Optimized Fit

Being a middle-​aged woman, I realized I needed to start lifting weights after reading how strength training is best for preventing muscle and bone density loss among aging adults.
This lead me to discover the exercise protocol called «High-​Intensity Training.» I became familiar with this strength training method after reading, Body by Science. The book explained how High-​Intensity Training can be extremely effective at preventing muscle and bone density loss. In addition, it is extremely time efficient, with workouts only lasting 20 minutes, once a week.
Luckily there was a gym in San Francisco that offered such an exercise program.
I had never worked with a personal trainer before so I didn’t know what to expect, but all I can say is Andy Babkes has been a godsend. He is easygoing, considerate, extremely supportive, encouraging, and always professional.
On top of that, not only is Andy extremely knowledgeable for all things fitness, but he is an incredible health coach and nutritionist.
It’s hard to believe, but I’ve been working with Andy for almost 2 year now. During this time, I’m happy to report that not only do I continue to get stronger with each appointment, but I’ve lost weight and my health continues to improve.
I wholeheartedly recommend Andy. He is an amazing fitness instructor, health coach, and nutritionist. I truly feel blessed to be working with him.

Andy offers something unique in that his expertise spans nutrition, fitness, and general wellness with a mind-​body connection approach. This is because of his thorough education on the topics and intensive personal research that he’s done, as well as experimentation with his own diet and lifestyle. This means his methods are tried and true, and he passes his experience on to clients.
He has painstakingly researched to get to the bottom of the health controversies out there and has a lot of knowledge to share. This knowledge extends to his workouts as well; he’s zeroed in on the most efficient and effective workout there is. I always look forward to my relatively short, high energy workouts now and never have to drag myself to the gym, thanks essentially to Andy’s technique.
My absolute favorite thing about what Andy does is that he ties it all together holistically. In my personal experience working with Andy, this holistic approach took our sessions from dealing with the merely physical to the psychoemotional. Andy is definitely an expert at what he does and I highly recommend him.

Fantastic advice on healthy living from Andy with his deeply personalized fitness and nutrition coaching for the Silicon Valley tech set. His coaching has helped me become more self-​aware of my eating choices AKA diet.
Workouts are 20 minutes a week and I get the results I want. Highly recommended Andy for weight loss and body toning — I now have more definition and look better overall, thanks to his advice and régime.

Andy is a great personal trainer, and the short-​slow-​intense workout really… works! I came to him with the goal to do an unassisted pullup (never have before). Andy designed a program that in only 20 (super intense) minutes has helped me gain strength; and even reduce the lower-​back pain I’ve had for years. He’s appropriately encouraging and calm — and the workout is great for those of us over-​stressed folks who want a brief, HARD workout that shows results.
He’s a wealth of knowledge about a variety of health topics — strength, fitness, food/​eating habits, even sleep.
Little things are easy too — he’s communicative; simple online scheduling, free/​easy parking out front, and it’s a pleasant, private gym. I’m moving, or I’d continue with him because I know he could help me to that pullup (I’m on the way, haven’t reached it yet!).
Bottom line: I recommend Andy /​Optimized Fit highly — well worth the investment.

Andy is the man! I’ve learned so much about fitness and nutrition ever since starting with him. And I thought I knew a lot beforehand!
He’s helped improve my strength and body composition with just 20 minutes a week, showed me the proper diet to maximize my health, and goes above and beyond answering any questions I have.
I wasn’t even considering getting a personal trainer when I stumbled upon Optimized Fit. All I wanted was to find a more efficient exercise routine. Now I couldn’t go without this workout.

