Chinatown

Free to new Fitness Members, this one-on-one session with a qualified YMCA Wellness Coach provides you with a basic workout routine that includes goal setting and proper use of exercise equipment. If you’re a seasoned exerciser, but new to our branch, we encourage you to take advantage of this service, as we can tailor the session to meet your needs.

For more information, please contact Louise Chang Ward at 415.748.3549.

New Ballet Blast: Move with grace as you build lean strong legs and a tighter midsection. Ballet blast focuses on alignment, strength and flexibility.  Movements incorporate the use of a ballet barre, yoga stretches and abdominal exercises.  No special shoes or dance experience required.

New Foam Rolling 101: Get relief from you sore and achy muscles as you roll the knots out of your legs, back and shoulders. This class is taught by registered massage therapist and certified yoga instructor Karly.

New Aqua Fitness: Navigate the water as you build your strength and endurance.  Take advantage of being weightless in the water as you train your body.  Ideal for those with low back pain, knee pain or arthritis.

New Senior Fit: Learn to exercise safely and tone your stomach, legs and arms.  Senior fit class takes into account the need to build strength and balance while avoiding injury

New Body Sculpt: Learn the fundamentals of training with weights and develop a lean tone body.  Focus on the music as our instructor guides you through the most effective exercises to sculpt your body.

Boot Camp
An intense strength and conditioning workout. Includes cardio drills, manual resistance training and plyometrics.

Cycling
Provides an intense workout done specifically on stationary bikes. Increase endurance and work the lower body (quads, glutes and hamstrings). You’ll simulate hills and flat rides, pedal at varying speeds and resistance and participate in other drills for a complete cardiovascular workout.

Hip Hop
No experience required! This class is a completely cool, hip-hop dance class that’s easy to follow. Anyone can do the moves and make them their own.

Pilates
Using traditional stretching mats, this class strives to improve flexibility and strength for the total body. It follows a series of controlled movements to engage your mind, body and spirit. Regular practice improves strength, flexibility and posture.

Tai Chi
Combines movement, meditation and breath to enhance the flow of vital energy. The slow, rhythmic movements are effective in returning the skeletal structures, muscles and organs to their natural alignment.

Gentle Yoga
Gentle Yoga is meant for those who have movement restrictions, injuries, or for the student who is looking for a quiet and more reflective experience.

Power Yoga
Power Yoga is designed to be an active (or athletic) practice of fluid linked poses for a challenging class – prior yoga experience is recommended.

Kickboxing
Kickboxing is total body workout. It is an interval class that is the ultimate cardiovascular challenge, complete with bouts of intense intervals, easy to follow combos and kickboxing strength/endurance training.

Zumba®
Offers a high energy and motivating workout using Latin rhythms synchronized with fun and easy-to-follow Latin dance moves. Come join the dance party!

Special Workshops
Each season the health and wellness department will be offering a series of workshops and classes that will focus on improving the health of your mind, body and spirit. Topics will range from Self defense classes to meditation workshops. Awaken new possibilities and develop new skills in the comfort of the YMCA.

For our current Group Exercise schedule, please click on the schedules link on our Schedules page.

For Chinatown YMCA's Group Exercise Policy and Procedures, please click here.

For more information, please contact Louise Chang Ward at 415.748.3549.

Individual Personal Training
This is for all fitness levels; from beginners to competitive athletes. Our nationally certified personal trainers will work with you to meet your fitness goals. Whether you want to focus on general fitness, weight management, stress reduction, or want to train for a sports event, our Trainers are experts in delivering results to our members.

Group Personal Training
If you enjoy working out with a friend but still need that extra motivation and guidance from a Personal Trainer, this is the program for you.
Along with your friend you will work closely with a certified Personal Trainer to achieve your fitness goals. Whether you want to focus on general fitness, weight management, stress reduction, or want to train for a sports event, our Trainers are experts in delivering results to our members.

Specialty Personal Training
Specialty Personal Training is for those who want one-on-one Personal Training sessions specific to a particular form of exercise.
Participants will meet with Personal Trainers who are nationally certified in specific areas of fitness for 60 minute sessions. The following is a list of the different types of trainings:
• Yoga Personal Training
• Pilates Personal Training

For more information, please contact Louise Chang Ward at 415.748.3549 or .

