LaLanne Fitness is the best gym in San Francisco... I have been a student there since it opened and can honestly say that I'm in the best physical shape of my life. If you haven't been there, go check it out!

I've been working out in gyms for 25-years...but there came a point where my motivation was lost. The gym became a lonely and unfulfilling experience. A majority of the people seemed in a similar place. They was no joy, intensity, common purpose. Sloppy form, video monitors, mirrors, iPods, "cruising" were the norm. LaLanne Fitness and the CrossFit Training philosophy completely shatter all of that. At LaLanne, there are no mirrors or video monitors. There's something new to learn and experience every day. There's a new goal to set, a new challenge to conquer. Intensity, team work and camaraderie are the keys to our success. The workouts are varied and intense. They require your complete participation and attention to form. You are part of a group dedicated to reaching limits and pushing through them. It's like no gym I've ever experienced. There are several quotes posted on the walls at LaLanne Fitness that resonate with me. "Don't Fear Life, Fear Your Work Out!" and..."You May Cry, You May Puke, But Don't Quit!" I'm Hooked. -John

First of all, I'm coming back from injury, because I worked out on my own and got hurt pretty bad because I developed bad form doing weights at my local gym. This time around I wanted a trainer to show me proper technique and execution. I wasn't excited about the trainers when I went to 24hrs, but when I met Chris and Maribel at Lalanne fitness, I signed on immediately and haven't looked back. I just completed my 4th month there and I feel so much better physically and mentally. The workouts or "WOD of the day" are so different from anything I ever done, it absolutely the most intense thing I ever did in my life. I never look forward to the gym, but I actually look forward to go because the group classes are amazing, the people you meet there are cool and they are there for the same reason you are to improve and better yourself. If you never heard of "Crossfit," which I didn't, but I recently found out, "Crossfit" methods were used to train actors in the movie 300. What's nice about Lalanne Fitness, you'll never know what the "WOD or workout of the day," which makes it exciting. Most of the workouts are timed, and Chris and Maribel would rather you get good quality reps and execute proper form , they will stop you during the "WOD" and teach you the right way. Sometimes, when you go to a gym, you'll feel intimidated because most people are ripped up like machines, but at Lalanne Fitness you get a diverse mix of students, some are at a higher level and some that just started working out, everybody there encourages each other.

Lalanne Fitness is about results! Recently, we completed a challenge, regarding how much can I improve in 2 months doing the WOD called "Fran," 2 months ago, it took me 6 min 52 sec to complete the "Fran" fast forward 2 months later, I was able to complete the "Fran" in 2 min 45 sec, I was able to knock off 60% of my original time and won for "Most Improved." My endurance is higher than before and I feel so much stronger after 2 months. I hated pullups in middle/high school when 50 classmates stares at you struggling to do one, now I can do at least 2 sets of 5. If you commit yourself to the program, Chris and Maribel will work with you to get to your goals. If you do join, I will be there to cheer you on as will everybody else in class.

Don't wait till your New Year's Resolution to join a gym, go check them out, you won't regret it! -Calvin

Well I've been a member at Lalanne Fitness for six (6) weeks now and the results have been showing. First I was picked as Student of the Week. As the former fat kid who was always picked last I was so surprised and happy that I was chosen.

I'm currently going 2 times a week, but I've been inspired to move to the next level and go 3 times a week starting in November. I wanna go from Being Skinny Fat to Supermodel.

The amazing workouts and great group of people is what makes it so fun to go every week. I already lost 5lbs (it took a month I do enjoy chocolate cake I had to cut that out) and the pictures I've been taking of myself going through the progress is impressive. GOOO CROSSFIT! -Richard

This gym rocks! I've been lifting consistently for the past 2 years but lifting was all I did. I was the typical strong fat guy: good absolute strength but very deconditioned.

Over the course of 3 months I've become fitter than I have ever been. Chris is a great coach and motivator. He's a stickler for proper form and mechanics and will not hesitate to interrupt a WOD to correct your movement. I am surprised that I can now squat ass-to-grass when I had trouble just getting to parallel before.

