Fit Life Training Studio

Can’t believe I’ve never reviewed these guys! I went here to learn how to lift from DJ. I’ve since moved on to a powerlifting gym and coach, but there isn’t a day that goes by without some one commenting on my excellent form. I owe that all to DJ and his coaching. He has a knack for teaching movement, form and execution. If you want to start lifting but you have no idea where to begin, Fit Life is the best present you can give yourself.

There are many reasons to run (or jog, haha) and not walk to train with Stephen at Fit Life, but before I get into those, I just need to set the context for my own experience.
CONTEXT: My exercise background includes many years of competitive swimming through grade & high school with only swim practices (where I was told what to do). To really illustrate how not invested I was in this– when I won an award senior year for best improvement in competitive time, my coach verbally expressed his bafflement (in front of my parents, sigh) at winning because I barely showed up to practice. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ SO: Absolutely no understanding of nutrition, of exercise on my own (from stretching to lifting weights), or motivation required ever. When I decided to «get healthy» in my mid-​20s, I tried a crossfit class and in the very first session ended up injuring my back because of bad form during kettlebell swings. I knew I needed help but wasn’t exactly sure how or what (aka. the classic not knowing what I didn’t know).
After reading great reviews for this studio, I ended up being paired with Stephen for about 18 sessions over a few months. In that time period, Stephen whipped me into shape, got me thinking consciously about nutrition, and helped me become more aware of my form while exercising. A lot of our sessions covered resistance training and weight lifting with an emphasis on identifying & maintaining form throughout.
THE REVIEW: It wasn’t until recently that it really dawned on me just how much Stephen has helped me. Recently, in a class, I did kettlebell swings for the first time in almost 2 years amongst other weightlifting exercises. Not only was I maintaining form even when I felt maxed out, I felt really good about it, too! Seriously, preventing injury is *such* a high.
THE STUDIO: Great space; clearly they care about their clientele’s comfort and experience. DJ & Justin, while I haven’t trained with them, were always great to chat with. All 3 have a chemistry that is very appealing to see in studio owners– there was never any hint of derision or resentment (which I have honestly witnessed in trainers at a lot of other studios). These are guys who genuinely enjoy each other, their studio, their clients, and the work they do.
THE RECOMMEND: I credit Steve with my education in maintaining and being incredibly aware of form, working towards my fitness goals and preventing injury. He helped me build the foundation I needed to be able to work towards my fitness goals in a conscientious way. I am incredibly appreciative of this, and I highly recommend him and the rest of the team at Fit Life.

I’ve been training in some shape or form for 30 years and the Fitlife crew know what they are doing. Very professional and well equipped gym. They are also a lot of fun. Regardless of if you’re new to training or an experienced athlete, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Fitlife.

Amazing place with amazing trainers! I’ve been working with trainer Yasuko Shiga for the pass 3 years… she is one of the best! Not only does she have abs of steel (yes, this woman is crazy toned!) but she is great motivator. She helps you pushes through those tough workouts and keep you focus on yours goals. She doesn’t let you give up. In short she is amazing!!! This gym is also exceptional, all the guys there are pros and atmosphere is chill + fun. If you’re looking for a great place to train there is no better place than here!

I can’t say enough about the guys at Fit Life, they’re awesome. I’ve been training with Stephen for 8 months now and I’ve put on almost 10 pounds of muscle, I can’t thank him enough.
The dedication he’s had to me and my training has been priceless for my health. I’m 31 now and I haven’t been in this shape or had this type of body in. .. well ever :)
If you’re looking for trainers that care about you and what’s important to you– or are wanting someone to really guide you and push you to better health, I would recommend these guys all day long.

