Last Real Gym

The staff here is friendly and the price is reasonable.
The gym is just too dark and there isn’t a lot of room to do free weights. The people working out in front of the one bench press takes up a lot of room as well.
I didn’t dislike this gym, but I wasn’t a big fan. I had a free one month membership and definitely went there at least 4 times a week for that month. I’ve never encountered so many odd/​weird people in the gym before either, but I guess it’s expected in North Park.

Urban Body is really the last real gym. Fitness is a lifestyle there, and that is what I have been looking for in a gym. I don’t know much about fitness and what is best for my body, but I’ve learned so much from Bud, one of the personal trainers. He has an AMAZING bootcamp that will leave even the most fit, feeling sore! I highly recommend checking his classes out. You will not be disappointed! He does private sessions too, if you work better one-​on-​one. I am finally getting a better understanding about my body and its capabilities thanks to Bud and Urban Body. Go check it out!

I was a faithful gym member for at least two years. The employees were always nice to me. However, the equipment is outdated. The owner was so rude to me today after I asked to have the music turned down. The music is played so loud, you’d think you were in a dive bar with the dark interior and blue lights. He was so disrespectful and refused to turn the music slightly down, and basically told me in a round about way-​I don’t care about you as a customer and said thanks for being a customer… and go to 24 hour fitness (after I said 24 hour fitness doesn’t blare music). Too bad because I wanted to support local businesses, but I refuse to give my money to such an ignorant owner. I refuse to pay an establishment faithfully every month, and be talked to in such a rude way.

I signed up to Urban Body after my Navy dress blue uniform no longer fit me. In my twisted mindset I had no issues paying for personal training, but was too cheap to buy a new uniform. In any case, I was very satisfied with my time here. Kevin showed me how to do all the lifts that used to scare the crap out of me during our personal sessions, and Bud increased my endurance with his butt kicking Tuesday and Thursday night class. Unfortunately I had to cancel my membership as the location was no longer convenient for me after I moved.

My review is specifically for personal training at Urban Body.
I’ve been coming to Urban Body for about a year and a half now and I have no complaints. I don’t have a set schedule so my lack of consistency has always been my downfall when it comes to my fitness goals. I’ve been working with Jason, one of the trainers, and he writes a program for me to follow which gives me no excuse to have a great workout, challenge myself, and make progress. With his help I’ve increased my squat to 200lbs and my deadlift to 300lbs (from just lifting the bar) in my time here. I know that he does also work with a wide range of people with a wide range of goals (folks with weight loss goals, people recovering from injuries, Olympic lifters). I’ve met most of the other trainers and they’re all super nice and know a lot about training. I would recommend all of them!

So, it’s been a while since I’ve been in Urban Body (I used to work out there years ago when weightlifting was more my priority), so it felt good to step back in there yesterday to get a protein smoothie.
Yep, the Jimmy Carter smoothie was still great.
It seemed that people were in there to actually work out instead hogging the benches while they socialize or watch TV — although I did see a TV in there I don’t remember seeing in the past. (TVs in every freakin restaurant, gym, bar is a big pet peeve of mine. I don’t go to those places to be distracted or annoyed by TVs).
Just like I remembered, the staff was cool/​nice.
It seemed less spacious than I remember, but maybe that’s because there’s more equipment in there (which would be a good thing!).
If I had gym as a priority, I’d definitely consider Urban Body, considering it’s very reasonable $ 10/​day or $ 40/​month pricing and that people are there to workout more than socialize/​take up space.
One big wish would be improved ventilation/​cooling (but NOT a.c. blast or fans blowing on me!). I was definitely reminded yesterday how warm/​hot it gets in there in the summer, and I was only in there for a few minutes of not working out.
One DEMAND is that they stop using styrofoam cups.
It’s 2015 and they don’t know how f-​ing lame that is. Shit, I knew it by the mid-​1990s, and I didn’t grow up in some hippy or scientist family. Hasn’t the alarm been sounding about that since the 1970s?
I will DEFINITELY NOT buy any more smoothies from them until they change to some biocompatible (compostable, biodegradable) cups. I was disgusted when I saw him pouring my awesome Jimmy Carter smoothie into the styrofoam cup, but it was too late by then, the cup was used/​wasted/​to be discarded and the smoothie was made.
YES, mgt, I would be glad to pay the extra $ 0.05 or $ 0.10 or whatever for the more expensive I-give-a-fuck-about-the-environment-and-dumping-our-forever-crap-in-poor-peoples’-backyard cups. Anybody paying almost $ 8 for the luxury of having something made for them that would cost $ 2 at home to make (like me buying the Jimmy Carter smoothie) is an asshole if they bitch about paying a few cents more for the right kind of cup.
In summary, GREAT gym/​staff/​pricing, still too warm, stupid ass use of styrofoam cups (really? You don’t KNOW about Styrofoam, or you just don’t care?).
I recommend it as a gym, but bring your own reusable cup if you want a smoothie.