Chris and Maribel know how to lead and use the group dynamic to motivate us to keep the intensity high on our own. Everyone struggles, everyone is breathing heavily and slightly deaf but no one cheats just to finish the workout. Many do not finish but no one takes shortcuts. There is no place to hide, no pretensions that can stand the stress, so the people you meet and the people who stick around show you their real side. And suffering with them is a pleasure.

I still get a chill up my spine every time I step into the gym. You'll never know what you'll be in for. Yet you look forward to the effort. Your friends will be there. You'll suffer together and come out the other side stronger, fitter.

Commercial gyms: cheaper. Powerlifting: more absolute strength. Camaraderie and elite fitness at Lalanne Fitness: priceless. -Bong

Chris makes CrossFit fun. While I'm a LaLanne by blood, I didn't get the drive for fitness like my brother. No more back pain, no more weezing when I run, AND I can almost do a pull-up! LaLanne Fitness has done more for me in the past 8 weeks than any other routine I've tried. The group dynamic is super supportive and motivational. I love that I arrive thinking that I can't do it and leave feeling proud that I did another awesome workout. -Jennee

If you are unfamiliar with CrossFit, coming to this gym can change your life. It doesn't matter how fit you are or think you are -- you will be pushed to your limits until those limits are redefined. You will break every plateau you think you had. Never worked out before? Every workout is scalable to suit your needs so you can go at your own pace. Who are you competing with? Yourself.

If you are familiar, you should still come check out the gym. Lalanne Fitness fosters a community. We are lead by Chris Lalanne, our passionate and knowledgeable coach/trainer, and his wife Maribel, who will cheer you on, or sweat along side of you. Both of them work with each student, helping every person to reach their goals. We are a team, and each person inspires the next to get to the next level. Its not just a gym. CrossFit is a lifestyle, and Lalanne Fitness is a family. -Jenny

If you've never heard of CrossFit, click on this and you'll get all the info you need:

http://www.crossfit.com

As for the gym itself, well, like every other reviewer I can't help but gush over it.

I've been pretty much a meathead bodybuilding type most of my life. Then last year a friend dared me to try the "300" workout (which I failed to complete, by the way), and since then I've integrated the occasional CrossFit style workout into my training schedule. Working out like that in a regular gym by yourself is hard; people tend to be in the way or give weird looks or a combination of both. So I was looking to join a CrossFit gym, and it just so happens that two blocks away from work Lalanne Fitness opened.

I've been voluntarily suffering there now for almost five weeks, and have been loving every minute of it. I started off just going 2 days a week, and now I go 5 or 6. I've dropped 11 pounds in that time, and I won't stop until I see a six-pack on me for the first time in my life. Some workouts are less difficult than others, but they all feel like hell-on-earth. The feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction after completing a workout is indescribable.

The best part about this place isn't the ever-changing workouts and the addicting results...it's the people. Chris and Maribel aren't just great trainers but are also super-gracious hosts...cool, and REAL! Chris knows his stuff, and really knows how to get every last possible rep out of his students. Mrs. Maribel...not only is she one of the coolest ladies ever, but she's HARDCORE! Ankle braces be damned, she's in the trenches with us. Those two are a great combo. Then of course there are the fellow students. As the slogan on the sign says, there really aren't any egos there...if there are then people are amazing at keeping them in check! Making friends is almost effortless because we're all going through the same suffering, which appears to build a certain kind of trust between everyone. It's like we're our own little army in there, kicking ass as best we can, one minute at a time. While there are definitely some elite athlete members there are mostly us regular folks striving to become elite athletes. About a month ago I would never have entertained the idea of being that; but now it feels like sweet inevitability.

