I thought this gym would be great but being a manager at the gym back home I was less than pleased. They do no maintenance on the cables and machines to make sure they are set for the correct weight. They do not have anything bolted into the ground which is incredibly unsafe. Also the towel policy is ridiculous. They claim to use 100% alcohol which is why they make everyone use a towel on benches. Regardless of if you are using the bench. You can be doing lateral raises a foot from the bench and the owner will approach you to ask where your towel is. Also 100% alcohol would evaporate too quickly to be effective if they really are using it. Maybe it's just not my kind of gym. I'm more CrossFit and it's more bodybuilder but still. Good people and atmosphere though. read more

Best gym ever! VERY clean! Professionally run! Great equipment from free weights to machines. Mary Ellen is a amazing trainer and owner.

Great gym with great equipment. Probably the best real lifter gym in El Paso. If your a professional competitor this is definitely the gym for You. read more

I saw the pictures and f platforms and serious weight equipment on Yelp so I decided to drop in while in town for thanksgiving weekend to visit family. I train olympic weightlifting so a commercial gym would not cut it. I called they said $20 for 3 days so I thought that was a deal. The employee went on to let me know to bring a FULL SIZE TOWEL. I was already on my way so I stopped into Walmart on Black Friday for one towel. I get there and they want you to Ly it down on any surface you sit on. I was squatting and snatching, and clean and jerking so I didn't need any bench equipment or sitting/laying down so I did not even use my towel at all. I wish they would've explained what it was for from the get go. The whole place smells like cleaning solution which is good and bad. I'm glad it's clean but inhaling the fumes from cleaning solution while working out is so toxic. I hope they consider going all natural cleaner. The owner walked around and was nice but you can tell she is very strict about all the rules. There are signs on the walls all over this gym. One read "you chalk, you walk." I train oly lifts, I pretty much bathe in chalk (I didn't bring any) but still why I've all the platforms and equipment if you can't actually comfortably train. I always clean up after myself and I understand having that standard but I was afraid of getting yelled at the whole time I was there which made me wanna hurry and leave. I bit the $20 and did not return. They have so many plates and bars and equipment but zero 15kg bars so I had to use a 20kg bar to do oly lifts. The bumper plates were off brand and incorrect color/weight coordination by a lot. The plates on the squat racks were all iron plates. The elliptical machines were old and squeaking. I could go on. I did not enjoy this gym despite all the pictures that drew me in initially. If I lived in town I would not join. I'm sorry to say because I live and breathe in gyms and gym equipment is my favorite. The lighting was so dark and music was old school rock like Motley Crue (I love Motley Crue but for working out?!) ... I wasn't digging the vibe. Im sure a lot of people thrive here, I definitely would not. I can't live in fear while I'm exercising. Im an adult avid gym goer and can be given the benefit of the doubt that I will clean after myself and care for the equipment. read more

The Backstreet Gym - I was afraid someone was gonna come yell at me for dropping the weights here there was a huge camera in front of me - Gyms Near Me - El Paso, Texas

As a body building enthusiast and amateur of the sport I have to say this is by far the most seriously equipped gym in El Paso, hands down. The facility is comprised of three machines for each body part you wish to focus on, has an extensive amount of cardio equipment including the popular Old-School Nautilus brand. They were restored to perfection. There is even a section of the gym to the more grueling lifts and a platform for deadlifts. The owner is a professional bodd and builder with an extensive record of both bodybuilding and strong lifts. She is very knowledgeable and makes herself acceessible to those who have the drive to take things to the 'next level' so to speak. The gym is also well known in the professional bodybuilding scene as one of many the best gyms across the USA for weight training. The place is in immaculate condition and their are very high standards for patrons to keep. My only gripe and why I didn't join was the policy that seemed to be too big of a reach for me. I was told that my spouse could not wait for me while I trained. I felt that this was not very courteous and an inconvenience as many gyms permit family to wait in the seating area. People have lives outside of bodybuilding and it doesn't stop when we go to the gym. What is their to lose by accommodating your patrons family members or significant others time there? Dojo's do it. Crossfit Boxes do it. And even local gyms do it. It is a very bizarre policy. I asked for justification as to why my wife had to leave and I was told it's just the way it is. In the end I decided not to join as I get the impression that the facility is too 'hardcore' to be a family friendly place. It's sad because I really liked the facility, but if you can't accommodate your customers then I'll have to take my money elsewhere. I like bodybuilding but my spouse is #1. BUT... if your not like me and don't have occurrences where you bring others with you to the gym, this place is it! read more

