Barbell Blondie Athletics

In July 2015 I had a nagging injury that sidelined me from running, my favorite thing in the world. I found Natalie, hoping she would help me build up the appropriate muscles and get back to running. She is very knowledgable about working around injuries and helping you come back even stronger than before. From July to November that year I went from running a single mile to running 40 miles (the most I ever ran in one go by 14 miles). I cannot thank Natalie enough for teaching me about how one muscle group affects another and making me much stronger in general. I can’t wait to see how far I will run in 2016 with her help!

In August 2015 I knew I needed to do something. I was tired all the time, unmotivated to do anything, crying at nothing… I was a mess. I decided I needed a change and a friend told me about Natalie. She is knowledgeable, especially when it comes to working around injuries, but most importantly, after I met her I wasn’t scared to push myself and be myself. She is so comforting to be around which is nice for someone so scared of being judged for my complete lack of knowledge of nutrition and fitness (and I’m still learning).
Currently, I do partner sessions. I was nervous about it at first but they breed healthy competition and a little zest to your workout. I am truly amazed at all the positive, encouraging people I’ve met working with her. She can also train you one-​on-​one if you need that extra focus! Natalie also helps me with food choices. But what I probably love most is that she tells me the truth.
Natalie not only helped me lose 30ish pounds, she helped me get into the best shape of my life. I now have the confidence, drive and commitment needed to improve myself for me. Now, my coworkers call me «skinny» (we prefer the term «fit») and ask if I’ll continue with Natalie. My response is always the same – does a bear shit in the woods?!
Can’t wait to see where I go from here! Thanks, Natalie! Xx

This review for Natalie is long overdue, but extremely well deserved. So much so that I’m writing this 6+ months later to tell the world (and all you soon to be New Year resolutioners) that Barbell Blondie is the best trainer in SF! I found Natalie earlier in the year through my Chiropractor Dr. Lindsay Stephens, who I began seeing due to back problems. I’m a very active person, but the combination of my previous desk job with a skewed work/​life balance in 2014 caused a stiff spine with a lot of pain. After months of chiropractic therapy, I was recommended Natalie to help me with my recovery. My primary focus was to eliminate pain and strengthen my core, back and glutes so I can enjoy being active again.
I shopped around for the right trainer and the minute I met Natalie, I knew she was my gal. Before I signed anything, Natalie offered me a free intro session. She took notes on my goals and health history and put together a customized mini workout for me on the spot targeting my desired muscle groups. Unlike other personal trainers, Natalie was the only one that had me break a sweat the day I met her. She wanted me to know what it would be like to actually workout with her. I bought 10 sessions that very day.
I went to Natalie once a week for the next 3 months or so. She’s a firecracker! She makes workouts fun and keeps them varied and interesting. She pushes you to the edge so you get stronger, but never over the edge so you injure yourself. Natalie is always peppy and positive, but she absolutely kicks your butt — and you’ll be so glad she did afterwards!
After my 10 sessions, I was pain free and looked and felt stronger than I have in the last 2 years. Since then, I’ve run 2 half-​marathons, Ragnar Relay Napa (total of 200 miles with 11 other colleagues), and am regularly in hot yoga, barre, and dance classes during the week to round out my fitness routine
Natalie, you rock.

I found Natalie when I was at my lowest. My knee was f*$ked up and I had become a blob resting it. I was stuck in a slump and couldn’t figure out how to break the cycle. My goal has never been to be the skinniest girl on the block, but to look good in my clothes and feel better.
After a few weeks of thinking I finally got brave enough to book. I was pretty terrified before my first appointment expecting a hardcore mean person who would harass me into shape. I didn’t really know what a trainer was about. Natalie pushes me NICELY beyond anything I ever thought I could do. My endurance and strength have improved. I have never worked so hard or been in better shape. I feel better about going to the gym, because she has de-​mystified a lot of equipment I was always afraid to do on my own.
Overall, a great experience!

