Portside Fitness

My health and fitness journey prior to joining Portside Fitness was years of not holding myself accountable, of doing what was easy, and not truly pushing myself to change bad habits. Melinda, Sara, Ashleigh, and the entire Portside community have pushed me beyond what I thought my body and mind were capable of! I’m stronger and healthier! I’m making the choice to put my wellbeing first and making some great friends along the way. Portside Fitness has been a blessing to me and one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself!

First time dropping in at Portside and will not be my last! Layout of the gym was perfect, easy to get around and move. Coaching was top notch, very clear and thorough with instructions and demonstrations. Members were extremely nice and down to earth to congratulate and cheer each other on! If you are wanting to start your fitness journey, 10/10 Recommend Portside Fitness to be your first choice!

It’s been a year and a half since I joined Portside fitness, and WOW what positive changes I have experienced ! One of the most important gifts I feel I have received was from my very first nutrition counseling with Melinda. She helped me train my mind to get rid of the negative self talk and set goals that at first I never thought I could possibly reach. After a year and a half I am going strong, and I remember daily that I have so much to be thankful for! I’m happy I will never have to go back to trendy weight loss plans because I know now how to eat to fuel my body without a doubt and it has just become part of my daily routine. I have so much less stress in the past year and a half and I never would have believed it was possible when I joined Portside. I’m thankful for the coaches and my new friends at Portside !

Dropped in at Portside for the first time this week. It was great! Members were friendly and coaches were welcoming and gave clear instructions. All movements were demonstrated and the coach stay attentive to each member throughout the whole workout. Programming provided modifications to meet the needs of all members.

When I first joined Portside, I was joining because I wanted to look fit and feel better. I had tried doing everything on my own but eventually reached a peak and would stop or fall off of whatever yo-yo diet or program I was on or get frustrated with the lack of results.
I kept trying but didn't get anywhere. I felt like a hamster on a wheel. I thought I was doing the right things but little did I know.
It wasn't until I joined the Portside family and truly learned how to make a true lifestyle change that I started seeing results. Not the quick instant results but slow gradual results, the kind that last. It wasn't the kind of journey I expected, it was a nutritional, physical and also a mental journey. The friendly attitude and atmosphere at the gym were wonderful! I had tons of support and cheerleaders in my corner and people who encouraged me.
Before I knew it, I was fitting into clothes I hadn't been able to before, my confidence really improved, my sleep got better, I had more energy than I have had in a long time, and the best part is that I've come off of 2 medications and some of the health problems that I experience have gotten so much better! I am accomplishing things I never imagined I could do. I actually look forward to going to my training sessions and hate to miss. That's a first for me! Portside has changed my life in so many ways and I will forever be grateful!

My wife and I moved to town a few weeks ago and were looking for a new gym with group classes that we could do together. Portside has been a perfect fit for us. The varying workouts every day have kept things interesting and the group dynamic has been amazing. Don't be nervous if you're considering this gym. It is a truly welcoming place. You won't regret it!

I have been lifting weights for 25 plus years, joined many gyms and have not been treated like I have here at Portside Fitness. Staff is helpful and members are friendly. In my years of joining gyms, no one has taken the time to show me anything, except where the locker room is….
Vernon is a excellent trainer and breaks it down so you understand how each move is performed. I have a lot to learn with this style of training and know that if the other trainers are like Vernon I’m in great hands.Thanks Portside Fitness!!!!!!!

Paul Esculano

When I joined Portside I knew I needed to make new exercise habits. The problem I was trying to solve when I joined Portside was feeling better. I also wanted to increase the muscle mass in my body. I had been to gyms before and knew that moving more always improved my health, motivation, and overall attitude. Joining Portside has been such a great experience. Let me start by talking about the people. Everyone is so eager to help you reach and even realize your personal goals. The mind, body, and nutritional support you receive is amazing. Even when you kind of forget about yourself, they don't forget about you. Each coach has perfected ways to push you along at your individual pace. Helping you learn to ask a little more of yourself, but learning forgiveness when you fail. I had the opportunity to work with Melinda and Sara. I learned so much about my personal nutrition and mindset. I loved the exercises that have helped my mindset grow and evolve. It was exactly what I needed at this moment in my life. Portside has changed my life by giving me a new family of support. The coaches and clients who show up daily are all committed to walking out the door a little better than they entered. I have discovered a new form of exercise that is helping me reach my goals. My meals and mindset are now ready to support my body so that I can get the most out of each workout.