I've been a member of all kinds of different gyms, and NOTHING can compare with
this! -Alwyn

If you want to get into the best shape of your life, this is the place to be. I've been going to LaLanne Fitness for just over a month now and I feel like I felt when I was an athlete in high school. My energy level is through the roof and I have lost around 15lbs worth of gut. I feel stronger and my body looks better than it has in 10 years.
I am completely addicted to CrossFit and I don't think anyone does CrossFit better than LaLanne Fitness. Chris helps you get the most out of yourself. When you think you have done all you can and you're on the verge of quitting, Chris will push you and you'll bang out the last of the workout and it is indescribable how good that feels.
I had been thinking of joining a gym and getting in shape for months. I hesitated to join some "regular" gym because it's all individual and I know myself and I don't push myself as hard as you need to go to get in real shape. The small groups of motivated people at LaLanne really help you get the most out of every workout. If you are thinking of joining a gym, give LaLanne Fitness a look first. Do the baseline (it's free) and see how you feel. As soon as I finished the baseline, I knew I needed more. -John

A back of the envelope estimate says that I have spent over fifteen thousand dollars on trainers in the last two years (figure $75 bucks a pop, twice a week for two years). I'm a busy guy and my thinking was that by spending the money I would "force" myself to stay/get in shape. It kind of worked too, but workouts felt like a chore and any improvement to my health or appearance would be lost with work travel, the holidays or even a short vacation.

I also struggled to fit these training sessions in with my hectic work schedule. The biggest problem is that all of us who use trainers want to train at the exact same times: early morning or early evening. This was a real pain and became ridiculous -- why should I reschedule important meetings that make my company money to make it to a workout right?

Then I was introduced to Crossfit. They use a small class format and offer classes exactly when I need them. Now I can show up at times that are convenient for me, get an AMAZING workout (that I actually look forward to doing), and still have all the personalized attention I need from the staff at Lalanne Fitness. I have been taking one-hour classes there two or three times a week for four months and have lost nearly 20lbs (and kept it off thru a vacation). Did I mention that the classes cost less than half of what I was paying for a personal trainer at SportsClubLA? I strongly recommend Lalanne Fitness and Crossfit. -Marcus

Short Review:

Go sign up for classes today. Chris and Maribel will change your life. Whether you are a fitness geek or a couch potato, Lalanne's Crossfit program will have you in the best shape of your life in no time. Do it. You won't be sorry.

Longer Review:

In March 2008 I stepped on to the scale at 253 lbs. "253lbs, I said. Well that's bullshit!" I knew I had to do something but I needed to find the time and courage to make a change. I picked up the local newspaper a few weeks later and saw an ad for a Boot Camp being held right near my house. I called up Chris and asked if it was too late to join and was instructed to meet him a few minutes before the class started the following morning. After a quick weigh-in (still 253 lbs.), we got right to it with the other 6 people that were in the camp. I thought that I was going to throw up about 20 minutes into that first class. Six weeks later I won the fitness challenge that was part of the boot camp by losing 10 lbs. and 3 inches from my waist. The camp ended on May 30, 2008 and I still work out every day. I've lost a total of 30 lbs. and while I need to lose another 20 lbs., I can honestly say that I am in the best physical shape of my life.

Three weeks ago I signed up with Lalanne Fitness. This is a big deal for me because I told Chris when I met him that I would never buy a gym membership. Famous last words. Lalanne Fitness is unlike any other gym that I've seen. The workouts are focused and follow a get in, get out and get on with it approach.

The most interesting part of the Crossfit program and what Chris has done with it is that he uses the group dynamic in an extremely positive way. We all encourage each other to work as hard we can during the WODs--even if we don't say anything to one another. When one person is having a tough time with the WOD (usually me), the others rally around them to cheer them on. This competitive/community-minded approach makes me really want to be there.

Bottomline: Six months ago, if you told me that I would be getting up at 6:30 on Saturday mornings to drive into San Francisco to be mercilessly punished by a Crossfit WOD, I would said, "You're crazy." No longer. Now I am trying to figure out how I can get in to The City for another workout on a weekday. Go figure.

"The two greatest enemies of a well lived life are fear and failure."

