My Favorite Group Fitness Classes in San Diego
When it comes to fitness, I’ve tried just about everything.
Would you have ever guessed that I used to fake being sick as a kid to get out of running the mile in PE?
I remember when I was younger we had to do physical fitness tests every year. Do you guys remember those tests? They would see how many pull ups and sit ups you could do, how far you you could reach to your toes & the dreaded mile run.
I kid you not, I don’t think I ran a full mile without stopping until a few years ago. Which is funny, because I grew up doing gymnastics, swimming and then diving in high school. If you threw me into a pool I could do laps for hours. But there’s always been something about aimlessly running in a circle that hasn’t clicked with me.
Fast forward to adult-Erin. I’m a big fan of working out. Not only because it helps me stay fit/in shape and feel so-so walking around in a bikini every summer. But because it majorly helps with my anxiety and stress. I literally have to workout at least 5 days a week to keep my brain in check.
I used to go to the gym and kind of wander around, using workouts I made up or found online. Then stumbled upon p90x and Insanity. Both of which definitely still work, especially if you’re looking for something to do from home.
I personally really like going to classes. Getting out of the house and working out is my social hour. It’s when I see my friends and take a break from working in front of the computer in my home office every day. I’m also more motivated in classes. It’s kind of like having a personal trianer, for way less money & with other people there to motivate you!
So today I thought it would be fun to share my favorite group fitness workouts in San Diego with you guys!
All of the classes are available on Classpass, so if you’re a member, you can opt to try one of them. If not, you can get a free month of Classpass here. Even if you don’t live in San Diego, Classpass is a great option for trying new workouts, gyms and classes. You pay a monthly rate for access to workouts around your city. It’s great if you’re not sure what you want to do or like doing multiple types of classes, so you’re not locked into multiple memberships.
My Favorite Group Fitness Classes in San Diego
SparkCycle
SparkCycle is literally one of my favorite places on earth. Most people have some idea what spin class is. You get on a stationary bike and ride in a room full of other people. What makes SparkCycle different from other studios is that you ride to the beat of the music. It’s also in the dark, so it’s kind of like you’re dancing in a club with your friends. Except you’re super sweaty. Oh wait, that happens in the club too.
It’s one of the most energizing group fitness classes I’ve ever been to. First of all, everyone that teaches at Spark is amazing. Every teacher has their own vibe, style & music.
Sean is one of the most energetic, challenging & fun instructors you can take. I would say he teaches more of an intermediate to advanced level. You’re guaranteed to leave out of breath and super sweaty.
Kellie is one of the best fitness instructors in San Diego. I actually first met her at Orange Theory in Point Loma (scroll down for more info on OTF). She’s literally one of the kindest, most inspiring & genuine people you’ll ever meet.
If you’re just starting, I always recommend trying one of Danny’s classes. He’s super thorough, easy to understand and super motivating! He also plays some of my fave music because he’ll slip in some rock or pop-punk remixes!
I normally stick to a schedule and go at 9:45 in the morning at their Liberty Station location. But they also have a studio in La Jolla! Every instructor is amazing, so don’t stress on which class you sign up for. I also feel like the entire community of people who take classes is filled with some of the most amazing, friendly humans I’ve ever met. No joke, it’s where I’ve met some of my best friends in San Diego!
Renegade Fitcamp
Oddly enough, Renegade Fitcamp is one of the newer group fitness classes I’ve started going to. They have 3 locations in San Diego: Point Loma, Hillcrest & North Park.
The easiest way to explain what Renegade is: it’s a combination of lighting weights, group fitness/bootcamp & crosscut style workouts. The same kind of workouts professional athletes do, but at a reasonable price & still totally fun!
I really like that it’s the perfect combination of calisthenics, muscle strengthening and cardio. Its a group fitness class, but you kind of feel like you have a personal trainer.
The workout is an hour long and broken up into three stations. Each class has a combination of treadmills, assault bikes (I refer to these as barf machines because they make me so tired haha), a turf area with kettlebells, ropes and bands & a weight section complete with weights, resistance bands & TRX.
I really like that each day of the week targets a different group of body parts, so you’re getting a really balanced workout. It also makes it easier to do multiple days because different body parts are getting worked. On weekends, Renegade has METCON classes, which short for metabolic conditioning. It’s the hardest workout of the week and challenges every muscle in the body and usually has added cardio conditioning.
