Backyard Barbell

Chandler’s an incredible coach who has created a gym with a great atmosphere.
I’m working three basic lifts (bench, squat, dead) through Chandler’s methodical coaching and enjoying the results in the way my body looks and functions.

A quiet, concise and intense place to workout. A real diamond in the rough when it comes to the sea of crossfit boxes and commercial gyms.

A simple review of Backyard Barbell. The GOOD, the BAD, the UGLY.
I’ve been a member for Backyard Barbell for about a 1 ½ year now and my my, my fatass got fucking STRONGER than I thought possible. My ass is about as round as it gets! My review is a little overdue so I decided to do it now. I will be doing a simple, direct review of the GOOD, the BAD, and the UGLY of Backyard Barbell.
THE GOOD:
1– IF YOU GET PROGRAMMING AND GET COACHED BY CHANDLER, YOU WILL GET STRONG. I’m not talking about getting just open gym. GET PROGRAMMING AND GO TO TRAINING HOURS. YOU WILL LEARN A SHITLOAD, AND WILL GET FUCKING STRONG. Pay the little extra to get that programming done and the little coaching ques and I’m 100% sure you will get strong. Ultimately it’s up to you to put the work in. If you’re doing open gym, you’re pretty much only experiencing 50% of what Backyard Barbell has to offer. You aren’t harnessing all the gains you can be gaining. It’s pretty much like you’re eating a burrito but like, you only have the tortilla and you’re pretty much only eating the tortilla and leaving out all the beef and good stuff out.
2. Fine You don’t want programming and training hours. Brought the beef and the good stuff yourself? Open gym is dope as well if you know how to train by yourself already. Hours are 7am to 8pm most days except weekends. They have all the equipment a powerlifter needs. Bands, chains, dildos, safety squat bars, texas bars, competition bars, oakie bars, competition bench, etc (ALL the good shit, and jk they dont have dildos). If you’re a lone wolf or have some other coach that gives you programming online, you can feel at ease when it comes to equipment.
3. Are you a beginner? PERFECT! YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO SQUAT, BENCH, AND DEADLIFT IF YOU GO HERE. DEFINITELY! WHAT POWERLIFTING GYM LETS THEIR MEMBERS PERFORM THE BIG 3 WITH SHIT FORM!!! Chandler is very welcoming, very handsome with his dirty blonde hair, and VERY patient. Don’t worry about looking like an idiot you’re first time lifting. Everyone’s been there before at this gym so we all know where you’re coming from. We’re not a commercial gym where we judge the fuck out of you (except squat dept). We want to make you stronger, not have you disgrace the name of Backyard Barbell. We are sometimes called a team. We are sometimes called a club. Call us whatever you want, but what we ultimately do here is get everyone stronger at all skill levels.
The BAD:
Are you a bitch? This gym is probably not for you. Half-​ass workouts? Yeah we get it, everyone goes through tough times and has to half-​ass a workout from time to time, but if you do it all the time, this gym is probably not for you. Everyone slays there workout most of the time. Some of us compete. Some of us just want to get strong. What we all do is work hard and put in the work.
The UGLY:
There’s this member named Andrew Bui who recently is away because he’s getting into the Marines. His face is ugly as fuck. He’s not going to the gym right now but when you see him, you’ll know what I mean. Even though his face is ugly, if you see him work out, he looks adorable because he works harder than most people at the gym.
My personal story:
1 ½ year ago, I came here with a 405 squat, 275 bench, and an injured lowered back without any knowledge on how to properly deadlift. Now, I squated 501lbs and deadlifted 540 lbs easily in a competition with more in the tank and I could bench 315 lbs for reps now. You can count on this gym to piece everything together and brush up on all your weaknesses. I am probably the MOST consistent inconsistent member right now because a lot of shit has been happening the past 6 months with life, but even then, I still saw results. I’ve learned a SHITLOAD from the head coach, Chandler, about recovery, programing, training methods, technique, equipment, and a bunch of other shit that I wouldn’t have learned in school, youtube, or random strength articles. He’s helped me understand why I do the things I do in training in order to overcome my weaknesses and get stronger. Overall, I wouldn’t be stronger both mentally, physically, and emotionally if I didn’t go to Backyard Barbell.

Great gym.
You can pick things up and put them down.
You can be loud.
The owner, Chandler, is a great guy.

Best gym I’ve ever been to! Chandler is a great coach and mentor and I’m stronger than I’ve ever been!!!

