Rise Fitness

My boyfriend and I have been training with Filipe since mid January, and so far I think we couldn’t have made a better choice. Very happy with our results so far and I personally feel like I have learned so much (exercises and food-​wise). I feel like this gym and its staff truly care about helping you reach your goals. They assist in your progress but don’t make you dependent on them in order to achieve your goals, if that makes any sense. They are awesome trainers and very knowledgeable at what they do, would highly recommend to anyone– whether you’re a gym rat already or not quite, RISE is a fit for everyone. I also love that RISE has a smaller feel to it (compared to PF or 24hr) and is full of all the right equipment for a thorough workout.
Even if you’re not interested in one on one sessions, they have thirty minute boot camp sessions throughout the week that are just as fun and challenging (affordable too!)
* for the record this is my first Unilocal review, this place is so awesome I just had to write one

great place and great professionalism… i have been having hard time to get motivated to work out again but Michelle has been great to get me in the door and kick my butt!!!

I came in here randomly to check the place out a couple months ago. I was very impressed with the knowledge of my trainer Michelle and I decided to give it a month or two. Since then I have seen a much welcomed transformation! She out me in touch with the right diet people as well, all in all my body and life are changing thanks to this place and my awesome trainer!

I first came out to Rise Fitness 6 months ago, resolved to lose weight that I gained from 5 years of «sitting-​behind-​a-​computer-​screen» type of work but unsure about whether personal training would be a right fit for me. I trained mainly under Filipe focusing on weight lose and strength building. More than just hitting the weights, we focused on what makes me gain weight to begin with — lots of food. I really really appreciate the balanced approach that Filipe takes when advising me on my food intake. Because let’s face it, we all know that the real battle is not just losing the weight but keeping it off. I didn’t feel miserable about my food intake, but on the contrary learned to enjoy foods that help me burn fat. Filipe was really thorough on meal plans, tips to fight those fast food cravings, as well as recommending terrific supplements, many of which I still use.
Each session was something different whether it’s the pace of the exercise, the length of the set, or the exercises themselves. The sets were challenging, taking into consideration the weight that I lost and the strength that I was building. And unlike brutal fitness programs, I feel like there was a healthy amount of challenge through each workout that gave you a great sense of satisfaction by the end. Activity and exercises were varied and even covered things that I didn’t expect like my ridiculously poor sense of balance as well as stretching.
I am happy to say that Rise has made much more than a nutritional/​fitness impact; I feel better about my person overall. Whatever your fitness goals may be Filipe and the Rise Fitness team will have a special program to help you reach your goal.

I have been working with Michele for almost three months and I have lost 30 pounds! Michele has worked with me on my diet and I could not ask for a better trainer. I conduct various musical ensembles which is tough on my shoulders and back as I typically do it about 7 hours each day. Michele has set up a rigorous work-​out plan to help me lose weight but to also increase the strength of the muscles that I use in my profession. It has truly made a difference in how I feel at the end of my work day. The facility is great and the entire staff has been friendly and welcoming.

Rise Fitness has transformed not only my body, but also my mindset about working out. My trainer Michele puts me through rigorous workouts that are unique to what I want every time I step into the gym. The trainers at Rise are passionate about what they do, and you can tell not only by there positive attitutudes, but also by the results of the people they train. I never have to worry about being in the gym and its overcrowded. It’s also in the perfect place close to all freeways. I train with Michele 3 times a week and am very happy with my results from where I started. Thanks Rise for helping me get back into shape!

Everyone here has a trainer, and the gym is accessible during hours of operation. I was lucky to have Filipe who’s the gym owner as my trainer. I appreciate his passion for teaching and patience. He helped me achieve my goals and somehow made me think I did it all by myself: D
I am the skinny fat type who wants to build on endurance and has never worked out a day of my life. I hated most exercises such as running, walking, lifting weights… I also ate out most time due to busy schedule. Filipe is patient walking through every step of exercise and meal planning. The great thing is that he works with you, never above you. Soon you realize you also want to invest in yourself as he’s devoted in helping you. He reads and updates his knowledge constantly and is open to new evidence based ideas.

I used to train at the gym with Michelle H, one of the trainers. She was great! She was very educated in her field and had a real passion for fitness. She had a fantastic personality as well! She was a joy to train with. My body saw incredible results from working with her! If you are looking for an amazing trainer, I highly recommend Michelle. She will push you to your max while giving you tips along the way to help you achieve your fitness goals. You will love her– I sure did!

