Pauline Hui has been an absolutely fundamental part of my efficient recovery from a broken ankle and severe sprain. I went to see Pauline a month after my injury and by the end of my first session with her, I had regained complete dorisflexion and plantar flexion (where you point and flex your foot). Because of Paulines knowledgeable and compassionate work, I have quickly been able to regain my ability to go up and down stairs, wear high heels, ride a bike, and even go dancing after just 7 weeks! I cant recommend her enough.

Gained a tremendous amount of insight into the smaller muscles that I have been neglecting. Super informative and helpful staff. Charles showed me a ton of great exercises which not only eased my pain but has continued to help me. Highly recommend scheduling at least one appointment!

I had a problem with my foot....no one could figure it out, but my pinkie toe hurt so much when I wore shoes that I had to be in flip flops or be in pain.In one session, Charles trained my foot, and I no longer had pain, could wear my shoes again! I had a few follow-up sessions and Charles gave me some homework exercises which helped me train my muscles, and the problem has never returned. Hes very skilled, has a professional manner, and is a pleasure to work with.

Been working with Brian for a couple of months now. He is very professional and knowledgeable with MAT. This is a great alternative to PT which Ive gone to for months. Now we just need to get MAT to be covered under insurance as they are as good if not better than PT in their knowledge.

Incredibly helpful. I worked with Pauline doing MAT. Better than Alexander Technique. She helped fix my rotated pelvis and activate my core muscles within only a few sessions. Very surprised at the rate of progress I’ve been seeing. I had been regularly doing targeted pilates exercise with a skilled personal trainer for six months before seeing Pauline, but MAT helped me progress significantly faster towards my goals.

I have been working with John Donadini for over a year now. John is an incredible trainer with deep knowledge on the body and a fantastic ability to consistently mix it up and improve your strength and fitness. He very carefully ensures your form is correct and that you take no risk in injury while improving areas in which you might be experiencing discomfort. The facilities are great and very personal with plenty of space and are not overcrowded.

I have been working with Charles Lantz for the past 2 months now, and it has been nothing short of amazing. I had been doing physical therapy on and off for about 3 years. For my right hip, left ankle, right shoulder, and right knee. A lot of doctor visits, imaging, and specialists. But with Charles I was able to make more progress than I had ever before in just a handful of sessions. It was mind blowing. Because of how different I feel coming into a session and coming out of a session, I often times am amazed at how great I feel. It’s really like magic. (But Charles assures me again and again that it’s science.) My pain has significantly reduced, mobility has increased, and most importantly I feel a lot more optimistic about my healing in general.Charles is able to really look at what’s going on with you beyond just an injury perspective. We were able to see how and why I got all these dance injuries in the first place. Meaning often times, it’s not just the injury event. For me it was because another area wasn’t as strong as it should have been, or something else wasn’t working the way it’s supposed to. And we’re not only treating the injured areas, we’re working on strengthening my body both overall and in specific muscle areas. This is so I can use the correct muscles in the correct way going forward, which will position me to be stronger and more equipped to perform at my highest potential.After trying so much physical therapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture for the past few years, I really started to give up on getting back to my old self. My initial goal in coming to Muscle Activation was to just be able to walk without pain. Now, I really do believe I can go back to my full athletic performance of dancing competitively, and I actually believe I’m going to be stronger coming back into the game. This is a huge shift for me. My mindset and moral has taken a completely new direction, which has been really impactful for my life overall.After trying so many other modalities of healing and strengthening, I can positively say Muscle Activation has been the most beneficial and life changing. I only wish I had skipped everything else and come here sooner. It has been worth every penny, and I strongly recommend the work they do. There is so much good to gain. And I really wish everyone could know about your practice and the work that you do, because it really is life changing.Thank you Charles and thank you Muscle Activation, for getting me back on my feet. (Both literally and figuratively!!) I am so grateful for the positive environment you create, and for this momentum you’ve been able to give me.

I love MAT and cannot recommend them enough! I have been going there for a few years now and could not be more thankful for them, especially Charles Lantz. I had been suffering back aches from an old injury for many years. When the aches increased and sever foot pain kept me from running for many months, I decided to try something new. I saw immediate results after my first session and appreciated the team’s honest approach to treatment. The treatment sessions combined with the at-home exercises helped me feel great in just a few months. For someone who had resigned herself to constant back aches forever, it was liberating! I continue to go every 4-6 months when I feel like my body could use a little tune up and refresh my exercise routine. I highly recommend to anyone with chronic issues and for those just looking to feel balanced and strong.

Clean and usually not super crowded, but its pretty light on the equipment. They have a Smith Machine but no actual rack or power cage (none of the locations do, though). Squatting is hard here because doing it on a Smith kind of sucks, a lot.

I visit MASF (Charles Lantz) regularly for maintenance associated with my rigorous training efforts (run, bike, swim, row). Charles is always very thorough and turns over every stone in treating various issues and providing exercises to get me back on my feet and performing at the level I desire. Highly recommended!

