Personal Training
Start your journey to a healthier life without
extreme, miserable workouts.
Have you been trying to get healthier but don’t know how to do it
safely and without crazy workouts?
Fitness can seem so confusing and intimidating, but it doesn’t have to.
It should be simple, approachable, and sustainable. Too much of the "information" out there is complicated, misleading, or flat out wrong. So much so that the very idea of fitness being simple doesn't even enter our minds.
You may have already tried any number of exercise programs, videos, personal trainers, and who knows what else.
You may not even be sure you want to try this again. It feels so defeating. Everyone you see on websites and in magazines looks like a fitness model. That's not you. We get it.
We believe the most important thing you can ever get from a workout is the desire for another one.
That means a friendlier, more enjoyable,
and sustainable approach.
How about:
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Actually enjoying your workouts.
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Going to a place that helps you feel better, not worse.
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Knowing that you won’t get hurt.
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Feeling empowered.
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Feeling energized.
Or call us at 510-755-9191
We don’t fit everyone into a box or push crazy workouts on our clients. None of those things is going to give you the desire for another workout.
"Mitch and his team are dedicated to helping your reach your fitness and health goals (and helping you figure them out if you're not sure). They keep up with current information and techniques, and are the most supportive, compassionate, and realistic trainers I've worked with."
Erin M.
"I've been a member for over two years. I've spent the last 35 years trying every fitness organization and nothing has lasted. I've found a home here."
Barbara O.
A little further down you'll discover why our gym's a place our clients love, but first let me introduce Mitch and Tammy, the people behind Castro Valley Fitness.
Who are we?
Mitch Rothbardt (ACE Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified health Coach, Egoscue Postural Alignment Specialist, Precision Nutrition Level 2 Coach), whose bi-weekly fitness columns you may have read in the Castro Valley Forum or San Leandro Times, started Castro Valley Fitness over 12 years ago.
That was when he realized the
24-Hour Fitness model of personal training was..well…a problem.
There was:
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A focus on sales, not results
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An intimidating atmosphere
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Overpriced sessions
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Inexperienced trainers getting more sales training from management than training on how to help their clients
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A reliance on unsustainable, outdated, and extreme methods that beat up and, at times, injured their clients
He knew there was a way to help real people build long-term healthy lives so they could play with their grandkids, work in their gardens, go on trips, get off medication, and live their lives with confidence and vitality.
Tammy Schnieckert (ACE Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Sports Nutrition Specialist) has been in the fitness industry for over 15 years even owning her own gym for a while. She sold it in 2022, wanting to focus less on big-business and more on helping people on a more personal level.
She could also see a better way to help people regain energy, feel stronger, and give them more confidence to enhance their lives. The two of us have spent years training people of all ages, shapes, sizes, goals, and conditions and have figured out what really matters when it comes to sustainable fitness.
"I've been going to CV Fitness for almost 4 years now. I was looking for precisely this combination when I googled "fitness" and found Mitch. There was a phone number, so I called - he answered and we met the next day. The rest is history. I love the follow-up he and his trainers give me. It's always been about building strength and balance for me and the small group personal training works well.
Zelinda Z.
Ok. That's all good talk, but tell me what does work.
It’s not extreme workouts that make you:
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Nauseous
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In pain
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Sore for days
None of those things make you want another workout, do they?
We believe in workouts that:
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Give you energy so you feel great afterward
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Are appropriate, manageable, and fun so you want more of them
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Focus on proper form so you don’t get hurt
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Push you just the right way so you’ll make progress you can build on for years
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Focus on good movement to reduce or avoid chronic pain
Introducing the PFF Method!
We’ve created the PFF Method, which stands for Posture, Form, and Fun.
Using this method, our clients have:
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Reduced or eliminated chronic back, shoulder, and knee pain
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Gained strength (they don’t need help out of the grocery store)
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Improved mobility and flexibility (great for playing with the grandkids)
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Developed a joy of exercise (imagine looking forward to your workouts)
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Stayed with us for years! (Many of our long-term clients have never been able to stick to a fitness program before staying with us for years)
The PFF Method puts you in that magical zone where you make consistent progress, and do it sustainably.
One of the biggest misconceptions about fitness is how hard you need to work to make progress.
This is what can lead people to become intimidated or hurt.
Think of your comfort zone like a line.
You want to just inch past that line.
Your comfort zone
Work here
Not here
That sounds like sales talk. How do you really figure out where that "magical zone" is?
Well pull up a chair and I'll tell you...
