The Workhouse Fitness

NYC brought the heat, but our crew brought the power! 🗽🔥

A massive congratulations to our incredible members who crushed HYROX New York! Watching all your hard work, early mornings, and pure grit pay off in the Big Apple was nothing short of inspiring 💪💪💪

Howdy 👋🏻 We’re Robbie and Emily Barr, founders over here at The Workhouse Fitness.

We started in 2023 because we were tired of watching people join big corporate gyms, get motivated for a few weeks, fall off, and then blame themselves (we were those people btw)

Most of the time, the person wasn’t the problem. The systems in place were.

We wanted to build something better. Something down to earth and as authentic as possible.

A gym where people are actually coached. Where standards are high. Where the environment makes it easier to stay consistent. Where members are treated like people, not monthly payments (f*** you 31 - day cancellation period)

The Workhouse wasn’t built to be the cheapest gym in town. It was built to be the place people finally stick with it

Because when the coaching is better, the environment is better, and the community actually cares, results stop being random.

This gym isn’t for everyone.

And honestly, that’s why it works so well for the people it is for.

DETAILS MATTER.

This gym has been the focus of the last 18 months of my life.

Not “I bought some equipment, opened a gym and hoped for the best.”

I mean every single inch has been thought through.

The turf lanes are the exact width and length needed to mimic HYROX standards. (I brought a tape measure to the Las Vegas Hyrox just to make sure)

Every jump rope is labeled by height so you aren’t guessing.

Every cardio machine placed exactly 33 inches from the turf so you have enough room to walk through during recoveries without the gym feeling like chaos.

That may sound a bit OCD….it probably is.

Running an amazing gym takes obsession and care.

It takes caring about things most people will never even notice — but will absolutely feel when they train here.

The goal was never to build a room full of equipment.

The goal was to build the best training environment in Greensboro.

And we’re almost there.

May 25th.

The Workhouse Greensboro opens.

We don’t do them. Never have. Never will.

Not for teachers, nurses, students or the Pope.

Why? Because I don’t care what your job title is.

Why does someone’s profession determine what our coaching is worth? You wouldn’t walk into a restaurant and expect a discount because you work in healthcare. Why is our business any different?

Everyone pays the same.
Everyone gets individually coached.
Everyone gets held to the same high standard.

A lot of gyms use discounts as a slick little sales trick.
“Sign today and we’ll waive this.”
“Join for a year and we’ll lower that.”
“Special rate if name your first child Anabolic Bulgarian Split-Squat.”
They’re just hiding the fact their quality of service isn’t living up to their price tag.

Our price is our price.
No games. No bargaining. No wondering if the person next to you got a better deal.

We think that’s fair.

Things I suck at:

1. Marketing
I hate posting online about the gym.
I wish the gym would speak for itself. People walk in, see the coaching, the programming, the equipment, the members, and that would be enough.
But unfortunately, that’s not how it works.
So yes, I know I need to market better.

2. Tolerating rudeness
Maybe the best part of owning your own business is not having to tolerate people being rude to you, your staff, or your members.
This isn’t a corporate gym. We’re not going to smile through disrespect because “the customer is always right.”
The customer is not always right.
Sometimes the customer is just an ass.
I built this place to be professional, clean, welcoming, and serious about training. If someone walks in and treats people poorly, they are not our person.
I am more than okay with that.

3. Selling
I hate sales pitches. I hate fake urgency.
Either you liked it or you didn’t.
If you have questions, I’m an open book. I’ll tell you how we train, the cost, and who we are for.
Come try it. See if it makes sense. If it does, great. If it doesn’t, all good.

4. Acting like every person is a perfect fit
I don’t think everyone belongs here.
Not in a rude way. Just in an honest way.
If you want a cheap gym, there are many other options.
If you want to hide in the back and never be coached, there are better options.
We are for people who want to train with intention, be coached, get stronger, and be around other people who take the work seriously without taking themselves too seriously.
That is not everyone, and that’s okay.

5. Pretending I am not emotionally invested
I care way too much.
I care that the gym is pristine.
I care that the music is perfect.
I care that the workout flows well.
I care when people leave.
I care about details most people probably never notice.
This place matters to me. A lot.

6. Not doing the thumbs up pose
No explanation needed.

Our latest endurance test pushed our members to their absolute limits—from explosive ski power to max-effort bike sprints and total output on the sled.

Huge respect to everyone who showed up and emptied the tank. The energy in the gym was electric! ⚡️

We love seeing our members hit new PRs and push past their limits. We just wrapped up our latest 12-week program, and the progress across the board has been nothing short of impressive! 💪💪💪

Huge shoutout to our dedicated crew for putting in the work!

We’re raising the standard again.

Primary lifts this cycle:
- Front / Back Squat
- Bench Press
- Barbell Hip Thrust
- Barbell Strict Press

This is a strength-focused block. Simple, heavy, and progressive. Show up, track your numbers, and get better every week.

Endurance benchmarks:
- 30 Hand-Release Burpees → Max Ski Erg Meters (time for crying will also be factored in).
- 1500m Row Time Trial
- Reverse Sled Pull (2 lengths) + 12 Cal Bike → Max Lengths

No egos. Just results.