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE! (Bait and Switch)
I scheduled a meeting with Felipe only to find out that the rates are actually higher then what we had spoken about via text. At the beginning of the meeting I explained to him that pricing was my #1 concern and that I needed to go over that first. Instead he chose to ignore that question and discuss other aspects such as dieting, daily activities and my fitness goals. He values his time and it’s perfectly clear once he goes over his outrageous BAIT-​AND-​SWITCH prices of $ 65.00 per session. What I don’t understand is why would he beat around the bush and not be honest direct and perfectly clear about pricing beforehand. He values every hour of his life at $ 65, so my time is NOTHING?
While I understand he is competing with major chain gyms, people like myself are trying to avoid the unscrupulous business side things. We are avoiding shady salesmen and just want a outright affordable honest caring personal trainer. He says he rescues dogs and that’s why he was 10 minutes late to our meeting. That alone should raised a RED FLAG and had me walking out the door but I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. It seems to me he cares more about dogs than he does people.
I do not recommend this place to anyone. This is not a gym its a TRAP! At first I wanted to hold it all in and just let it go. But this really annoyed me for days on end and need for others to know how INSULTING this can be.

I was very impressed with Rise fitness. From the moment I called to get more info I spoke to Felipe. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate as he was the owner. He took the time to talk to me and get to know me and answer my questions even though they were closing up for the day. I really liked his set up. It’s a small gym, not crowded which felt way more comfortable to work out in. They cater the work outs to you so it meets your needs and desires.
He set me up with Cindy to be my trainer because he felt her work out training style was the best fit for me. I loved Cindy and she introduced me to new apps and helped give me guidance with more than work outs but diet as well. She has a spunky personality which made the work outs fun.
This gym seems to cover all the bases and even as an athlete there was still so much to learn from these guys.
Unfortunately I had to relocate, however if I was still living in the area I would definitely be working with Cindy and supporting Felipe’s business.
Great people great set up, great workouts, great diet plans etc.

I have been training with Cindy Mac for about four months now. I am incredibly happy with the results and look forward to continuing my weekly routine at Rise Fitness! Cindy is just the right amount of motivating without being a drill sergeant. She is very sensitive to a neck injury I had and has tailored my sessions to achieve maximum results without putting my neck at risk of being injured again.
Cindy’s personality and wide range of exercises makes going to the gym enjoyable, which isn’t something I thought was possible. In addition, the meal plan prepared for me by the Rise Fitness team helped with the personal results I was looking for. The Rise Fitness facility is extremely clean, packed with every machine and free weight you could need, and is never over-​crowded like a traditional chain gym.
I would highly recommend Cindy Mac and Rise Fitness!

I am about six weeks into working with Ashley and the Rise Fitness team, and it’s all that I was looking for.
The core, of course, is those training sessions. Ashley does a great job of preparing individually for each session so they remain fresh and challenging. She has specifically tailored the regimen to my starting point (and now, my progress) and my objectives. During each session, she works well as a blend of coach, cheerleader and taskmaster. As a result, the progress has been great!
It doesn’t stop just with the sessions. I’ve been given an overall program, including nutrition objectives and hints to complement the workouts as I move toward my goal. Working with Filipe, Ashley actively monitors my nutrition and other exercise via MyFitnessPal, regularly offering suggestions and feedback.
Implementing Filipe’s vision, supported by Cindy Mac as my alternate trainer, Ashley is providing exactly the training that I sought and, as a result, I am achieving my goals faster than I expected. I’d happily recommend Ashley and Rise Fitness to anyone that’s serious about improving their health and conditioning.

I have been training with Cindy for the past 4 months and couldn’t be happier with my experience. I have had experience with other trainers at larger gyms in the past and their dedication doesn’t even come close to the passion and professionalism the trainers at Rise have.
Overall have lost about 15 pounds since starting with Cindy. I have gained strength and definition with her workouts. She always keeps the workouts challenging and new incorporating fun and effective routines. Also she genuinely cares about your progress by checking in even on my off days.
The gym overall has a great variety in equipment that you normally don’t see in the larger gyms. The other trainers are professional and friendly. I recommend Rise Fitness and Cindy to anyone looking to get results!

I started working out with Cindy Mac in August of 2013 and I cannot tell you how much stronger, more fit, and more confident I feel. Both Filipe (the owner) and Cindy Mac are true professionals who are committed to helping you achieve your goals.
Everyone thinks they can do it themselves, that they can join a gym or a weight loss program and it will be easy. Well, we both know that doesn’t work. How much money have you wasted on a gym membership where you didn’t go? That will NOT happen at Rise Fitness, because Cindy will work with you one-​on-​one to find the best fitness routine and exercises that meet your needs. At Rise Fitness, they don’t just take your money and give you an «easy» work out, they really push you and you before long, you can see yourself getting stronger, doing more than you ever thought you could before, and that will translate to more self-​confidence, more ability, and the desire to do more. Before long, you will even enjoy working out and look forward to it!
Trust me when I say that I am not a «gym rat» and I never loved going to the gym and being stared at while I tried to figure out the machines. Cindy Mac makes you feel competent and able, never stupid or weird, and yet she will push you to be the best that you can be. You owe it to yourself to give Rise Fitness a call.