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Contact us through our email, info@CastroValleyFitness.com, or call us at 510-755-9191.
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We’ll answer any initial questions via phone or email, and if we both feel this may be a good fit, we’ll schedule a convenient time for you to come in and meet us.
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At that meeting, we’ll talk about:
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You
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Your goals
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Injury history
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Any questions or concerns you have
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We'll do a short (5-10 minutes) physical assessment to determine any physical issues and an appropriate starting program. The assessment is completely voluntary as is everything we do.
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Based on all that, we'll suggest a way to move forward if we both agree we’re a good fit for each other.
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We agree on a schedule that’ll fit you and your life.
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We write a customized exercise program for you and coach you through it.
That’s it. We make it as easy as possible.
How do I really know if this is for me?
Fitness is not a one-size-fits-all thing, no matter what anyone tells you.
It’s not for you if:
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You want extreme results...like now! Those results don’t last and frequently result in injury and/or burnout.
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You can’t commit to two sessions per week or you have trouble being consistent. We can’t help you if you’re not here.
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You have a serious injury right now. We can work with many conditions, including certain types of chronic pain, but if you’re suffering from a serious injury right now, you may be better starting with some physical therapy. We always start with a one-on-one meeting to see if we can work with what you have going on right now.
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You’re not willing to push yourself a little. We’re never going to ask you to do anything inappropriate or extreme, but you will need to push yourself a little bit to make progress. (Take a look at the "comfort zone arrows.) We’ll make sure you’re pushing yourself appropriately, so you won’t get hurt.
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You don't want to be coached. We are going to coach you on your form to make sure that you don't get hurt and are getting everything you can out of whatever you do here. I promise, though, we're incredibly nice about it. We never yell or anything like that.
I can manage that. What next?
Just fill out the form below or call us at 510-755-9191 and we’ll see if we’re a match.
If we’re not, that’s fine. You won’t get the hard-sell, high-pressure sales routine from us. We don't do that. It makes everyone feel icky.
Contact us with any questions and we’ll be in touch in two shakes of a lamb’s tail! (That within 24 hours.)
"I knew I was getting stronger at the gym but the improvements I'm seeing in my life are even more meaningful.
Last week I took my daughter to the beach where she stepped on a piece of broken glass and got a cut on the bottom of her foot. I was able to lift her and give her a piggyback ride ride to the lifeguard tower a ways down the beach so they could clean and bandage the cut. Before I started working out, I don't think I could have done this without hurting my back. I
feel really proud of my commitment to my health and fitness."
Nina S.
FAQ
How much is your program?
Good question! It depends on how many sessions per week you attend and how long of an agreement you make, but our packages start at $209 per month for 2 sessions per week with a 12-month agreement. That comes out to about $26 per session. We also offer packages with 3 sessions per week and 3 and 6-month agreement lengths.
That seems like a lot! We get it. But again, if you break it down, $26 per session beats the usual personal training price of upwards of $75 or $85 per session.
I’m really busy. How much time will this take?
This is obviously a pretty individual question, but we usually recommend starting out with 2 sessions per week. The most important thing, particularly over the first 6-8 weeks of starting, is consistency and we’ve found that 2 sessions per week works great there. We can always add more sessions if things are working for you and you can fit another session in.
Is this going to work?
We will give you every tool you need to ensure your success. A great program, expert coaching, accountability, and a wonderful community, but at the end of the day this comes down to if you are consistent, work hard, and apply what you learn. We will do everything we can to help you achieve success with us.
What if I need time off?
Many of our members go on trips or need to take some time off from the gym now and then. We offer membership freezes and/or makeup sessions to account for this.
What if I don’t like it?
We understand that exercising isn’t necessarily everyone’s idea of a great time but we do our best to make Castro Valley Fitness a welcoming and enjoyable place for everyone. Our biggest successes are the members who tell us they’d never been able to maintain an exercise program for more than a few months before and have stayed with us for years. That being said, the last thing we want in our gym is someone who doesn’t want to be there. If you truly don’t like it here within your first 30 days, we’ll simply part as friends. No worries.
What kind of exercises will I be doing?
All of our programs are customized for our members, so we can’t tell you exactly, but generally we focus on full-body resistance training workouts using various tools such as bodyweight, bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, suspension trainers, and some other fun toys. You’ll be doing exercises that work your core, legs, back, arms, shoulders, cardiovascular system and everything else you got!
What if I can’t do the exercises you want me to do?