Sign up today. You won't be sorry. -Chris

This is pretty much the greatest gym I've ever been to. Seriously, I've never had a coach or trainer that pushes me the way Chris at Lalanne Fitness does. I think it may just be the best way to work out on the planet. Chris has completely mastered pushing you and helping you succeed through inspiration and encouragement rather than being a dick. Anyone who has ever wanted to try crossfit or change their lifestyle should join Lalanne Fitness. Crossfit for the win!! -Alex

I've always been athletic and competed in sports- swimming in high school, rowing in college and marathoning. But nothing, absolutely nothing, has improved my fitness and changed my body like CrossFit at LaLanne Fitness!

I got sidelined with a series of injuries (knee, knee, shoulder) and finally got back into a fitness mindset this year. I had heard about CrossFit but didn't give it any credence because it was so far removed from what I thought was the "right" way to train. Boy was I wrong. I can now do full push-ups (trust me- this is huge for someone whose pre-surgery shoulder would dislocate just by sneezing). I've taken 20 seconds off my per mile pace and dropped 35 pounds. Classes are fantastic because you never know what's in store- there's no routine. You just know that you WILL do it. There's so much camaraderie that it's frequently the very best part of my day.

Chris is the consummate fitness professional. He makes sure you understand the mechanics and watches for form. He lives and breathes this stuff so he doesn't expect anything he doesn't do himself. The atmosphere that he and his wife Maribel have established make LaLanne Fitness THE PLACE to achieve your best fitness. You are greeted, you are cheered and encouraged and by golly they take pictures when you're jumping/sweating/lifting/rowing/running to a you new/thinner/fitter self. -Kelly

I am so excited on writing this review! Chris LaLanne is one of the BEST trainer's I have ever meet! I have been training over the years and have meet and trained with many fitness professionals and Chris is the #1 on the list. Here's my story on why I think Chris is the BEST! 12 years ago I weighted 246lbs. and I'm 4"11. I decided to get healthy and lost 110 lbs. kept it off for 9 years. Then my life changed, I was blessed with a baby and not so blessed with a thyroid disorder. I did not exercise for about 2 1/2 years and gained almost all my weight back! January 2008, I was tried of being unfit and unhealthy. Started exercising again but not feeling motivated at all! I needed something more to get me started on the right track. That's when I meet Chris LaLanne at LaLanne Fitness. I was then introduced to Cross Fit. It is the most amazing workout I have ever completed! I can never forget my first workout with Chris, he encouraged me throughout my workout! I felt so IMPRESSED with myself and actually PROUD that I completed the "WOD"!( That means work out of the day) I have been doing Cross Fit for about a month and I can honestly say this is the BEST way of exercising if you want to see results! I would highly recommend Lalanne Fitness and meeting with Chris and his lovely wife Maribel.-Mary

Last Christmas I looked down at the scale and saw 250 pounds for the first time ever. It was time to join a gym and get to it. I talked with a few personal trainers, but decided to choose Chris LaLanne minutes after I met him. I had worked with many fitness trainers before and could tell he was the real deal. My life has changed dramatically since that choice.

Here's a bit about me and some stats. Me: 38 years old and 6'4" That's the part I can't change. Here's the part I did change.

In one calendar year I have gone from 250 to 215 pounds.
My resting heart rate has gone from 72 to 55.
I used to feel tired, fat, and slow. Now I feel energetic, fit, and strong.

I owe this all to Chris Lalanne. There is really no way to thank him for all that he's done. I don't mean to be overly dramatic, but I feel like he's given my life back. I used to be a good athlete and physically fit. But, after years of working in the tech industry, many work trips (and the bad food that goes with it), and family life (a new baby), I just let myself go a bit. Chris put me on a holistic plan that worked.

I think that's the biggest difference. I've had good personal trainers before. But their work stayed in the gym. Chris cared enough to make sure I was getting it done outside the gym. That meant proper nutrition and cardio. He was always giving me articles about nutrition and various tips that helped me out. He got me using a food journal and taking an active role in my health. For that I will forever be grateful.

He also got me feeling competitive again with Crossfit. At first, I thought it was too hard core for me. But, he was able to mold a crossfit style that matched my fitness level. I noticed the results in the pool within weeks. It's tough as hell, but it works. It really does.

Fitness and overall health are now a daily part of my life. It feels great. Thanks Chris! I seriously can't thank you enough. -Ed