San Francisco is known as one of the fittest cities in America, and there is no shortage of gyms and workout spots. But if you're looking for an experience personally tailored to your own fitness goals, PUSH Athletics could be the spot.
The gym has a special feature to help with hardcore workouts: an oxygen machine designed to help you recover faster as you go through routines.
When you walk through the front doors, the first thing that you notice is the wide open space and a lack of exercise machines. It doesn't feel like a traditional gym, and “that's the point,” said owner and personal trainer Luke Wilson. He wanted to create a space that puts fitness and athletic training in a real-world environment, he told us. And he wanted the instruction to be personal, so there are no group classes — only private training.
While there are a few treadmills in the space, they're mainly used for warm-ups and cool-downs. “I don't want to provide a lazy workout where you are just sitting on a machine,” he said. "The open space of the building teaches you how to use your body in the real world where there aren't any machines.” You will find kettle bells, free weights, punching bags, boxing equipment, climbing ropes, trampolines and even hula hoops.
Wilson doesn't have any employees and instead uses subcontractors, with each trainer specializing in a workout style of their choosing. “It's like renting a barber chair in a barber shop,” he said. “I provide the space and the equipment, and I don't have to worry about getting clients because they bring in their own.” Since each trainer brings their own expertise, he's able to offer a variety of services such as sport-specific training, nutritional consulting, physical therapy and yoga.
He installed special lighting that emulates natural light so it doesn't feel like you're cooped up in a gym when you're working out.
He also uses the latest tech— a state-of-the-art machine pumps fresh oxygen into the air, which Wilson claims boosts energy and stamina and accelerates fat burning.
Personal training sessions generally run $100 per session. But as with most gyms, the more sessions you pay for in advance, the better deal you'll get. And if you want to work out on your own from time to time, the drop-in rate is $20, or $15 if you buy a ten-session card.
PUSH Athletics is open 7am–8pm Monday–Friday and 8am–noon Saturday.
