Women-focused weightlifting studio opens in the Mission

Women-focused weightlifting studio opens in the MissionStudio owner Danielle Repetti. | Photos: Teresa Hammerl/Hoodline
Teresa Hammerl
Published on October 22, 2019

Iron + Mettle, a "strength-training gym" focusing on clients who identify as women, opened last week in the former Intentionally Blank space at 1360 Valencia St. (at 25th St.)

Owner Danielle Repetti is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, an experienced strength training coach, and a registered holistic nutritionist. 

According to the studio's website, Iron + Mettle's mission is to "help women in San Francisco build confidence, develop the lasting results they desire, and love the way they move. We believe women deserve more than just diets and never-ending cardio." If men identify with that mission, Repetti says, they are welcome to train there as well.

Alongside Repetti, Leslie Kim and Kristen Swig will also teach classes at Iron + Mettle. "They are super knowledgeable,"  Repetti said.

Repetti's search for the right space in the Mission took six months. She evaluated numerous spaces before she decided to settle across the street from Natural Resources, the community space for parents and babies. 

Repetti said she hopes both residents from the Mission and Noe Valley will come train at Iron + Mettle. "I love the community here," Repetti said.

The new studio offers pull-up bars, dumbbells, kettlebells, Assault AirBikes and other equipment. In addition to private and semi-private classes for up to six people, Repetti will offer monthly two-hour weekend seminars focusing on different topics, such as goal-setting. 

To transform the space from a boutique to a gym, Repetti spent two months putting in new floors and training mats. A restroom in the back was redesigned as a "refresh and powder room" with new wallpaper and tiles, as well as a shower for students to use after class.  

Bay Area-based muralist Britt Henze also painted a colorful, floral mural in the training room.

The refresh and powder room in the back of the studio.

Repetti said everything's gone smoothly so far, and "neighbors are really supportive." Every time she was worried that someone was coming in to complain about construction noise, she said, it was actually just a neighbor walking in to introduce themselves. 

For future students who aren't sure what to expect, the studio offers a 15-minute consultation that serves as an opportunity to see the space and meet with one of the coaches. Drop-in classes start at $50, while memberships cost between $319 and $499. 

Given the proximity of Natural Resources, Repetti said that she's looking into offering prenatal classes. "That's something we plan to do in the future," she explained.

The studio will be open from Monday to Saturday, and its class schedule can be found online. Updates about the monthly seminars and other happenings can be found on Instagram.