Natalie is an awesome trainer! She is great no matter what your fitness goals are. She creates fun and diverse workouts that always leave you sweating and make you stronger.
I started with Natalie doing half marathons and after starting training with her I was able to run injury free. Since then I’ve picked up pole dancing and Natalie has helped me with the strength training I need to master tricks and move up to the next level.

I love Natalie!
I’m pretty active (I’ve run a few half marathons and workout regularly) and never thought of myself as the kind of person that needs a trainer. But when I started training with Natalie at a «big gym», it was love at first lift.
Natalie knows exactly how to get me out of my comfort zone, and she gives me just the extra push I need. She creates awesome personalized workouts, keeps each session fresh, and provides motivation and goals without being demanding. I’m stronger, more toned, and more confident.

I have know Natalie for a few years but only recently started to train with her. Recovering from a hip injury, I was looking for someone knowledgeable about the body and sensitive to my limitations. She helped me bridge the gap between rehab and strength training. Natalie is not only enthusiastic and creative but hungry to continue learning. She volunteers in spare time at a physical therapy clinic to learn more about injury prevention and rehab! I have sent her several of my patients (I’m a sports chiro in a multidisciplinary clinic in SF) as well. If you are looking for a trainer, Natalie is fantastic!

I recently started training with Natalie and she is amazing! I have always been good about doing cardio but hate strength training and never do it on my own. As I dive deeper into my 30s, I am finding my strength heading down hill and could no longer ignore it. Natalie did a full assessment of my current capabilities, took careful note of some old injuries and didn’t flinch when I couldn’t even muster one push up. She quickly modified them so I could work the same muscles and actual be able to do it. She noted some weaknesses that may be contributing to past injuries and is helping focus on muscles to provide more strength and support to those areas. She has me do exercises that are achievable but still challenging and is positive and motivating. I knew I was working hard, but she also made sure I was having fun, so that I am excited to go back. If you need some help starting a fitness program, some extra motivation to get back on track or someone to push you to a new level, Natalie is the perfect instructor!

Natalie rocks! Its hard to strike the balance between hard work, results and fun with a trainer or in a small group but Natalie’s a natural at that. It seems like, just when you want to give up, she motivates you and just when you’re used to something or think you’ve got this, she challenges you another step. Outside or at Push Athletics, Natalie’s sessions are varied, super fun, and more than worth it.

When I was looking for a personal trainer, Natalie’s profile made me extremely excited! Not only she is a fitness instructor, she runs marathons and is a professional competitive pole dancer! I knew right away that training with this girl won’t be boring.
She knows so many kinds of exercises that I think I haven’t repeated anything more than twice since we first started training about a year ago. There’s is always something new.
I hate gym and I never exercised in my life till I met Natalie. I thought running was the worst nightmare ever. Now I run to the store every day instead of driving. And I feel so good about it.
Natalie also helps with daily meal routine and food menu.
This is my first experience working with a personal trainer and I am sure she is and will be the only one I will work with.

Barbell Blondie is the real deal! Natalie is a great trainer. I do group training and personal training with her. She has the ability to push me when I think I can’t do more and encourages me to do better. She focuses on form to make sure I can do the exercises on my own as well. And, most importantly, she keeps me motivated.

I’ve been training with Natalie for more than a year, and she is wonderful! She can really help you if you have or have had an injury. I needed very specific instructions and therapy after a back injury. She made sure I was using proper form while increasing my strength. I’ve come such a long way with her.
She excels at creating custom workouts based on your needs. Go for it!

Natalie is a fantastic trainer! She personalizes your workout so that you are not doing something totally out of your league, but you’re also being challenged each time to push yourself further. Her knowledge of the human body is extensive, and that’s important to me, because I have had several injuries; she knows how to work within my limitations and has even helped me overcome some of them. She’s also very funny, and that is really helpful during a session, because you don’t realize until it’s too late that your ass has been fully whooped. Best personal training deal around — hundred percent recommend Natalie, aka Barbell Blondie Athletics!

