AFP Center

I wanted to love this gym, and did initially, but after a few months the shine has worn dull.
All of the great things– and there are a LOT of great things– about it are listed in copious detail in the litany of glowing reviews that already exist, so I’ll just point out some of the things that aren’t so wonderful.
1. No dedicated bench press. Now, this wouldn’t be a problem since there are cages and movable benches, but the benches are adjustable. Therefore wobbly. Therefore unsafe. Even if there was a dedicated flat bench, the padding on the floor inside the cage would make it unstable. This is inexcusable and a huge oversight since BP is the only major lift that has the potential to kill you. You want to hold a bunch of weight over your face while trying to balance on a wonky bench? Me neither. So, I have to bench somewhere else. Which is just silly.
2. The dip station is rickety as well and is a dip/​pull-​up combo job. Granted, I’m a big heavy dude, but this isn’t rocket surgery, guys. A good commercial dip station is maybe 300 smackers. Get one.
3. Weights are in kilos instead of pounds. I know, I know. But it’s annoying.
4. They have a sauna! Which is great! It’s infrared and only goes up to 140 °F. Which is less great. And they charge you $ 5 every time you want to use it. Which is way less great. Especially when dues are over $ 100.
5. You can call me a prima donna, but, in my opinion, there’s only one barbell in the whole joint that is suitable for squats. There’s at least one deadlift bar that’s good, as well. But the rest are… less than ideal.
6. Those wobbly benches are just as wobbly when you want to do some dumbbell work.
7. It has a brilliant, fantastic, essential, lovable 90 ft long Prowler sprint track… with an ancient, hand-​cobbled sled that lacks low-​position handles to push on it.
8. It doesn’t open until 6am. Good lord, half the day is gone by then.
Now, the big question: Is this the best gym in Santa Monica? As far as I can tell, it is. Is it the best gym ever? Unfortunately, no. Could it be? Yes. And without too much effort/​expense.

Awesome gym, great equipment, friendly staff and extremely military/​veteran friendly.

This is the greatest gym I have ever encountered.
I was visiting Santa Monica and in need of a gym. So I went here. I peeped inside and thought it was closed, because there was nobody there. But it wasn’t closed.
I HAD THE ENTIRE GYM TO MYSELF!!!
Huge, airy, and full of sunlight. I had an incredible leg day, free of onlookers. It felt as though I was lifting in someone’s lovingly curated private gym. No music playing either! I blasted Intl’ Player’s Anthem in my headphones.
Bring your own towel. Be respectful of the equipment.
Deadlift to your heart’s content. Admire your pump in the mirror.

I have been going there about a month and I absolutely love it. Great gym, awesome staff who really cares, clean and well kept equipment, parking, showers, great environment, … It’s everything you’re looking for in a gym. Definitely worth checking out!

The best gym I have ever been to, period. The staff is nice and the equipment they have here is unlike any gym. It’s also the cleanest gym I have ever been to as well. I hate when I have to travel because I can never find a facility like it.

Facilities are clean and well-​maintained, somewhat sparse and expensive but this is Santa Monica, after all. So why the one-​star? Because of the personnel.
I asked for a 1-​day prorate because on 12÷13÷14, there is a seminar on which the gym is closed to the public, and there was no time when I would be able to come in. Seems reasonable, right? Not for the staff here! They immediately– And I mean between sets immediately– CANCELED MY MEMBERSHIP.
My sins? Not properly «respecting» the gym, including forgetting to move a handle away from the cable fly machine when I was done, and moving a bench away from the same without remembering to put it back. Receptionist made sure to tell me that she was «busting her ass» because of this.
In other words, exactly what everyone forgets to do 10% of the time. A ridiculous and childish reaction.

Awesome! I went in there for the first time today. If you are a serious lifter, you will love this place: tires for flipping, a 30 meter indoor sprint track, numerous Olympic lifting racks and bumper plates, everything you would need. It also had like handicapped people working out, so they have therapy too. I love the fact that their is no retarded music blasting on the PA system, and it is just a big, huge healthy open-​air gym atmosphere. Strongly recommend this gym.

I like AFP because there are no long waits for the equipment. They have open air ventilation, which keeps the gym smelling fresh. It’s not a chain, and the owners are very nice and knowledgeable about diet and exercise.

INCREDIBLE. I had searched high and low for a place in Santa Monica (or even Westwood/​Los Angeles) for a place with Olympic lifting platforms. I really was just searching for that in a gym but couldn’t find anything. I mean anything. Velocity had platforms but you weren’t allowed to drop the weights. Other than joining the dark side and going to a crossfit gym I thought I was out of luck but then I found AFP. They let me try the gym out for a day and it was like a dream. Four beautiful platforms, IVANKO plates, kettlebells everywhere, sleds, bags, and quite literally anything else you could want in an athletic facility (that’s coming from a former college athlete). I can’t recommend this place highly enough after barely even going there. I will go for six months and then see where I am financially, but I just want to be there all day forever. Everyone who works there is very nice and personable, just looking to help you in any way possible. More places should be like this. Thanks AFP.

