Lia CabreraAs someone who’s worked in a fast-paced healthcare role, I’ve always been well aware of the many challenges in my job—one of which is staying fit despite our demanding work.
But while I was glad to stay in good shape, my coworker didn’t feel as lucky. She mentioned struggling to stay consistent with fitness while juggling night shifts. I can’t blame her, though. It was indeed much easier to stuff our faces after a long day.
Still, I was concerned about her health. I even suggested being her workout buddy to make things more motivating. To ensure our success, we researched the best personal trainers in San Diego to help us out.
Here’s our shortlist.
How much do personal trainers charge in San Diego?
Personal trainers in San Diego typically charge between $50 and $120 per hour. However, the final cost depends on the trainer’s experience, session location, format (one-on-one, couple, or group), package deals, and extra services.
1. Chris Keith Personal Training
Address: 5260 Riley St
Contact Details:
- +1 619 840 9099
Business Hours:
- Open 24 hours
Chris Keith has been running his namesake personal training gym for over 30 years, making him a go-to for many San Diego patrons.
His career paved the way for others, as it involved launching the city’s first fitness boot camp in 2007. He has also helped over 2,000 individuals, so we believe he’s a very competent option.
In addition to his long history, Chris holds multiple certifications. These include recommendations from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and was named San Diego Magazine’s Best Personal Trainer.
You can go to him for one-on-one strength training, weight loss, and post-injury rehab, regardless of skill level and age. For one, a huge chunk of his clients are ages 30 to 50, with varying training durations from weeks to months.
The pricing features single 60-minute sessions at $350. Otherwise, you can opt for packages, like $250 per session for a 10-pack ($2,500 total) or $125 per session for a 100-pack ($12,500 total).
These rates look competitive when compared to city averages for long-term commitments. However, we noticed that getting regular single sessions here is pricier than the typical San Diego hourly range.
The best trainer
“Chris is the best. Was only able to train with him for a few months, but learned a ton. Will definitely be back anytime i’m in the area. Highly recommend.”
-Kurt Steinke, Google Review
Super knowledgeable and adjusts well
“Chris is an amazing trainer – super knowledgeable and adjusts well to needs. Access to the gym is a huge perk. Definitely would never go back to a normal gym after having such a great experience here.”
-Sequoia Montgomery, Google Review
2. Coach B
Address: 2527 University Ave
Contact Details:
- +1 619 209 8206
Business Hours:
- Open 24 hours
Coach B shines with owner Brandon Wolucka and his team’s 24-hour private gym offering personal coaching and strength training. They also offer recovery tools, such as cold plunges, saunas, and cupping.
For us, combining workouts and recovery in a single location gives them an edge over other trainers who need separate facilities.
On top of that, Brandon’s credibility comes from holding a degree in kinesiology from San Francisco State. Backing this up is his 10 years of experience, including strength and conditioning coaching for professional basketball players.
You can join a membership that starts at $99 per month (with unlimited access to recovery services only) or $150 per month (basic plan with full 24-hour access to the weight room).
Both share the facility, but the basic option focuses on muscle relief, while the other is better suited to strength training.
These fees match San Diego standards. We appreciate the value of the bundled 24/7 access, InBody scans, and pro-level coaching.
But while the entry-level choice suits experienced users looking to recover from specific issues, novices who want the same budget-friendly option might feel lost. They will need to pay more if they want their foundational workouts to go with programmed exercises.
Corrected my form and rebuilt my strength properly
“I came in after a hip injury and PT, but struggled with back pain from poor training elsewhere. Coach B completely turned things around. He corrected my form, rebuilt my strength properly, and I’ve been pain-free for a year now. Can’t recommend him enough.”
-Vikram Gill, Google Review
Loving the diversity of the exercises we’ve been doing
“Have been seeing Coach B for personal training for 3+ months. Loving the diversity of the exercises we’ve been doing, and the fact that I have 24/7 access to the gym. Coach B having a new “workout of the day” on the board each day is perfect for when I don’t have 1on1 training”
-Daniel Acquesta, Google Review
3. Leo’s Fitness Lab
Address: 1851 San Diego Ave #100-A
Contact Details:
- +1 619 299 1694
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Tue-Sat: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sun-Mon: Closed
Founded by Leo Hamel in 2019, Leo’s Fitness Lab was inspired by the owner’s dad, a Navy veteran. This lab blends computer-controlled machines with nutrition for efficient fat loss and muscle building.
This option delivers high-tech, 20-minute high-intensity resistance training (HIT) twice a week at a private gym. We believe it is much more efficient than attending typical hour-long fitness sessions.
Their team also shows great diversity. They have an ISSA-certified personal trainer and manager, a lifelong fitness training practitioner, and a part-time gym trainer.
It helps that they use high-tech add-ons, like ARX machines for adaptive resistance, Vasper for HIIT bikes, Gluteator for glute training, and PNOĒ for metabolic testing.