So here’a the deal.
The three are the nicest most caring professional trainers I have ever worked with. They are all a little different, but all check their EGOs at the door, and just want you to succeed.
That being said if you want to be pampered go to the nursery.
Your paying them to balance you, and push you, not break you. They know the body and how not to hurt you. So many idiot trainers will either push you to the point of breaking and hurting
Or don’t know body mechanics and hurt you. They also have some sweet amenities.
1. Big screen TV
2. Great screen savers
3. You can pop in for a quick cardio session if their not too busy
3. Don’t Use trendy bullshit. Most of the work is you using your own body. They do have great equipment but is very select and designed around you using your body to work the machine, or bench or use the moon shaped leather bags from Romania?
NOT the other way around.
4. Jack Lalaine is rumored to haunt the studio
5. Great PC screen savers.
6. They smile and drink Cofee as they work your ass off. That’s so sweet.
7. You get what you pay for. Great attitude, support, and a true deep down commitment to make you want to do, and be better.

DJ, Justin, and Stephen are exceptionally gifted trainers who have truly put in tremendous effort to understand not only my fitness goals but how to overcome various injuries and obstacles that have for years hampered my training.
DJ is a tough trainer who really knows his stuff but he’s also very encouraging and non-​judgmental, which is great if you’re coming in with relatively poor fitness levels or are new to crossfit style workouts. I can’t recommend this place highly enough.

These guys are some very talented trainers with very good bench-​side manner.
I know Justin from his pre-​Fit Life days. Very talented trainer who knows how to calibrate to the level of challenge appropriate for his clients.
He and the gang have created a solid training space at Fit Life. I swing by for drop-​in sessions on occasion, and I especially like the Olympic platform and bumper plates, but you don’t have to be an expert or a meathead (as if I’m either).
Highly recommended.

This is definitely not a regular gym. This is THE GYM.
I usually train with DJ (Dashnyam Gantulga), but I get pointers, tips from Justin, and Stephen ALL THE TIME. They are the most knowledgeable and professional trainers I have seen. Not only have they trained me, but they have influenced me to live a better lifestyle, a fit lifestyle. These guys are seriously the best… they treat their clients with the utmost respect, and will push you to the limit. You will not be disappointed with Fitlife, I guarantee it.

Training with Justin at Fit Life was one of best decisions I’ve made in my life.
Last year, I was so depressed because of constant knee pain and lack of an active lifestyle. After going through 2 major knee surgeries in 3 year, my orthopedic and 2 other specialists recommended a 3^rd major surgery to decrease pain.
I finally accepted the fact surgery is needed so decided to be proactive and strengthen my knee at Fit Life.
2 months into training, my knee pain went away! And my legs are so much stronger. I could golf (walking the course) every weekend. This major surgery can wait! Who wants 3 surgeries in 4 years anyways?
And an added bonus, my body is in the best shape ever. I can do real pushups now!
I can’t rave enough about Justin. He knows his stuff.
All the trainers here are top notch. Top class trainers and facility. Great family atmosphere. I always look forward to my workouts. BEST IN SF!

I have been training with DJ for the past 3 months. I randomly walked into Fit Life one morning, bc I work out at 24HR across the street, but wanted personal training.
Best workout/​training decision ever.
I have done personal training in the past, but the workout I get from DJ is amazing. I have a work out plan when I am not with DJ, but when I am working out with him, he pushes you to your limit which allows you to get to the next level.
His personal training keeps me motivated and makes me challenge myself when I am not working out at the Fit Life Studio. He is incredibly knowledgeable about fitness, work out form, and post work out stretching.
I would HIGHLY recommend anyone looking for personal training to check out SF Fit Life Training Studio! Thanks DJ and the Fit Life Staff!

