Bay Strength is not a gym. It is not a bunch of trainers. It is not a set of equipment. Bay…read moreStrength is a source of inspiration and perspiration. It is a reason for people to bond while they bend. It is a place where people come to lift their spirits as much as lifting weights. I highly recommend Bay Strength to anyone looking for a way to get started on strength training without being intimidated by it! The trainers are great at providing the right mix of support, guidance and independence to let each person navigate their own journey. They go above and beyond to provide an open, accepting, and fun environment which makes the whole experience so much better! I've only been training here for a few months and I can already feel myself getting stronger every week. Big shoutout to Kelly and Katherine for being amazing trainers and for helping me get started on my strength training journey!

I love this place so much! As someone who has always been intimidated by weight rooms at most gyms,…read moreI immediately felt at ease and welcome at Bay Strength. The coaches teach you and correct your form in a positive way that is so encouraging, you never feel self conscious. They'll help you with alternative exercises or modifications if you ever need it. It's also so nice to not have to plan out your workouts, since the coaches lay everything out for you. They make it easy so that you can just go in and have fun while working at your own pace. The absolute best part of this gym is the people. I've made so many friends and we're always laughing and chatting and being silly. We cheer each other on, celebrate PRs, and crack jokes between sets. It's a true community, and I always feel so uplifted every time I'm here. Joining Bay Strength was the best decision I've made in a really long time, and I'm so grateful to be a part of this beautiful place.

Amazing gym. Really clean, staff is friendly and most importantly PRIVACY! It is small but every…read moretime I go there is 5 people max (even for rush hour).

Practically every year I have come to Berkeley to visit my daughter and grandchildren. In Brazil I…read morehave regularly attended a bodybuilding gym. So when we arrived here we looked for a gym near our temporary home in North Berkeley. We did some research and found Strong Island. Where we were received with great attention and promptness by Rick. Accepted, for two months we practiced our individual training that we brought from Brazil. In a pleasant and well-equipped space we spent quality time with friendly people. Next year, we will be back.

Everything I said in my previous review still stands, I just want to highlight how awesome the…read moretrainers have been during the last year plus as we've all had to negotiate the COVID pandemic. They've adapted to teaching a mix of in-person and online classes and they've done an excellent job of making things challenging while keeping workouts accessible and adaptable as needed for everyone's personal situation. All of the trainers here are excellent, but most of the classes I take are with Deanna. Training with her is an incredibly positive experience--she is completely committed to helping her clients succeed, and not just in the gym. And on those days when my tank is empty or I'm not with it for whatever reason she's completely understanding and is able to adjust things to meet me where I'm at so I still get a good workout in. A lot of it may be behind the scenes, but she works just as hard as her clients at helping them achieves their goals. Phoenix Gym is an incredibly positive, supportive, and judgement-free zone, and being a member here has been a life-changing experience.

Kelly is bad ass. She's tough and gorgeous at the same time! And she's super awesome to be around!…read more So the building is Krav Maga but you enter and go to the right of the building. Bootcamp has it's own deal. I came here for a free trial bootcamp class (and I'm hooked and coming back on Friday). Luckily it was 6 ladies and myself. I really liked that it was small and everyone was friendly. It started with some jumprope, followed by push ups (and repeat 5 times). Then we got our hands wrapped and put on the boxing gloves! We hit punching bags. Pretty fun to feel like Muhammed Ali. :) my knuckles are red. Boxing is only on Wednesdays. Then we did squats in between the different types of boxing moves. Then we got out some yoga mats and did different types of crunches. Sadly I forgot where my abs once were :( but I'm hoping to find them soon. Anyway, tons of fun!

This review of All in One Fitness and personal trainer Diane is very overdue - sorry Diane! My wife…read moreand I signed up for a series of "buddy" personal training sessions over 8 weeks starting in January 2025. It was an overwhelmingly positive experience. The Gym: the facility is small but clean, and the patrons range in age and fitness levels. Everyone is very welcoming and understanding of the sometimes tight quarters that can take place in a smaller place, and they do their best to keep out of the way or allow others to pass. It's a great place and I enjoyed it a lot. The Trainer: Diane is amazing!!! My wife and I wanted to learn how to safely carry out weight training with dumbbells and a variety of other equipment as we're getting to the age where it's important to maintain our muscle mass. Diane did a great job developing a program that we felt like we could tackle, and over the course of eight weeks we saw massive improvements in strength and balance. She's also very sweet and fun to hang out with as you sweat your way through your hour. We highly recommend her!!