I was a member of this gym for well over a year. My first impressions were amazing. The gym is well stocked, super clean and never super busy. It was and is a fantastic facility. So why the two stars? In my 30+ years as a fitness competitor and expert, I have never seen such an unprofessional approach to running a gym. The gossip and negative energy generated by the very person who owns the gym boggles my mind. I did my best to mitigate and ignore the baloney, but when an individual actively tries to pull you into the muck one must rethink why they are paying money to a facility that is sub-par when it comes to a positive experience. I have a very active social media presence and I happily promoted this facility. Only to be accused of using the facility to make money somehow under the table or at the owner's expense. This is absurd as anybody can clearly see my online presence and I have never made money off the gym. I could go on, but the bottom line is I will not pay good money to be in an environment where the management is less than professional. The extremely high turnover rate at the front desk should have been a warning along with the low membership. I was just happy to be in a great facility that was never full. Now I know why. I've had several people decide not to join based on their experience with the owner during their visit with me for a workout. This is poor business at best. It is a shame. The place was brilliantly designed and has great promise. It should be the hottest place in town, yet it falls short. Pity, a lot of potential. read more

Excellent gym with plenty of equipment. The place is one of the cleanest I've EVER been too, and while the patrons still don't always wipe down their machines after use, the dumbbells are always re-racked in order, the plates taken off bars and I've never had to wait for a machine/bench. The place is large and although it can get busy it never FEELS crowded~it's like your personal gym. The owner is a bit eccentric but it becomes endearing after a while. A lot of business professionals, lawyers and physicians use this place... if that's important. One critique, the protein shakes sold at the front are ludicrously overpriced. It's like the airport or black market prices. read more

Best gym in El Paso. great gym for a competitor. Mary the owner , is amazing at training , she loves what's she does and very passionate about her work. read more

Ever seen the movie "Pain & Gain" with The Rock and Mark Wahlberg? Every corner I turned, I expected to see their characters pop out. This place is definitely stuck in the 90s. From the design of their logo, to their colors, to how dark it is inside. That being said, I love this gym. They have a huge selection of weights with a few cardio machines thrown in for good measure. They have machines I've never seen, and machines I never want to see again . They also have a huge selection of free weights with different strongman bars and apparatuses (apparati?) that I've not seen anywhere else. Backstreet has a separate powerlifting area so the grunts, groans, and dropping weights don't disturb everyone else. The biggest downside was the two young guys working the counter. They didn't seem to have any idea what was going on as several people had questions that they just kind of shrugged off. read more

See all

The Backstreet Gym - Serious Fitness Bookmark Checked!! Yes...I'm a Yelper that doesn't immediately bookmark restaurants when I'm out of town. I bookmark gyms. I've had this place bookmarked since February and can't believe it took me this long to head out here to beat up on some weights. IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and Power-Lifter Mary Ellen Jerumbo is the CEO/Owner of the Backstreet Gym. I had the pleasure to meet her and witness her train. She knows what's she's doing and her staff respects that heck out of her. Mary Ellen is a very nice woman and manages to greet her members and non-members when she's on the floor. She left no stone unturned when she had this gym built. This gym has everything and I mean everything. Do the research (www.backstreetgym.com). I've heard that Mary Ellen invested nearly a million dollars on this gym. That's dedication to perfection, a perfect gym that is. Here are a couple of highlights: -A ton of free-weights and benches. They even have 200 lb dumbbells for those that can lift them. -They have a separate room for powerlifting with at least 4 power racks, more benches, a powerlifting platform, and my favorite...steel weights. I love the sound of real weights clanging against each rep. Music to my ears!! -Treadmills, recumbent/stationary bikes, ellipticals, and stair-monsters. Yes, they have a lot of these and with their own TV screens. -The gym is quiet. I've been here at 5 AM, 9 AM, 5 PM, and 10 PM. The gym goers here check in, do what they gotta do, and then get out. -Super Clean: This has to be the most organized and cleanest gym that I've been to. This starts with the staff and ends with its members. You won't find a speck of dust here, every piece of equipment is working, and every one re-racks their weights. -The equipment is all strategically placed by body part. This is a big deal for those that do a lot of Giant Sets and Supersets. Another fact about their equipment is that they're all functional. Yes, that means working. That also means that they got the "right" equipment. You know, the type of equipment that maximizes time under tension, muscle hypertrophy, and at the same time, minimizing mechanical leverage. This gym may be labeled a "Serious Gym", but it's not intimidating at all. The staff and members welcome all people at all levels of fitness at this gym. Unlike the purple gym down the street that discourages big lifts and intense workouts, this gym accepts everyone. By far, this is the best gym that I have worked out at. Great Job, Mary Ellen!! Now, build a gym like this in Vegas. Yeah Buddy!! TIP: -Call for their rates. I got their Week Pass for $40. I think their Monthly Membership is around the same price. -Weekday Hours 4:30 AM to 11:00 PM. Friday through Sunday's vary and closes earlier. read more

