This is a great place for pilates. I am a nurse and was bothered with back pain for long time. I…read morefeel like Pilates is really helping strengthening my back muscles and help me with the back pain. This place is great, what I like most is that it's an actually pretty small place and only offer small size of classes ( no more than 3). I think it's essential for beginners to start in learning the fundamentals. I like all the coaches here. Claudia and Rebecca are awesome, very patient, nice and flexible. I recommend 100%.

So I'm still doing pilates twice a week here, with a break only when covid first hit. Rebecca…read morerecently left for maternity leave. I thought she was such a great instructor that I was sure her replacement wouldn't live up. WRONG! Shari is amazing! I love her and only wish she was available more than twice a week! Not only does Shari have a very deep understanding of the body and posture, but she gives great cues. I'm learning so much from her. Things I didn't previously understand about positioning, I now comprehend so much better. Simultaneously to pilates, I also workout with a private fitness trainer, see a physical therapist, multiple (yes, multiple) chiropractors, myofacial release practitioners, and take functional movement classes. So I have quite a bit of experience with different modalities when it comes to body health (or lack thereof). If god forbid, I had to choose just 1 of those to continue, I would for sure pick pilates with Shari. Pilates as taught here isn't just about strengthening. It's about elongating your spine, putting that space back between each vertebrae that we tend to compress, and improving your posture -- something so many of us struggle with today. I find it to be extremely therapeutic and rehabilitative. I used to have a lot of lower back pain -- originating in my teenage years. It became very mild a few years ago. Only after I stopped taking pilates during the first year of the pandemic did I realize the lessened pain was due to pilates. Because the pain level increased during that time off. But now that I'm back, it's virtually gone. I'm always asked how I feel at the beginning of each session. Since I have chronic pain in multiple areas of the body that come and go, my answer might be different each time. Shari takes what I say and then incorporates movements and exercises specifically targeted to help that area. There's more to why I love working with Shari (not least being her sense of humor), but suffice it to say, she's just amazing.

This place is truly a hidden gem! I've been a member for several months and have truly enjoyed my…read moreexperience here. The classes are great and the trainers are amazing! The workouts are challenging, but fun. I highly recommend!

This anti-gym has changed my life! Not only has my body changed and become stronger and more…read moreCAPABLE but I have found a family in the members and coaches here-- and of course Captain Waffles the resident pitbull. I've tried and liked lots of exercise places and routines but this little gem has stolen my heart. I challenged myself to come 3 times/week but now my week is off if I'm not walking through the doors 4-6 times/week. Can't say enough about the support and camaraderie here. Try a week and youll see what I mean!

I HATE getting exercise on purpose. If I can't find a parking spot close to the grocery store and I…read moreend up having to walk across the parking lot, and burn a couple of calories in the process, fine. But actually paying money to exert myself? Blech. But, alas, I went to put on last winter's work pants a couple weeks ago, and lo and behold, I couldn't get the darned things buttoned over my newly acquired gut. Just to see if it was an illusion, I tried on another pair of pants that had been closeted for 8 months. Yoiks! Couldn't get those on either. Soooo.... I did some serious soul searching and decided that I might actually need to start exercising. Here's where Vida Fit comes in. I had seen a flyer up somewhere about them and remembered they had Zumba classes. I did my research and learned that Zumba is a work-out class masked as a fun (but highly structured, all-female, and no alcohol is involved) dance party! This was my only hope. I went to my first class (with Rae) last week and positively LOVED it! I had a hard time keeping up with some of the moves but for the most part, I could follow along. The music was super fun, the moves were fun, and it actually (gasp!) felt good to exert myself and sweat! I went back again this week and the class was just as fun and also packed. (The participants are all levels, all body types, and all ages.) In fact, I enjoyed that class so much that I returned the next day (who am I?) to give it another go. Unfortunately, it appeared that the usual teacher wasn't there and that there was a sub and a single student...the music was way more techno-y than I could handle so I left. I can't wait to go again! I can't believe that I've been converted into a person who likes exercise! I owe it all to Vida Fit.

I love the zumba classes here! I took a trial week's worth of zumba class at the Alameda Athletic…read moreclub with my friend and the price + commitment was too intense for me. Ultimately, we chose to try the classes at Vida fit and we were HOOKED. Rae is amazing! Lost for words with her enthusiasm, energy and beauty! She makes me sweat buckets. We always walk out feeling incredibly good. I would definitely recommend Vida Fit and the classes with Rae. you won't be disappointed. Especially when these classes aren't forcing you to make any type of contractual commitment, it's an easygoing, stressless time!