We also love the bi-weekly check-ins with progress scans that diligently monitor the clients. And if they don’t get at least a 30% strength jump, many appreciate the money-back guarantee.
In addition, the plans here are among the most affordable. They offer competitive $50-$100 per-session fees, which are pretty standard for San Diego HIT niches.
The only concern we have is that beginners may feel overwhelmed by the HIT intensity.
So convenient and efficient
“As a father of 2 on a tight schedule, this place is so convenient and efficient to get in a full body workout. I first discovered Leo’s Fitness Lab because of the Vasper (which is such a unique workout) and continue to come back for the ARX and great trainers like Kyla!”
-Taylor Davis, Google Review
Attentive, funny, and very effective personal trainer
“One on one time in the gym with a personal trainer has been very effective for me. There’s never going to be a crowd, and the gym is spotless. Kevin is attentive, funny, and knows how to tailor your workouts to meet your goals. 30 mins twice a week can make a surprising difference.”
-Scott Porter, Google Review
4. John Turk (Fearless Fitness)
Address: 12264 El Camino Real, Suite 60, Floor 1
Contact Details:
- +1 858 877 1370
- [email protected]
Business Hours:
- Mon-Thu: 6:00 am – 9:00 pm
- Fri: 6:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Sat: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sun: Closed
John Turk is a former bodybuilding collegiate athlete turned master trainer. He’s been training clients since the 90s. He now has over 3 decades of experience in providing custom one-on-one strength and conditioning for all ages in a private San Diego studio.
Strong and capable at 62 years old, he specializes in functional strength for injury rehab and uses free weights or body weight over machines.
Beyond that, we find it incredible that he offers a wide range of specialized workouts tailored to unique needs. This includes pregnancy training, bodybuilding, TRX suspension, HIIT, and more.
His packages range from $100 for a single 30-minute session to $75 per session for 20-packs, or $135 single 60-minute session, dropping to $100 for 20-packs. These costs are quite typical for private one-on-ones in the city.
Many clients also raved about their location in a strip mall with easy parking. They are even handy for commuters, as the studio is near public transit.
But as the facility only offers a basic setup, it lacks more advanced technology. For example, they don’t offer recovery tools like saunas or plunges, unlike higher-end options.
Really good at motivating me to do my best
“John has been great! As someone who has always struggled working out, John is really good at motivating me to do my best, while still listening when I’ve hit my limit and not pushing me into injury.”
-Robert “Andrew” Burza, Google Review
Excellent, educated, and compassionate
“I lost 60 pounds and had a full body transformation working with John Turk. He is an excellent personal trainer, educated, compassionate, dedicated, and loyal to his clients. He gave me the tools I needed to succeed in my fitness journey, and even now after having moved away and stopped training with him, I include the things he taught me into what has become my 4-5 workouts a week fitness lifestyle. John helped create a healthy lifestyle that has become second nature for me. I could not recommend a trainer more.”
-Brayden Handwerger, Google Review
5. Ashley Hodge Fitness
Business Hours:
- Open 24 hours
Many busy professionals go to Ashley Hodge Fitness for strength training and nutrition coaching. Ashley founded this service in 2012 with over 13 years of experience as a solo trainer.
The way we see it, she stands out with her knowledge in science-backed body recomposition. This process involves building muscle while losing fat, using powerlifting techniques tailored for real-life schedules—not the cookie-cutter way.
Besides providing 1-on-1 strength sessions, powerlifting programs, and nutrition coaching, we appreciate her virtual training, which is convenient for home use.
You will need a consultation call to get exact rates, but you can expect around $80 to $150 per session or $200 to $500 per month for online plans. These are based on the specialized coaching norms in San Diego.
However, her schedule can be fully booked at times, meaning new clients may need to wait weeks—or even months—for an opening. It’s best to confirm her availability early on if you’re interested.
Made me feel empowered, confident, and strong
“I love working with Ashley for personal training. She crafted a fabulous full body work out that made me feel empowered, confident, and strong while still being challenging. I trained with her twice a week and really noticed the difference in my overall appearance and strength in a short amount of time. Highly recommend Ashley for people like me who don’t have a great fondness for the gym, but want to get more skills to become more comfortable in that environment. The facilities she works in have everything too, so nice to not have to worry about finding a place or coordinating a meeting spot. Love Ashley Hodge Fitness!”
-Sophia LaRosh, Google Review
Lost inches around my waist, bust, and thighs sustainably
“I had the opportunity to train with Ashley Virtually at a time when i was really struggling with seeing progress and had plateaued in my fitness journey. Ashley helped me with my nurturing by showing me a lot of the foods i enjoyed that were hindering my progress i could still enjoy but needed to prepare them differently and with portions in mind. She also helped me to see the difference in inches loss vs scale. After working with her for only a month I lost 2 inches around my waist and bust, 1 inch around my thighs and also was equipped with the proper tools to manages a sustainable eating lifestyle as opposed to crash diets! Before in green bikini after in black”
-Ashley Dolson, Google Review
