• 111 friends
• 258 reviews

• Kathy K.
• You look like you could use something bubbly..ME!!
• San Francisco, CA, USA

Update - 4/10/2012

Formerly known as Alavie, EmpowerFIT bootcamp is still one of the best work outs I have ever had!!

Sure, I buy all sort of packages to pilates, crossfit, yoga etc. But when it comes down to it, the work out I sweat the most and even whimper in exertion at is at bootcamp in the mornings! A great way to supplement half marathon training!

I was thrilled that they had great deals tiered on how much you want to work out and options for memberships online.I bought an unlimited monthly membership for 12 months. I mean I want to work out all year so why not?? At about $150, its by far one of the best priced bootcamps in the area.

I travel a lot for work, so sadly miss a week here and there, but Jen my coach at the GGP camp is awesome and created a hotel workout for me to do on the road for as short as 20 minutes to a full hour if I wanted. That regimen, combined with a treadmill run have kept me in decent shape whilst I consume airport food and snacks in middle America.

My only complaint is that they don't offer more classes for us 7amers, or a class on a weekend to make up missing a class during the week. But they are really great about getting feedback and one day I hope they will fix that! Otherwise, the coaches and the business staff are really responsive and helpful.

And I SWEAR I felt an ab developing during our core work out this morning. That or it was a cramp, but I like the idea that its a muscle being toned better :)

• Elite '12
• 1689 friends
• 492 reviews

• Natasha R.
• Miss Behaved
• San Francisco, CA, USA

7/9/2010

There are many things you can spend $200 in a month when it comes to your fitness. AlaVie is one of the best priced Boot Camps in the city at $180 for three days a week. But when I actually realized what I was paying for, I had some regrets. In hindsight I much rather spend $200 on 10 yoga/pilates/daily method classes and work out at my gym. Here's why:

1. If you are a worker bee like myself, you'll have to get up at 5:30 am, (maybe even earlier depending on where you live), to get here. If you appreciate the flexibility of a gym being open morning noon and night, or studios that offer classes at various times, this might not be for you. Boot camp is great if you are an early riser who likes to stick to a set schedule of waking up before dawn. For me, it was painfully difficult to drag myself out of bed at that hour to run around in the cold.

2. The outdoors is nice and all, but they have class rain or shine. Personally, I wasn't thrilled about putting my yoga mat on the dirty ground. Or doing push ups on a track in the park. AND I have to lug around my own hand weights? Some of you may be a bit more rugged than I am, but for that kind of money I want a clean studio with a roof .

3. Lastly, I was hoping for a great instructor. I can run around outside solo anytime, but having a motivating and engaging instructor is a main reason to shell out for classes like this. I give them credit, it was nice that they sent an apologetic email the time we got kicked out of the Kezar track or the time our instructor never showed up. Perhaps I'm picky, but in the last year of trying various classes all over this city, I have only found ONE instructor out of at least a dozen that was worth the price tag. You know it when you find that person, it's like going on a string of bad dates and finally finding someone you jive with.

Many of these boot camps offer a free session or two as a trial, and there is no harm in trying it out for yourself. There are so many Yelpers just RAVING about AlaVie, and you might find yourself part of that group. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

• 74 friends
• 174 reviews

• Sarah P.
• I work 45 hours a week to be this poor
• Chicago, IL, USA

11/17/2008

Waking up at 530am every other morning? Got used to that
Working out to the point of exhaustion then having to go to work? Got used to that too
Being constantly pissed off because the "trainers" would rather talk amongst themselves then lead a workout? I could never deal with that one.

It's a great concept, and I started to really get in shape using this program. I'll never do it again, though, because of the trainers we had for our group. Apparently, our group was a tester group for new trainers. Lucky me. The girls were younger than me (and I'm not that old) and acted like it. I would have really appreciated a boost from a spirited leader at 5:30 in the morning instead of  grumpy girls who talked to themselves and read off of a piece of paper to tell us what to do next.

Heather and the new coach that came in at the end (forgot her name) were great, which would be the only reason to return. I hope the other 2 girls learn how to motivate people - since, you know, it's their JOB.

• Elite '12
• 150 friends
• 186 reviews

• Bert M.
• Puppets love me.
• Seattle, WA, USA

4/22/2008

I got married last September.  I hired a personal trainer, quit eating Thai food and ice cream for every meal, and was in the best shape of my life.  I'd been in pretty good shape before due to rock climbing and a fairly active lifestyle, but I was f*cking rockstar hard after three months of training for the wedding day.

It's pretty silly really, training to walk about 10 meters down paved walkway to say "I do" and then go eat as much cake as you want.  But, I'm all about peer pressure, and the magazines told me to do it.

Fast forward eight months... and eight pounds.  I'd like to think it's not because I'm taking my hubbie for granted, but that I'm secure in my own body.  Blah blah mumbojumbo.  I turned into a lazy-ass.

Imagine my dismay when we received an invite to my husband's best friend's wedding in Kaua'i.  HAWAII!  I hate to admit, my first thought was of my whaleflesh in a bikini, not of the happy couple.

This jello is not going public, so I had to find a way to lose it before the last week of May.  As luck would have it, ALaVie Fitness had a boot camp starting in my local area for the exact dates that I needed to work myself hard.  I can describe the experience, so far, in three words.

Ouch.  Ouch.  Ouch.

That said, my pants already fit better.  I have shin splints due to the high impact nature of many of the exercises, but Jennine is good at giving alternatives for those who need a modification of the exercises.  I just don't use them because I don't want to look like a wussy.  (See above mention of peer pressure.)

Four stars because it's been nothing but good, so far, but I would like the classes to be a bit smaller and more personal.