I’m Alexa Torres!!
I recommend Portside Fitness for anyone looking a friendly environment, coaches are great, the workouts are effective. I currently enrolled in the Bootcamp, and it’s my first time doing Bootcamp and I like it, great program!! I will continue with them 💥🫶🤩

I was looking for someone/something to help me on a weight loss journey. I was feeling so fat and miserable 😢
I thought I was trying to solve a weight/fat issue but in reality I learned it was so much deeper than losing the weight!! It was changing my mindset, teaching my brain to talk to myself differently in a positive way instead of mentally beating myself up with negativity!! Practicing self talk, learning to dig deep within myself and figure out why I made the choices I make!!
Portside opened up a new world of positivity and support for me. Portside helped with educating me on ways to break the cycle of negative self talk and how to make healthier choices for my lifestyle. And Portside made me fall in Love!!! In love with working out and making my workouts a priority!!!
My life has gone through some changes this year with a death in the family, the death of a friend and having to move to a news location and help take care of a family member!!! I know in my heart I would not have emotionally or physically have been able to really thrive this past year without Portside having my back!!! I'm stronger than I have ever been both physically and emotionally!!!

This box is my FAMILY!! I coach and workout here.... And couldn't ask for a more inviting and friendly place! The Fit45 class is challenging but so much fun and the barbell classes will WORK you. So whether or not you are dropping in, looking to try something new, looking to find a new gym home, or wanting help with your nutrition THIS IS THE PLACE 👍🏻🙌🏻. The support and accountability is like no other.

I joined Portside Fitness one week ago and love it. I told my husband all about it, and he decided to join. He loves it just as much as I do!
Our instructor, Tanya, is fantastic! She is always smiling and excited to help everyone on their journey no matter whether a beginner like myself or seasoned like my husband. She is a true cheerleader! I won’t go anywhere else!!

Ashleigh did amazing today. She went over every movement in detail to make sure we understood the proper form. Pushed and encouraged us during the strength and work out. Even counted my last 10 deadlifts so I wouldn’t put the bar down. And did the same for others in the class. She truly loves what she does and it shows!

I'm entering my second week at Portside, and I can tell you I don't know of another gym like it on the Coast. The atmosphere, the education, the coaches, the other gym members--I feel like everything and everyone is working toward my success. I hadn't been going to a gym for a couple of years, so I was a little "nervous" to get back into things. Sara instantly put me at ease in our first meeting, and things have been going so smoothly ever since. I'm very excited about this journey, and I'm so glad to be experiencing it with the people at Portside.

I made the decision to join Portside Fitness after admitting to myself, after two decades of struggling to meet my health and fitness goals on my own, that what I was doing was no longer working and I would need to do something different to see results.

I wanted to find a place that took a holistic approach to fitness, and one that would provide a solid support system, something I have also lacked on my fitness journey. And though I have only been an active member for about two weeks, and am still very new, I have already started to feel as if Portside Fitness is a second home. That's how welcoming this place and the people are.

For those who are contemplating Portside Fitness and are nervous or anxious about it, let me assure you that I was absolutely terrified prior to doing so. I am not only unfamiliar with a gym environment, but I am completely new to Crossfit-style workouts, group classes, as well as barbell lifting. I have no experience whatsoever and I was so afraid for multiple reasons. Would I embarrass myself? Am I even capable of these workouts? What if I forgot how to do the movements? What if I was much slower than everyone else?

But everyone at Portside has been so wonderful in not only their support but in their teaching. They are very knowledgeable and have helped me immensely in just the few workouts I have done with them. And every time I leave I feel like I can do absolutely anything.

Even though I am still nervous prior to the classes and still have a lot to learn I am grateful that I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone and took this leap. I am excited to see what my body and mind are capable of!

What an incredibly welcoming environment! Great coaches and workouts suitable for all fitness levels. I loved it!

Great leadership and coaching throughout the workout. The breakdown of each portion of the power snatch helped tremendously. It was simple, clear and constructive with lots of repetition. Made me think of the Berlinger warm up but BETTER. Vernon has a unique way of specifically coaching each athlete to focus on areas of improvement while keeping the class moving along together.

I have been a member of portside for about 11/2 years now. This is the best gym on the Gulf Coast. The coaches and members are welcoming, supportive, and helpful. The coaches are interested in helping you meet your personal wellness goal. I have done group classes, nutrition, and personal training with them. Even now with social distancing, they are thinking outside the box to help members continue their wellness journey. If you are looking for a gym, this is the place you want to be.

Allison was very patient with teaching me the moves and helping me with making necessary modifications. She also encourages me to push myself to do more than I believe I can do. She walks around encouraging each person working out in the class. She helped remind me to keep my form and showing me how to correct improper form being used.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was severely overweight...and I’m still working on this. I’d never had any experience with this kind of gym, I was scared! But, I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined Portside. The staff is amazing!! They offer so much support, encouragement and knowledge. I’m encouraged daily, not only by the staff but by other members. It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve made.