Fitness SF

This was a better workout place when owned by Golds. The first thing SF Fitness did was to double and triple up on certain machines and reduce others (like recumbent bikes) down to 3. Since there are a lot of members with knee issues and many who are over 60 its very hard to get on these bikes, no matter what time you come in. Clearly they do not understand the concept of doing a ‘utilization’ assessment or they would know this. Also you can never park anywhere if you have to drive to this gym. It takes longer to find parking than the actual workout. It is a very large gym with windows which is nice, except for the small all enclosed and stinky stretching area relegated in the back corner. Though if the workout room is not being used one can go in there to stretch. If you speak to any management staff at the gym about this issue they blow you off by telling you to contact corporate. If you try and contact corporate the comment/​feedback section on their site does not work. So essentially they don’t give a damn what think.

I used to go to the Fitness SF located as Mid Market on a daily basis, but recently moved back to the East Bay and have started going to the Oakland location. Unfortunately, the Oakland location does not compare to the Mid Market location of Fitness SF.
The Oakland location feels a lot smaller and more cramped. I also hate how they offer only 5 – 10 t.v. stations on the cardio machines, whereas all of the SF locations seem to have endless t.v. stations. Additionally, two of the greeters at the Oakland location are not very friendly. They’ve been a bit rude to me in the past, but I have consistently seen them give other customers attitudes on a nearly daily basis! I would still recommend the gym because it is open quite late and is somewhat clean and convenient, I just wish it compared to its SF locations.

I’ve been a member for several years and love it! The facilities are clean, they offer great classes, and have all the equipment I need. An additional perk is that they have a great selection of protein bars. As a person with a severe nut and soy protein allergy, it has been difficult to find bars that I can eat, but the general manager Corey makes sure to offer a variety of post-​workout snack options for everyone. Highly recommended!

Their website advertises a 3 day free pass for trying out the gym. I filled out their form and received a confirmation email, so I headed to the gym. Sadly when I arrived and actually pulled up the email on my phone, it turns out they require their membership services to activate this pass and membership is only open until 4pm on Sundays.
Alternative was to pay $ 20 to try out the gym.
Their policy is also that you have to be able to prove residency to do a free trial pass. Probably not a problem for 99% of people but I travel to the bay and spend ¹⁄₃ of my time there so while I am not a resident, I was looking for a gym to join.
I now go to Great Western Power Company which has cheaper $ 15 day passes M-​F before 3pm, parking is easy, and the cardio/​weight room is never too crowded.

I’ve been coming here for a couple years now and I LOVE the people who work here. Great staff… the only thing keeping me from giving this place 5 stars is… the HEAT… my god the HEAT… it seems they NEVER turn on the AC or open the windows or doors. it is a steambath. upstairs, the weight room gets sun from sunrise so it’s a sweatbox. and downstairs, with all the cardio machines, it’s almost unbearable. I just don’t understand why they can’t just cool it down like 3 degrees even. So if you start on the treadmill be prepared to be drenched in sweat in about 5 mins. Otherwise, it’s just fine.

I joined this gym 4 months ago and so far have really enjoyed it, but what makes it a 5 star is Julie and the group classes. I have been training with Julie for the past few months and she is AMAZING! Knows exactly how to kick my butt while still keeping it fun and making me laugh throughout the session. After a couple months of training with her I am stronger, more toned and happier.

I just started at sf Fitness in December 2015, it had been a few years since I had been working out regularly and had recently developed a knee problem as well. I love my new gym! It is friendly, well maintained, and clean. and there is a nice feeling of community where everyone is welcomed. My trainer, Sanford, is wonderful! My knee is improving, and he helps me stick to a routine. He sets me up with challenges every session while also keeping it fun and very motivating. I highly recommend SF Fitness!

I would love to give it 5 stars but I just can’t for a few reasons (I’ll list them soon). I have been going almost daily to this gym (mornings always so I don’t know about evenings) for the past 1.5 years and I love it. Friendly staff (feels like a second home), pretty clean, good location. Why the 4 stars? Thought you’d never ask:
— Only 1 squat rack… KILLING me… this is the staple of working out
— 0 power racks… already dead from no squat rack but killing me more
— Only 1 water fountain… surprisingly doesn’t get too crowded but inconvenient nonetheless
— No towel service… doesn’t bother me but more of a warning to others

All around a great gym. If you are looking for a trainer, work with Andrew! I have been working with him for over 6 months and he is awesome. He has pushed me to new fitness levels, encourages me to reach my goals, and always has new workouts up his sleeve. He has been able to accommodate for my long working hours. Highly recommended!

