Charlie Reid CSCS, CPT

Last year I injured my back rock climbing. I was seeing a couple of different physical therapists, as well as practicing yoga. After a few months I just wasn’t getting any better. I had been climbing 4 – 5 days a week before my injury, so being immobilized was a huge change, and it pretty much totally blew. It wasn’t until I started training with Charlie that I really started to recover. Not only did I finally start to heal, but I learned a ton about how to train better for my sport. I’m actually climbing stronger now than I was before I got injured. I don’t know if I’d even be climbing again at all if it weren’t for this dude!

Charlie is an awesome trainer. I have a slew of sports injuries and he knows how to push me hard, but keep my knees and back safe. He offers a duo training rate, so if you can go with a friend, sessions are as low as ~$ 40 per person. The training space is very laid back. Highly recommend if you are looking for a personal trainer!

As a personal trainer I wanted to work with another professional whose approach to fitness was congruent with mine. I’ve been in this industry for over ten years and unfortunately one of the biggest consistencies is that there is a general lack of integrity in regards to program design and effective coaching. Charlie is a superstar on both fronts.
People use trainers for a variety of reasons and often seek out someone for a niche or specialty. Charlie is a dynamic trainer and I can honestly say his specialties include: being awesome, making your feel comfortable, creating a realistic plan that will help you move and feel better, and last but not least he’s an educator and will teach and empower you to be more fit.
Not many coaches or trainers seek out an objective eye or a coach even though we preach about the importance. Charlie has helped me increase my mobility, alleviate pain that I have had for years, and facilitate a more balanced approach to fitness.
I would recommend Charlie to anyone looking for a true professional and an excellent fitness coach. He will help you reach your goals and even have a few laughs along the way.
Thanks for helping me better define and reach my goals, Charlie :)

I have been training with Charlie for about six months now and have made unbelievable gains. In my last routine, I wanted to work on my squat and gain some more muscle. Charlie set me up on a five week squat program and in that time I gained 10lbs of muscle and increased my squat max by 60lbs (going from 255 to 315). Charlie is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about strength training (and overall fitness and health). He is the man to see to get yourself in shape.

Charlie has had a transformative impact on the quality of my life, my fitness and my pain level.
About 5 years ago, I injured my back in a touch football game. (One of my buddies didn’t get the memo about the «touch» part). It turns out that I herniated 2 discs in my lower back. For several years, I suffered from near-​chronic pain and was at times only able to sit for a few minutes before the pain became too intense. Things like running, snowboarding and cycling became impossible and I went from being a very active person to a very inactive one. Over the years, I tried physical therapy, epidural cortisone injections, acupuncture and more. I considered surgery but didn’t want to go there if at all possible. A posture therapist I visited recommended that I go see Charlie and I first started seeing him about a year ago. Without question, working with Charlie has had the most positive impact on my pain level, my fitness and my overall health. I am now running again (I ran 30 minutes last night for the 1^st time in 5 years!), biking again and am planning to do a triathlon in the next 6 – 12 months.
As other reviewers have said, Charlie takes a holistic view of fitness and tailored a unique program to me and my situation. He is not a one size fits all trainer. While physical therapists I had been to focused repetitively on building strength in my back, Charlie instead focused first on building strength and flexibility in my hips, butt, upper back and other areas that he explained were related directly to my injury and my symptoms. When I first visited Charlie my whole body shook when I attempted a single lunge. Now he has me doing single leg squats, planks and push-​ups on a Swiss ball and a variety of other exercises that seemed completely out of reach when I first started.
Charlie will be the first to say that there are no quick fixes or miracle fitness programs but with patience and commitment he can help you accomplish your goals, whatever they are. Charlie works me hard but makes our workouts fun and interesting by keeping them fast-​paced and continually adding new exercises.
I really cannot recommend Charlie highly enough. If Unilocal went to 10, Charlie would get an 11. Do yourself a favor and go see him. If you stick with it, you’ll see great results.

I am a strength and conditioning coach in SF and I’ve watched Charlie for nearly 1 year work with clients from every walk of life. His focused, creative approach is engaging and the level of care he provides is phenomenal! He has charisma, patience, and determination. I can’t help but note that at the end of every session, his people leave sweaty and smiling.
Charlie is a tremendously valuable resource in the saturated fitness industry. Simply put; Charlie is a shining star.

Charlie is a terrific personal trainer — he takes it beyond exercising to solving problems. And he does it with the nicest and most professional demeanor. I’ve worked out with Charlie at Sports Club LA in SF.
I’ve been suffering from shoulder pain for a number of years even doing physical therapy and considering surgery. Nearly immediately (after I walked around some and did a few stretches) Charlie had a handle on my issue and how to approach it. Its been nearly 2 months and I no longer have the pain and better yet I’m walking with better posture and can do other exercises more efficiently and pain free.
And by the way, Charlie is approachable, clearly communicates the why and how of the training program, sends detailed exercises for me to do on my own. As another reviewer put it, Charlie’s the bomb.

What sets Charlie apart in the world of personal training is vast experience in many different types of exercise and exercise therapy and his ability to connect with you individually in a way that supports sustained change in life habits and lifestyle.
Charlie has all the basics of personal training mastered, but he adds his background in biomechanics and postural therapy to provide a unique blend of butt kicking, pound shredding workouts with measurable gains to functional flexibility and strength.
He is able to audit your unique physical abilities and then he works with you over the course of each session to improve function and strength in problem areas. Exercises/​stretches you do with Charlie can have magic infomercial-​like effects. I never thought I’d be able to touch my toes, since my hands only went down to my mid shin at best, until Charlie explained it was an issue with my hip flexors rather than my hamstrings which is what everyone always tells you to work on. Several hundred inch worms, v-​ups and RDLs later I can touch the floor.
Charlie makes you feel comfortable with your own abilities and then pushes you to get better in a manner that is never judgmental. I look forward to my sessions with Charlie even though I know they are going to be tough because he is a great guy to be around and I know the results will be tangible and rewarding.
If you’re looking for someone other than your usual meathead PT, Charlie is your guy.

I have trained with Charlie for many years now and couldn’t imagine going to someone else.
He gets the most out of me every workout while keeping them fun and interesting. If I get off track (eating or missing a workout) there is no browbeating and we quickly move back on target. He understand what my core strength are and tailors workouts to get me to do what I NEED to do and not what I WANT to do.
A true professional with a passion for fitness, health, and all around wellness.