With two unique studio spaces, Rogue and Saint offers Elite Bootcamps and Athletic Pilates classes for a healthy balance of variety and consistency. But don’t make the mistake of interpreting the two disciplines as a “Naughty & Nice” approach to fitness; at Rogue and Saint, all innocence is left at the door. Literally, as two life-size photos of nude, awe-inspiring athletic male and female bodies greet you just past the front desk.

“In every workout, stretching is just as important as building muscle,” Misha Breyburg of Rogue and Saint’s Executive Team explains. “There is a stigma that those who participate in Bootcamps hate on those who practice yoga or Pilates and vice-verse. The reality is that they should be combined, both physically and psychologically, for optimum results. We created a place that would support, encourage, and promote the practice of both. Thus, Rogue and Saint offers two workouts that compliment one another and that allow our customers to work muscles, elevate endurance, build stamina, and increase flexibility.” Instinctually I was drawn to the idea of Athletic Pilates while my fiancé leaned heavily towards the Rogue Box. A quick practice in the art of compromise led us to follow Misha’s advice, so we tried them both!

Each 55-minute Athletic Pilates class in the Saint Studio is a pure Springboard practice that moves through a series of resistance exercises requiring core strength, mental focus, and technical precision. As our trainer Emily demonstrated each move, they appeared to be fairly simple and easy. That was, of course, until we tried them. With the smallest adjustment of tucking your hips or back, what initially looked like a stretch pulsed through our abs. Much to my chagrin as I glanced at my fiancé in the mirror, the seemlingly innocent, tiny, repetitive movements resulted in involuntary shaking as his muscles battled fatigue. With a capacity of 12 students per class, the trainers are attentive with corrections (read, no cheating). There is a very good reason Misha and his team named the class “Athletic Pilates.” As we left the Saint Studio feeling stronger and leaner, I began to wonder what the Rogue Box would dole out 48 hours later.

With a slightly more intimidating name and studio appearance, The Rogue Box is home to Elite Bootcamps focusing on cardiovascular interval workouts with targeted strength training using treadmills, suspension training, and free weights. “The juxtaposing ambiance says we are hardcore and will work your ass off but everyone is welcome here no matter what shape you are in,” Misha shared. Trainers teach both full body Bootcamps in addition to classes targeting specific muscle groups that rotate through the week. While the “Guns Delts and Abs” class sounded painfully intriguing, we opted for the full body experience for our first time in the Rogue Box. The dimmed red lighting combined with the eclectic music (who doesn’t love old school Usher when getting their burpees on) set the mood to grind through the next 60 minutes. In case you had a moment of weakness when told to increase the treadmill incline to a 9.0, Matthew was on the microphone non-stop to keep us motivated. If you still need another encouraging nudge to lift up that weight up last time, just remember that artwork from your walk in. Trust me, you’ll eke out a couple more reps!

“We wanted to develop a concept and brand that would resonate with the young urbanites of the city who were tired of big-box gyms,” Misha describes the modern facility located in the heart of the Mission District. Far from the standard gym model, Rogue and Saint continues to evolve. “There are many good things to come at the studio, including a test that compares your performance to the average to add a competitive edge and assist our customers in tracking their progress,” Misha revealed. I may need to sneak in a few more solo visits to the Rogue Box before keeping score back at home, but I’m positive I’ve got the edge in Athletic Pilates (for now).

Rogue and Saint is located at 1919 Mission Street (between 15th and 16th). A single class is $20 with discounted prices available with series packages and monthly plans.    

GEAR:

• Towels and a filtered water filling station are provided
• Wear tighter clothing in the Saint Studio for many combinations of floor work. No shoes, no shirt, no problem. 
• Supportive running clothes are highly recommended in the Rogue Box