Really enjoyed this gym. Went here on a class pass for a core class. I was the only person who showed up for the class so it was pretty much a personal training session. The trainer was really nice, helpful and knowledgeable. Definitely will be sore tomorrow!!!

This is one of the last «real gyms» that exist anymore! This isn’t your typical McWorkout you’ll find on every street corner. It’s full of passionate people, and is at the same time incredibly welcoming to beginners.
I trained with Kevin B. And he was incredibly motivating and knowledgeable. His personable approach makes him easy to work with even it the workouts are pushing you to the limit! Love this place I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a serious workout.

Urban Body Gym & Juice Bar, is as good as it gets in a gym. I’m a woman who loves a serious body building type gym, so this being touted as «the last real gym», I must say I was intrigued when searching Google for a place to workout while on a mini vacation to San Diego, that had free weights, and was for someone like myself, who is not interested in «chain gyms» that cater to mostly cardio and where I have to wait in line to get to what I need.
I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but was hopeful, and was happily surprised that it had all I needed for a fabulous workout, and much much more, with the longest row of free weight dumbbells (brought a tear to my eye-​sniff), racks of pre-​weighted barbells, and along with these gems came well maintained weight machines, racks, bars, benches, and the most bangin’(yes, bangin’)music ever heard at at any gym I’ve ever been to. Truly, it ran the gamut from Disco, Soul, Rap, Pop, to every genre of Rock, and even The Ramones! Yes! The Ramones!
Now, onto the owner, Frank, whose friendly face greeted us every morning. What a great guy! He is so kind, so knowledgable, so approachable, so down to earth, and to top it all off, he does dog rescue. Love him. He even gave me a shot of wheat grass juice. I felt grossed out, touched at his generosity, and healthier all at the same time. (-;
If you are new to working out, easily intimidated by a serious gym, or even put off by the fluff gyms, this gym is not in the least bit intimidating, and I’m quite sure you could get all the help you need to get started on the body of your dreams, be it fit and firm, big and burly, or if you really just want a low key, welcoming place to get in some cardio to keep your heart healthy.
I also looked around the whole gym, and they also have plenty of Circuit training, or Cross Fit type equipment, if that is your bent. There is also a good selection of cardio equipment, plus some very roomy and surprisingly (cause it’s a real (-; gym!)spotless bathrooms, plus the juice bar, which is something you don’t see very often.
Oh, and in case it’s important, the parking was always effortless, my Husband and I never had to wait to use any of the equipment, and everyone, from the mostly regular humans like myself to the unintimidating muscle guys, were friendly. I love me some friendly! We came here every morning of our trip and I can say it was the high point of my day, and gave me license to eat the wicked breakfasts at Vintage Sol-​our excellent lodging.
I do have one big complaint about Urban Body Fitness, and that is that it’s in the North Park area of San Diego, and not in the Bay Area, where I am, because I miss it every time I go to my sad little gym, and even missed it while in NYC at my formerly favorite real gym, Steel. Frank-​you, and your gym are gems. Miss you…

This gym is right off the bat «O.G.» as kids these days say. Both the staff and your fellow gym members know their stuff and are often willing to help out should you be intimidated or have questions. Of particular note is how nice the staff are, going as far as greeting you warmly and making sure to tell you to have a nice day as you leave regardless of what they may be doing. The equipment is well-​maintained and most if not all gym goers here know their etiquette. I’ve actually never seen anybody take advantage of the juice bar, but it is nice knowing that there is one for those who are interested.

Their motto is «the last real gym» and when you walk in, you will realize why! If you’re looking for a place just to be seen and flaunt your latest «gym fashion,» you’re better off staying at 24 Hour or LA Fitness. But if you’re looking for some straight up raw equipment in a no-​frills old school gym environment, then this is the place to be!
There is plenty of equipment here that’ll help you reach your fitness goals. And you don’t have to wait for ages just to hop onto one of the treadmills or bench press. Whether is peak hours or not, you’ll always get what you need to get done!
Frank and his staff are very warming and will greet you each time you walk in here (come here enough and they’ll remember you by name). Keep up the good works guys!

«The last real gym.»
That’s their motto — and they mean it. This is NOT the place to go to chat and read a magazine on the tread mill while talking about pino grigio (Equinox).
This is NOT where the local high school football team hangs out (24 Hour).
This place encourages heavy weights. Encourages healthy fitness without the bullshit. The «real» part of the gym is the focus on fitness — not making the client feel pampered.
The facilities are clean, useable, and well maintained. The staff are very helpful and friendly. Frank Kole, the owner always greets you with a hello.
The gym has punching bags, spin classes, a powerlifting club, good selection of cardio machines, ropes, and plenty of barbells.
Everything you need — nothing you don’t.