We excel in making sure that everything on your program is right for you and if we make a mistake we’ll change it. We will never ask you to do anything that hurts or will injure you. One of the many beneficial things about the way we do things at Castro Valley Fitness is how adaptable we make everything. We start where YOU are and don’t need or expect you to fit into any pre-defined fitness category. Exercise is not meant to be a punishment. It should be challenging, but in a good way! There are lots of ways to do things.
How sore will I be?
We hope not much at all! We’d much rather have you leave feeling like you haven’t done enough than have you feel like you’ve overdone it. One of our philosophies at Castro Valley Fitness is that the best thing you can get from a workout is the desire for another one. That’s not going to happen if you can’t walk the next day! Our goal for your first few workouts is to make you feel like you’ve done a little something, but in a positive and motivating way.
Are you going to yell at me?
No. What kind of person yells at another person who's asking for help? If your only exposure to personal training is the Biggest Loser, I assure you that our approach is nothing like that. I would never treat another human being like that let alone one of our members. As I said before, we find out where you are, what you want to accomplish, and we start from there.
What do I really get from joining Castro Valley Fitness?
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Your own program that we update about every 4-weeks to keep it fresh and effective
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Expert coaching so you’ll get everything you can from your program and won’t get hurt
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2 experienced and trustworthy coaches to ask any questions about fitness, nutrition, music, movies, books, dogs, cats, robotic vacuums, pizza, or anything else. (We may not be experts in all the above topics but we always do our best to help!)
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Access to an incredible, welcoming, and inclusive community of people just like you who are here to get healthier and have a good time doing it.
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Access to recordings of 3 important seminars:
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5 Crucial Things to Know When Starting An Exercise Program
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3 Moves For Better Fitness and Less Pain
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Nutritional Strategies for Regular People
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I’ve tried a bunch of other exercise programs/personal trainers/fitness books and nothing has helped. Why should I try again with you?
We get it. In 2022 the fitness industry as a whole had an estimated value of about $87 billion dollars. I’m guessing about $86.8 billion of that is pure garbage. There are so many people in this industry that make money from making all of this sound really complicated for normal people who are desperately trying to learn how to be healthier. With all of that as background, we completely understand your reluctance to jump back in and give it another go. All we can say is what you normally see from the “fitness industry” is anathema to us. We believe in making all of this simple, accessible, enjoyable, sustainable, appropriate, and empowering. We don’t subscribe to all-or-nothing thinking, crazy workouts, the no-pain no-gain mentality. And after all that, if you give us a try and don’t like us within your first 30-days, we’ll tear up your agreement and we’ll part as friends.
Do I need to change everything about my lifestyle to get results?
Nope. Everything we do and promote is about habits and sustainability. For your first 6-8 weeks, all you need to think about is coming in for your workouts. The biggest red flag we ever see from a new member is missing one of those first workouts. After that, we can talk about some other changes you can make, if you like. The most important thing, though, is always sustainability. If you can’t see yourself maintaining a change for the long-term, why bother making it? Besides, I’m not doing anything if I can never eat pizza again. Why should you?
Aren’t I too out of shape to work out with your other members?
Absolutely not. We serve a wonderful cross-section of the people in Castro Valley and the surrounding areas. Most of our members are in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and up. They have families and work or are retired and want to stay healthy and mobile and live enjoyable lives just like you. They come to Castro Valley Fitness to feel better. That’s it. We have all sorts of people here. Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Professionals and lots more, and everyone just wants you to succeed as much as they do.
There’s no judgment in our gym and we can honestly say that every single one of our members is friendly, kind, and supportive. There’s a better than average chance that if you’ve lived here for a while, you may know one of them, too.
My schedule changes all the time. How can I fit it in?
You set your schedule online week to week. You are not locked into a particular time slot. You just go onto our scheduling site and pick any open slot that fits your schedule.
Personal Training is subject to session availability. Times are as follows:
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Monday – 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am, 3:45pm, 4:30pm, 5:15pm
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Tuesday – 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am, 3:45pm, 4:30pm, 5:15pm
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Wednesday – 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am, 3:45pm, 4:30pm, 5:15pm
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Thursday - 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am
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Friday – 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am, 4pm, 5pm
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Saturday – 7am, 7:45am, 8:30am, 9:15am, 10am
What do I wear?
Whatever’s comfortable for you. Castro Valley Fitness doesn’t run a fashion show so don’t worry about it. I’ve been wearing the same workout shorts for about 10 years now! I even wash them from time to time!
I have another question.
Cool! We love answering questions. Feel free to email us at info@CastroValleyFitness.com or call us at 510-755-9191 and we’ll get right back to you!