It's been 8 weeks since I stated at Nu Fitness, but it's long enough to give Nick, his trainers and…read morethe facility a positive review. I spent a few days looking for a personal trainer close to work. After some searches on the Internet and Yelp reviews, I started reading reviews about Nu Fitness and Nick. After some positive reviews, I filled out the form and emailed him. I noted my fitness journey to this point in life and briefly explained what I wanted to accomplish going forward. I found myself in a terrible routine, work 12 hours, then heading to the local breweries for a few beers and dinner. Needless to say this didn't bode well for my wellbeing. Looking back over the years, I had gained control of health in my mid-30s, where I lost 40+ pound, gained strength and started running. Running led me to a period in my life that saw me conquer a few 50-mile races. An achievement I never thought I would attempt, hell I never thought I would run 5 miles. Life changed. Priorities changed and slowly I saw everything I had worked hard for slowly slip away. Now age 55, life wasn't getting any easier. I knew I was not very active. I also knew that my daily routine was not one for success. I decided I needed to help make a change in my life, but more importantly to make that change permanent. Previously I joined 24 Hour Fitness (never again) but found too many excuses NOT to go. Sound familiar? Searching Yelp for personal trainers, I ran down a local list in the Oakland/Alameda area. Reading profiles and reviews, checking website, I ran across a trainer, Nick Baltazar. It felt right. I emailed Nick with my story and filled out the form on the Nu Fitness website. It wasn't even a day and I had a response from Nick and we were talking about my fitness journey, where I had been and what I wanted to achieve. He was willing to work with my schedule to get three days of training. After a day of communication with Nick, he connected me with Wyatt. I met Wyatt at Nu Fitness, located at 2345 Broadway, parking in The Hive. Yes, they have easy parking and validation while you are at your session. This makes getting in and out quick and easy. I was highly impressed with the facility, the way Nick had spoke about it, I knew I would be. The work out areas were clean and profession, a small reception area, all Rogue power racks and weights, with room for everyone to work on their fitness goals. Wyatt Berreman, my personal trainer worked with me, after provided basic information from Nick on what I wanted to accomplish. He created a plan specifically for me, tracking my journey, weights and reps for each session. It's been just about 2 months, but its been reestablishing a workout routine. I have a sense of accomplishment, even through I don't see it in the mirror...yet. It will happen. Wyatt has been a wealth of knowledge and has helped create a plan for me to gain strength, balance and flexibility. But also work within my limitations due to previous surgeries on my knee and shoulder. I am very impressed with Nu Fitness, Nick, Wyatt and what they have to offer in the way of personal training. I would highly recommend giving Nick a chance to show you want they can do to help create a fitness plan for your to achieve your goals.

Nick is so great! Very focused on my goals and I've made a ton of progress -- I started having…read morenever done any weightlifting and now I'm deadlifting much more than my own weight and feeling stronger than I've ever felt. Nick has worked with me through a bunch of different injuries I got (outside the gym!) to help my recovery as well. I couldn't ask for a better partner to help me with my fitness and strength!

Danny has been helping my group of 3 women (ages mid sixties to mid seventies) for over 10 years…read moreto keep moving, improve balance and get stronger. During that time, one of us may be in recovery mode from surgery. He manages to keep us all pushing our boundaries while being very informed on how not to re-injure ourselves. He makes it fun, it is different every week and he is very informed when we ask why we are doing a certain exercise. I personally think he is amazing and I'm very grateful he keeps me positive. If you are younger have no fear he will push you to get stronger and stronger...it's a talent to work with a wide range of abilities and do it well..that's Danny..... Ramona

My wife and I have been doing strength training together with Danny for a couple of years now and…read moreit's been a transformative experience for me. I'm in my early 60s and am focusing on core strength and balance. Danny is always patient, focused, and organized. As an extra plus, he's one of the nicest personal trainers you'll ever meet! Highly recommended!

