds were limited, and the work out equipment was what one would expect for the hole-​in-​the-​wall it was at the time. Now to be honest, coming from Austin, I was actually rather fond of its raw minimalism (note: the gym has definitely blossomed an incredible amount since its minimalistic days).
Aaron, the climbing wall manager, is a great guy. He has a notable passion for teaching and route-​setting and he loves meeting new gym members. Him and I hit it off quickly and next thing I know he’s introducing me to all of the regulars who tend to be very interesting and amicable people. The facility carries an Austin-​like atmosphere, which I love, especially during peak hours.
As more time went by, I began to notice the speed at which the gym was growing. Scott, the owner is both the brain and the muscle behind the District’s success. He puts his heart and soul into every reinvestment, of which there have been many. Expansion after expansion, remodel after remodel; the place has exploded with new additions and upgrades since it first opened. THIS is why I love this place. It’s steadily developing, all of the employees love what they do, the patrons are fantastic, and the owner is unequivocally proactive and receptive to feedback.
Now, to be fair, the gym (like any other young business) has some areas that require attention. For example, you might walk in one day and there won’t be anyone at the counter; the routes aren’t reset as much as they should be; and the water dispenser isn’t always full downstairs. Despite this though, the fact that the gym is constantly improving in other areas tells me that my short critique is most likely a byproduct of prioritized resource allocation and I can live with that. In due time my friends. And if it is to bother you more than it bothers me then I wholeheartedly encourage you to speak with Scott, who, as I mentioned earlier, is very open to hearing what his members have to say.
If a sense of community is important to you; if you believe in maximizing your strength-​to-​body-​weight ratio instead of just maximizing your strength; if you’re looking for a place that really lets you feel at home when you’re there, then you should really consider giving them a shot. They offer everything from acro-​yoga, to rock climbing, to parkour, crossfit, ninja warrior obstacle course (yup, you read that right), free weights, aerial silks, and the list goes on. They also host socials for their members every few weeks.
A basic gym membership gives you ²⁴⁄₇ access to the climbing wall and free weights.
I promise you there is no other gym like it in San Antonio — not even close. Honestly, I’d still come here even if Lifetime halved their membership price.

I began rock climbing last March. I had never been to a climbing gym before. I love it! The gym is small enough to feel personal and comfortable, but has top notch climbing and instructors. Aaron Raby, my instructor and the gym’s route setter, is the BEST. He is patient and skilled and a blast to work with. He tailors my lessons to my own needs and knows just how much to push me so that I can meet my climbing goals. Aaron has worked and route set at a variety of gyms all over. Come check it out! Take a class. It’s a blast!

They dont have anything anymore. The management is very disorganized and doesnt seem to understand why all of the teachers are disappearing. I would definitely rethink coming here for any yoga or acro yoga. The gym smells like feet and the bathrooms need a serious cleaning. They dont have childcare either. The rock climbing is awesome although online classes are not consistent. I love the instructor and wish he could find someplace even better to showcase his skills. Overall I wouldnt bother wasting my money on a membership.

Awesome place because…
1. Location: lots of places to park, close to Downtown, 281, 35.
2. People = super nice/​interesting/​talented.
3. Classes: small so you can learn a lot/​get help and tips from instructors.
After one or two climbing or circus arts classes, you’ll be hooked.

From talking to the owner of this gym, he has updated and improved the safety of the climbing area, which is extremely important for climbing. He is genuine and willing to help others succeed, and i’m glad he has demonstrated this in improving the safety of his gym.

Only being in town for 2 weeks, I never expected to be welcome with open arms. I learned quickly that Malcolm, Michelle and Matt were great at their craft. Always encouraging and willing to talk to anyone that walked in the doors. I did CrossFit and 1 inversion class– opened my eyes to techniques I never thought of… Better approach to handstand push-​ups and balance techniques as well.
Come check out the variety of options — rock climbing, yoga, inversion and CrossFit– as always, your first class is always free!