Take a step toward achieving YOUR health & fitness goals!!! Sign-up for your complimentary ActivTrax appointment today!

ActivTrax is a tool that creates customized workouts around your goals, strength and fitness experience.  Each time you visit the center, you’ll receive a new workout that tells you exactly what you need to do to get in shape.

From home, ActivTrax also provides you with an online weight management tool to help you keep your diet on track.

For more information please contact Louise Chang Ward, Aquatics, Health & Wellness Director at 415.748.3549 or.  All appointments may be scheduled at the Welcome Center.

Trainer’s Name: Joon Lee
Experience: Over 10 years of training in exercise therapy and post injury rehabilitation, including private in-clinic personal training at San Francisco and San Jose Physical therapy clinics.
Education: Bachelors in Chemistry and Human Physiology, AFAA Certified.
Specializations: Joone enjoys strength training, performance training and weight management.
About Joon: My focus is taking people with real world issues such as time constraints and boredom and showing them the best path to health.  

Trainer’s Name: Louise Chang Ward
Experience: 5 years as a personal trainer and fitness instructor/ 10 years with the YMCA.
Certifications: YMCA Foundations of Strength & Conditioning, YMCA Foundations of Group Exercise, Mad Dogg Spinning, and CPR/First Aid.
Specializations: Louise enjoys working with women, youth and anyone who needs help learning how to make their workouts more enjoyable.
About Louise: I understand the struggle to be consistent with a workout routine and how important it can be to keep things interesting and always changing. Let me help you find that consistency while learning different techniques to keep your workout fresh and interesting.

Trainer’s Name: Steven Ta

Experience: Steven has been involved in the health and fitness field for over a decade.  He has worked at some of California’s most popular fitness facilities.  Beyond just working out Steven has been very involved in the Chinatown Community his whole life.
Education/Certifications: Bachelors in Kinesiology, Physical Education, American Heart Association CPR/AED & First Aid
Specializations: Weight loss, strength training, circuit training, sports performance, flexibility, and core stability. Steven also teaches bodysculpt and bootcamp at the Y.
About Steven:   I am an avid fan of movies.  One of my favorites is the Notebook.  I also love sports and being outdoors.  My friends affectionately call me Mr. Outdoors.  

Trainer’s Name: Jefferson Ye
Experience:  Jefferson has been has been physically active his whole life.  Beyond sports he has now turned to endurance sports and believes his new focus will be competing as a tri-athlete.
Education/Certifications: AFAA Certified, YMCA Foundations of Strength and Conditioning, American Heart Association CPR/AED & First Aid
Specializations:  Strength training, endurance training, cardiovascular training, weight loss, hypertrophy, and sports specific training.    
About Jefferson: People tend to be impressed by my dancing skills.  Over the years I’ve learned to love all types of dance from Tango to Salsa to Hip Hop.  I will never turn down a dance off.

Trainer’s Name: Cynthia Pang
Experience:  Cynthia has always been involved in the health and fitness industry in some way.  Currently she is working as a PT aide in one of San Francisco’s top Physical Therapy clinics.
Education/Certifications: Bachelors in Exercise Biology, ACE, American Heart Association CPR/AED & First Aid
Specializations: Circuit training, weight loss and training after injuries.
About Cynthia: I enjoy every activity the gives me an adrenalin rush.  You will never see me shy away from any activity no matter how crazy it may be.

Trainer's Name: Roy Tong
Experience: Interned at the Exercise Physiology Lab at the San Francisco State University; over 8 years of weight training.
Education/Certifications: Bachelors in Kinesiology concentrated in Exercise Science and Fitness, ACSM Health Fitness Specialist, CPR/AED.
Specializations: Strength Training.
About Roy: My goal is to promote the importance of health and fitness and to eliminate the misconceptions of physical fitness that exist in the society nowadays.

Each season the health and wellness department will be of­fering a series of workshops and classes that will focus on improving the health of your mind, body and spirit. Topics will range from Self defense classes to meditation workshops. Awaken new possibilities and develop new skills in the com­fort of the YMCA.

Fall 2011 Offerings:

Fight Like a Girl: Women’s Self Defense Classes
“Fight Like A Girl” has been designed to offer the most effective and practical self-defense techniques for the average woman in realistic assault situations. Faced with a mock assailant, our class teaches a woman how to defend herself against the most common and probable attacks after learning and practicing the techniques on a “real instructor.” Prevention, awareness, and boundary setting is stressed in this class. Participants must be 12 years or older.

