Mylo Villanueva started MYLO Obstacle Fitness with the simple goal to change people’s lives. Now, four years later, his dream has become a reality as he turns Attitudes from “I can’t” to “teach me how.” We talked to Mylo about how he gets people to face all of life’s obstacles and how, in turn, it changed his life.


How did you get your start with obstacle fitness training?

It started with a New Year’s resolution. I wanted to inspire five people in a positive way. I figured completing an obstacle course race was the way to do that so I put an ad on Craigslist and offered to train five people for free for three months. The event changed their lives and they offered to pay whatever I wanted to make them feel that way again. Obstacle fitness not only changed their physique, strength and stamina, but it changed the way they looked at life.

They went from saying “I can’t,” to “how can I do that?”

MYLO Obstacle Fitness
Do you prefer training or competing?

I prefer training by far! I love to compete, but I get goosebumps every time I see someone complete a goal or do something for the first time that they thought was not possible.

Is there a specific transformative moment for a trainee that you’ve seen?

Yes, it happened at a Paleo convention. There was an 11 year-old girl who had a disability and her Paleo diet helped her through. She had not been out in public in years but finally had the courage to attend the convention. She was interested in the obstacle course and asked her parents if she could try it out. Man, that girl was relentless. We taught her to do each obstacle and she quickly mastered it. Then came the 8-foot wall and she failed the first time. She did not give up though—she must have attacked that wall 50 times and she finally got up. She had the biggest grin on her face sitting on top of that wall! She started waving at everyone and people were clapping for her. Her parents started crying. They said they couldn’t remember the last time their little girl smiled like that in public. And that’s why I love my job. I get to experience that every day at my facility with different people.

Do you think obstacle fitness is for everyone?

I do! Obstacle Fitness is more about a mindset than it is about fitness part. We make you realize that you can do 20 times more than you think you can.

It literally changes people’s lives.

MYLO Obstacle Fitness
What is the best part about competing?

The adrenaline rush and figuring out how to do the new obstacles. I normally run two laps at a race. One lap as an elite racer and the next lap to help fellow racers out and showing on the spot training on the obstacles.

How can someone with no experience get started?

They have to do what 90% of Americans won’t do… show up. They just show up at the facility and sign up for a free class. They can also check out our website, mylofitness.com, or give us a call at 512-689-1381.


MYLO Obstacle Fitness is Austin’s only outdoor obstacle course gym.

A private creek, running trails, free weights and hills for cardio are a few attractions located on these 75 acres accompanied by over 30 outdoor obstacles. We offer training for mud runs, obstacle course races, military boot camp, and our own brand: Obstacle Fitness. Obstacle Fitness improves your overall health by increasing strength, cardio, agility, endurance and most of all, mental discipline.

MYLO Obstacle Fitness

At MYLO Obstacle Fitness, we make you realize you can do so much more than you think. We do this is by challenging you, pushing your limits and getting you out of your comfort zone. We are an accomplishment center that also happens to be a gym. We are MYLO Obstacle Fitness.

Hours of Operation

Monday–Friday 12PM–8PM
Saturday & Sunday 8AM–7PM

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