Xodus Fitness

Rich is absolutely fantastic! I actually look forward to my work outs and I’ve made meaningful strides in my health and wellness in the last couple of months. Rich also takes care to understand your body and the shape you’re in and then creates work outs that are right just for you. I highly recommend Xodus.

Yana is a fantastic personal trainer. I have worked with her for a year and I feel stronger and healthier. She combines her knowledge of yoga, weight training and cardio to develop a customized workout for me. Plus, she is a fabulous, strong woman. I look forward to my work out and to seeing her each week. I highly recommend Yana and Xodus Fitness
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Yana is an amazing teacher and trainer. Her classes are fun, challenging, fast-​paced and energizing. I’ve been working with her for the past few months and feel my body becoming stronger. She cares about proper form and safety, and is very attuned to each person’s individual needs. She’s awesome. I highly recommend her.

Rich is very professional and organized. He is always punctual and ready to get to work when he arrives. It works very well that he is in and around SOMA to meet at the gym in my apartment building. He is a personable and non pushy trainer who has helped me achieve my goals.

I started taking Yana’s yoga classes earlier this year and the experience has been great. I wanted to go to a class where both my husband and I could go together. I’ve been practicing yoga regularly for about 3+ years and my husband is just starting out. In the past, we’ve tried a few all levels classes, but found it was either too challenging for a beginner, where not many modification options were offered or the opposite; not enough options given to take it go the next level. The one thing Yana does is take into consideration each students abilities and has a sincere interest in your practice. Teaching an all levels class and being able to recognize and observe each students abilities and offer modifications from beginning to advanced without sacrificing proper form is an art. Highly recommend Yana’s yoga classes, no matter what level you are!

Being a middle-​aged person with physical limitations (three back surgeries with facet disease, nine knee surgeries and a hip replacement) makes my fitness choices very limited. After spending six months swimming three or four times a week, the local indoor pool closed for the winter. I felt all of my hard work slip away. Walking as exercise is not an option due to hip and knee pain. I’d kept in touch with fitness trainer Rich Thurman after grad school, and when he came back to San Francisco with his wife Yana, who happened to be a yoga instructor, I wondered if yoga might be for me, and waited for the opportunity to schedule a private lesson when I was in the area for a back doctor appointment. I did so earlier this week.
You are probably wondering why you need a yoga instructor when there are videos and books out there. You need an instructor who can honestly assess your strengths and limitations, and who is able to adjust yoga techniques to your body’s needs and limitations. Not all yoga instructors have a clue about anatomy and physiology and working with injuries or limitations. Yana does.
You will find that yoga is not as easy as it looks, if done properly! During that first lesson, I actually felt (for the first time ever) the tiny spinal erector muscles in between each facet joint! Because I have facet disease as a complication of a two-​level lumbar fusion, it’s important I keep those muscles strong. Even with years of physical therapy, I have never been as aware of those muscles as I was during out yoga session.
Yana will create a program that works for you. She will modify the poses and movements and remind you of what muscle groups you should be concentrating on. She will point out things that your body is already doing well (I have more flexibility in my hips than most people my age!). She will show you how to do a pose safely and suggest ways to progress as you feel stronger and more confident with your balance and body.
When I told my doctor about my yoga session, he reminded me that it can be tough to find a yoga instructor who can think out of the box and who can assess and modify the practice to her client’s needs. I was already somewhat sore after that very first session, but it was a good sore. Two days later, I am able to do the whole program, with the modifications Yana suggested, and the stretching feels fantastic.
San Francisco, you are lucky to have a creative, caring yoga practitioner in your city! Without reservation I can recommend Xodus Fitness/​Yoga With Yana.

Rich is the best. Very easy going but has that fire to push you and motivate to drop the LBS. I have had many different personal trainers and his attention to detail to create a customized plan that works for me is his forte. Not to mention his dedication to accommodate our early morning hours at our residence. One of the best in my books. Definitely work with Rich if you don’t want to be fatty!