This course will teach each woman valuable information on how to stay safe in any situation.

• Devastating striking, punching, and kicking drillsLearn how to devastate your attacker
• Self defense techniques against chokes, grabs, bear hugs, and common attacks.
• Rape Escape
• Stress and adrenaline drills
• Train with a padded mock assailant so you can train 100% full force

Dates/Times/Sessions:
Tuesdays; 7:30pm-8:30pm
Session 1: 9/13/11-10/25/11
Session 2: 11/1/11-12/13/11
Fees: Fitness Members-$160/ Community Members-$190
Location: Chinatown YMCA Studio A

Restorative Balance/Fall Prevention Clinics
Balance therapy is great for all ages. For older adults, balance therapy can be the difference between having a high quality life, or recovering from a hip fracture. Athletes and weekend warriors alike can also benefit from balance therapy, since it strengthens the ankle, knee, hip and spine, and helps to prevent problems from developing, or is an integral part of rehabilitation of old injuries. It can also improve posture and strengthen your core, the spine.

The class is taught by a licensed doctor of chiropractic with individualized attention to each participant’s needs. The class is limited to eight students. Participants must be 18 years or older.

Dates/Times/Sessions:
Tuesdays & Thursdays; 3:30pm-4:30pm
Session 1: 10/4/11-11/10/11
Session 2: 11/29/11-1/12/12
Fees: Fitness Member-$80/Community Members-$100 ?
Location: Chinatown YMCA Studio A

MBSR Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Meditation Clinics
Description: Mindfullness-Based Stress Reduction is an nine week intensive training that will empower you to take an active role in the management of your health and well being. This program has improved hundreds of participant’s ability to live and cope with chronic pain, illness, stress related conditions, and the stresses of everyday life. Classes will be held once a week for two hour sessions, and there will be an all-day retreat on November 19th. Participants must be 18 years or older.

Dates/Times/Sessions:
Wednesday; 6:15pm-8:15pm
Information Meeting: Wednesday 10/5/11 6:15pm-7:30pm
All Day Retreat: Saturday 11/19/11 (Location TBD)
Session 1: 10/12/11-12/7/11
Fees: Fitness Member-$300/Community Member $350
Location: Chinatown YMCA Multipurpose Room

Spring 2012 Offerings:

NEW WORKSHOPS!! Healthy Eating for a Healthy Life

Healthy Eating on the Go
-Want to eat well but find yourself squeezing meals in between activi­ties?
-Have kids who are always hungry and asking for snacks?
-Need a pick-me-up in the afternoon and wish you could find an alter­native to Starbucks?

Then this class is for you! Finding simple and delicious healthy snacks is easier than you think. Learn Chloé’s simple tricks for tasty treats that will satisfy and sustain the whole family. The 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm class includes demonstrations, hands on participation, and food to enjoy together. Enrollment is limited to 12 so sign up today!

Dates/Times: Exact dates and times TBD.
Cost: Fitness Member-$25/Community Member-$35
Location: Chinatown YMCA Kitchen

The Leftover Challenge
Do you...
-get tired of eating the same dish a few times during the week?
-have kids who are picky and want something new every day?
-end up wasting food and feeling discouraged about it?

Then this class is for you! Have fun taking actual leftovers and turn­ing them into delightful, nutritious meals. Chloé of Zest for Life Today will demonstrate simple methods for transforming leftovers that you can replicate at home. The 7:00 - 8:15 pm class includes demonstra­tions, hands on participation, and food to enjoy together. Enrollment is limited to 12 so sign up today.

Dates/Times: Exact dates and times TBD.
Fees: Fitness Member $25/ Community Member $35
Location: Chinatown YMCA Kitchen

"Fight Like A Girl" Women's Self Defense Workshop - please see description above

Dates/Times: Starting February 2012. Exact dates and times TBD.
Cost: Fitness Members $160/ Community Members $190
Location: Chinatown YMCA Studio A

MBSR Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Meditation Clinics - please see description above

Dates/Times: Exact dates and times TBD.
Cost: Fitness Member $200/ Community Member $250
Location: Chinatown YMCA Multipurpose Room

For more information, please contact Louise at 415.748.3549 or lchang@ymcasf.org.