Fitness & Gyms in Santa Cruz, CA

“Love coming here after work around 4am. Mostly empty. Just wish all the tvs around me weren't just mosltly sports. The ome with the cooking channel was only fun during the holidays where they were baking. Now its just boring cook offs. All in all great place for a peaceful workout.”

“I'd recommend paradigm to anyone! Their instructors are attentive, highly trained and knowledgeable, and seem to genuinely enjoy what they do. The staff is always friendly and helpful without any of the intimidating vibes you might run into in other gym spaces. Workouts are thoughtfully designed and a great balance of a tough workout with therapeutic exercises woven in. Thank you all so much for such an awesome experience!”

“My wife and I visited Santa Cruz for three weeks in September, and we attended Cycle every weekday morning that we were in town. That's a dozen classes. GOAT is amazing! The equipment is first-rate, the people are friendly and welcoming, and the instructors push you way harder than you think you can go. We especially enjoyed Natalia's classes. She is an exceptional instructor. My only regret about the experience is that we don't live in Santa Cruz and can't be in that wonderful GOAT community every day.”

“I highly recommend Nightmare Muscle and Alexis (Lexi) Medeiros as a personal trainer.

This is a strength-focused gym with many competitive lifters, and as a middle-aged woman whose goal is healthy aging and building strength (not powerlifting), Lexi has been an excellent fit. She is attentive, FUN, respectful, body-positive, thoughtful, and very safety-focused. Under her guidance, I’ve made steady progress while staying completely injury-free, which matters a lot to me.

Lexi emphasizes proper form, pacing, and smart programming, and she adjusts workouts based on how my body is responding. Just as importantly, she makes me feel genuinely welcome and supported in an environment that can otherwise feel intimidating.

If you’re looking for a trainer who is knowledgeable, careful, and great at helping all types of lifters build strength safely and confidently, Lexi at Nightmare Muscle is outstanding.”

“This is the best gym ever. I joined about a year ago after being curious about CrossFit for some time. The coaches and other members met me where I was and are so hospitable and welcoming. I look forward to every class and the environment is so positive. It has been so fun to be part of CrossFit Seabright!”

“I love going to Curves and working out . The circuit was deigned for women's body. I'm 93 years old and cannot say enough of how good I feel after my Curves workout and not forget the stretching after.
Hurrah!!! for the people who designed this system.”

“Solid gym. I’ve never felt like it was missing something in terms of equipment. But the staff are ultimately what makes it a great experience for my wife and I. Emilio has, from the time he signed us up, been warm, welcoming, and encouraging. He creates the kind of environment that gets you stoked to stay consistent with the gym. Thanks Emilio!”

“More than a (fantastic) workout, this is a community. Many of the folks you’ll meet have been coming for years and one longtime member has logged over 1000 classes and counting!! Your presence is welcomed, and there’s a feeling of belonging and safety here. As for the workouts, just get ready—they are challenging! That’s what you want, right? The music will fuel you and the combinations will keep you engaged. I absolutely love how strong and empowered I feel, and my body awareness and running has benefitted immensely from twice-weekly Kick and/or HIIT classes. Plus, punching and kicking a bag is so cathartic with the headlines coming at us every day. Clara and her team have so much energy, creativity, and passion, you will be inspired to dig deep, hit hard, and smile while doing it.”

“Fantastic gym overall. Very clean, lots and lots and lots of different space for a varied array of workouts, sauna, called, parking, never have to wait for equipment, extensive outdoor workout area. One of the best all around gyms I've ever been too. 5 Starr!!”

“I highly recommend checking out this wonderful gym!
I dropped in to a few classes here while visiting Santa Cruz and this spot was a highlight of my trip! Pete and Kim were welcoming and made the experience a real joy. They are very knowledgeable and were able to help everyone get the most out of their workout. Looking forward to visiting them again in the future!”

“I can't say enough great things about CrossFit UP! I have been going here for about 3 years and I love it. I look forward to going each week. The Admin, the Coaches, and fellow athletes all support one another and make it a demanding yet fun place to work out. There is a focus on doing movements the right way, not just loading weights on a bar! We warm up and stretch before every workout to ensure that we are properly ready. It is very adaptive to age, health, and fitness.
Bottom line is that CrossFit Up is a safe, challenging, yet supportive workout environment to stay fit for life!”

“This is an amazing gym. Went for years and Pascual helped me stay strong through my pregnancy and recover after even stronger than before. I am sad to move away, I don’t think I’ll find a gym as good as this. Immensely grateful to Pascual and Torkc!!”

“5 stars all around for teaching, coaching, environment, facilities, and community at Freefall MMA. They offer BJJ (gi and no-gi), muay thai, MMA, boxing, and judo. Main instructor Mike Roberts is the absolute best, with a patient and in-depth approach to instruction. He'll often customize lessons and drills to help new students learn according to their strengths and backgrounds.

I've got 30 years experience in judo and have trained in multiple martial arts dojos across the world. Freefall MMA is one of the best across grappling and striking, and I would highly recommend it to anyone in the area.

There are good partners here for both beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners. Come get a roll in!”

“When attending a sporting event at University Of California Santa Cruz you must prepare for a long walk to the 'West Field House'
The Games usually held here are Men's & Women's Volleyball and some basketball.
For those with walking problems or perhaps are confined to a wheelchair or 'scooter' call during the week and speak with a Athletic Director letting them know of your needs.
There is zero parking near the gym. Most parking is taken my student housing however on weekends there seems to be plenty of parking.

*NOTE: For sporting events it's best to enter on the western side of the campus, accessible thru Bay Ave or Western Drive, BOTH located off of the Main Road, Mission St (AKA Hwy 1 North).

As you approach the school you will see a guard shack about 100 feet from a three way stop.
Turn into the school. Drive past the guard shack and at First stop sign (3way) turn Right.
It's best to make an immediate left into the Parking Lot, but you can try to follow the road up and park in three other smaller parking lots located in or near student housing (not recommended).

From the first parking lot mentioned earleir, Get a parking pass via machine or APP.
Walk to center walkway and it is a 300+ foot walk uphill and upstairs (paved) to the Gym.
You will run into a red building and can take the elevator up or use the steps to the right. Once you reach the Apex you will see the gym. Seating is very limited. Most students give way to the Adults those who need it. Very polite group of young adults there.

If it's is your first time there, I b
Hope it helps.

You fist time there you will drive around trying to find closer parking but it's usually all for not.
Security does patrol especially during school hours.

Good luck!”

“Perfect in the early morning, starts getting busy around 7 on weekdays. Weekend mornings pretty clear. Cleaning equipment at every machine, duplicates of every machine. Free weights, squat racks, and benches are pretty limited, but there are x4 of each type of dumbbell. Scary when crowded.”

“great all-around gym. I have been going for about two years and our new manager - for the past several weeks has really cleaned it up, so kudos to Leland Bowman. Great pool and hot tub and steam room here too.”