Yana is a rockstar! This powerhouse of a woman is yoga instructor, personal trainer, and a soon to be mom. I first met Yana when I took a few personal training sessions from her. I’ve also attended a few of her yoga classes. I am not a fitness expert and would much rather be cooking or baking than working out. However, I know the value of physical fitness and health. When my husband told me my personal trainer was pregnant (he was training with Rich), I was excited. I’m currently 5 months pregnant so I knew it would be good to work with a fitness expert who knows exactly what I’m going through. She is a no nonsense type of person, she pushes me to push myself, and is also pretty funny too. After a few personal training sessions I started going to their morning bootcamps three times a week (or at least I try). It’s funny being pregnant because while I feel like I’m getting better at some exercises, other exercise I either physically cannot do or I get worse at them every week. Yana is fearless and is still coming to lead bootcamp every Fridays (more of a yoga flow, flexibility day) and she is due next month! She is such an inspiration. If you are a woman looking for a good role model for a fit lifestyle, Yana is the person you should seek. I cannot recommend her more!

Rich Thurman is AMAZING.
I started doing personal training sessions with Rich a few months ago and it has been a fantastic experience.
Training begins with a free trial session where Rich discusses your personal fitness goals with you and sees what fitness level you’re at. He then tailors your sessions to fit your goals and to improve your fitness level, but mixes it up a lot so you definitely do not get bored. Every time I do a session with Rich, I feel like I’ve had the best workout of my life and learned something new. He has given me a whole new outlook on fitness.
Rich himself is a great person– a San Francisco native (yes, we exist!) who is dedicated to improving lives and is personally invested in this fine city.

This is an update from my 11/​15/​2013 review. Since then yoga has been integrated into the morning boot camps, mainly on Fridays, when Yana teaches and Saturdays at 10am. Being a novice to Yoga, I was skeptical of the changes but was pleasantly surprised at how intense yet doable the workout was. I’ve done the bootcamp for an hour then Yoga for another hour and even though I am exhausted, my mind and body are at peace, its a great combo.

An update to my review:
I’ve been unable to make it to the regular bootcamps of late due to various scheduling issues I’ve had on my end. But I am LOVING the connection I’m able to keep with Rich over social media. His workout videos on Instagram and Facebook keep me motivated and in the loop, and I’m able to try the exercises on my own time. And the focus on Yoga and wellness has expanded my fitness knowledge and abilities even more. Can’t wait to get back to it!

Yoga with Yana
I met Yana during bootcamp. She teaches yoga at Mission Creek Park for free after Sat bootcamps. I’ve been going to her free yoga classes regularly for couple months now. I like it so much I got together some people to pay for regular classes at my condo.
As for the bootcamp, I tried it out with the free 1 week trail and I’m glad I did it! Rich and his wife Yana are a good team, and definitely helps me work out different muscles. I exercise regularly myself~3 times a week, but the bootcamp pushes me harder than I would normally when I work out by myself. It helps that the bootcamp meets right in front of my condo building, too. It’s such a convenient location. The 6am M-​W-​F classes are too early for an evening shift nurse, but I like going to the Sat 9am classes. Rich is trying to have more bootcamp class times later in the day, so I’m glad I can start going to those!

I’ve been going to gyms for about 4 – 5 years now and generally consider myself a health-​conscious person. After attending this bootcamp program for about 3 months, I would absolutely recommend it for anyone who is looking to looking to start a healthier lifestyle. And when I say «healthy,» I don’t just mean getting ripped. Rich’s bootcamp is about maintaining a well-​rounded and balanced workout regimen. His program focuses on cardio, core work, strength building and yoga. With Rich, you don’t just get muscles, you get stamina and flexibility too. His camp has changed my perception of what it means to be healthy.
The benefits don’t end when class is over as well. Rich immediately identified where I could improve, gave me exercises/​stretches I could do on my own and followed up on off days to see how I’m doing. Rich seems thoroughly invested in my personal health and goes out of his way to ensure I’m truly improving. I appreciate the extra effort he puts in on off-​days. He has a way of motivating me when he’s not even in the same room.
Simply put: I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join Xodus.

