Came in with absolutely zero CrossFit (or even Gym) experience. All of the trainers and owner are incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and patient! Everyone here is extremely nice and supportive. Theyre always on top of making sure I am doing things properly, and have a lot of different modifications depending on strength. Would definitely recommend!

Did a drop here to get a feel for it. Work out didnt go the way I wanted however doesnt change my view of this place. Very welcoming atmosphere, very friendly. Small class size which means more attention from the coaches. Meddy is very friendly and easy to talk to. Morgan did a very thorough job of coaching the class. Definitely adding this to my top 5 gyms list. 11/10 would recommend again.

I stopped in Des Moines for a couple of days and the crew at CrossFit Akeso treated me like Id been a member for years! Big thanks to the 5:15 am class for the hospitality. Definitely coming back next time Im in Des Moines.

I love Black Collar Crossfit! Meddy is the most dedicated gym owner I have ever met. Meddy and all of her staff make you feel like youre apart of a family. They make it their job to check in on you and make sure you have everything you need to be successful. During this whole COVID pandemic, they have done everything they can to make sure we stay as safe as possible. If you want to get in shape and be apart of a family, I recommend joining Black Collar Crossfit!

I absolutely love this place and the people who work there and work out there. Even through the Covid-19, the gym has taken precautions and is very clean and hands on about keeping all of their members safe. This is no ordinary gym it’s more like a family. I’ve went to other gyms and Black Collar CrossFit is the only place that has ever given me the results that I’ve always wanted. I recommend this place to everyone. Thank you Meddy and Morgan for everything you both do to keep us safe and in shape!

CF Akeso is a great place. I was in town from KC and dropped in for a couple of 9am classes. Maddy was very courteous and professional. She takes time to show the class the correct movements for each lift. She knows what she is doing, a pro! So, if youre looking for a new CF box or youre in town for a few days, go to Akeso. Youll be glad you did.. 😇🙏🏼

Great box all coaches are amazing, helpful, and know there stuff from weight lifting to programing and nutrition they are all qualified for these very well! Would recommend this box to any one who wants to work hard and change them self for the better. A nice bonus is its like a gym family here everyone is supportive and helps each other succeed on there goals.

Dropped in this morning. Great space, awesome people. I really felt welcomed. We spent a good amount of time warming up before the WOD, and went through some pull-up work after. Great experience. Definitely going back!

I dropped into Akeso when out of town. The community was welcoming and upbeat. I was also happy to seee that everything was really clean. On top of all of that, the coaching was great - very attentive. I would definitely recommend Akeso to anyone looking to get started with a fitness routine or just looking to get a new change of pace from their regular routine.

Drop in here if youre visiting (or join if you live in Des Moines). Great facility and coaches. Trust me, the Army has moved me all over the country, I dropped in while TDY, this is one of the good ones.

CrossFit Akeso is awesome. Very professional, heartwarming and accepting. They made me feel like I was at home and apart of their community. I recommend this facility to any and everyone!! THIS is what CrossFit is all about. 😁

I always get nervous when traveling to a box out of town, because well, its not what Im used to. From the second I walked into this box I knew everything was going to be fine, the people welcomed me right away, the box was clean and well organized, and I had no confusion about what the workout was .Another thing about stopping in at a random box, sometimes people will have their own cliques and be hesitant to cheer you on during the work out, this was not a problem here, I felt like I was at home at my own box!Traveling? Definitely stop in here. Looking to join a box? This would be a fun one to join!

Great place, great people. Dropped in while in town from Kansas City. Awesome community of members! Meddy and staff were very accommodating and so friendly. Thanks for the great experience. Will definitely visit again in the future!

Great box. Dropped in from Minneapolis for the 5:15am class on a Wednesday and the place was easy to find, parking wasn’t a problem, quick to sign in for a drop-in, class started on time. Everyone was friendly and it was a solid workout with some bonus Yoga at the end.

I dropped in on this awesome box. We did a bear complex of cleans. It was a great workout with a great CrossFit community. I highly recommend.

A fun welcoming community with fantastic coaching, and a beautiful name! Akeso: the Greek Goddess of the practice of healing. This place lives up to its name.

Dropped in today while visiting Des Moines. Friendly atmosphere and good coaching. Appreciated the coaches for watching my form and giving me pointers. Would drop in again if in the area.

I dropped in for a class while in town on business and instantly felt welcome. Great programming, coaching, and workout.  Thanks and I will definitely be back.

This place rocks! Meddy, Tommy, and Tim are some of the most professional yet approachable coaches youre ever going to meet. They are awesome at giving you suggestions on how to scale the workouts so this is one of the best boxes to get started at if youre new to crossfit. They offer a free week if youre interested in becoming a member.They do a lot of fun activities and make an effort to get everyone involved. It makes this place so much more than just a place to go work out. The programming is solid and youll likely see results in just a few weeks. If youre looking for a fun, new, and intriguing workout experience, Akeso wont disappoint!

I visit Akeso when Im in town for work. The owners are friendly, the coaching is really solid, the facility is nice, and the community is tight-knit. Definitely a good place for a drop in, or for long term membership.

I absolutely love this gym! Great community- you instantly feel welcome, knowledgeable and friendly coaches, great location downtown. Needless to say, they got me hooked on crossfit!

They remembered me from a year ago and I got the same welcoming friendly greeting as before. The dynamic warmups to the coaching and the programming- all represent a top ranked Crossfit gym. You won’t regret dropping in here!

I come to Des Moines for work every once and a while and dropped in at Akeso for the first time last September. I’ve come 3 different weeks now and have not had a single bad experience. Great facility and equipment and awesome coaching. I will continue to come here as long as I’m coming to Des Moines!

Coaches are encouraging and always working hard to help you improve.

Everyone here is super friendly and welcoming. They make it easy for anyone to come in, regardless of CrossFit experience.

I’m here with my daughter for Junior Olympics from Texas. I decided to drop in to get a workout at Crossfit Akeso. The coaching staff was very helpful, nice and I really liked the stretching exercises they had. I would recommend anyone who comes Des Moines to visit this gym.

If you’re traveling through Des Moine or local and thinking about joining definitely stop into Crossfit Akeso. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming and I felt like I had been a member for years. Coaching was on-point and as an added bonus got a great lesson in all things Des Moines and what to do while in town!

Traveling for work and dropped in to this place. Great coaching, great facility & great group!

My favourite time with the best group of people out of my office hours...

Welcoming and friendly! As a drop-in, I definitely recommend!

We dropped into Crossfit Akeso two and half years ago for their grand opening, and was instantly welcomed into their family. Over the last couple of years, we have always tried to drop back in as this family re-energizes our love for Crossfit! Akeso has fantastic owners with AMAZING and committed coaches. The coaches care about you, your form and your health, not about how fast or how much you can lift.Above everything, is the community at Crossfit Akeso. Everyone supports each other, whether its your first day or if you are a veteran of the gym. Akeso not only builds your physical strength, but also your confidence! Crossfit Akeso is exactly what Greg Glassman (and Dave Castro) have envisioned for gyms around the world! Cant wait to go back!

Nice place very friendly.

Amazing and trusting environment!