AlaVie Fitness Boot Camp

Jose Ruvalcaba is superb! The 6pm Campbell boot camp is one full hour of nonstop action! The variety of activities are ALWAYS challenging and I love the boxing element that Jose brings to AlaVie fitness. As with any group class, the participants have many different fitness levels and Jose will quickly identify yours. He will then be sure to not let you fade into your comfort zone! I love having a coach that EXPECTS results and this class delivers. I have lost pounds and inches and will keep coming back.

If you’re going to do a boot camp, I highly recommend working with Jose. He pushes you to your limits, then pushes you a little more. I saw great improvements in just 4 weeks. He is down to earth and cares about all his clients. I enjoyed the different types of workouts. From interval and circuit training to boxing. It wasn’t just resistance bands and agility ladders! It seemed like every workout was different, which kept it from getting boring. I have no plans of trying a new boot camp or working with a new instructor because I liked everything about my experience with Jose.

I had a great time at the boot camp. I think it’s great as long as you don’t have any issues.
You can forget about anyone getting back to respond to any of your questions. I sent several emails and asked one of the coaches to relay my message and still never heard back from them.
Lets just say, if you get injured and can’t make the remaining classes (I missed two weeks out of 4 because of injury) you may as well forget it. You’ll never hear back from them. They already have your money. Why would they bother?

Just finished my 4 week session of the Campbell Boot Camp today and I have to admit I am really going to miss it! When I first signed up I had no idea what to expect and really wasn’t sure if I was going to like it enough to stick to it. After day one I was HOOKED! Everyday I would go to sleep excited to go to boot camp in the morning. I am and have never been a morning person but waking up at 5am for the camp was no problem!
This was a great jump start to my weight loss journey and hope to return in a couple months. I give major kudos to Lisa & Nicole, they are what really made my experience at AlaVie worth every penny. The exercises were fun and I felt like I was discovering muscles I never even knew I had let alone knew how to work.
The first and last Wednesday there was a fit test. On the first one, I pushed myself as hard as I could to run the mile and got 11:50 (I felt like I was going to faint which showed how out of shape I actually was). Then the final fit test I ran the mile in 9:34 and felt great after! My push ups, crunches and dips all greatly improved as well.
Now I’m going to try out spinning class and hopefully will be ready for the advanced group when I return to AlaVie Boot camp.

In my entire adult life, I have never found an exercise routine I could stick to for more than a couple weeks until now. I just signed up for my 5^th consecutive camp and I’m loving it. Props to the Sunnyvale coaches (Craig, Dana and Dave) for keeping it fun and challenging for people of various fitness levels.
When I first signed up for Bootcamp, I had no intention of being competitive and signing up for races, but after progressing the way I have of the past 4 months, I’ve signed up for my first race (7k Bridge to Bridge) and am actually looking forward to it.

I love love love AlaVie bootcamp. I’ve been attending the Willow Glen camp for the past eight weeks and I couldn’t be happier with my experience. The coaches are knowledgeable, approachable and very encouraging. I’ve taken classes led by Dana, Mary Beth and Susan, and I couldn’t pick a favorite if I had to. The atmosphere is really team oriented, but not in a cheesy way that makes you feel like you’ve got to be a cheerleader at 6 am. But you’ve got some cool people right beside you working hard and challenging you to keep up.
As for the price, you can look at it two ways: It’s a lot more expensive than a monthly gym membership, but WAY cheaper than a personal trainer 3x/​week. And the vibe is closer to the latter, so it really made it worthwhile and I felt so good that I forgot all about the cost. Plus, they have certain days that you can attend for free to check it out.

Ok, I LOVED this boot camp. I went to the one in Morgan Hill and my coach, Debbie, rocked! The only thing is MARY BETH has bad customer service. So, that is why i never went back.
I paid for my boot camp in advanced and then I fell down the stairs and had back problems (bulging disk). I couldn’t go to boot camp for a while. I emailed Mary Beth about maybe getting a refund since I never got to go due to my injury. I filled out the form she told me to fill out and I sent my doctors note. I NEVER got a response from her. I emailed her a few times and I feel like she’s just ignoring me. I even called and left a message. and nothing. I mean… if you can’t give me a refund then let me know instead of just blowing me off! Very rude!

I went to the camp in Willow Glen, not sure whether this is the right place to review it. At any rate, it was an excellent program, comprehensive – covered whole body fitness. I didn’t realize I was in such bad shape before starting (I considered myself at least of ‘average’ fitness before which, granted, considering the state of fitness in America, isn’t saying much). The workouts regularly left me very sore (the good kind letting me know that yes… I do have muscles there!) as our excellent coach Jennifer continually kicked my ass (unfortunately she left the camp after last month’s program so before returning I would have to be sure another instructor is as good). My friend had been working out with a trainer one on one at the gym for a few months and she considered the bootcamp a much better value (considering it was three times a week).
The one month program was just the motivation I needed to get started on a workout routine. I’m going to try doing the same workout with my friends (who also were inspired by the program!) on our own this month and if we can’t maintain our progress, we’ll be back the month after!