The Backstreet Gym - Gyms Near Me - El Paso, Texas

Probably the best gym in El Paso. I have been to many and I have never seen one where the equipment is made out of metal and not plastic. I highly recommend this gym to anyone who is serious about fitness. The owner Mary is such a sweet heart. She will help guide you to different workout routines. Mary will also tell you what and how to use her machines. I do not understand all the negative reviews here, yes you have to use a towel and you have to clean up after yourself, but that's common gym courtesy. Overall this gym is amazing, Mary keep on doing an awesome job! And thank you for opening the best gym in El Paso :) Hugs! read more

Great gym terrible management starting with the owner. Great equipment , clean , layout of gym is great. I've been to many gyms and this ranks as top as far as gym set up. I've tried the gym on two occasions in my 8 yrs here. Now in lies the problem, the owner....she is quite a peach. I can't quite describe it but she is intrusive on the gym floor. Anytime I brought my girlfriend in there we seemed to be targeted. It made an uncomfortable atmosphere. When I was alone there were no issues. I'm not the only one to have these issues and several people have quit because of the same reasons I stated. It's funny because everyone knows the owner and it's a known fact she is very abrasive mainly with females. She doesn't like girlfriends. Lol. It seems. I've always said once golds gym moves to the West Side Back Street will lose most of its members. Unfortunately I won't be here to see it because I'm moving to Florida. As I stated very nice gym but poorly managed/owned. There's always anytime . read more

STAY AWAY!! Walked in on a random day to check this place out because it is close to where I live. I was a little weary of the $500 cancellation fee and said I'd only sign up if it was a month to month deal ($50/month) with no $500 cancellation fee. This was agreed to and memorialized in the membership agreement accordingly. The agreement was even initialed in TWO separate places by the employee who signed me up. A big "X" was written over the $500 cancellation fee paragraph in the membership agreement initialed by both me and the guy who signed me up. So I go to pay my monthly membership fee today (which I thought was recurring and they'd charge my card automatically) and they try to charge me a $35 late fee. I ask if they can waive the late fee because I was under the impression they were charging my card automatically. Too bad so sad for me. I have to pay the late fee. I end up requesting cancellation of my membership. I am THEN told I have to pay a $500 cancellation fee and will be referred to collections and the only way to cancel my membership is to send a written request via certified mail. I bring in the contract and the owner says the modifications are void because SHE didn't sign the agreement and I owe $500 if I cancel. What a scam! I then look at my bank account and see a charge for $89, which is the monthly membership fee plus the "late fee." Now that they have the late fee they're happy to charge my card somehow. I never authorized this $89 charge as the late fee was in dispute (I can't find anything in the contract about late fees). I had to cancel my debit card and order a new one. Anyway, I mailed my cancellation via certified mail today. It's almost Christmas (Dec. 23) and this place might as well be ran by the Grinch and Scrooge. I will likely have to deal with a legal action to enforce the $500 cancellation fee waiver initialed in two places by the Backstreet guy who signed me up. STAY AWAY from this gym!! I will say: The gym itself, however, is great. All I wanted was to pay $50 a month and go to this gym to workout 2-3 times a week (without committing for a full year at $500 penalty to opt out). I didn't even go that much. I would gladly go back and change my review to 5 stars if the $50 month-to-month deal that was originally given to me and memorialized in writing was honored by this gym. read more

Great gym, have been going for about a year now. Its a much stricter gym as far as rules go; management and employees make sure you clean up after yourself, but you get used to it and its a much better place because of it. Other gyms suck when weights are misplaced, machines not cleaned off after use, etc. Pros: - Never really packed, at its peak id say its been 60-70% full - Lots of machines, free weights, a couple squat racks, cardio section, and boxing gym. - Clean bathrooms, rarely ever dirty. Cons - Pricier than your average gym. Upwards of 40$/mo, at least for me - Not open 24h, weekends I wish they were open past 5pm and open earlier than 7 am. That could change though. Overall i'd highly recommend. I don't use personal trainers or buy any supplements there, but they are available. I'd say if you're more serious about weight lifting than the average person, this is a great place to go. Otherwise you may be better off with a cheaper option in planet fitness or ep fitness. read more

Seriously one of the best if not THE BEST gyms I've ever been to in my 25+ years of lifting. The owner, MaryHellen is fantastic and runs a tight ship there. There are machines I've never seen and I get so excited to go. There are some pretty strict rules but that's why it is always clean and doesn't smell like typical training facilities. Also, there are not a bunch of bros in there making women feel uncomfortable. It's quite inviting and friendly. All the weights are always racked and everything is/looks new. It hasn't ever been so crowded there that I had to wait on a machine/bench/rack and for me, the addition of the chandeliers, adding a touch of femininity is so cool. I had no problem deciding on getting a membership when I move to El Paso. Customer service was top notch as well. Bravo Backstreet. read more

