Athletic Playground - Emeryville, California

Lex Moorman

I've been training here for years and I guess never left a review. I love the Athletic Playground! All of the classes here are fantastic! I've specifically done a lot of aerial classes here and although The teachers have come and gone over the years they always find experienced and friendly teachers. The community, staff both and other students, is warm and welcoming no matter your skill/experience level. I especially recommend Homer's classes. He teaches a bit of everything - kids aerial, adult aerial, tango and I think handstands now, too!

Mir Farrokh Salek

The studio offers a variety of interesting classes.
Instructors are very good and personable.
The environment is cool and very friendly

Lauren Tatasciore

Absolutely love working with Brittany and Coco in this Friday night hammock class! They break everything down with great explanations and detail. Can't wait to continue taking classes in this series!

McKenna Leighton

I love the Tuesday hammock class - the primary teacher is phenomenal. She knows so much about physical therapy and caring for the body, and she provides new and challenging sequences every week that are flexible for different skill levels.

me

I love the classes here. This is the coolest place in the bay to nurture the part of yourself that wants to do cool things, go upside down, learn new skills, and have a ton of fun. I've enjoyed every teacher that I've had. I've made a lot of progress here.

I wish they had classes in the evening on weekends since I can't do morning and mid day classes.

And one other downside is that class packs expire, so if you don't use your credits quickly enough you might waste them or have to take classes that you didn't really intend on doing

Woodwindsrock

On the good side I do think the teachers are nice and there are upsides to the flexibility allowed in enrolling for adult classes. I've been going here for a while and I haven't really had major issues with safety or classes and I've been going for a few months now.

That being said, I have noticed an issue with class levels and lack of structure. Because classes are drop in you don't have to worry about missing part of a series. However that also means that instruction can be all over the place. I have been in introductory/beginner classes where a significant number of the students are more advanced swinging the class harder with less time given to a beginner skill. A mixed level (or beginner/intermediate) class might be based around a specific skill, and if you do not have that skill it can be hit or miss if the teacher will take the time to work with you and troubleshoot or give an alternative sequence. If they do give an alternative sequence then it could be a well thought out progression to work towards the skill or it's something they pulled out at the last minute and they don't spend a lot of time on it.

Broadly speaking I wish the teachers of mixed level classes were more consistent with planning out alternative material and spending a fair amount of time with everyone in the class.

Brock Simon

Friendly atmosphere and my son really enjoyed his first class.

Steve Trutane

Great variety of challenging classes, relaxed atmosphere, & knowledgeable instructors. The emphasis on functional mobility and body awareness is a great compliment to my triathletic endurance activities. 🙂

I'm a big fan of Creative Conditioning, which involves innovative equipment to build strength while having fun, and All Levels Acrobatics, during which coach Zach proved to me that, "Yes, you can learn how to do a backflip!" After an excellent, total body warmup & activation routine, he expertly guided us through a series of conditioning exercises that address the fundamental movements involved in backflipping. Then he set up a series of stations that progress the skill from basic to advanced levels. He provided individualized pointers to each student (covering a wide range of different abilities), engendered great camaraderie and a supportive environment. Challenging and lots of fun! 🤸🏼‍♂️