Balanced Fitness is a hidden gem. Sam referred me here after I messed up my lower back in a body…read moreboarding incident in Hawaii (tough life, I know). I had felt the back pain on and off for about a year, but a long flight to Australia (again, so tough to be me) seemed to have escalated that pain to a whole new level. It was getting to a point where little things like getting out of the car was painful to do. I knew Alan had a lot of experience, but I was not expecting him to "cure" my lower back pain. I had previously also gone to massage therapists and chiropractors to consult my lower back pain, which resulted in temporary reliefs. After 4 sessions (as Alan had predicted when we started discussing my treatment plan), I felt like a brand new (wo)man, without ANY trace of pain. What I really like about Alan is that he doesn't try to sell you things. At our first consultation, Alan recommended a treatment plan of 4-6 sessions. With the weekly progress, he could see that I would not need the additional 2 sessions. He sent me away with some homework to strengthen my core, to prevent future back injury, and told me that I could check in with him anytime I wanted. He really knows what he's doing and his rate is beyond reasonable. He also specializes in fitness coaching (as the name suggests), both 1:1 and in group settings, for adults and children. I have yet to try one of his fitness classes, because honestly, I'm scared about getting my ass kicked here. Even though I've splurged to train with some awesome coaches over the years, my laziness often got the best of me and even the restorative workouts at Balanced Fitness was calorie-burning enough for me. That's another great thing about Alan: he has this gravitas about him that makes you feel like you should be trying harder without being condescending or actually saying the obvious, which is: "Wow you really suck at that!" It's been over 2 months now since my last treatment and I'm still pain-free. Regardless of your fitness and health goals, if you're serious about it, you should check out Balanced Fitness.

Alan is a committed, caring trainer who always has your fitness goals in mind. He's a great…read morelistener, is open to feedback and will change things up based on your needs and goals. His workouts are tough, but he motivates you throughout so you can finish strong. I was at my top fitness level while working out with Alan.

She is a great trainer and I enjoy her energy and I would recommended her all the way. The P90X is…read morea great program and I love every minute of it. Don't hesitate in joining her fitness workout. Thanks Debra.

Debra is an excellent trainer. I've worked with her for years before she decided to do this full…read moretime. She is really passionate about living a healthy lifestyle. Even though I've moved away from the area I still reach out to Debra when I need some motivation or fitness advice.

I just finished my 190th session with David! I started training with him to tone up my body, but it…read morequickly moved into goals for gaining strength and balance. As I move into my 50s, I needed a trainer who could help me attain by goals as I age - safely and focusing on the health benefits of proper training and physical activity. As David reminds me, my body is an instrument, not an ornament! I was struggling with some body issues and worries as I got older and David helped me focus on what was important - maintaining my strength and balance to have a healthy life. He even recommended the book "More than a Body," which has been the perfect complement to our training. It has changed my entire perspective of how I age and how I stay motivated, flexible, strong, and able to enjoy life! Thank you, David! You are a life changer!

Kelly is an incredible trainer. Through my Zoom workouts with her, she pays close attention to form…read moreand spends lots of time focusing on strengthening areas that I didn't realize were important! I also appreciate how knowledgeable she is with the exercises, offering modified and more challenging versions. I highly recommend Kelly!

Whether you are a serious athlete or someone who is looking to get in shape socially with great…read morepeople, Coach Lesley can hook you up! I am new to the Coach Lesley "crew" and am having so much fun getting a great education in endurance training. I found out about her coaching, one on one and group activities through some good friends and signed up with her to prepare me for the Chelanman half-ironman distance triathlon I will be competing in this July. This will be my first triathlon and I am getting all the information and assistance necessary to have a strong performance. Coach Lesley's guidance, support and great group runs, rides and swims are helping me to acheive a much higher level of fitness than I would otherwise be able to. I am seeing massive improvement in my speed and endurance and am having a blast. Coach Lesley is awesome and can help ALL COMERS to get into better shape!

I highly recommend Lesley regardless of your level, ability, or goals. She's very knowledgeable…read moreabout fitness and training and always stays updated with the latest advances in coaching. She cares about her clients at the personal level and personalizes their training to their personal needs. Her group workouts are a plus - not only you get assistance during the run, ride or swim, but you also get to share with a great group of people.

I have been training with Robert for almost 2-1/2 years and I feel most fortunate to have finally…read morebeen paired with a master personal trainer who trades on more than a one-size-fits-all rote routine. Robert carefully assesses where his clients are physicaly, he listens to their goals, and then he charts creative multi-faceted programs to help achieve them. Besides making training fun and effective, Robert is a corrective exercise specialist. He possesses a deep knowledge of how the body's muscular chains function and how to best address injury and pain. He is honestly a bit of a miracle worker the way he analyzes misalignments, over/under activations, compensations, and is able to come up with on-the-fly healing corrections. Perhaps one of the most salient things I've gained from training with Robert is that it seems "how" an exercise is done is more important than "what" exercise is done. His insistence on proper form is a gift which is helping me break an endless cycle of injury and recovery. I wholeheartedly recommend Robert if you are looking for a personal trainer and Mirror Fitness if you are looking for a la carte personal training. The private/semi-private nature of the workout studio is a real luxury versus my big box gym. Taylor at Mirror Fitness, who has substituted for Robert on occasion, is also a trainer I can recommend. While I haven't worked out as much with him, I can tell that they both share similar core beliefs about fitness, training and physical wellbeing. Whether you choose to hire Robert or Taylor to become your trainer, you'll thank me. Oh, and lastly Mirror Fitness' training sessions are very reasonably priced so you have everything to gain and nothing to lose, except perhaps a few extra pounds.

