UrbanKick

After years of hauling around 50 lbs of excess weight
(accumulated from stressful job where I tasted food for a living — YES, true — NOT in fact a «fun job,» contrary to what many may think)
I finally broke down and invested in sessions with a personal trainer.
I had previous experience with Shane at Urbankick through her Sunday run series and outdoor fitness boot camps that a colleague told me about for prepping for the Nike Women’s ½ marathon (yes, even chubby girls can run), and was always impressed with her technique, knowledge and style.
She knows her stuff. I actually transformed from plodding couch potato to «real runner» who can charge up hills! AMAZING how strong your body gets with the RIGHT fitness activity and guidance.
So when I decided to take a sabbatical to focus on my wellness and a few other things, I sat down with Shane and asked her to help me shed 40 lbs in 4 months.
Here’s the deal — unlike many personal trainers you may see on TV who yell at their clients and get all up in their grill and drill-​sargent like, Shane is actually kind… and realistic.
She talked me down from my ledge and encouraged me instead to focus on more gradual weight loss (because let’s face it, I’m not 18 anymore, late 30s here), along with good «clean» nutrition (food journaling, avoiding processed stuff), and increasing the frequency and intensity of my physical activity.
She also encouraged an approach that would be «sustainable» vs. one that would burn me out and or have me reaching for the cheetohs. So we worked out my plan:
1 Personal Training session per week with Shane wherein booty gets high-​intensity kicking (always a different routine/​mix of moves– never boring)
Change-​up of cardio (treadmill, stair-​climber, etc.) with a mix of intervals and endurance, along with classes I can take at the gym (spin, body pump, zumba), on all other days of the week.
No refined carbs (breads, pastas with the exception of whole grains), «clean foods», and food journaling with a target of 1400 calories per day.
It is now 7.5 months later and… drum roll please…
I am 30 lbs and 3 pant sizes down, I have definition on my arms, I can run a sub 10-​minute mile, and I actually see and feel little abs forming underneath the last remaining fluff on my tummy. When I run into people I haven’t seen in a while they are TOTALLY. BLOWN. AWAY.
Here’s the deal — did I follow every thing letter perfect? No — and Shane told me as much «you still have to live.»
I still enjoy a good beer, a good meal with a little pasta, and a nice little dose of chocolate every now and then, but NOW it’s in a way that is sensible and doesn’t leave me feeling bloated and gross.
Do I workout EVERY day? Nah — sometimes your body just craves a break, but being physically challenged and getting super-​sweaty is now officially a part of my life, so I can’t imagine ever going back to my previous wussy workouts consisting of 30 mediocre minutes on the treadmill.
I have 20 lbs to go, and I KNOW I will get there.
So if you’re seeking a Personal Trainer, I totally recommend Shane — it’s a personality thing too.
For someone who is super-​fit, she has no vanity or judgment (a big plus for those of us gals who are on the bigger side of things) and truly gets jazzed about seeing her clients’ progress. Plus, she’s funny and will try to cleverly distract you with stories while you are sucking wind on the treadmill.
Enjoy your transformation!

Liking it. Shane is a fun little package that can seriousl kick some urban bootie. Of which I have plenty. But I’ve been told it’s cute, so I want to keep a lot of it and just tone it up.
She’s very flexible with the hours, so sometimes I do mornings, sometimes afternoons, make up on sat’s what I can’t do during the week. Which is super nice, b/​c the other bootcamps that I’ve seen around here can’t do the same (not as many times offered). class size is small, which means she’s constantly watching and I need that watchful eye to keep me going.
Rain or shine, this isn’t for wusses, but there are all shapes and ages and she’ll adapt things to meet your needs. Different exercises to keep it interesting.

I joined UrbanKick’s first class a little over two years ago and am forever a fan. I thought I was in shape before… for at least four years I went to the gym religiously at 4+ times a week– used the precor and treadmill and ocassionally attended a spin class. I’m not going to lie– I was a complete gimp after that first Saturday. This was a clear indication that I spent the last few years delusional. I was in a comfortable routine that helped maintain my weight, but did little to improve my ability or actually change my body.
I’m so thankful that I’ve been going to bootcamp since because Shane reminds us of every day that it should NOT be easy. Every day is different– one day we could be running the lake with resistance training sprinkled throughout. The next day could be doing a circuit with hill sprints, pushups, tricep dips, ball toss, abs. She is there to push us to our limits and motivate us to reach our goals — whether it is to slim down or get stronger, etc.
It’s really cool to see how people’s bodies have transformed… I know that I am much more lean and toned these days… and my friends and family even say I look younger! The comraderie is also a huge plus– everyone has different strengths and abilities, so it has been a very positive environment to be around. So in summary, if you want to get out of your fitness plateau, lose weight, get stronger, look younger, and be around awesome people, check out UrbanKick.

UK is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time! I was an expert couch potato before finding Shane last summer. It’s true, no matter your fitness level, the workout will be adjusted to suit you. Shane manages to push you without breaking you or discouraging you, but she won’t baby you either. This ain’t your momma’s mediocre bootcamp! Everyday is different, which is great for people like me who suffer from boredom and mild ADD. Not only are the locations varied around Lake Merritt, but the workouts are ever changing as well. She often brings in new equipment and new exercises to add to the mix. The hour is always tough, but never the same. Besides, the actual ass kicking workouts, Shane is also super easy to get along with and really knows her stuff. Be prepared for lots of cardio, push ups, and resistence training. There is no time to rest, so if you like standing around, this is not for you. But, hey, you can stand around and look much cuter after you take this class!

I did Urban Kick for about a year and totally loved it. Shane is fun, funny, motivating, knowledgeable, and just really great at what she does. The class is different every day so you never know what you’re going to get and it’s always interesting. She provides personal attention and will happily modify the program for you if you’re just getting started or if you have injuries; she really knows her stuff and won’t let you injure yourself or aggravate existing problems. But mostly she fosters a sense of camaraderie and humor that makes working out fun. Highly recommended.

I’ve been working with Shane for 6 years and can testify she can make a silk purse from a sow’s ear. Shane stays current with the latest fitness techniques/​research while also having a very understanding attitude. Super encouraging and non-​intimidating, and also ready to push you hard when you’re ready. Shane know what gets results, and is a good laugh to boot.

Okay, Shane is teaching an outdoor fitness class at Lake Merritt. This is unbelievably good news for the Oakland crowd. Her classes at UCB are so packed that, after years of turning away disappointed students, they finally had to give her an entire double gymnasium to teach in. I pretty much hate aerobics classes, but was dragged to Shane’s kickboxing a couple years ago and am a little embarrassed to say that now I cannot live without it. As in: I plan vacations around the kickboxing schedule. So as to not miss a single class. Shane is great at making things work for all levels– lazy types, obsessive-​work-​out types, injured types, and everything in between– which I know because I’ve been all of those types. Somewhere between the lazy and injured phases, just out of obsessive-​work-​out phase, I started personal training with Shane too, which– if this is possible– was even better for my life than her classes. AND NOW SHE’S DOING URBANKICK! I am resorting to caps-​lock because how else am I supposed to explain how fantastic this is? Shane-​workout at the the lake? My lake??? Even the geese will not keep me away.
And I hate geese.