Lisa is a top notch instructor. I've been doing Pilates for well over a decade, am a certified…read morePilates instructor and currently work out with some of the very best instructors in the country, including Lisa Golden. Lisa knows just where to take a client for their specific needs and how far they should be pushed to achieve their individual goals. Additionally, she is able to create community in her studio that is unmatched. We all want the best for each other and help wherever we can. We celebrate each other's successes and never judge each other's weaknesses. In fact, we don't even think of them as that, rather than areas that we'd like to work on. And every now and then we go out for happy hour snacks and cocktails or mocktails.

I came to Contra Costa Pilates knowing nothing. As I was getting older, I wanted to work on…read morestrength, balance and flexibility. I also began to have lower back problems. I tried to go to gyms and other workout studios. I have also worked with several personal trainers. Each time, I did not enjoy it and could not stay with it. I have now been with Lisa and Contra Costa Pilates for over 4 years and am still going strong. Lisa teaches you a series of exercises, each working on specific parts of you body. As I progressed and began feel things were getting easy, Lisa suggested new exercises and corrected me on old ones to make it more challenging. I remember a couple months into the program noticing my body changing. Doing a variety of things was just easier and no more back issues. I remember thinking that this was what my body felt like 10 or 20 years ago. I can honestly say that I have steadily improved across the last four years. I wholeheartedly endorse Contra Costa Pilates to everyone.

What I enjoy most about training with Bri is I have never told her that she wasn't training me hard…read moreenough. Her routines are always different and continue to challenge me every time I see her! I am extremely picky and she's an absolute keeper for life. I'm thankful I'm older so she won't go away.

Briana is a true pro. While she put me through the paces, when she left I had a smile on my face…read more(with shaky legs). As crazy as as it may sound I can't wait for my next session.

I just started the mat class with Angie. She's a great instructor and I look forward to my class…read morewith her. She changes up each session so you don't get bored and challenges you the entire class.

This is a high quality studio with excellent instructors and a clean space. It also brings…read moretogether a friendly community of people. I recommend it!

Thinking Pilates could help and because of these reviews, a few years ago I sought out Carolyn. As…read morewe were nearing the close of the session, the next client arrived. She left me in mid move ...one that ended up injuring my neck so badly I couldn't go back. Her husband had recently died and she was distracted the whole time.

Wow how many great things can I say about he talented and effervescent Carolyn! I am a new Pilates…read morestudent, and decided to try Pilates after a serious shoulder injury (and regular physical therapy was not working). After working out with Carolyn 2 x week for about three months, my shoulder pain is nearly gone and my range of motion/flexibility has improved so much! I finally feel normal again and the changes I am seeing in my body are entirely the result of Carolyn's expertise and attention. She has a very positive attitude and friendly personality, and her deep knowledge of classical Pilates and years of practice mean that she KNOWS bodies. Carolyn's home studio is nicer and better-outfitted than any free-standing studio I have seen in the Diablo area. It is professional, private, super-clean, and her equipment is the very best and frequently updated. She has always gone the extra mile for me and others and her work ethic is beyond compare! Overall, five big big stars for Pilates by Carolyn! I (and my body) wish we could go every day!

Let me start by saying: I hate working out…read more Hate it. That's why I always have to work out with a trainer, because there's no way I'll go to the gym on my own. I've been working with David at Bread & Butter Fitness for 2+ years and he's the BEST trainer I've ever had. He's incredibly knowledgeable and his dynamic approach ensures your workouts will never be boring. I only do 30 min sessions but the range of compound exercises he throws at me means I always get a great workout in that short time. (Dare I say, I might even be starting to enjoy it!) One of the things I like the most is that he really listens. When I decided I wanted to focus more on improving strength + balance rather than reaching a specific number on the scale, he was 100% on board and didn't try to guilt me into dieting/calorie counting. He offers the perfect balance of pushing me hard but also respecting when something doesn't feel quite right for my body and offering expert modifications. He's also incredibly positive (without having that fake cheerleader-type vibe) and anytime I feel discouraged that I can't do a certain move or lift a certain weight he always reminds me of how far I've come. If you want a trainer that's committed to your long-term health and getting you there in a sustainable way, Bread & Butter Fitness is the way to go!

David is the best trainer I've ever had. He's patient, empathetic and extremely gifted in his…read moreunderstanding of kinesiology and the ways in which the body moves, recovers and regenerates. After several major surgeries, and an uncertainty about how to get my former dancer body back to form, he's helped me tremendously with strength training and range of motion. I can't say enough about him as a professional and a person. If you're looking for a trainer to get you back into shape in a healthy and sustainable way David is truly the perfect person.