Desmond Smith Fitness - Orinda, California

Lexie Lam

Desmond is super positive and motivating, and most importantly, he creates an environment that supportive and not intimidating!

Molly Pearson

Desmond knows SO much about the body. He's really generous with his knowledge and takes meticulous care to help you work safely towards your fitness goals. He's very smart about how to help you get stronger, and his approach is very grounded in realistic experience and expertise. It's not a "get fit quick" approach, which is great because as you build healthy sustainable habits with Desmond over time, you'll be set up really well to hold on to your strength and mobility for years to come.

Christopher Pirkle

I worked with Desmond and I can confidently say that he has set me up well to be able to use the gym to the best of my ability. His instruction and experience are extremely useful when doing lifts (dead lifts, squats, etc.). He shared with me an easy to follow program to continue my fitness after we stopped having our sessions (he offered me free ones after!). He also has lots of health/diet knowledge so any questions you may have, he likely has thoughts on. Aside from that he is also just an enjoyable fellow to go to the gym with. Very motivational, and also knows how to keep a conversation going! If you have a choice, I would highly recommend Desmond.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss

Desmond changed my life! Before meeting him, I didn't know how to do a squat or a deadlift. I've since incorporated them and a whole lot else into a workout routine and am stronger than ever. Des combines a brimming enthusiasm for training with a deep knowledge and measured patience. He doesn't force you to do anything unsustainable, but he gets you doing things that'll radically improve your life, long term. Full endorsement, highest recommendation.

Kelsea McDonough

I worked with Desmond a few years ago to learn strength training with the goal of improving my yoga practice and overall fitness. Desmond's training philosophy is all about building sustainable, lifelong habits for health and happiness through challenging but flexible fitness routines (powerlifting, kettlebells, TRX, etc.) with a focus on mobility, proper form, meeting people where they are, and a good dose of humor. He's constantly learning more about health/fitness, practices what he preaches, and offers lots of tips and recommendations during & in between training sessions.

When I started lifting, I couldn't squat the 45-lb. barbell with proper form. Within 3-4 months of training with Desmond, I was squatting and deadlifting my bodyweight, benching and pressing with proper form, and could finally do chaturanga! I was leaner, looked forward to my early morning workouts, and saw big improvements in my yoga practice. Through working with Desmond, I'd 1) found a new passion in lifting and 2) transformed how I saw myself: I was capable of being strong and loved the joy + challenge of exercising.

I highly recommend Desmond to anyone seeking a skilled, challenging, fun, and compassionate personal trainer to support their health and fitness goals!

Sumaya Albgal

I can’t say enough good things about Desmond. I started training with him in 2018 through SF Fitness and it was clear that Desmond cared about my health. That sounds too good to be true but that’s actually Desmond’s philosophy. He wants your whole being to be the healthiest you can. He insisted I wear blue light glasses before they were cool. He insisted I change my sleep to accommodate my health (I was in denial, as a night owl). He believes in moderation, rest, and consistency. The actual recipe for any body you’d want.

In terms of his workouts. He pushed me to try weight training and dispelled notions that building muscle would make me “bulky.” He made me look amazing. His setup his house(which I eventually transitioned to) is perfect - he has every piece of equipment you can want. His method is to train your whole body at each workout mimicking the way we use our bodies (as opposed to isolating parts of the body). When we lift things/move/run we use our back, shoulders, and legs. I found this approach to be logical and easy.

Warning: he won’t let you skip any stretches - both before and after your workout. He also won’t let you give up on yourself. He’s loving, supportive, and gracious. I cannot recommend him enough.

Desmond is the real deal!

robert christie

Very custom training specific to goals and from assessment to desired outcomes

Nicholas Smith

GET SOME!!!!!