First I would like to say that Mirror Fitness is very clean, light, the air is fresh, and I have…read morethe sense of positive energy there. Prior to coming here, I worked with Robert Altwater at another fitness location, for nearly a year. Now that Robert is independent, I have resumed work with him. He has helped me regain my balance and stability (I am a 71 year old man), and the ability to walk normally again. The sense of freedom and security this brings me is quite a reward. Now that Robert is independent, he is able to use techniques that focus more specifically on areas that need strengthening, increased range of motion, or rebalancing with other areas of the body. He is kind, patient, and never critical; always encouraging me onward. Oh, and yes, he does have a good sense of humor. Robert is quite intuitive, and keenly observant, which really sharpens his ability to help me work toward my goals. Add this to a very thorough knowledge of the muscle groups, connective tissues, joints, and nerves, and their interaction. I am most impressed, and very happy I found Robert again! Sincerely, Scott Martin

Jackson is a knowledgeable, easy to get along with trainer, who, most importantly will show you how…read moreto get results! In addition to fitness training, Jackson will also give you pointers on maintaining motivation, strengthening willpower, and creating positive habits.

I have trained with Jackson for the past 6 months, generally seeing him twice a week for 45 minutes…read morein group classes. He's an upbeat, positive person, constantly encouraging you to do your best and, equally as important, to do activities right. He does a good job at scaling activities for all skill and fitness abilities. I have seen him work effectively with both men and women. I highly recommend Jackson as a personal trainer and as a group instructor (kickboxing at The Seattle Gym).

We've worked with Michael for over 5 years and he constantly challenges us to new levels of…read morefitness. He keeps his workouts fun, so you never know exactly how hard you worked until the next day (or week, in my case). Michael also helps with food journaling and maintaining a healthy diet as part of our fitness regimen. We wouldn't go to anyone else! Thanks Michael!!

I have known Michael for over three years. I could go on and on about how knowledgeable he is, how…read morecreative he is, how encouraging he is. As a result of my training with Michael, I have been able to set goals and accomplish things that I am very proud of. I feel stronger and more fit then ever. I passed an important "0" birthday some time ago. Since then I am able to continue to ski double-black diamond ski runs; even ski several days in a row despite a previous history of significant knee injuries. I have been able to improve my distance and speed on my bicycle. I am currently training for my second STP (200 miles in 2 days). He has been able to figure out ways to encourage me and convince me that I can do these things. I am looking forward to continuing this journey with Michael. There is so much more out there to accomplish!!

Wow, it's been one whole month since I started! Just a mere…read morefour months earlier to beginning this journey, I was in a hospital bed undergoing surgery for Stage IV Colon Cancer which through God's Blessings it was defeated. MKG MARTIAL ARTS SEATTLE has become my newest chapter. Everyone is so incredibly friendly and fun to practice with along with professional coaches and staff members who are there to tailor your own experiences at a pace that will be a fit best for you. The first step is commitment. Not just the commitment to practicing, but the commitment to not simply breeze through it and passively participate and go through the motions. Commit to 100% focus every time you practice. Commit to the knowledge it will be tiring and exhausting, and there is no easy way to actually practice. Getting better at something involves straying outside of your comfort zone. It will involve no small amount of struggle. You will feel uncomfortable and lacking in your abilities when you attempt to climb higher and higher. So, commit to all of this. If I can make the attempt after what I have been through in just the past year alone, imagine what you can achieve from MKG SEATTLE! Enough chit-chat for now and make that commitment to yourself....you will be glad that you did!

**This review is for the MAX10 Program**…read more I got excited when I purchased a deal from Bloomspot for a 5 week MAX 10 fitness program. I have been in a fitness rut so I figured this would be a great way for me to get back in shape. Right from the beginning, I like how thorough the trainers are. During orientation, they measure and weigh each student and go through basic Muay Thai movements. I thought I was in decent shape but when I saw my weight and body fat results, WOW that was a rude awakening! They also go over nutrition in a realistic manner (no fad diets!) and provide feedback during class. My first week was ROUGH. I don't mean that in a bad way but it made me realize I had to change certain habits in order to improve, such as getting in the habit of having enough sleep and eating breakfast. My biggest regret was missing out on a few classes (due to a cold) and I totally paid for it during the next session I attended. I highly suggest that if you enter this program, it is best that you try to not skip classes for the best results. So how are classes like? One instructor is assigned to a different day of the week so you don't know what to expect when you come into class. For the 9 am sessions the Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes are martial arts based while on Tuesday and Thursdays the classes are focused on cardio and strength training exercises. I personally love the martial arts classes more than the cardio and strength training but both classes go hand in hand. Now that its week 5, I have seen improvements in my strength and stamina, especially when it involves jump roping, burpees and push ups. I also do see some muscle development all around which I personally think is a lot better than trying to meet my weight loss goal of 10 lbs in 5 weeks. Although these have been an intense five weeks, I personally feel that it was not long enough, which is why I decided to sign up for the full 10 weeks. The cost of the program might seem a bit high but when you do the math and consider what you get out of the program, it's actually a great deal! Besides having classes 5 days a week, you're also assigned a coach to monitor your progress as well as having different instructors every day of the week and you get your own punching gloves to keep. You definitely get your moneys worth at MKG! I plan on updating my review at the end of the full 10 weeks. Thanks to the MAX 10 program, I'm considering of signing up for either their cage fitness or martial arts classes! TIP: Once you sign up for classes, you should like their page on Facebook so you get updates regarding seminars and special classes that are held usually on the weekends. I attended a foam roller workshop not too long ago and it was wonderful. So definitely keep that in mind!