Coach Chandler knows his shit. I love the culture and environment he has fostered within Backyard Barbell and as a fellow gym owner am truly impressed with what he has accomplished in the industry at such a young age.
If you want to learn the true fundamentals of lifting Coach Chandler will definitely set you straight. When I need help with my own lifting techniques I’ll hit him up a few times just to dial everything down. Even Coaches need Coaches. He’s one of the very few Coaches I trust to train my other lifters.
You will develop true strength and grit when you decide to start your journey to becoming stronger at this gym. You will also learn a ton!

BLUF: A small gym with a plethora of powerlifting equipment and several platforms. No BS and a place to get your lifts in.
Over the last few months, I have begun to incorporate a lot of powerlifting movements and compound lifts into my workouts. My gym back in NY offers many platforms and racks to get in my clean and jerks, deadlifts, snatches, ect. but I couldn’t seem to find any gyms back home (in San Jose, CA) where I could drop weights, use chalk, and dig deep without someone telling me I was being too loud.
I went in for a free trial and after warming up, I asked Chandler to check out my deadlift form. Once I completed the pull, he told me the goods and the (many) bads. It was at this point that I knew Chandler was someone that I wanted to get more knowledge from and this was the place I’ve been looking for. Even as a prospective customer, I didn’t get any fluffy words or false advice but rather honest feedback about what I was doing wrong.
Also, as I am only in the Bay Area a few weeks at a time, he was also willing to work out a payment schedule only based on the weeks I was back home. Awesome dude and a great place to get some quality work in.

I came to Backyard Barbell as a semi-​experienced crossfitter looking to focus on strength gains for a while. Six months later, I never intend to go back to crossfit. Chandler is without a doubt the most knowledgeable coach I have ever worked with. The nuances of his programming and comprehensive knowledge of every last point of technique are inspiring. More importantly, the programming works. I have historically been a hard-​gainer with my strength lagging far behind my conditioning, but after six months here I have put on a ton of muscle and huge gains on all of my lifts.
Contrary to my initial fears, the culture is also incredibly supportive and laid back. This is most certainly an elite powerlifting gym, but there are tons of newbies here as well, and everyone feels welcome. If you have any interest in getting stronger, you should check this place out, regardless of your experience level.

I was looking for a place where I could learn how to lift heavy stuff. Simple. None of that force-​fed, cult-​y, weird stuff I found at the other local barbell places. I asked coach Chandler to show me how to deadlift, and he did, when I first walked in the door. Simple, no BS.
Sold!
Now, I’m learning lots about powerlifting, which I knew nothing about prior. and I couldn’t be more pleased.

Backyard Barbell is a great gym with wonderful people, and the owner is a fantastic coach that really knows his programming. This is the place to go if you really want to learn how to lift. I’ve only been here 2 months and all of my lifts have gone up by 20 – 30 lbs and they’re still on the rise. I definitely recommend coming to check it out if you’re interested in lifting!

Backyard barbell is amazing place. I was a novice lifter that really wanted to be strong and someday compete in powerlifting. I came in with pretty low numbers on my bench, squat, and deadlift. Now on all of my lifts have gone up to 20−50lbs and are still improving. Chandler is a great coach! He corrected my form and with his coaching and programs, I’m getting hella gainz. I’m happy to say that I’ll be competing confidently in October. I definitely recommend this place for your gainz!

Time for an update! Backyard recently moved to a new location and things just keep getting better! More equipment and more space means more room to get more strongerest! This gym boasts a great crew of seasoned members along with those of us still learning. It’s a great mix and a great place to come smash some serious weights. I’m still so thankful to have this crew and Chandler staying after my form and helping me get better and better each week. Anyone interested in learning, improving or broadening their backs… erm, lifting aspirations should definitely come check this place out!

Backyard Barbell is a great gym for those that are looking to gain real, useful strength. The gym is a no frills, muscle making factory with no distractions. Chandler does a great job of scheduling clients in order to adapt to their personal schedules as well as have them workout with other gym-​mates of similar skill set. I definitely enjoy working out with the team there.
Awesome gym. Highly recommend it!

No fuss no muss place to work out and workout hard! Owner is one of the most knowledgable trainers focused on form and results! Super fun experience every time!

This is my go to spot whenever I’m in the Bay. Chandler worked with me earlier this year and help me make significant strides in my strength and Olympic lifts. He still helps me to this day. The gym itself has a platform, squat stands, dumb bells, bench, gym rings, bumper plates, and etc. I highly recommend working with Chandler if you are serious about getting stronger.

Backyard Barbell is an amazing gym for those focused on increasing strength and muscle. In just three months I’ve added 10 pounds of mostly muscle, while adding alot of weight to my main lifts: 65 pounds to both my squat and dead lift, and about 40 to my bench press. The workout program has constant variations of the core lifts which keeps it fun. There is a ton of great equipment and new things are added each month. The best powerlifting gym in San Jose hands down!