I started my time at Powerform after having my second daughter in April 2023. As someone who has…read moretypically engaged in Pilates, the idea of weightlifting was intriguing but intimidating. Max, the owner, was quick to respond to my online inquiry and was able to set me up with two trainers- Mikkie and John. He took time to chat with me about my goals. Shout out to Max for his excellent communication and thought processes for connecting you with particular trainers. John - within seconds, I immediately felt comfortable with John. He always lays out the groundwork for you so you know what to expect. His warmups always get me motivated for what's to come. I love that he is so encouraging and always keeps me on my counts during reps. John is extremely personable, and I truly enjoy our conversations. Mikkie- she has refined my squat game like no other and has pushed me to lift more than I ever expected to. She pushes me in the best way and always gives me opportunities to excel. I truly enjoy her style of training. As a mother of two young children, working out at Powerform has been transformative, to say the least. This has been my time out of the day for myself both mentally and physically. After many years of aimless workouts, I finally feel like I know how to spend my time to get the results I want. I feel stronger than ever, and that is thanks to the wonderful staff at Powerform. Highly recommend!

This is my review for Tucker at Powerform! I've been working with Tucker now for nearly 3 months…read more He came on recommendation from 2 of my friends and I've now referred another of my best friends to him as well, and so glad we're all getting trained by him. From day one, he's been engaged, incredibly enthusiastic and clearly loves what he does. I appreciate his energy and creative approaches to agility, flexibility and strength exercises. He's attuned to form and adjusts weight accordingly based on what he sees in you... and he's a fantastic communicator. I have definitely left each session feeling accomplished and having learned something new!

For the past few years, I have mainly focused on cardio until I got injured before a race. I…read morerealized I needed to do more strength training to prevent injuries. I have always wanted to learn how to lift heavy but was intimidated at the gym. I never had any formal training with weights other than group HIIT classes. My friend was doing 1:1 training with Minh at Body Mechanix and she highly recommended him. Body Mechanix felt like a friendly local community gym. The trainers and staff were welcoming. Minh had set up a complimentary consultation. My goals were to gain overall strength, maintain consistency, and work towards achieving a pull up. Through personal training with Minh, I learned proper techniques and developed the confidence to lift heavy. As a beginner, I was surprised I could deadlift 1.5x my body weight. Minh was very patient and positive. He was very encouraging and pushed me to challenge myself. I saw good results with my training so I signed my stubborn 70+ year old mother for sessions with Minh. In the last couple of years, she has been losing muscle mass and struggling with lower back pain. Her physical health has impacted her energy level and mental health. After a couple of sessions with Minh, my mother has regained confidence and a sense of accomplishment. To my surprise, she was able to do 10 push ups in a row and carry heavy weights that most people around her age group might struggle to do. I highly recommend training with Minh and Body Mechanix!

If you're looking for a gym where the trainers will lovingly torture you while you question every…read morelife choice you've made, BodyMechanix - Laurel is your spot. I've been coming here since I turned 34 (I'm 37 now, so let's just say my attendance record here is more consistent than my dating life), and it's become my second home. My happy place? Boxing with Nico on Thursday nights and Andy on Saturday mornings. They work us hard--from the bags to the mitts--and you can tell they genuinely love what they do, which makes you want to work harder too. The vibe here is energetic, supportive, and community-driven, even if you're like me--assertive, rebellious, and just a little defiant. I've made it my mission to talk back during workouts, roast the trainers mid-burpee, and encourage others to listen to their hearts when Nico, Andy, or any of the other amazing trainers push us like soulless robots. (They're not soulless, I promise--just slightly sadistic, in the best way.) If you think lifting weights and working out is drab, you haven't done it here. The community is what makes every drop of sweat and near-tear worth it. The trainers truly care about your transformation, not just physically but in how you see yourself and your own strength. They've created a space where you feel seen, pushed, and celebrated, even when you're lying on the mat wondering why you thought a 6pm class after work was a good idea. Shoutout to the trainers Ming, Angelo, Warren, and Tori, who keep the energy high, the encouragement real, and the workouts spicy. And to owner Terrell, who's built a place that feels like home (if home had kettlebells, a power rack and trainers encouraging you on while you question your life choices). If you're looking for a place to get strong, laugh while suffering, and meet some of the best humans in Oakland, come here. And if you see someone talking back to the trainers while smiling and refusing to quit, that's probably me. Come say hi, and let's complain about landmines together.

