During this global health crisis and quarantining, our physical, mental, and emotional health have certainly been challenged.
We feel incredibly grateful to belong to a community that has made such an effort to offer continued services in spite of stay at home orders, and social distancing. These business were quick to adapt to unprecedented circumstances and find ways to stay connected to their members and community. They’ve offered a sense of togetherness and wellness through their online fitness options.
Below you’ll find a list of 20 local studios, gyms, and fitness centers to chose from. Some of which you may be learning about for the first time. We hope you take the opportunity to try out a new exercise method with low-risk from the comfort of home, and hope you may even find a new favorite while your at it.
To health!
1. AC4
Local father and son business, AC4 opened their doors to gym-goers in 2012 as a certified Green Business. While they typically offer 30-minute work out classes in person, along with cardio and strength training equipment, they clearly cannot do so during the current social-distancing restrictions. Instead, AC4 has pivoted to their social media as a way to reach their members. You can now follow their Instagram account @ac4_fitness for written and video workouts that use minimal equipment to adapt to the home environment. They’ve also focused on motivating members to remain active by sharing helpful tips on Instagram for maintaining exercise consistency. The best news is AC4 is already advertising their new reopening rates on their home splash screen page! So sign-up now through their website to take advantage of this deal before they open again!
2. Aligned Pilates
Women owned and operated since 2015, Aligned Pilates is known for their intimate classes and home-like setting. Typically, you’d receive a hands-on class on a reformer; but Aligned has adapted to the current era of at-home workouts with more accessible equipment: light weights, foam roller, magic circle, etc. You can now register for a 2 week free trial of Mat Classes via Zoom. That includes community check-ins for accountability and access to their recorded classes and other video instruction. If you’re looking for a more personalized exercise method during these socially distanced times, Aligned also offers private sessions where you will get adjustments tailored to you and your home environment. Try out their Zoom classes for free today!
3. Beth Alexander Fitness
Established in 2010 while she was completing her degree in Exercise and Sport Studies at UCSB, Beth Alexander Fitness has led Santa Barbara patrons through building muscle tone, core strength, flexibility, and confidence – as well as eliminating back pain in the process. Because Beth has offered online exercise programs for some time, she’s used this familiar platform to provide a variety of 21 day pre-recorded workouts with sliding scale fees. If you’d prefer a live class, Beth Alexander Fitness also has a 4 week membership that grants you access to 30 minute classes 3 times a week plus meditations for only $24. That’s $6 per week – what a steal! If you still need convincing, checkout her instagram @bethalexanderfitness for regular video and written workouts free of charge.
4. Bond Fitness Founded in 2012 with a body-positive focus on fitness, and nutrition, Bond Fitness has continued to spread positivity during shelter-in-place. Though members sorely miss the large, community based classes, Bond continues to create energizing workouts through Instagram Live every day at 8am (@bondfitnesssb) that are available to everyone! They’ve also opted to host social Zoom meetings including Happy Hours to keep their members connected and supported by each other and by the Bond Fitness trainers. Follow them on Instagram today for regular workouts and encouragement!
5. Brazilian Cultural Arts Center of Santa Barbara
The Brazilian Cultural Arts Center (BCAC) is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit who empowers community members through arts education, inspiring creative self-expression to move beyond physical, mental and emotional challenges. With martial arts, dance, drumming, language and music they encourage our community to embrace diversity and embody self-confidence through classes for all ages and levels. They are offering online classes through Zoom for Afro-Brazilian Dance, Samba, Brazilian Fit Dance, Adult Capoeira and Kids Capoeira. Zoom classes are available for only $15 for adults and $10 for kids. They’ve also expanded their classes with a Brazilian Cooking class and social hour coming soon. To see our online class schedule and sign up, visit www.Dance805.com/schedule1. You can also get a sneak peek of how much fun these classes are by perusing their Instagram @brazildance805.