Hey Bootcamp peeps!
I have been to many bootcamps thinking i was getting the best attention ever and a good workout. The truth is; I was going home more tired; sore; and because the classes were so big I didn’t get the attention required from the trainers and ended up getting injuries.
Being middle aged; it was hard for me to lose weight and finding the right fitness program was frustrating. I started with Rise Fitness and started training with Cindy Mac. That was the best decision I could of ever made. I have lost inches, pounds have energy; but most of all Cindy makes sure you are doing things properly so you won’t get injured and I didn’t have to do 100 dips, 50 burpee’s, OR 50 leg raises!
Cindy finds the best workout program for you and makes it fun at the same time; most importantly she cares for her clients.
If you are frustrated losing weight and are serious about getting results; Cindy will make sure you get the support you need, design a workout program just for you and give you nutrition advice to help you find the success you have been waiting for.

I just completed my second week training of with Ashley. She is awesome! I have been challenged in many ways these past two weeks and have already seen a weight loss of 4 lbs! The training plans that Ashley has produced for me have been great. Each session the training is a bit more intense as the one before. She listened when I explained to her the areas I wanted to work on and what my goals were. Ashley is tough when she needs to be (I sometimes need that motivation) and super supportive at the right times. She offers advice on nutrition and diet as well, which I have found most beneficial in conjunction with the workouts.
The gym is very nice. It’s clean and doesn’t smell weird (like some of the huge chains out there). The best part is– no wait times or dealing with any weirdos. The rest of the staff there is also very friendly and engaging. I highly recommend Ashley as a personal trainer. What she has done for me and what she can do for you will be worth every

The best fitness center around. I train with Cindy she is a fantastic. Been to several trainers over the years and she is the most caring instructor. I have knee issues and she makes sure that the exercises are appropriate.

Let me start by saying that I have found Unilocal to be a less than reliable source in the past but I can assure you that what everyone said here about Filipe and the entire Rise Fitness team is true and then some. So, since its all true, rather than repeat what everyone said I’ll tell you the other stuff you want to know.
The workouts are customized to your specific needs even if you are training with a partner as I am.
The workouts are very challenging but doable and you will not only feel amazing after you will feel like you accomplished something monumental. Great for self esteem!
In very short order your body will transform into what you have always hoped for and just couldn’t achieve on your own.
You will develop strength of body, mind and character.
Filipe is the MASTER of variety. You will never be bored. I’ve been working out with him since April 2013 and I can honestly say that I never know what to expect and often he is having me do something I have not done before. That is a feat considering I see him 2 – 3 times per week!
Lastly, Filipe is just an amazing person. Kind, caring, funny, passionate about fitness and above all devoted to helping you get what you want.
I have a healthcare company and I have referred my patients to Filipe. Its one thing to go myself but for me to send a beloved patient, that says it all.
Filipe…you are ALL THAT!

I have been training with Filipe for three years. In the three years that I’ve been with him, I’ve gone from 160lbs. to 136lbs. I’ve run the Long Beach Marathon, the Surf City Half, the OC Half, and will be doing the Long Beach Half this year to complete my Beach Cities Challenge.
Filipe has been an amazing part of my continued fitness and works really hard to help me achieve my fitness goals. He even signed up to run the OC Half WITH me to help me achieve my personal record. With his encouragement, I finished thirty minutes faster than my normal time! This coming from a girl who used to clock a 15 minute mile in high school (walking most of it of course)!
It doesn’t matter what your fitness level or goal is, Filipe will design a personalized training regimen to fit your needs and restrictions. If you listen to him, you WILL achieve results. See my picture if you don’t believe me. Filipe did that. FILIPE, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

CINDY MAC… is an awesome person not just trainer. I’ve trained with her and she is friendly and personable. She’ll help you achieve your fitness goals, not just take your money, and waist your training time talking about her level of expertise like some trainers do. I’ve learned a lot from her, starting with the importance of getting your form down to ensure proper execution on exercise. I’ve trained with other trainers before, and by far my experience with Cindy has been the best, learned a lot! Never a dull session always pushed me and motivated me to reach my potential. Implementing cross fit style and TRX into my workouts. You will defiantly have her undivided attention and support to see you through your fitness goals!!!