I just finished their 3x/​week bootcamp, and thought this was great!
So great, that I shelled out the cash money for another 4 weeks of it.
As someone who works part time, that says a lot.
The price tag also gets me out of bed each morning at 530am – if I’m going to pay $$ to get tortured, I am going to get my money’s worth. I will also say that I have researched other boot camps in the area, and this is definitely the best deal.
In terms of results, during the first and last weeks of camp we had to take a fit test, where one of the activities was a timed mile run/​walk. I’m going to do a little bit of bragging here and say that my timed mile went from a 9min30sec time to 8min47 sec time. Fantastic!
(When I first started running a few years ago, I was doing a 12min30 sec mile so this was a huge boost to my self-​esteem and endurance.)
The coaches are super nice, and plan a pretty good work out each morning. There’s also a real sense of camaraderie among the women who are in the class.
My only gripe is that the workouts are little cardio heavy – I would love to see more intense strength and conditioning in there.

I agree with Elizabeth H. in that the Alavie Boot Camp delivered «really awesome and exciting changes» in strength, stamina and physical appearance after just the 1^st week of boot camp! I was amazed at the results I consistently received in just 4 weeks!
Do NOT be discouraged if you are a first timer or just getting back into fitness, (as I was). These workouts are tough and are geared to allow students to work at their own pace to achieve their personal best.
Bottom line is that Alavie offers a great workout that will achieve results and get you on the path to a healther life. Expect to push yourself and sweat buckets. You will be sore the morning after. «Thats a good thing».

I’m torn. I’m feeling verrrrrry «3.5» about the Campbell sessions of AlaVie’s boot camp. Do I round up or round down?
I LOVED my experience with AlaVie in San Francisco. I went for months and months and months and saw really awesome and exciting changes in my endurance and strength. I burned out a couple of times but was always able to jump back in a session or two later.
I’ve since moved down to the 408 and signed up for the Campbell boot camp and maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan… I don’t know if it’s me or if it’s the colder valley weather or the coaches or the other boot campers, but I am OVER IT.
** The workouts are definitely not as varied or as interesting as they are in San Francisco.
** The coaches are nice enough but one of them is better than the other.
** The other boot campers are almost all regulars. The SF boot camp had a lot of regulars too, but they were FAR less chatty than the Campbell crowd. It’s one thing to spend an hour discussing how you all ran a half marathon last weekend and what so-​and-​so posted on Facebook last night, but it’s another thing to do it at 6 o’clock in the morning when I’m trying to listen to the coach explain what we’re supposed to be doing.
I’m willing to take a lot of responsibility for my crappy attitude and maybe if I was a less irritable human being I would have been able to tune out the chatter, but I’m NOT so here’s a passive aggressive shout out to the Campbell boot campers:
SHUT UP ALREADY!
In terms of results, I think you definitely get out what you put in. My bad attitude and some lingering injuries = so-​so results.
But back to being torn over the number of stars:
I’m gonna round UP because the owners have always been really responsive to feedback and because I really and truly DO credit AlaVie boot camp with teaching me some really awesome things about myself — I can do more than I *think* I can do, I actually *like* to run, etc.

A couple of years ago, I did this camp to get a little toned up before my wedding.
The consultation was pretty much a joke. It seemed like a waste of time, since I was given no useful information at all.
The workouts were pretty tough, but not impossible. If you’re in decent shape, you’ll do fine. BUT if you happen to be older/​injured/​very out of shape, this camp probably isn’t for you. They will just ignore you — I definitely saw that happen to people during the camp I attended.
As far as results, I didn’t lose any weight. On the other hand, I did get some nice muscle tone and improved my overall fitness.
All in all, it wasn’t a total loss, but I wouldn’t bother going again (especially for the price).

I did this 2 times in a row a couple of years ago. Jennifer was my initial trainer and then on my second session, I had a blonde chick (forgot her name). Well, I don’t think I had changed much. I’m a medium built kinda girl and I am not a runner nor hiker.
Jennifer was great — even though she called me out at times — but she was way better than the blonde. Anyhoo — there are no refunds and since I am not a good runner, I had shin splints and had to sit out for the last 4 sessions.
This place is not recommended. I WANT MY MONEY BACK! Yes — it’s been 2 years — but still… I’m still bitter!!!
Don’t forget… NO REFUNDS if you get injured.

Why NOT to sign up for AlaVie boot camp w/​Jennifer:
1. If you sign up for the 6 am class, she will always be about 5 ish minutes late. That is 5 ish well paid for minutes.
2. She is far from encouraging. If this is your first boot camp, spare yourself the agony and don’t make the mistake I made in thinking the trainer (in this case, Jennifer) would be at all supportive. If you don’t keep up, she will just ignore you.
3. Nevermind. She will ignore you anyways unless you are one of her buddies from a previous session who is a top performer. Seriously.
I write this review acknowledging that I am not the most athletic person, but I am also not entirely out of shape, either. I was simply using my muscles in a way that the elliptical machine at the gym was not challenging me to do. I was a little slower than others who had done this a handful of other times. Jennifer was, as previously stated, discouraging. What is worse, she was also unkind as I overheard her talking about the slower attendees to her buddies who happened to be in the same class. It’s just not the kind of thing you want or should have to put up with.