I’m a HUGE fan of SF Fitness but especially Julie and Osa. Julie has been my personal trainer for the past year and while she kicks my butt most sessions, she does so with a smile and sometimes an accent. The music is good if she’s there to monitor otherwise it can be a Pandora surprise. Everyone that works there has been friendly and helpful. It does get pretty packed depending on when you go but the price of membership is affordable and they have the machines/​weights/​cables/​equipment I need, I just have to wait sometimes to use them. Overall, great experience.

Great gym. Great location. The music is a bit lame. not loud enough or fun/​motivating. Hip hop anyone? Julie Sinner is the most amazing trainer. She is super energetic and inspiring. She made my workouts fun and so effective. She literally changed my life.

I have been a member at Fitness SF for three years, and am more than pleased with my results. For starters, I have had the pleasure of working with Julie Sinner who is my personal «favorite», and is the power lady who trained me for four months, as I prepared for my wedding last year. And on my wedding day, my toned up body, coupled with inner happiness and peace, made me feel like the most beautiful bride on earth! Not too mentioned my super hero stamina that made «Jumping the Broom» look like a track and field long jump event!
I truly can’t say enough about Julie; she’s truly an AMAZING person and trainer. She exhibited nothing but professionalism, courtesy, enthusiasm, and high standards from our first session to the last. Do not let her charming smile and peppy attitude fool you… she is a lean mean training machine when it comes to ensuring that her clients achieve their fitness goals.
Lastly, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Julie, as our sessions also allowed me to get to know her — which also made our training sessions go by really fast– as a person and wonderful contributor to the community in and outside of the gym. As mentioned, I can’t say enough about one of THEE most phenomenal trainers at Fitness SF; please be sure to check her out!
My other fitness instructors FAV’s includes, Kelvin (Fri 6 am Spin); MoMo (Mon 7:40pCardio Hip-​Hop); and Osa (Boot camp 7a TuTh).

I was looking for a new gym as my gf and I are moving from east Oakland to the Lake Merritt area. I was turned away after applying for a 3 day guest pass to check out this gym. I called to make an appointment as instructed in the confirmation email, but was told not to come in until the next day because it takes 24 hours to process. It doesn’t say anything about a 24 hour wait period on the website or my confirmation email. Had I known that was the case, I would have applied for the pass the day prior.
Even worse, the woman who answered the phone was unreasonable and turned me away versus working with me. If in fact it takes 24 hours to start a free trial, it should be noted on the website or confirmation email (which encouraged me to come in TODAY — despite not being able to accommodate the request). Totally mixed messaging. As a customer — this experience has turned me away from joining this gym.

I really really like this gym! Typically I join one of the larger chains (24 hour fitness, LA Fitness etc.), but this was close to home and the reviews looked good so I gave it a shot.
I’ve been going ~3−4 times a week since joining in September and I think this is my favorite gym in a really long time. The staff and members are really friendly and the energy in there is consistently really great.
Highlights as others have mentioned are the classes… All except TRX are free. My favorite classes are Osa’s Bootcamp class and the Urban HIT class taught by Qaadriyah on Saturdays and another instructor (she’s great, sorry I can’t recall her name) on Thursdays.
Equipment and facility overall is really well kept and members make a point to clean down stations after they finish using.
My only gripe is the poor circulation upstairs. It is always hot and with the large influx of new members (or those renewing fitness goals) in January it is incredibly musty/​dank/​offensively foul during the evening rush. I’ve noticed over the pat week they’ve tried putting a few more fans out, or you can always go a little later in the evening.
Overall very happy! Thank you Fitness SF!

