About Us

We believe in scalable, progressive, evidence-guided strength training for all!

We offer 1-on-1 personal training, small group personal training, and workshops. All of our programs aim to increase strength, independence, capacity and provide a physical education that leaves you feeling more confident in your body and its abilities (unlike that Presidential Fitness Test so many of us are still traumatized by…).

We know that mainstream gym culture can be toxic and harmful; we aim to create an environment that is inclusive and supportive.

We operate through a lens of body positivity and neutrality. We believe that strength training is for every body and has many benefits regardless of its impact on weight. (i.e. you’ll never see us post a before and after transformation)

We have a zero tolerance policy for racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia,and ableism.

Haley Shevener, CSCS

(she/her)

My coaching centers around the idea that people are adaptable, strong, and deserving of evidence-based exercise guidance and empathetic support. 

Since beginning my coaching career in 2005, I have sought to make exercise more accessible, easy to understand, and fun for people of all ages, genders, and abilities. I strive to help folks experience their strongest selves by prioritizing self-efficacy, education, autonomy, and sustainability. 

I believe that strength can be physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially transformative and witnessing people realize how strong they are is what keeps me excited to be a coach.

I have a special interest in working with those managing pelvic health concerns. Since my own pregnancy and birth experience, I realized that the fitness industry has often failed to meet the needs of those in the perinatal chapter or dealing with persistent pelvic floor symptoms. I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in education and experience to become the person I wish I had had access to when I was spending hours Googling and trying to figure things out on my own. I am the co-founder of POPUp: An Uplifting Resource, an online educational platform and community for people managing pelvic organ prolapse and the professionals who work with them. When I’m not coaching at Solid Gold, you can find me coaching powerlifting at Bay Strength in Berkeley.

Kind words about working with Haley

  • I could not have had a better experience working with Haley.

    I could not have had a better experience working with Haley. I started training with her in my second trimester of my first pregnancy. As someone who has always been active, I really wanted to find a way to continue to exercise but I was nervous about doing something that could jeopardize my pregnancy/could injure my changing body. From my first phone call with her I knew she would be a great fit. She was kind, easy going, and extremely knowledgeable. I worked with her up until the week I gave birth and came back to support my postpartum journey. She tailored every workout to my needs and I felt seen and supported. Beyond the workouts, I looked forward to training every week because I genuinely enjoyed Haley's company. We talked about all sorts of stuff - be it my current office drama, tv shows, or just venting about new mom anxieties, Haley was there for it all! I would work with her again in a heartbeat - she's a gem!

  • "From the start seeing Haley has been the highlight of my week, and now I'm a home gym nerd with my own rack."

    Haley is an amazing trainer. I've been working with her for almost 4 years and she's completely changed my life. She's incredibly thoughtful, patient, and encouraging. When I first started working with Haley I was postpartum and struggling with the overall load on my body and pelvic floor. As she helped me progressively get stronger, I felt better and better. From the start seeing Haley has been the highlight of my week, and now I'm a home gym nerd with my own rack. I can't recommend working with Haley strongly enough!

  • "Haley met me where I was at with my physical fitness and while she pushed me it all seemed doable."

    I started working with Haley after a hiatus in exercising (pandemic, back to back pregnancies) — I was nervous that I was going to be thrown into a workout routine I couldn’t handle. Haley met me where I was at with my physical fitness and while she pushed me it all seemed doable. Within weeks I was already feeling so much better and excited with the progress I was making. She is also a delight to talk to and makes the process so fun! She’s flexible with time constraints and budget and realizes you have other life obligations to balance. She’s the trainer everyone needs!

  • "I'm a physical therapist who specializes in perinatal and pelvic floor issues, and I wish I could send all of my clients to Haley."