Coach Elliott! Parking is annoying here but love the studio! Everyone is friendly, they have a free…read moreweek, and very clean spot.

Orangetheory is cool but it's not customer-centric, especially this studio. Parking is horrible…read more Walked in one minute after the cutoff time, and they wouldn't let me hop into the workout, even though it wasn't a full class. (For the record, a traffic light was down along my route, so that plus parking caused delay.) I've never been six minutes late before, so maybe a one-time warning could have been more constructive? Management, please do some introspection (and read the other reviews about you -- there's a steady drip of mumblings among the membership about your unreasonable policies and inflexibility). Y'all need to have more empathy for your community members who have busy lives and pay good money to be here. I've been loyal to OTF for nearly 10 years, but I'm going to have to look into the new, non-OTF gym that opened closer to my house. It's officially time for a change!

The space is beautiful and intentional and I've never heard of combining Pilates with strength…read moretraining. The staff and trainers are kind, supportive and informative. Very happy I've been able to get back into moving my body and feeling a difference.

I've been going to The Oasis for over a year now and I absolutely love it! It's a beautiful space…read moreand I always feel welcome and comfortable. Everything about the studio and the classes are intentional and I appreciate the community feel. I leave each class refreshed and excited for my next one.

It's been a while since my last review here, and I'm happy to say this gym has only gotten better…read more I wasn't very consistent with the gym over the past few years, but I've been back for almost three months now and have actually been looking forward to every workout. I'm down 15 pounds already and honestly feel like I'm in my 20s again. The gym has everything you need to get a great workout in. It's clean, well maintained, and the atmosphere is exactly what I'm looking for. No influencers setting up tripods, no one hogging equipment for photo shoots, just people focused on their workouts. Everyone is respectful, cleans up after themselves, and gives each other space. It's become part of my routine again, and I don't see myself going anywhere else. Definitely happy to be back.

I love this gym! It is so well equipped, the other patrons are very respectful and it doesn't get…read moreoverwhelmingly crowded. Polo, the owner, is wonderful. I have been training with Rio for the last few months and achieving my fitness goals. I highly recommend coming here!

CRUfit is an intimate studio and Jordan, Mia, and Caroline are all awesome. I really like the…read morestrength class here, it's such a good workout for all ability levels.

Who woulda thought this place had an excellent entertainment patio like this?!…read moreSuch a stunning little even last night produced by the amazing coach and artist, Danielle LoPresti.

I wanted a change of scenery and joined personal trainer, Nick, at his new studio. I appreciate the…read moreprivacy and comfort that the gym provides. My sessions are twice a week, and I'm happy with the workouts. The circuits that Nick prepares for me are tailored to my fitness and health goals. He's easy to work with!

From the owner: 24/7 Private Gym Access!…read more Month to Month membership gets you in the door whenever you want, train on your time! Avoid large crowds and waiting long for machines, with limited memberships available, you can get your workouts done on your schedule with the ability to setup your workout space to hit your goals! Weekly scheduled fitness workshops included as part of the membership to improve form, efficiency and gain different styles. Be one of the limited members and Join today!

There's so much to love about this gym. The coaches are energetic, and the training is phenomenal…read more The gym also has a generally positive and supportive vibe from start to finish. I've been part of CrossFit-style gyms for the last ten years, and if you like that level of instruction, you'll love their Strong Start program. I came into the gym pretty confident in my abilities to do all the movements, but I ended up learning so much in each class and was able to break a number of bad habits.

I joined Oakland's Most Powerful a year and a half ago. With just two 1-hour classes each week, I…read morehave made tremendous gains. Mel and Luis lead efficient classes, allowing time for mobility exercises, warm-ups, strength exercises and cool-down in just an hour. Both coaches emphasize proper technique, and in every class I benefit from the specific observations and pointers they give me. What's more, Mel and Luis are awesome people, bringing a positive stoke to every class, and building a diverse, fun, and welcoming community. If you are looking for one thing you can do to benefit your health, get fit, or support your athletic performance, look no further than Oakland's Most Powerful.