Well, going to FIT Studio, is a part of my weekly routine. So if you are looking to get fit and healthy in a scientific way with the coolest dude that’s DJ.
I have been working with DJ over a year. I strongly recommend to work out with him. I have never met anyone so dedicated and passionate about what they do for a living.
Just, swing by and see how great the group are

I trained with DJ for years and he is an awesome trainer. He really pushed me to my limits and I got really strong, and never imagined I could do the things I do. When you meet with DJ, bring it, because it’s a real workout and he doesn’t fool around, it’s all business then the last few minutes he tortures me more with foam rolling.
It’s a love hate relationship and I reveled in it. Wouod have continued to train with DJ, but we moved to Livermore :(

I was referred to Justin Chin in 2010 where I met DJ and Stephen during my training sessions. Since then I’ve never looked at another trainer the same. Imagine yourself at your best and they will take it to an even greater level.
Like any training community the word ‘can’t’ is not part of the workout and that was best exemplified here when I showed up for training 3 days after I broke my elbow, in a sling, determined to stick with my routine. Shockingly enough, I wasn’t sent home.
It says a lot when you have a trainer that is so well educated that they know how to work around injuries so you don’t have to experience down time.
I’ve personally worked with Justin and am currently working with DJ. I can say a lot about their style, dedication and unmatched knowledge but it only goes so far until you go experience it for yourself.
You will find that many of their clients are lifers, I know I am. Being metrics driven [occupational hazard] I will share that in the first 3 months of training with them my BF % went down to 17% from 22%, the healthy way. We trained and strengthened old high school injury aggravations to the point where they are not even existent anymore. You get so much more than just a trainer when you work with the guys at Fit Life.
If you are already dominating as an athlete or just dipping your toe into getting into wellness, you MUST check out a session with Fit Life. You will leave with a sweet feeling of satisfaction after the work out.

I started working out with Justin at Fit Life during my 13^th week of pregnancy. He created custom strength training workouts to help me maintain my level of fitness during pregnancy while preparing my body for labor. He taught me exercises and stretching techniques that are not only safe during pregnancy but also beneficial in preventing those inevitable aches and pains. I travel a lot for work so he sent me some workouts to do on the road, definitely a service above and beyond! I’m looking forward to my postnatal workout régime to get my pre-​baby body back!
All of the guys that train at fit life are very professional and knowledgeable. I highly recommend their services!
P. S. Did I mention these guys are all Ex marines — all bad asses.

When Stephen Brown set out on his own to open a training space with DJ and Justin, I was already a training client. With Stephen’s instruction and support, I’d already lost 83 pounds. Now, in his new space, I’m focusing on increasing my core strength and basic lifts. It’s really nice to have a space where I can drop the weights on Olympic-​style lifts – like you’re supposed to – without worrying about a lecture from the staff. I’m having a great time training at Fit Life and would recommend Stephen to anyone who’s looking to challenge himself or herself to get to a new level of fitness.

DJ (Gantulga Dashnyam), Stephen, and Justin have been a part of my life for over 3 years now and have recently opened this new studio.
I can’t say enough about their professionalism and well-​educated ability to work with their clients, helping them achieve their health and fitness goals. Not only that, but they are 3 of the most genuinely fun, kind and down-​to-​earth guys I have ever met.
How I found them: I’ve been fairly athletic my whole life, but working in a cubicle and a high-​stress environment took a toll on my body, my health, and my workouts. That’s when I decided to look into personal training and met DJ. Instantly, I knew we’d get along and that he’d be able to help me get healthy.
Now, years later, DJ has helped make health and fitness a part of my life. He’s been with me on a journey that’s transformed from getting healthy to improving performance. With his background and education, he’s been able to continually inspire and challenge me and, as a result, I’ve never felt (or looked) better. I can now do things that I never thought possible.
I couldn’t imagine my life without DJ and FitLife. I look forward to every session and I highly recommend this studio to anyone — whether you’re new to fitness or a seasoned athlete. Come check it out!