It’s hard to express how highly I recommend this place. I have had severe low back pain for 14 years. I have seen at least 6 doctors, four physical therapists, and all the rest. An MRI showed I had two bulged discs and a partial tear of a third. For the last five years sitting and walking for more than twenty minutes at a time was painful. Of course all of the doctors recommended surgery and I recently felt I had no other options. In January things got worse when my back seized up so bad I was almost completely unable to move for three days. A friend told me to go see Peter Rouse at AFP. It has changed my life. I am completely pain free and feel better than I have in 14 years. It has been truly unbelievable. Peter has an understanding of the body that I have never encountered from the PT’s and a far broader approach to healing than the narrow views of doctors. Through his manual therapy where he loosened up my back and immediately reduced my pain and his extensive strengthening exercises he has fixed the real problem and cause of all my back pain. I am now surfing, running, and swimming. Really enjoying life again as well as standing taller. I sent my father there for a knee problem and he fixed him as well.
The gym itself is fantastic if you are looking for a place to workout. Alicia and Scott are great professionals who are always willing to share their knowledge and wisdom. My wife loves training with Alicia. Their knowledge on exercise, health, and healing is truly excellent as well.
I’m at the gym all the time. Just come ask me how much I think all three have helped me. I recommend anyone come see them.

I have been going to AFP for about 9 months and I train with Scott. I love Scott, but that is another review that I will write shortly. I wanted to Unilocal to the world the experience I had today with Peter Rouse.
I saw an acquaintance this morning (he watches my cat when I am out of town) who is going thru chemo for esophagus cancer. He is having trouble keeping any weight on and that loss is adding insult to injury and making it more difficult to receive treatment. I asked him if I could take him shopping since he does not have a car. As we drove to the grocery store I learned about his background. He studied training and biochem, worked in health food stores and was a vegetarian for 20 years. All of a sudden it clicked in my head that Peter might be the perfect guy to recommend supplements to help him get weight on, and boost his system while these treatments reaped havoc on Ken’s body. I called the gym and although he and Alicia were on their way out, they offered to stay until I could get there.
I guess I would call Peters knowledge «wellness and alternative care». His education is very diverse and physical training background outstanding. (I can say the same for Alicia and Scott too) Peter talked to Ken and offered advice and recommendations that Ken does not get from doctors or nutritionists. They communicated on an educated level and the compassion without condescension brought me to tears. Peter was able to talk to him about the best delivery methods and could adjust recommendations based on whether or not Ken could tolerate capsules, affect nausea and acidity levels and things I did not consider. He did not go crazy, telling him to buy a million things, but started him on a plan to boost his immunity, get some weight on, address his liver and everything else I did not understand. He did this from the goodness of his heart and the desire to help someone he had never met before. His knowledge in this field is unsurpassed and I saw it in action today. I pat myself on the back for thinking of Peter, he doesn’t know me very well, I just work out in his gym. But the care and time he took blew me away and I will never ever forget what I saw from him today.
Not only is AFP a fantastic gym and private training facility– but uniquely qualified to guide your physical, emotional and trauma or injury related health.

This place is absolutely amazing!!!
Peter/​Alicia and staff are simply the best. They truly care about the person and help them fix/​get to the route of their problems and help them get optimal. I went to them with really bad digestive issues due to the foods that turned out i was allergic to. With their advice and plan i felt tremendous difference in One Day on the program. Simple and to the point.
Love them to death and can never thank them enough for what they do.

AFP is the best gym in Southern California; unmatched facility and unparalleled training staff.
This coming from an athlete who is training for the 2016 Olympics. When I first came to the gym I was looking for a training staff that could oversee my off-​the-​water training, but quickly found that this gym offers so much more. They were able to help me overcome persistent back pain and modify my diet. Further, I am fitter than I have ever been and continue to be able to push harder. The environment at AFP is unlike any other gym. I realize just how good I have it at AFP every time I have to travel and train in the road. See you soon AFP!

From an Olympic Swimmer, AFP Center is as good as it gets! The combination of an extremely knowledgable coaching staff and a world-​class facility, AFP Center has been my favorite place to train during my 8 years as a professional athlete.
Whether trying to locate and heal an injury, or turning weakness in my races into strengths, it all was made possible by working with the AFP staff.
I would highly recommend AFP to any athlete trying to improve strength, speed, and conditioning and to anyone looking to improve general wellbeing. In the 2 years working wtih AFP I watched my performance reach it’s maximum potentinal and gained unbelieve core strength that was evident not only to me, but also to teammates and coaches at the pool.
AFP Center, hands-​down, is the best place to train in Los Angeles.

Peter and Alicia are the best of the best. You will not find any trainers as knowledgeable or as skilled anywhere. You will get the most accurate nutritional information and overall wellness care that you can find along with proper training that maximizes your results while simultaneously correcting posture and improving (and eliminating) pain.

Really great place to sweat! The proprietors will work you hard and make you healthier, and teach you as much you want to know about fitness and nutrition.
The BFS group class is tons of fun, and is only one of the great services they offer.
If you’re an athlete or need effective rehab, look no further. And if you just want to get into real athletic shape and have fun doing it — sign up for a group class!

Peter and Alicia are the people to go to if you need any help with nutrition, rehabilitation, or sports performance. If you are looking to make some real life changes and get some great results make sure you check out AF Performance Center in Santa Monica.

I don’t know what’s up with Unilocal,but they keep taking down my review for some reason. Anyways, thought I would re-​post because it’s a shame if Unilocal is playing around with the reviews and causing people to not know of this great business and great people in Alicia and Peter.

I strongly recommend AF Performance to anyone interested. They are a fun and supportive staff, genuinely dedicated to helping you reach your fitness goals! Workouts are tailored to your fitness needs, that change as you progress. They also provide the essential nutritional support most fitness centers neglect to inform you about. This was the best experience I’ve had at any fitness center.

My husband received an evaluation from Alicia, the owner of the center. I was really amazed how she quickly identified that he has flat feet by just looking at the way he was walking, and correctly diagnosed the back problems he has due to the flat feet.
I definitely have confidence on a trainer who will provide a correct evaluation, and customized the training program accordingly.