6. Centerpoint Pilates
Since opening their doors in 2001, Centerpoint Pilates has given quality pilates education to Santa Barbara locals. Lucky for us, Centerpoint have moved their classes to Zoom, for the time being, at $20 per class without a membership. Like other pilates studios, Centerpoint has adjusted their reformer based classes to incorporate more accessible home exercise equipment (i.e. Magic Circle, light weights, yoga block, resistance band, etc.). They understand that their Zoom classes aren’t as good as the real thing, so Centerpoint has focused on offering support to their community by promoting stretching, foam rolling, and osteo strengthening exercises. Try your hand at something new and sign up for a class on their website now!
7. Divinitree Beginning in 2013, Divinitree’s spiritual yoga environment is easily one of the best yoga experiences in Santa Barbara. We are happy to report that they are continuing to provide the public with a variety of classes through Zoom. You can sign-up on their website today for Kundalini, Flow, Yin, and many more classes starting by taking advantage of their virtual deal for an unlimited week of any classes for $25. If you are an especially fortunate yogi, you should also consider the sponsor membership; with this, you pay only $118 per month for an unlimited membership for yourself and a friend who may not be able to afford a membership. It’s times like this that we should all consider giving a little extra if we can afford to, so help Divinitree re-open with greater ease and sign up!
8. Fit Buddha Through use of a Mega-reformer, Indoor Cycling, and more Fit Buddha has brought us a spiritually guided form of pilates for nearly 10 years. While their 19 weekly Zoom classes don’t use the larger pieces of equipment, Fit Buddha utilizes their expertise in Lagree fitness to combine strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility with overall wellness. By shifting in this direction, Fit Buddha is able to continue their mission to help bring the mind, body, and spirit together in an exciting and fulfilling way. Sign up for one of their 2-3 daily classes today to get a great workout and learn about yourself.
9. The Genius of Flexibility Founder of the Genius of Flexibility, Bob Cooley has studied the biomechanics of Resistance Stretching for about 30 years. Notably, his unique approach to flexibility has proven to affect psychology and emotions of the patrons who invest the time to learn. Your fitness should take into account who you are as a whole, so try their flexibility and strengthening video archives at only $19 per month, or get an hour long personal session via video for $175. If you want a sample first, Bob Cooley’s lecture series can be found on Youtube or a podcast through his site.
10. Killer B Fitness With locations in Santa Barbara and Goleta, Killer B has offered upbeat workouts focusing on strength and cardio since 2006. Their group training model keeps everyone in the class pushing themselves using zone charts tailored to their bodies. Killer B has pivoted to video courses while also providing recipes and playlists for membership at a total cost of $59 each month. They’re also offering a free podcast series on their site for those seeking some fitness motivation.
11. Mad Fitness SB
For nearly 5 years, Mad Fitness has developed strength, speed, and power exercises meant to prevent injury and relieve back pain for patrons of all fitness levels. Many of you know Mad Fitness for their killer spin classes, but did you know they’ve made these classes available for free on their Instagram (@madfitness_sb)? They mix up their Instagram live classes with a few yoga lessons throughout the week too, if that’s more your speed. Follow them now for daily workouts!
12. Martial Arts Family Fitness The family founded business since 2002, Martial Arts Family Fitness (MAFF) has taught children and adults alike the value of Karate, Hapkido, and Kickboxing. They’ve quickly adapted to the era of coronavirus by moving their classes to live and recorded video, issuing a How To Train at Home Guide, and offering kickboxing bags for rent and sale to their members. You can try your first MAFF class online for free!
13. Power of Your Om
Developed in 2008, this yoga studio is offering multiple live video classes daily through their website, and has prerecorded videos available on their Youtube channel. They’ve also started selling rental equipment at a discount to support their staff and facility. Power of Your Om is even willing to make accommodations for those experiencing financial hardship. See details about their Covid-19 Support Options to see if you qualify, or consider purchasing a sponsor membership for another person as an act of kindness. Drop-ins to virtual classes are donation based, and unlimited classes for your first month are currently only $45!