Intense: strenuous or earnest, as activity, exertion, diligence, or thought:
Justin Chin has been part of my fitness training for 2+ years now. He is what you call an individual who can adapt to your needs! If you are prior service as he and I, (special forces) he has the latest and greatest Ideas and training skills (I call it my stealth training sessions) Iam a PRO mountain bike racer which means we train on a seasonal bases! Justin, in coordination with my cycling coaches will design programs that fit my cycling schedule on and off the bike. My fellow racers and friends are always curious how quickly I get stronger and faster than them! One is that I have a strict training régime but one of the real secrets is, what Justin teaches me when Iam off the bike!
Not only do I get stronger, but I prevent myself from injury (or worse injury) You prior armed forces folks will feel right at home with him not only with the camaraderie, but how INTENSE and beneficial his programs are!
Chad

Justin Chin, DJ Dashnyam, and Stephen Brown recently opened this new training studio across from 24HourFitness in North Beach.
I have been working with Justin Chin for just over six years, and I think Justin is probably the best personal trainer on the planet. I have been blown away by his vast knowledge, experience, and commitment to continually learn new training techniques, methods, and equipment, and his ability to effectively incorporate these evolving elements into my workouts to help me achieve my goals.
By way of background, I have been weight training and active in sports since I was in high school. I was a competitive boxer in college (Golden Gloves Champion), have competed in triathlons, and am currently active in biking (mountain and road), surfing, a variety of martial arts, and skiing. I have an eclectic array of active interests, and my fitness and athletic goals are constantly changing. I call upon Justin to be able to map my routines to meet my continually evolving training goals. His ability to craft the appropriate workout program to accommodate an advanced and challenging client like myself is an impressively rare quality that I have not found in other trainers.
In fact, I have so much confidence in Justin’s abilities that I introduced my fiancé to train with Justin. She is a complete neophyte when it comes to weight training, and has attempted to work with trainers at other gyms only to meet with frustration. Justin has been able to craft an appropriate program to both meet her fitness goals and provide an adequate base from which she can build into more advanced training methods.
I am also aware that Justin has clients that literally fly in from New York, just so they can spend a week to train with him. I have never heard of anything even remotely resembling something like this with other trainers. Justin is a uniquely gifted trainer who inspires confidence in his clients while pushing them to excel.
Quite frankly, Justin is the only trainer I trust to meet my goals, and I would recommend him to any one of my friends and family members.

Last Halloween I donned a Bavarian Beer Wench costume, and upon seeing the photos from that decadent yet debaucherous night, I noticed I appeared rather hefty. So, I joined a gym – 24 Hour Fitness to be exact.
That being said, I had never set foot inside a gym, and I knew that if I was to avoid agitating my nagging and constant lower back issues, I needed a personal trainer to show me the ropes. I did not, however, want someone to get all boot-​camp on my ass and scold me about my pinot noir vice, inability to perform a push-​up, and lack of coordination. Stephen D. Brown, the trainer I selected, transcended that rather unfair stereotype. Additionally, under his excellent training and superb nutritionary guidance, my aforementioned flabby physique has morphed into a nicely toned and svelte build. More importantly, though, I retain more energy and a general sense of well-​being throughout the day.
Recently, Stephen and two other master trainers from 24 Hour Fitness left to open their own fitness center, Fit Life. Stephen, DJ Dashnyam, and Justin Chin have created an integrative and unpretentious fitness environment equipped with TRX suspension training, rowing machines, and a yoga and massage room, dubbed the «princess room.» These three charming men have even thought to supply hair ties for the unprepared female client. The whole out-​fit is very «rugged-​chic» yet down-​to-​earth. So, in short, Fit Life has all you need to maintain your health without the unwanted, corporate «gym scene.»
All three trainers are experts in all levels of training, and each is fully adept at explaining the complicated concepts of body science in an accessible and applicable way. As an added benefit, Stephen, DJ, and Justin are all great conversationalists. I list this as a benefit because engaging in an interesting discourse proves as a welcome distraction while performing the dreaded walking lunges.
Overall, this place is fabulous, and I look forward to each session with Stephen. I highly recommend Fit Life to the fitness novice as well as the fitness guru.