I hate working out and not knowing what to do.
I hate working out and being unsure if I’m pushing my body to its limits.
I hate working out by myself as I’m never sure if my form is correct.
I hate working out and being bored of the same routine.
I hate working out and just not feeling very good about myself at the end of it.
Thankfully, I found Rich and Yana.
Rich Thurman and his wife Yana Ibrahim teach these classes every morning at 6AM at a park next to Berry and 5^th st. They’re always an hour long, push your body, and provide exercises that vary from class to class so you’re never bored.
Both of them are certified personal trainers with years of experience that really care about knowing who you are and how they can best help you reach your fitness goals.
Before I went to the classes, I had a sprained ankle. They knew this and adjusted my workouts so that I wouldn’t agitate the sprain as well as provide advice on recovering from it. I fully took that advice and today my ankle is sprain-​free!
If you’re wanting a class to lose weight, get stronger, and overall just feel and look good as well as have instructors that provide variety and great instruction, then you found the right class with the right instructors!
To sign-​up, just go to the xodus website, and fill out your information for the bootcamp classes. There is a 1-​week free trial so if you find that the classes don’t work for you after a week, then you don’t have to continue going.

Rich is an experienced, passionate trainer who pays close attention to each participant in order to help them achieve their goals. His workouts are well planned out and he provides all the equipment needed for circuit and strength training, depending on the day of the week. The class is held on the beautiful docks of the Mission Creek Park along the river!
It has been so long since I’ve used resistance bands and bungee belts, so my first Saturday class was really fun and I was also sore the next day! This bootcamp is definitely worth checking out-​the other students are all very friendly and supportive as well.

By far the best workout you’ll ever experience. Rich motivates & pushes you to your limits — in a good way :) Living in San Jose makes it hard to attend regularly. But enjoying his bootcamp sessions, made making that drive each Saturday morning DEFINITELY worth it. You leave feeling refreshed, motivated, strong & just confident that you had an amazing workout! Truth be told, we all want to make sure we get what we pay for, & w/​Rich you get EVERY penny worth!
Try him, you’re not going to regret it!

I have not always been the most fit person in the world. In fact, I was pretty sure I did not like exercise at all. But Rich Thurman was an important catalyst in changing my mindset and my body! He has such a comprehensive, consistent approach to fitness that he can meet you at your current level and push you to the next. I was amazed at how much my cardiovascular fitness and strength improved over time.
Beyond the great workouts, Rich is just a great person! He is a joy to be around, always so positive and kind, that you (almost!) forget how much you’re being challenged. His attitude really helps to keep you motivated. I would find myself looking forward to my personal training sessions, like it was meeting a friend for coffee.
These days, I consistently workout and I have maintained my weight loss. I truly credit Rich for giving me the start I needed.

Rich was my personal trainer about ten years ago, before he moved overseas. At that time, I was 40 years old and had inherited a small amount of money from my grandmother. I decided that before investing most of it, I would spend a little bit on myself, so I went to a local personal training studio near my house in Oakland. The owner assigned me to Rich, and we hit it off immediately. I was out of shape from a lifetime lack of exercise and very little motivation towards the physical. The time I spent as Rich’s client changed my life. At 50, I am now stronger, more fit and more active than I have ever been as an adult, and this is a direct result of the habits and the mindset that he taught me ten years ago. Rich’s success at personal training comes from the combination of two aspects of his personality: 1) he is engaging and interested in people; and 2) he is insanely driven towards the goal. Put another way, because he likes you so much, he will not fail to kick your a** repeatedly until you have seen the error of your former ways. He is the ultimate professional. I give him my highest recommendation. If you are looking for a personal trainer, he is the one you’re looking for.

Xodus Fitness is responsible for motivating me to workout again even though I am super busy. Rich is an amazing trainer, whether it is personal training or boot camp I am never bored as he blends strength training, circuits, stretching and yoga, he always very knowledgeable and knows how to motivate you. He never yells, just encourages you and motivates you when you need it. His workouts are appropriate for everyone as both my mom and I can work out with Rich and get a workout that is appropriately challenging and specific. If you are looking for a great workout with variety with a positive coach you have found it!