I've been meaning to write this for a while, but life has been busy. I'm 74, and have never been as…read morefit as I should be, but I got into really bad condition during the pandemic, way too much sitting. I started having severe back pain and found that walking with hiking poles helped this. I thought it was due to my spinal curvature (but it turns out it was due to weakened muscles!). I used to be a member of the Berkeley YMCA, but didn't like it as much when I returned after the pandemic, with the women's fitness center gone. So I was mainly walking at the Marina. But last summer I had 2 falls there, both stupid things, tripping on my pole and on the edge of a raised surface. The second fall caused a fracture in my ring finger and I had to get my wedding rings cut off, as they quickly became tourniquets on my swollen finger. So I decided to look for another gym, where I could hold on to the handles on the treadmill. I asked my kids for recommendations. One of them mentioned All in One Fitness in Albany, a few blocks from his house, where he'd seen a sign welcoming people over 40. So I went and checked it out, and this is what I found: To start, it's easy to get to from my West Berkeley home, easy free parking, comfortable and friendly atmosphere, wonderful and friendly trainers, all the equipment one could need in a small space. My trainer, Diane, who is also the manager, is not only excellent as a trainer, but her enthusiasm and support has been really been encouraging. I feel comfortable there with everyone; I don't feel out of place at all. This place, and in particular Diane, my trainer, has truly changed my life! Diane said at the beginning that she wanted to make it fun for me to come to the gym. I thought, "Oh, right!" (in a skeptical, eyeball rolling way). But it happened - it is fun! And I feel so much better! And I can walk without my poles and carry grocery bags! I have personal training twice a week, which has been wonderful for learning new things and keeping up the variety and fun. I have so many things I can do now, not just the treadmill and bicycle, and I can do them on my own between training days. I think it's been 5 months now, and I'm getting stronger and feeling so much better! As I said, it's changed my life! I highly recommend this gym!

I've gone to BOLD for over a year now and it is the best fitness class experience I've ever had…read more The owners are so accommodating, they run their business ethically, and lead with compassion. I needed to freeze my membership due to a surgery and the owner did not hesitate, even wishing me well on my recovery. At any other studio, I would be charged for such a last minute change. This workout has changed my body more than bodyrok, hot pilates, or any other reformer class has. I even went to a different lagree studio regularly when I moved for a summer and my body changed for the worse only after 3 months-- it really shows you how effective and unique BOLD is. I guess I can never move haha.

Classes are hard, I always come away from classes sore for like a week. But I like that they target…read moremuscles not normally targeted in my gym routine. The class male instructor as it was a lot of upper body and I noticed many of us struggled more to keep it.

Iron works is great. Clean bathroom. I love their yoga and workout classes! Lots to do when you're…read morethere.

Plenty of problems to work on at this climbing gym. The routes are also decently rated. Staff at…read moreIronworks are helpful. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere and set up here.

Unbelievable that you can walk into this down-to-earth, no-nonsense, friendly gym in Oakland, CA…read moreand learn kettlebell sport directly from one of the greatest champions of all time. Gifted coach, highly decorated competitor, and all around great guy, Denis Vasiliev calls this place his home, which makes it a great environment for anyone - from the curious beginner to the advanced athlete - to build strength, endurance and flexibility. The Orange Kettlebell Club is still one of the best kept secrets in the Bay Area.

The best place to learn Kettlebell Sport in the Bay Area! John and Nazo run an amazing gym that is…read morerecognized as one of the top GS sport gyms in the world! You definitely have to check them out! Your first week is free so you have nothing to lose! Look for parking in the neighborhood nearby, no dedicated parking that I know of for the gym.

I used to belong to Gold's Gym, 24 Hour Fitness, Bally's Gym, among others. I was drawn to bigger…read moregyms with all of the extra perks-sauna room, swimming pool, basketball court etc. However, BodyTone Fitness Xpress not only provides me the necessary equipment to get into shape (most of us know we only need the basics i.e., several hand weights, a mirror, good pair of crosstrainning shoes and a positive attitude) but also a higher level of personal service you can't necessarily get at a larger gym. The information given in converations and interactions, such as small talk on nutrition and specific individual coaching, with Elvis (the gym's founder), is very valuable and available to anyone who wants to listen. Elvis has a good heart and a strong passion for what he does. In my experience with him he has demonstrated the upmost professionalism. I do admit having access to a shower facility and extended gym hours would make it more convenient for some. I personally would rather shower at home. However, should Elvis had the space- I can guarantee, the shower facility would be clean enough to walk barefoot on and if I had to-I would use it. As I mentioned above-as a previous member at the larger gyms, little things were often overlooked at them. I often had to hunt down someone to restock the toliet paper and clean the shower stalls and bathrooms. I can only image the massive foot traffic that came through the bathroom and shower faclities on a daily basis. Not to mention the cleaniness of the fitness equipment that was not wiped down enough in the larger gyms -YUCK!!! I personally don't benefit from larger gyms. I like to enter the gym -do my thing and leave without someone trying to pick me up. Anyow-that is my honest review in a nutshell. Oh yeah...there is access to free water-bottled water whereas all gyms charge a heavy fee for this. I wish I could rate this place a solid five-however-a shower facility and longer hours would be nice for others to use. ChrisM

My wife and I have been a member of Body Tone Fitness Xpress for more than a year and we're very…read morepleased with the results! Thanks to owner Elvis Lewis' excellent training skills, fitness guidance, and people skills we've both gained (strength) and lost (pounds), and have had fun doing it. He truly cares about our well being and packs in a great 1/2 hour workout for a reasonable price. And he's a great guy. The gym has all the machines and free weights that most people need, and the place is low key, clean, no hustle, no pressure. Its very close to our house so not having showers is no problem for us though I could see how that might be an issue for some. I do look forward to a time when the gym is open more hours per day so I can get in the earlier. We have gotten results here that we've never achieved at another gym. Highly recommended.