The equipment is phenomenal. It's top of the line and kept in perfect workong order. Mary and her staff are kind and welcoming. I highly recommend this gym. read more

Fantastic gym, top knotch equipment. Always a good workout. Gym owner knows her stuff, always willing to give pointers on form, amount of weight, how to target muscle groups, diet, workout regiments, kookie, not too serious fun and overall amazing person‍ read more

Hands down, best gym in town (possibly all of west Texas) Mary Ellen runs a tight ship, by keeping her machines clean, everything in working order, and selecting friendly and knowledgable staff. If you're looking for a gym where you can keep your New Years resolutions all year long this is your place. It's good for people who know what they are doing, or if you're new to the gym, just spend some time with Mary Ellen. She's the queen and she'll teach you how to work out properly. You can accomplish all of your fitness goals at this gym and don't have to worry about not having a machine or space available. I can't wait to go back tomorrow! read more

Not bad as far as equipment, but it's highly expensive and the managers are useless. I initially signed up for a week membership and asked if I could have a month before my week was up and pay the difference but they wanted to charge me the week and the month all together because "they would have to put my name in the system." read more

This gym has great equipment, but it is not the best gym in El Paso. The atmosphere is awful, the employees and owner are watching your every move to see if you have a towel and clean up after yourself. You can't get a good workout in because you are walking on eggshells. You will also hear the owner yelling at her employees or her members, very unprofessional. The owner discriminates against females, so females beware. She will be downright nasty to females, I have seen them walk out, she loses a lot of memberships don't know how she is still functioning as a business. If I could give this gym a lower rating I would. Don't spend your money on a day pass or membership, the hype is not real. I got a month membership and tried to get a membership once it was up. Well to my surprise she didn't want to give me a membership, now that I think of it she did me a favor. read more

Gym owner is extremely rude and doesn't have the slightest idea of how to treat her customers..someone told me she doesn't like women at her gym. Despite her clear lack of respect for her customers, there probably isn't a piece of gym equipment you won't find. If I came back to El Paso, I would not come back to this gym. read more

My boyfriend and I used to go here. It was not what we wanted. He was offered drugs or steroids constantly (even by a staff member!) I see the pictures here on Yelp of the signs they put up making fun of people like us and had forgotten about how dumb they were. The owner has a really weird idea of what fitness is if she think you have to be huge to meet your goals! Lol. They also don't have an air conditioner so it is gross inside. They leave the doors open even when there are dust storms! This is a far cry from a quality gym. read more

The second you arrive it's a work out. Just going up the step and opening the door answers the question before you even ask it. Yes. You are in the right place to get into the shape you want. It's an awesome gym to work out in and you will constantly learn new ways to work out. The owner Mary is a dedicated person to the core. She keeps a tight ship by always making sure everything is clean, organized and properly put away. The staff are especially friendly and helpful. Whenever I've needed help they do not hesitate to help me with what it is that I need. This gym has given me a different perspective on what it means to work out and I love it! read more

Very nice training facility. I travel constantly, and this is one of best I have come across. Despite the fact I know my way around a gym, the owner took a minute to orient me with what they had to offer. The parking lot was full for a 5 o'clock crowd, but there was hardly any wait for the equipment I needed. The ONLY reason I didn't rate this 5 star is because of day pass price. Always consider 20 or more on the extreme side of the price range. Realize they gotta make money, but when one day is 1/2 of a typical months membership, I gotta balk just a little. read more

Thank you Mary Ellen for addressing the issue I joined another gym with my husband because we felt like we aren't welcome. I have to be fair and update my review since it wasn't your fault and you're unaware of the situations. I am not under contract so if you guys welcome new members I'll would love to give it a try. read more

Since my last review, Mary fixed the overheating problem. The gym is now in the low 70s...thank you Mary. On a side note: If you have any issues with this gym, Mary keeps an open door and sincerely cares about the welfare of her gym-goers. Five stars. read more

The Backstreet Gym is one huge family unlike other gyms in El Paso. The employees are always friendly and the other gym goers are always willing to lend a hand. This is a place where you can get competitive against each other but if not then nobody will judge you. It is a little pricey but worth every cent. read more

Mary Ellen J. This occurred at Thursday, April 21, just after 1PM. What was so disheartening about this is that your gym came highly recommended. read more

Best gym I've ever been to without a doubt. Every type of equipment imaginable is here. I've been a loyal customer for 3 years now and crave the serious fitness mentality. I live outside of El Paso and travel in town only one month out of the year and this will always be my go-to-gym. They are very welcoming and the owner makes this gym feel safe and like a second home. High respect for the owner and all of the regulars I have had the pleasure of meeting. Great and quality employees make you feel like a family. I wish there were more gyms like this one in the world. read more