The Gym: I love the old school feel to this gym. Its not overly concerned (or concerned at all) with how good you look or how out of shape you are. They are there to help you reach your goals. Plain and simple. The staff is always great at answering questions about certain lifts or machines. I can’t stress how comfortable the atmosphere was for someone like me who generally avoids gyms because of the staring, criticizing etc. For context, I have been a past member of 24HR fitness and LA Fitness. I have done trials at Chuze.
Personal Training: I started my journey with personal trainer Kevin Bush. I went in and did a fitness assessment and we did an at length discussion about my goals. Using that information we developed a training plan and narrowed the scope of what I should eat and how much of it (ratio of fat, protein, carbs etc). I want to be clear, this wasnt a diet. This was a targeted meal plan to help me achieve the goals I set. Eventually I was able to learn enough to continue to succeed on my own.
They do dog adoption days as well so there are regular pups on site which adds to the atmosphere (for me anyway).

Urban Body Gym is such a unique gym. I love the vibe and friendly staff and members. They always have such great activities going on. As soon as you walk in you can see clearly that they are involved heavily with their community. The trainers are very knowledgable. Great job!

I’m not a fan of the large chain gyms, the only one I like is Gold’s but there aren’t many in SD. I normally go to the gym in the late evening. Here I never had to wait for equipment. That was a plus. The reason I’m giving this gym 2 stars are because of the treadmills. They are outdated and often are broken. I’m a runner and go to the gym when I can’t make it outside for a jog. On few occasions I have had to switch to different treadmills before finding one that worked.

Ive been going here for a few weeks after moving here from the east coast. I wanted to give it some time before leaving a review, to be fair and to make sure Ive really got a ‘feel for it. Here are some bullet pointed thoughts.
— First and foremost, its in North Park and i can walk to it. Thats my #1 deciding factor… I wanted to be able to walk to my gym. So, if you live in this area thats about your best option (excluding some private personal trainer based gyms)
— Its certainly NOT a corporate franchise gym that caters to that demographic. I won’t go into detail, but if you’re someone that buys fashion work out clothes, you’ll probably not like it.
— Facility is clean, and the staff are quite friendly.
— Its rarely been very busy.
Overall, it does the job for me. Ive signed up for the classes they offer but I’ve not had time since moving here to actually go. However, the feeling I got was that there are normally less than 8 folks at these classes and that it becomes like a cheap personal trainer session.
Heres the deal. If you live in NP, this is your best bet. Perfect? Of course not. but I can manage my expectations in order to keep it local.
Feel free to message me if you have questions.

This is my gym!!! U can go in and do whatever u need to do without interference. No women trying to look cute and taking selfies, no meat heads half naked or creeps that won’t leave you alone. It is almost perfect. My only beef is they removed the yoga mats from the upstairs studio!!! Ugh. But aside from that, kettlebells, machines and the best part, u can get on the elliptical and people watch on University ave. Which is always a treat. Oh and the staff is super friendly. The guy who always says «U did a great job» when I leave instead of goodbye, amazing! Don’t let the looks fool u, if you’re serious about your workout then this place is it.

I’m not going to lie. I was skeptical and intimidated about walking into this gym. However, going to this gym has been an amazing experience. I only used it mainly for the personal trainers and treadmills.
Getting a personal trainer at this gym was the best investment I ever made on myself. I highly recommend hiring one. They are truly dedicated to your goals and go above and beyond in helping you achieve them. My work schedule has crazy flex hours, but they always accommodated my schedule. One of the best things I liked about my personal trainer was that it was never a boring day. Each time I went, I did something new, and each day I had a great workout. My trainer taught me good nutrition, new techniques, and was consistently correcting my posture during our work outs. I lost 25lbs and dropped my BMI from 36% to 21% over 3 months.
The staff is friendly, and always willing to help. The place is well kept, clean, and never cluttered. The equipment is always available and ready for use.

This gym is awesome! Everyone is super friendly and are serious about being there to help you with your goals. There is a great community vibe that you can’t get at a chain gym, like 24 hour or Chuse. There is a lot of space for weights and no pressure to rush through your sets. Even when it is crowded between 5−7PM there is still room. You can park in the thrift trader parking lot as well, which helps with the crazy parking in that area of North Park. The monthly fee is a little high for my cheap blood, but there is no initiation fee and you get a free personal training consultation that can really just be about helping you with your routine. If you live in this area, I seriously recommend this gym! Also, if you are a dog lover/​owner, this gym is super dog friendly and has fundraisers for pitbulls and events with you and your dog.
Overall, if you are looking for a gym in North Park, especially to do weights, then this is your gym.

I’ve been a member of Urban Body for about 7 months now. I’d highly recommend the place. The owner, Frank, is a genuine guy and is on premise almost every time I’m there. If you have any questions about machines or the gym in general he’s there to help. In fact, the entire staff is helpful. They have a good personal training staff and are willing to work with you if you are on a budget.
In my time there, I’m rarely waiting on equipment. This gym has everything you need from weights to cardio equipment. They also have classes in the upstairs studio but I’ve never attended.
All in all, thumbs up.