    Exercise professionals like Haley are few and far between - I can't emphasize how much she goes above and beyond for her clients and continues to seek knowledge and continuing education to improve her skills. I'm a physical therapist who specializes in perinatal and pelvic floor issues, and I wish I could send all of my clients to Haley. She has a true love for movement and expertise that is contagious and has taught me a lot about how I can better work with my own clients (and my own body!). She is creative, passionate, and most importantly, gets amazing results! If you're ready to get curious about your body, have fun with movement, and feel better than you have in a long time, don't hesitate to contact her!

Gabriel Shevener

(he/him)

My approach to coaching is simple: find the best way to apply the same fundamental principles to each client’s unique situation. Every body is different, but everyone is working toward the same results: more capacity for movement and more confidence in their body. After more than a decade of working with clients ranging in age from under 20 to over 90, I’ve built a wide skill set and a deep understanding of how to apply fundamental principles appropriately. I coach solid technique, not perfect form. I create autonomy, not dependence.

I’ve seen clients do things they thought were impossible. I’ve listened to clients coach themselves through situations that would have been totally overwhelming previously. That only happens when a great coach and committed client are on the same page. I’m a great coach for anyone brand new to lifting weights because I know how that feels. I’m a great coach for anyone needing help getting back into it after focusing on other things because I’ve definitely been there too. And I’m a great coach for anyone looking to maintain bone density, muscle, and balance as they navigate the second half of life because I’ve seen firsthand the difference that strength training makes for people who aren’t as young as they used to be. Let’s work on it together!

Kind words about working with Gabriel

  • "Gabriel is an outstanding coach and a joy to work with."

    I am in my seventies and have osteoporosis in my hips and back, as well as stiffness and pain in my knees and spine from previous injuries. Before signing on for weekly sessions with Gabriel, I had no previous weight training experience.

    Gabriel is an outstanding coach and a joy to work with. His customized training routines are varied, challenging (in a good way), and fun. I learn something new every week and leave each session feeling energized and refreshed. Thanks to his expert guidance and support I am gaining in strength, flexibility, mobility, and overall sense of well-being.

    -Janet L.

  • "I trained with Gabe 2-3x a week for a year, and I can’t recommend him enough!"

    I trained with Gabe 2-3x a week for a year, and I can’t recommend him enough! I enjoy strength training but have struggled with previous hip injuries. Thanks to Gabe’s coaching, I have so much more mobility, strength, and a routine that feels sustainable for years to come!

    Gabe created customized programs for me (with added optional homework for days we didn’t train together). He’s supportive, pushes you, but also gets that life happens sometimes! He is there to help you roll with the punches and adjust accordingly. Seeing him every week felt therapeutic. He genuinely cares about his clients and helping them succeed.

    -Lauren K.

  • "He takes his job very seriously, cares about his clients and puts a lot of thought into our workouts."

    I have been training with Gabriel for about 7 years. He is a great trainer, very thoughtful and careful - I’ve never been injured on his watch. He is also organized, professional, reliable, communicative and flexible. I cannot say enough positive things about him. He takes his job very seriously, cares about his clients and puts a lot of thought into our workouts. He is also a genuinely nice person, easy to talk to, and spending an hour working out and chatting with him always improves my day.

    -Melissa C.

  • "Gabriel is very approachable, non-judgmental, and easy to talk to."

    “Gabriel has really been a critical part of transforming my life over the last 6 months. The holistic program he creates for me each week combines strength, mobility, and cardio. Beyond the 3 in person sessions, he programs daily at home exercise and cardio using an app we collaborate on. Before I travel, he customizes the programming through the all for what I will have available to me. Gabriel is very approachable, non-judgmental, and easy to talk to. He is super responsive over text when you have questions or need to adjust something. When I wake up the in the morning I have grown to crave exercise partly because Gabriel has been able to introduce variety each week. I feel great physically, have more energy, and feel more confident as a leader at work. My lifestyle and identity have really been reshaped for the better. I expect to work with Gabriel for many years into the future.”

    -Jacob Z.