The workout is broken up into these days:
Monday – Legs & Back
Tuesday – Shoulders, Triceps & Core
Wednesday – Glutes & Hamstrings
Thursday – Chest, Biceps & Core
Friday – METCON (full body)
Saturday – METCON (full body)
Sunday – METCON (full body)
If you’ve never tried it, Renegade offers a 3 day Free Trial. I recommend choosing a week where you can use all of the classes to get a good feel for the workouts!
Orangetheory Fitness
Orangetheory is actually an international chain, so even if you don’t live in San Diego, you can try it!
Actually, Orangetheory was the first group fitness class I tried in San Diego a few years ago! It definitely helped me transition from working out on my own into a group setting. I really liked it because it made me feel more accountable. Signing up for a class ahead of time makes me less likely to bail. I also generally feel like I try a lot harder if I’m paying for something! I want to get more bang for my workout buck!
If an Orangetheory isn’t in your area yet, chances are it will be soon. The fitness franchise has over 1000 studios throughout the US and worldwide.
One major difference between OTF and other workouts is that you wear a heart rate monitor. The entire “theory” is based on the science of excess post-exercise oxygen.
What is noticeably different is that upon walking through the front door, a heart rate monitor gets fastened on my right arm, right below my elbow. (Usually, gyms just offer complimentary ponytail holders.) That’s because Orangetheory’s entire concept— er, theory —is based on the science of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. So throughout the class, you watch your heart rate on screens throughout the room. Through the class you go through 5 different heart rate zones of training. Zone one, or the grey zone, is very light activity and requires 50 to 60 percent of your max heart rate. Zone Five, or the red zone, is all-out effort and requires 92 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Coaches lead a workout that challenges you to push yourself to different heart rate zones. Which in turn creates an “afterburn” or increased metabolic rate after leaving the class.
Every workout is different but generally follow the same structure. You’ll split your time between strength training and cardio.
As I mentioned above, one of my favorite coaches, Kellie, teaches at Orange Theory as well. I also love taking Jolen’s classes, he’s extremely knowledgeable on all fitness, wellness & diet topics! He also Body Fat Test San Diego, which is a great way to learn more about your body fat percentage. He also provides custom workouts, meal plans and grocery lists catered to your personal body fat composition and goals.
There are a ton of awesome coaches and it’s really convenient that once you have a membership, you can take classes anywhere. This is great if, like me, you travel a lot and struggle keeping up with workouts on the road! Since there are so many locations, it’s really easy to sign up for classes when you’re away from home.
Barry’s Bootcamp
Barry’s Bootcamp is one of my favorite workout classes. There has never been a time that I’ve taken a class and left not thinking, “I have no idea how I just finished that”!
I actually tried Barry’s for the first time when I was living in San Francisco. And only recently realized there was a Barry’s location here in San Diego in Hillcrest.
So what exactly is Barry’s Bootcamp? Each class is different, depending on the instructor and what they have planned for that day. But every workout consists of 60 minutes of split cardio time on the treadmill and strength training on the floor. Unless you choose to go big and double up on the floor or tread. The schedule also varies, focusing on a different body sections each day and then doing full body workouts on weekends.
First of all, let me say that everyone who goes to Barry’s (including the teachers) have bangin bods. I have no shame saying that. Everyone looks smokin. Which initially is what nudged me to try it. If everyone is in such great shape, it has to be legit. Right?
RIGHT! I also love that the studio is super dim with red lighting. And has extremely loud music. It makes it way easier to focus and get into your own workout zone. It helps me stay interested, focused & distracted… all at the same time haha.
I was a little intimidated at first. But now realize I shouldn’t have been. You can literally be at any fitness level and is totally scaleable. And I’d also like to note that no one is watching you (except the instructors who are there to help). Everyone is so focused on their own workouts and getting through the hour that they don’t have the time or energy to watch what you’re doing.
My fave instructors are Dane, Giuliana & Brooke. To be fair, everyone’s classes I’ve taken are amazing. But I generally workout at the same time every day and happen to take their classes most frequently.
Yoga Six
Last but not least, I try to get at least one yoga class in a week. Which is a struggle for me. I love yoga, but tend to think of it as an after though. Which is terrible! Because it’s so important. Both mentally and physically.
I like Yoga Six because it’s not your typical yoga studio. They offer both yoga and fitness classes, but the entire studio, amenities & classes are super modern.
Yoga Six is also a franchise, with locations throughout the country. They offer six core classes, all providing different benefits. I love going to Yoga Stretch and Slow Flow on my recovery days. If I feel like a little extra workout, Sculpt & Flow is kind of like Yoga Bootcamp, adding weights and more cardio elements.
They also offer a great package for new members, where you can get 7 days for only $20.