14. Rhythm Dance and Fitness
If you’re not much of a gym person, Rhythm Dance and Fitness may be just what you’re looking for. With Cardio Core and Hip-Hop classes via Zoom, Rhythm Dance and Fitness targets their lessons to increase stamina, muscle memory, coordination, confidence and self-awareness through positive, energetic movement. Their classes are several times a week at only $10 per class; to join, venmo @Tamarr-Paul 1.5 hours before class and email DoinTheMost805@gmail.com to get the Zoom invite. To view a sample of their work, check out @rhythmdanceandfitness on Instagram or go to their website.
15. RiseUp Fitness Designed to be accessible for all levels, RiseUp Fitness gives Santa Barbara goers an opportunity to connect with an uplifting community centered around living healthy lives. Since their indoor group exercises are not allowed during quarantine, RiseUp has pivoted by organizing outdoor socially-distant (RiseUp SD) workouts for their members. They’ve also put together a 30-day program that can be done anywhere and is free for members. If you’d like to try them out risk free, you can start by listening to their workout and overall wellness podcast on Anchor.fm or Spotify.
16. Santa Barbara Rock Gym
As the only indoor rock gym in town, the Santa Barbara Rock Gym is sorely missed by our local climbers. Did you know that in addition to being a gym, they also provide introductory classes and outdoor guided lessons? The SB Rock Gym has partnered with Butora Climbing Shoe Co. to give free shipping to their customers on any order of shoes with the code “C4G-santabarbara”. 35% of all purchases with the code will go directly back to the gym! So help them re-open easier by buying a giftcard or a new pair of climbing shoes!
17. Strength Happens What started as a history of personal training, Strength Happens has blossomed into a supportive group exercise environment using weights, cardio, and functional strength training. You can take part in their live home workouts weekly for free by following @strengthhappens on Instagram. They’re planning to re-open sooner rather than later and partially opened their doors as part of a partnership with @fairviewgardens. Check out their feature in this article to find out how they plan to re-open safely by mandating temperature checks, travel and health questionnaires, extra sanitizing stations, and more for their clients and trainers alike.
18. Swell: Santa Barbara Athletic Club
While they would typically host an array of squash matches, gym time, and group classes, Swell has shifted to online classes. They’ve partnered with Les Mills to provide over 100 pre-recorded fitness classes that can be done at home. These on-demand classes are free for members. Sign up for a membership today to enjoy pre-recorded fitness classes today, and experience the perks of their facility once they officially reopen.
19. Tone-Up Santa Barbara
Established in 1996 to help women feel more comfortable in their bodies, Tone-Up Santa Barbara is a ballet-based workout program for women of all fitness levels. While their in-person classes are women centered, their new Zoom classes are open to all genders and the cost is always optional. You can view free samples of the workouts on the bottom of their homepage, or register for 10 ballet-based strength training classes with 2 on functional stretching by texting Suesan at (805)682-2736.
20. Yoga Soup
Known for their spiritual and community based practice, Yoga Soup teaches yogis how to push themselves physically to align their mind, body, heart, and spirit. Their healing environment with snacks, books, (and of course soup), currently remains closed. Fortunately for us, Yoga Soup now extends their pre-recorded and live classes to the community at discount prices; a drop-in class only costs $12. For a more brief yoga practice, view their live yoga mini classes twice a week on Instagram @yogasoup.
We eagerly look forward to the day our favorite fitness studios re-open, but expect that things will be a bit different. Gym and fitness studio owners have been working diligently prepare their studios to be as safe as possible and abide by new guidelines in regards to distancing of members and equipment, smaller class sizes, additional sanitation measures, precautionary screening procedures such as temperature checks, and more.
Until then, we encourage you to use the resources in our list for your own health and wellbeing and hope that you remember to offer them your support now so we can get back to exercising with these amazing programs.
Know of a Santa Barbara fitness studio that has gone above and beyond during this time, but didn’t make our list? Let us know! Send an email to hello@oniracom.com and we’ll make sure to give them a special shoutout on our Facebook and Instagram stories! We’re featuring a different SB business every day so follow us to stay up to date on the latest!