Alavie fitness (formerly Bay Area Boot Camp) was referred to me by a friend when I saw her after a long period of time and she had lost a ton of weight. I had to find out how she did it. So after giving birth to my second child, I joined and lost 4% body fat and many inches my first session and went on to participate for an entire year. I am now at my ideal size and have discovered a LOVE for fitness and exercise I never thought I could have.
The trainers were fantastic, motivating and women I looked up to. I suffered an injury (hip joint issues) and Denise (my trainer & licensed physical therapist) gave me specialized stretching plan and gave me the tools for a quick recovery.
I would highly recommend anyone looking to make a positive change in their lives to Alavie fitness. If you are looking for results, this is the place for you.

My friends and family are probably getting tired of hearing me whine about how BABC is kicking my ass… and then I go sign up for another session. The truth is, BABC gives me what I need, which is the afore mentioned boot in the rear. These sessions are NOT easy; there have been many times I’ve had to stop and catch my breath while my better-​physiqued co-​campers have continued on with their exercising. But this only serves as a reminder to me that I’ve let myself get out of shape and I am doing my best to correct that before my dreaded 40^th birthday. I keep signing up to get my ass kicked because that is what I deserve — in both the negative and positive sense of the word. I deserve it because I allowed myself to get out of shape, and I deserve it because I am good enough to be healthy and athletic.
Fortunately, the coaches are both tough and encouraging. They are well versed in correct form and technique, and are generous in giving praise. Yes, this is a shout out to Nicole and Lisa. They dish out a physical beat-​down and boost fragile egos all in the same chilly morning.
The only reason that I didn’t rate this as 5 stars is because I quite frankly don’t enjoy exercising, and I REALLY don’t enjoy exercising at 6 in the morning. But that’s my problem, and I will suck it up and carry on. :o)

I can’t believe i am saying this, but I am beginning to enjoy boot camp! I joined the one at palo alto, and mostly the more sane time of 9am. The 9 am class is usually a small class and seems less hard core. The first week is the hardest, I felt like I couldn’t breath. This is the second week and I feel stronger already.
I have been living a couch life for too long, and it is really a great way to get moving again. For the price, i think it is really worth it.

If you are looking for results, this is an awesome way to kickstart a new régime: P…I wasn’t expecting much, but in 4 weeks I had dropped 5% body fat and had formed a wonderful routine of eating properly and staying active.
Its tough to get out of bed in the morning, but I was always so tired in the evenings, that I fell asleep at an appropriate time, which ensure I got enough sleep (trust me… sleep is your friend during boot camp).
Show up at Willow Glen and you’ll have Jenifer as your instructor — she rocks!

I love BABC! I am in my second four week session and LOVE it. I can’t believe how much fun it is. I look forward to the morning workouts. I saw some results and I look forward to more this time around.
The coaches are fun and motivating. You go at your own pace but they do see the skill level of the group and provide options if you need to more or less of a a challenge. The other people in the group are so so some are energetic and friendly and others are cl icky but so was high school and you survived that. .…
I love it and look forward to seeing more changes this next 4 weeks.

NOTE: Just noticed this place changed its name, this review is for Bay Area Boot Camp
We signed up for one month of boot camp. We registered on their website and 3 days later had to contact them to see if they received our registration. The owner asked if we had been contacted by Nicole to schedule our pre bootcamp evaluation (we had not,) so the owner took care of it. It seemed a bit disorganized.
First session the instructor (Nicole) seemed very disinterested, she did not introduce herself and did not make an effort to learn people’s names despite it being a small group. Others in the group also expressed dissatisfaction to each other about her. She was just going through the motions. Fortunately she was only there Monday nights (which we avoided), Mary Beth (co-​owner) taught other nights and was fine.
The space they used for Mon-​Tue-​Thu sessions was actually a space used by skateboarders who were rude and very distracting. BABC claimed they had a permit but could never produce it, so the skateboarders would not leave. Some of the drills were on grass but there was a lot of running on asphalt. Only Wednesday sessions were held at a track. When we did the timed run on first week, and then again on last week, the instructor did not even have a record of what our times were for the first week. The record keeping was sloppy. At the pre-​bootcamp meeting we were told there would be a post-​bootcamp followup but we never heard from them.
We signed up based on the Unilocal reviews, but we would not do it again. It was not our thing, but some of the people we met loved it and attended regularly. So check it out for yourself, the sessions figure out to about $ 20 each. We paid $ 215 for 12 sessions. I would recommend you observe a session or maybe ask to attend one before making a commitment.