I have been with Natalie for almost a year now and I must say I really enjoying being trained by her and working out with my two other workout buddies (the 3 of us train as a group — love it). Natalie really knows her stuff and will work and push you hard, but is mindful of your limitations — I have really bad knee problems (both) but Natalie is working with me to address/​correct the issue. You should really contact her for an evaluation and consultation — you’ll be glad you did!

I’ve been training with Natalie for just about a year and a half and she’s pretty much ruined me for all other trainers. I was always weary of working out with a trainer in the first place because I was terrified that they would be a drill sergeant; yelling and screaming at me constantly. Or they would be a perky cheerleader jumping up and down in celebration because I did a split squat. No thank you. Pipe down, crazy pants. But Natalie has found the perfect medium in being able to encourage me and congratulating me when milestones are completed.
Furthermore — and most import to me — we just have fun when we workout together. There’s lots of laughing, joking around, sweating, and dancing. And, ya know, her kicking my ass with every workout. But most importantly… lots of dancing.
Since working out with Natalie, I’ve lost 25 lbs, completed a 5k, completed a Spartan Beast Race (look it up… ouch…), completed the 2013 AIDS/​LifeCycle, and am just about to start training for AIDS/​LifeCycle 2014 and a half marathon. And without Natalie, none of this would have been a reality. I started training with her just in the hopes of losing some weight (I had some exes that needed to know what they were missing) and getting in shape, but now I actually look forward to working out with her. I know that at the very least I’ll get a great workout in, and good laugh out.
Overall, she’s pretty badass and cares about her clients way more than other trainers I’ve worked with and/​or seen training their clients.

I was first partnered up with Natalie at one of those «big gyms» where she was my trainer for over a year before she started up Barbell Blondie Athletics. I chose to follow her and support her in her own business venture because she gets me coming to the gym week after week looking forward to our sessions. This is saying a lot as I’m rarely very excited about exercise and I have zero capacity to push myself out of my workout comfort zone. For me, personal training is the only way to get a REAL workout.
The equipment and facilities where she trains are great! I love that we are never doing the same workout twice because she is constantly introducing me to new equipment and different exercises. Natalie is always asking for feedback on the workouts and wants to make sure you’re doing the exercises you enjoy most. I can talk to her about my struggles with working out and motivation and then she comes up with a plan that is going to work for me!
Miss Barbell Blondie pushes me about 100x farther than I would ever push myself and to me THAT is what a trainer should do. Yes, there are some days when I really don’t like her. She tells me I can be grumpy or mad or whatever I’m feeling as long as I keep going… and what do ya know, it works! Her cheery personality gets me right back on track and I always leave the gym feeling lucky to have her.
Lastly, Blondie’s pricing is very affordable! She is a great value for the wealth of knowledge she holds, the no-​nonsense/​no-​excuses execution she expects during workouts and the positive spirit she has all wrapped up in one spunky little package!

I had tried getting into the training game before but never found it to be worth the spend. Then I found Natalie, aka Barbell Blondie. She’s incredibly motivational without being obnoxiously peppy, makes every session fun by shaking things up each time and infusing it with her killer sense of humor, and gives you a workout that will leave you sore — you know, in that awesome, hurt-​so-​good kind of way — for days. Fifty minutes with Natalie fly by like fifteen.
She’s also sensitive to your fitness level — so much so that I felt comfortable sending my father-​in-​law, who at 65 has recovered from heart surgery, for his first ever training session — and of course he adored her and is now actually going to the gym. That’s the best gift I could have asked for.
In sum, a trainer who’s affordable, whip-​smart, inspiring, sweet, flexible, and not least of all, actually gave me the «skinny people arm definition» I’d found frustratingly out of reach for years? Obviously, I’m hooked. I couldn’t recommend Barbell Blondie more highly.