I’ve been to The District 4 or 5 times in the past 2 years — which is basically when ever I come into town. I’m glad to see there’s a gym with a decent rock wall that’s open to the public in San Antonio (you can’t get a day pass at UTSA or St. Mary’s unless you’re with a student/​member). I like the price, too.
It’s only 5 bucks for a day pass, whereas LifeTime charges 50 freakin’ dollars! — without in/​out privileges! Although I get that LifeTime has amenities up the whazoo and that’s what the 50 gets you, it’s definitely not worth it if you just want to climb.
I also like that The District is open ²⁴⁄₇. I don’t have to worry about getting to the gym at a certain time, or trying to fit in a ton of climbing before closing.
The downside is, of course, the fact that it’s the first of its kind (that I know of). So, it’s really small, and limiting, which is a clear reflection of the tiny population of climbers in San Antonio. I met one of the route setters during my first visit, and was surprised that he’d been climbing only 3 months before he started setting. I totally liked his attitude, friendliness and enthusiasm for climbing. But, his naiveté was clear in his setting. I’m sure he’s improved within the last 2 years (I still see him every now and then — and his climbing has gotten much stronger). But the last time I visited (in April 2014), the problems still had the same style of climbing — mostly reachy, dynamic and powerful moves. I didn’t find any balancey or technical problems. I’m probably going to check them out again in a couple days, so if things have changed, I’ll write an update.
Some other random notes — the bathrooms are nice and clean, although they smell like sewage. It’s much better than the one bathroom they use to have upstairs. I like that they put in cubbies right by the climbing area. I haven’t tried any of the aerial stuff, yoga, weights or parkour, but I see people doing all that when I’m there, and they all seem to be having a good time. Everyone is super nice, welcoming and supportive, and willing to share their knowledge of whatever it is they know. But sometimes I find guys trying to power themselves up the rock wall — I’m fine with that if they’re fine with that, but I get nervous when they start falling all over the place, or try to give beginners weird tips. I’m no pro, but like I said, I just get nervous since climbing is an inherantly dangerous sport.
Then again, referring back to my 2^nd sentence, I’m super glad there’s even a place to climb in San Antonio — indoors or out! I try to go to E-​Rock or Barton Creek when I can, but those trips are too time consuming (the drive to, hike in, etc.). My family isn’t too happy when I go out of town the few times I’m actually in town. So, thumbs up to The District for helping me scratch my climbing itch when I need it! I’m glad to see the improvements they’ve already made in the past two years and I’m looking forward to their continued growth and transformation as the interest increases.
By the way, the reason I’m giving The District only 3 stars is because I’m spoiled by the abundance of 5+ star climbing gyms in Southern California. Ya know… :)

I like this place so much, I don’t even know how to start this review. But I’ll give it a shot:
Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing place to focus on ones health. Members are super friendly, and the community at this gym is just so encouraging. Nobody has those major egos, that you might find at other «gyms», and instructors are seriously top notch. I’ve tried the yoga classes, and the instructors are so knowledgeable it’s sort of insane. I moved away from San antonio, and I miss the district so much… we need a place like this in San diego!

A couple friends and I took a beginner’s AcroYoga class with Mark and crew to further our partnering knowledge. Everyone was willing to help us newbies in the class, and no one was weird about being split into different groups. The class went above and beyond my expectations, and we even got «play» time after with the advanced acroyogis — super fun.
Their schedule online seems to be filled to the brim with classes for every skill level whether it be rock climbing, yoga, or even parkour. Definitely lots of unique tools/​equipment to utilize as a playground for adults versus a typical gym.
Tips: Located behind Midas off Army Blvd, not Broadway. You also have to knock for someone to let you in as it is card access.

I love the district. I wish there was one in Stone Oak out by me. I would live there after work. I used to climb 5 – 7 days a week before moving to San Antonio but unfortunately this is the only rock climbing gym in San Antonio (outside of Lifetime Fitness). The people here are very friendly. Just make sure you call to get let in the door. An hour of driving is just too far for me for now.

I found this gym when my sister asked me to drive her to inquire about membership. when I walked in and looked around a bit i was like:
‘I love this place it’s like an ultra fit adults play house!’ :)
Been coming almost every night since.
I like that the stay open all day so I can come in the middle of the night if I can’t sleep. :)
They also offer a wide range of classes which provide great ways to get into extreme shape which is what I’m aiming for.

I found out about this gym through some members who come up to Austin for acroyoga. They invited me down for their own acro jam on saturday and I had a blast.
This gym is designed with function in mind, not commercial, so you’re not going to find a thousand stair steppers and ellipticals.
It’s got everything your average crossfit box has, olympic barbells, bumper plates, kettlebells, resistance bands, two atlas stones (60 and 110lb if I remember correctly), tons of pullup bar space, gymnastic rings, swiss balls, medicine balls, and more I can’t recall off the top of my head.
I’m not a climber but there’s a heavy interest at this gym so I’m sure they cater nicely to that crowd.
There’s also a growing group of acroyogis and lots of mat space to play and grow. They’ve also added aerial silks to their climbing area, so if you’ve got that interest then boom
The owner is super friendly and the staff are as well.
I give it a ¹⁰⁄₁₀. It’s stupidly cheap and if I lived nearby would join in a heartbeat.

A great hangout for people interested in all aspects of fitness. Climbing, yoga, functional fitness, gymnastics, parkour… whatever you’re into. Always open. Check it out.

This place is a little hard to find since there’s no sign outside. It’s behind Midas and the door is on the side of the building. The owner, Scott, is a friendly dude. This is a great place to workout/​boulder and socialize. Great way to blow some time on the weekend while staying in shape.