Today we’d like to introduce you to Tod Moore.
Hi Tod, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Atomic Athlete started as a couple of broke dudes who liked to work out. We used to run with Paul Carrozza, the guy from Runtex who literally lived in running shorts and worked out all day. Jake, my business partner, pointed at him one day and said: “That’s the life I want: short shorts and workouts all day.”
Boom, Atomic Athlete was born.
Jake started training a few guys in the park, and as that grew, I jumped in to help. We had no money, but we scrounged up enough cash to attend a Mountain Athlete Programming seminar with Rob Shaul, who basically became our Yoda for coaching and programming.
We bootstrapped everything. Craigslist was our best friend, and we’d fill the back of Jake’s old Suburban with whatever gear we could find. Then we’d roll up to Butler Park, chalk out the workout on the sidewalk, and go hard. Random people would walk by and ask to join in, and before we knew it, we had 30 athletes. That number grew until we started sharing space with Dane’s BodyShop, and we hit 50 athletes there. Then came our first “big move”—800 square feet attached to a flooring store, no bathrooms, no showers, hotter than hell, but somehow we still grew.
Next stop: a rebar yard where we rented a 4,000 square foot warehouse near the airport. We hit 80 athletes and thought we were hot stuff. Eventually, we leveled up again, landing in a 5,000 square foot warehouse on Pedernales. We got up to 150 athletes, started hosting events, and really began to grow our brand. We even launched an online platform and started working with Special Forces groups.
Fast forward to 2018, and we moved into a massive 16,000 square foot warehouse. We also opened The Outpost, our North Austin location. Just when things were really picking up steam, COVID hit. That should have been game over, but instead, we leaned in. We loaned out every single piece of equipment in the gym, offered free online and Zoom workouts, and when the lockdown ended, our community came back stronger than ever.
Now, 15 years, six locations, and a pandemic later, we’re in a new 15,000 square foot space with all the bells and whistles—coworking space, cold plunge recovery, showers, and a lounge. It’s been a wild ride with more than a few bumps, but we’re still standing, better than ever, and ready for whatever comes next.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
You don’t get into the gym business for the money—if you do, you’re probably also waiting for your unicorn farm to pay off. No, you get into the gym business to build a community. Once we figured that out, everything changed. Honestly, there have been more bumps in the road than I can count, and at this point, they’re just part of the daily grind. But having a badass partner and a rockstar community makes it feel like just another day at the office.
Bring on the bumps! We’re never fully ready for them, but we’ll tackle them anyway. Nothing good happens when you’re just sitting still, right? Growth—real, sweaty, sometimes painful growth—happens when you’re thrown into the fire. If everything had been easy, we wouldn’t have made it past the first few years. But just like in the gym, the struggle has forced us to adapt and overcome. It’s made us better business partners, friends, husbands, coaches, and overall better dudes.
We’ve been impressed with Atomic Athlete , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Atomic, we’re not just a gym—we’re a training company dedicated to transforming you into a stronger, faster, and mentally tougher version of yourself. On paper, sure, we might look like just another garage gym, but hold up. What sets us apart? It’s the blood, sweat, and borderline obsessive care we pour into everything—our facility, our programming, our coaching, and most importantly, our community. Don’t believe it? Come try it out for yourself. Its only gonna hurt a little bit…
We also believe the gym is just the warm-up. The real proving ground is the outside world.
That’s where The Vanguard comes in. It’s a one-day skills camp where you’ll learn all the essentials—handling handguns, grappling, striking, breaking down animals (yep, you read that right), and navigating with maps. It’s basically a crash course in “Wow, I’m way more capable than I thought.” Safely, of course. We’re not that crazy.
Still want more? Enter The Forge, a five-day self-supported backpacking trip. You’ll haul your gear through 30+ miles of rugged mountains and insane elevation gains. No showers, no comfy beds, just you and the wilderness—and maybe some tears. The only thing guaranteed? You’re going to learn something about yourself, and it’s probably something you’d rather not know.
And for those who like their suffering sprinkled with a bit of fun, we’ve got Night Ops, a twice-a-year event where you’ll tackle a 3-5 mile nighttime race under load. You’ll be solving riddles and logic puzzles while being hunted by Reapers (yes, Reapers). If they catch you, it’s time for a physical or mental challenge that’ll make you question your life choices.
We love our community. The more we push them to challenge themselves, both inside and outside the gym, the better. Because the gym doesn’t have to be just about lifting heavy stuff or mindlessly running on a treadmill. It’s can be the most amazing training ground for your body and your mind. And best of all? You’re doing it alongside an incredible group of like-minded people, where actions speak louder than words. While a solo experience is great at the end of the day its like taking selfies on an amazing trip – you’re still alone. The thing I can promise you is that everything you do in this gym is a shared suffering. Things that you could never imagine doing by yourself just become second nature when you have a badass community of athletes supporting you.
The other thing we believe that in a world filled with distractions your hour of training is precious. So we don’t allow phones while training. If you don’t have an emergency going on your phone stays in your cubby. If you can’t make it an hour without checking social media or posing on The Gram then you really need to come visit us…
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
Oh man, Austin is home and has been since the late 90’s. I love the heat, I love the people, I love Town Lake Trail, the Greenbelt, Barton Springs Zilker Park. What makes Austin great is Austin!
My caveat to that is that while I love the heat, it’s not quite the romantic affair it used to be. I used to love training during the hottest part of the summer. Nowadays I prefer not to…
Oh and the traffic can occasionally take the jam out of my donut.
Pricing:
- 225 Premium Membership
- 150 Open Gym
Contact Info:
- Website: atomic-athlete.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atomicathlete?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atomicathlete
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@atomic.athlete