Just completed my first workout with Andy this morning, and it’ll definitely take a week to recover and be ready for the next one. This is the most intense 15 minutes of exercise I’ve ever experienced, on the best machinery available.
Any thinking person interested in getting stronger and leaner, and who’s frustrated with overtraining, injuries, lack of progress, and confusing diet, supplementation, and ‘cardio’ regimens should look into Doug McGuff’s BodyByScience, and Andy as a local resource to put it into practice.
McGuff is the fitness industry’s Billy Beane, applying real science and common sense to what actually produces muscle growth and cardiovascular fitness, and exploding years of ‘broscience’ in the process. He’s the latest and most coherent advocate of what Arthur Jones pioneered at Nautilus in the 1970s: brief, infrequent, and intense resistance exercise. These workouts are powerful medicine; you don’t need much (and shouldn’t be able to tolerate much, if you’re doing them right, which is really only possible under effective supervision) to produce the right effect.
I’d encourage anyone, young or old, bodybuilder or just plain health nut, who values their time and energy to go spend 30 minutes with Andy.

I did 3 to 6 days at the gym per week for 20 years. At times it was glorious. Only 4 months working with Andy, I can’t fathom that the Gym /​Cross-​Fit industry exists.
Nothing against people who want to spend hours each week going to the gym, but 23 minutes a week of Andy’s coaching and I am steadily and noticeably stronger every week. With cardio to boot.
He’s a great trainer with just the right amount of intensity and concern. Not above making adjustments and always concerned about safety.
If you’ve heard about Slow-​Motion workout but haven’t tried it yet, you’re wasting a lot of time doing anything else. And if you believe that your time is worth money, you’re probably wasting money as well.
Call Andy. Get stronger. Get healthier. Get 7 hours of your life back each week.

I come here weekly to train with Andy. I really trust his expertise in this unique workout. Because he experiments on himself or with trusted advisers, he’s consistently explaining new tips or «hacks» to stay fit and healthy either with diet or exercise– what a great resource!
He’s pushed my limits while adhering to what’s best for my body. The results have been wonderful. I’m able to maintain lean body mass, muscle and still look like a woman!
The studio is clean, good temperature, and has all the machines necessary to have a complete workout.
Plus, I can fit this into my workday. I train during my lunch hour and its perfect way to get out of the office.
There is no better option. Go see Andy today!

I’m only three sessions in, and I’m already hooked. Andy’s muscle failure workouts deliver a tantric endorphin rush like no other workout I’ve experienced, leaving me energized and spacious for the rest of the day, and each set builds more than muscle – pushing past failure demands focus, determination, and mindfulness.
Andy himself is a joy to work with. He’s committed to well-​being far beyond muscular development, and in each session I learn more about how to take better care of my body.
Will report back after my 10^th session with info on gains.

Andy is a gifted trainer with encyclopedic knowledge of fitness, health, and overall well being. I found the super slow workout to be a fantastic workout that will stress your muscles and improve fitness, with far less probability of injury than any other workout. I do think doing it once a week for 20 minutes is a plus and a minus: a plus for those with a busy lifestyle, a minus in that if you’re used to staying fit this alone might not seem like enough. But work with Andy and he’ll find complimentary workouts that are consistent with your fitness needs and goals.

It seemed no amount of effort with my physical therapy exercises could make a dent in my overall physical endurance. I panicked. I had hit a wall with physical therapy and I wondered whether it was possible to revive the level of stamina I enjoyed prior to my automobile accident. Over a year had passed since I managed to break six bones in my right foot, tearing 2 ligaments, and another bone in the left. Needless to say, I wasn’t running or skateboarding anymore. I had trouble walking great distances or standing for extended periods of time. The ease with which I used to move through my yoga classes had been replaced with the constitution of a two-​year old — think wobbly legs and drooling all over myself.
*** All it takes is 30 minutes a week. That’s it! Sounds too good to be true? I thought so too for I’m a bit of a skeptic. ***
I have managed to increase my physical strength by 30% in two months! I have never injured myself while training with him, despite the intense load on my muscles and the fact that I am performing a full body workout each and every visit. The strength I’ve acquired is functional. I’m back in the yoga studio with renewed vigor and even skateboarding around the city from time to time.
Granted, Andy is not a physical therapist, but the style of weight training he furnishes was the next logical step in my recovery. It’s quite safe and the results are mind blowing. I believe everyone can benefit from this kind of training.
Andy is always reading new material and I feel fortunate to receive a free education from him during each of our encounters — he’s a teacher, yet ever the student.
Andy is the man to see if you’re serious about improving your overall physical health!