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FeedBest of the East Bay - Fitness
Best yoga teacher, running trail, personal trainer, sporting goods store, new sport...
(page 2 of 3)
Personal Trainer
Reader Pick
→ Pedro Bernardy emerged from a personal tragedy wanting to help others transform their lives. After his 13-year-old daughter died of liver cancer in 2000, he left a successful career in information technology to become a personal trainer and martial arts instructor at Renaissance ClubSport in Walnut Creek, where his popularity is legend.
Tell us more about your transition to personal trainer.
I’ve studied martial arts since I was 20. After we lost our daughter, I began to use exercise as therapy. A part-time job as an attendant at ClubSport in San Ramon eventually led to a full-time job. At first, I couldn’t imagine giving up my salary, but my wife and I decided we could make it work.
What’s your training style?
My holistic approach focuses on an exercise and nutrition program designed for each client. I also ask, Are they stressed? How do they sleep? What’s holding them back? I focus on core training, helping people become better balanced, more flexible, and stronger.
What makes you happy?
I get so much satisfaction watching my clients transform themselves.
Renaissance ClubSport in Walnut Creek, 2805 Jones Rd., (925) 938-8700, www.renaissanceclubsport.com. —Keely Dawson
Place To Buy Workout Gear
Editor Pick
→ For anyone whose wallet has groaned from the cost of sports garb, Sports Basement is an absolute must-visit. Imagine 40,000 square feet of top-brand workout gear at 30 to 60 percent off retail prices. The Basement houses everything from Gaiam yoga mats to Ironman triathlon wet suits, along with camping gear, mountain bikes, kids clothes, swimwear, casual to extreme footwear, sunglasses, and even Frisbees. If you are serious about a safe, high-performance fit in running shoes, ask the staff for a free gait analysis.
1881 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek, (925) 941-6100, www.sportsbasement.com. —Hannah Craddick
Fitness Program You’ve Never Heard Of
Editor Pick
→ A comprehensive mind-body fitness program, Kijo (kee-jo) is the brainchild of Berkeley resident Shelly Ross, who spent more than 15 years as a personal trainer and Nia instructor at various East Bay gyms. Drawing on her Hungarian roots, Ross named her new fitness program Kijo, which means snake in Hungarian. Building on her black belt Nia training, Ross has incorporated martial arts, dancing, and healing arts into Kijo while adding weights and interval training.
Ross teaches at a variety of East Bay locations. Visit www.kijo.biz for a class schedule. —Keely Dawson
In-Line Skating Resource Here … Or Anywhere
Editor Pick
→ Are you ready to get rolling, as in roller blading, or transform yourself from a casual skater to a competitor in international skate marathons? Inline Planet has got the information you need. This website, created by Pleasant Hill–based journalist and skater Robert Burnson, is one of the world’s most comprehensive resources for skaters. Among its 5,000 pages are tips by the world’s top skaters, a beginner’s guide, a video section, and—our favorite—“the seven deadly sins of new skaters.”
For more experienced skaters, the site offers workout guides, product reviews, information about skating vacations in destinations as varied as the Netherlands and Tahiti, and the interactive Group Skate Mapper, which helps skaters find buddies all over the world. Inline Planet also publishes race news and profiles of international in-line champions. And, everything is packaged in an attractive and entertaining way that makes the site fun to visit.
www.inlineplanet.com. —Martha Ross
Reader Comments:
BEST OUT DOOR BOOTCAMP!
AlaVie Fitness
Outdoor bootcamp classes for women only in Walnut Creek at 5:30 am, 6:30 am, and 8:00 am. Several other outdoor locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area too! Check it out at: http://www.alaviefitness.com/
FUNKMODE has the best HipHop classes in the East Bay!!
Tim Ennis of Forma Gym in Walnut Creek has to be the best personal fitness trainer in the East Bay (and beyond). His friendly but insistent and consistent emphasis on proper form is an important aspect of fitness training that is often overlooked by other trainers. He somehow keeps coming up with new and creative ways to promote good balance and development of the little-used muscles. And then there's cardio, which he incorporates into one's individual program in an effective way. Tim is also knowledgable about nutrition, which goes hand-in-hand with fitness training. All-in-all, Tim Ennis knows it all and imparts that knowledge in a thoughtful and friendly manner, with good results for his clients -- at least for me and other clients I know. Tim should be acknowledged as the #1 personal fitness trainer in the East Bay.
Tim Ennis is absolutely the best trainer I have come across. He is not only effective, but makes our sessions fun. He incorporates aspects of martial arts, yoga, and cardio into workouts, giving a complete well rounded fitness routine. He offers awesome fit camps, and a nutrition plan one can realistically stick to! I've noticed dramatic physical changes in myself, and many of his clients I've met. He has a vast knowledge of fitness and nutrition. Tim has truly become an asset to so many!