Joined 6 months ago when I saw they were waiving activation fees (activation fees suck). I pay $ 40 per month for exactly what I want in a gym: dependably available treadmills and the occasional group class.
Some rough estimated numbers: 12 treadmills, 24 ellipticals & stair climbers, 10 cycle machines (not counting all the ones used for the cycle classes). Unlike other gyms I’ve been to, I never see «Out of Order» signs on machines, and that’s a huge plus for when things get crowded. The whole second floor is weights and strength machines that I haven’t explored. (I usually do strength stuff during classes: the bodypump ones are great, especially for beginners like me who don’t know what we’re doing!)
Normal gym crowd patterns apply here: after-​work hours are the most busy from my experience (though I’ve been going about twice a week for half a year and I’ve rarely had to wait for a treadmill). Lots of people are around for January; December, not as much.
The staff is very friendly as you come and go! Never overbearing or judgy or anything else weird.
Some people complain about the heat, but I’m pretty happy with the large fans they have running on the first floor (I can’t speak for the second floor, though).
Final verdict? It’s a gym in my neighborhood I look forward to using because I know they’ll have everything in order by the time I get there.
(Two critiques I’ve worked around that keep this from being a five star business: no towel service and only one water fountain on the second floor. It’s fine, I just bring my own water and maybe refill once mid workout… not a big deal. Towels would be awesome. Small hand towels for the actual workout + larger ones to use in their showers and locker rooms. That would be a lot more convenient. But again, walking home to clean up isn’t the end of the world.)

I was a long term member of 24 hours fitness and ended up cancelling my membership to come to Fitness SF. My membership at Fitness SF cost me about $ 15 extra per month but it was worth it and I’ll tell you why:
— They keep it clean! They also have staff that put weights away or clean the machines — best idea I’ve seen in a while. I never have to wonder if I will find the weight I want because it’s ALWAYS put back. Thank you!
— Staff is friendly.
— Locker room is well maintained and has amenities like a dryer and lotion available in case you need it (and this way you can carry light versus hauling a big bag with you).
— Machines are always available. Yes, there are times when it’s more busy (like after work) but somehow, I always manage to get a machine.
I sadly am leaving this gym because I am moving and this gym doesn’t exist in my new city but if you live in or near Oakland, I would definitely recommend Fitness SF.

Osa’s Bootcamp (T, Th, Sat: 7−8am)
EXCELLENT CLASS + EXCELLENT TRAINER.
This is a plyometric (burpees, pushups, etc.) circuit class with some dumbbell/​medicine ball usage. I’ve been attending this class for over a year and have seen great results in muscular development and athletic ability. I’ve always been an athlete, but this class has pushed me beyond track drills + soccer workouts from HS and college.
Every summer I go on a major backpacking trip, and this past year I had no problem doing the 30+ miles. Attending Osa’s Bootcamp had increased my strength, range of motion, and flexibility needed to power through the 4,000 ft. elevation gain. Thank you Osa!
If you are looking to lose weight or improve your athletic ability, hire Osa as your personal trainer. It’ll be worth every penny, I promise. He has great rapport with clients, and a good mix of hard ass and warmheartedness. Highly recommended.

If you go to Fitness SF make sure you swing by Osa’s bootcamp class on Tuesday’s, Thursday’s, and Saturday at 7am his hands on training and fitness tips are solely responsible for my 60 pound weight loss. I was even able to lose the 15 lbs weight I gained back after back surgery with out energy. Osa is a great teacher never rude or over bearing and he makes sure you have a full grasp of how your body works so you can still work out on your own. And every once in a blue moon he might make you laugh.

I was interested in joining a gym again to pep up my step besides all the pavement running and in-​home yoga. This place offers a great variety of classes, as well as machines and weights. I did a three day pass to try it out. The place gets extremely packed during rush hour, and from the two days I was there, the most down time is during Saturday afternoon, when everyone is out enjoying life. The gym is very nice itself, kept clean and customer service is excellent, but waiting for a treadmill and other machines is not a great way to work out.

This is a solid gym. A decent array of weight equipment with dumbells beyond 100 lbs, a variety of cardio in working order, and the classes seem popular. The facility and locker rooms are kept clean. The hours are great — until midnight and early evenings on the weekend. The clientele is pretty mixed and chill – and I’ve not seen fights like at Active Sport. This place is much better than 24 Hour, both in terms of the clients and the facility. (24 Hour locker rooms are the most disgusting locker rooms around.)
The only downside is that parking can be very frustrating. As this area has become more popular, traffic has become more congested, with street parking scarce. Even the nearby parking lot under the underpass has been full at around 630pm. There have been times where I couldn’t find parking and turned around and went home. That, of course, is not the gym’s fault, but it is something that detracts from what overall is a very nice gym.