I love my Pilates lessons with Savannah! She is an outstanding instructor with exceptional technique. Ive been working with her for over four years and I have seen great improvement in my flexibility and core strength.

I just started going to MASF a few months ago and Im really enjoying it. Savannah is great! Her thoughtful approach to fitness and functionality is wonderful. I have been a runner for years and Pilates has helped keep my body working. I highly recommend her!

Wish I could give them 7 stars - 5 doesn’t do it justice. TLDR version - within 45 minutes of looking at me, Brian found a broken rib that I’d been carrying around for 15 years. Brian has been doing the MAT work and Savannah has been teaching me basic Pilates. They communicate regularly on my progress and have been working together on the treatment of the misalignment, scar tissue and atrophied muscles that resulted from Olympic rowing career. For the first time in decades I’m feeling hopeful that I’ll get healthy again.I trained and raced internationally with the US Olympic and National rowing team for 10 years. I struggled with back spasms, and I assumed that when I retired from competition and my heavy training schedule I’d get healthy. My issues only got worse, and I couldn’t understand why. The past few years I’ve gone to countless orthopedists, acupuncturists, deep tissue massage therapists, physical therapists and have had so much imaging done that I know the different types of MRI machines and what their pros and cons rate. Finally I was able to hone in on a labaral tear in my hip, which was repaired via surgery. I followed up with PRP injections to ease up the scar tissue in my back and hip, and was referred over to Brian by my orthopedist Dr. Paul.As a result of Savannah and Brian’s enthusiasm for helping me regain mobility, I finally understand what caused my issues and why the root causes were missed for so long. Our healthcare system isn’t set up to provide the type of functional, personalized rehabilitation you get at MASF. They’ve taught me to recognize the vulnerabilities and helped me to address them. I feel younger and more agile and I’m starting to believe for the first time in long time that I will actually be able to return to an active lifestyle. It also doesn’t hurt my ego that I’ve been getting comments about looking taller and as though I’ve lost weight (spoiler: I’m standing up straight for the first time in my life). My case is fairly extreme, but anyone who wants to get injured less and be more efficient with their body can benefit from their work.

Working with MASF, specifically Charles, has been super productive and has addressed a host of running related injuries I’ve struggled to get beyond for years. Most effective treatment I’ve discovered to date.

I started working with Charles to help with my severe plantar fasciitis. I had spent a year doing traditional treatment and was still in a great deal of pain when I started with him. He took the approach of understanding the bio mechanics of my body—my posture, how I walk, the position of my pelvis etc. to reveal what in my body was contributing to the pain. My foot pain is driven by more than the plantar. Now I have a deeper understanding of what triggers the pain and how to resolve it. Since I travel heavily, Charles has created customized videos that live on my phone that show me the exercises i need to to to keep everything working and pain free. I can do them in any hotel room and they are life savers. I have loved working with Charles and really appreciate the approach Muscle Activation takes

Ive worked with several members of the MASF team and, if youre willing to put the work in, the team can help you so much! I went from having painful back problems to something much more manageable, with no more back outages! To anyone who has experienced back pain episodes, youll understand what a benefit that is. The team takes a personalized, hands-on approach and meets you where you are in terms of assigning you appropriate exercises, helping you to modify body movements and behavior, etc. If you are looking to get over aches and pains and optimize yourself physically, I recommend the team at MASF so highly!

MASF is the reason I am running again! I was injured and unable to run for 8 months after a marathon last year. I saw multiple podiatrists, orthos, and PTs, but nothing was working— until I saw Brian at MASF. Three months of PT later, I am fully back to running and deeply grateful for the help I received.

I started out at MASF 4 years ago when I was two years postpartum after my second child and was very out of shape with frequent low back pain. I did about 8 weeks of MAT with Pauline after which I was transitioned to rehab pilates. MASF helped me discover a love for pilates, which prior to my experience here had been admittedly limited, but now I realize subpar. Rehab pilates helped me get strong again and find an exercise that I could stick with consistently. For the past 6 months I have been working with Savannah Hein who has taken my journey to a new level. Her understanding of the human body and its mechanics is extensive, which means that with good communication of whats going on with me she keeps me moving towards my goals in a safe, positive, and comprehensive way. I am thankful for the entire MASF team because they truly care about helping people find their way through pain or injury so that we can enjoy the rest of life.

Ive been working with Charles Lantz, a Muscle Activation Techniques Master Specialist and NASM Certified Personal Trainer for over two years. For the past year Ive been seeing him on a monthly basis for maintenance and prevention. I first started seeing him to help with plantar fasciitis that was impacting my ability to exercise. He helped resolve that problem for me and now I can do all types of exercise without any kind of special shoes or inserts. Hes very good at figuring out what is not working properly with your body and explaining what he is doing along the way. Hes also very friendly and professional. I highly recommend Charles and Muscle Activation of San Francisco.

I have been seeing Pauline at MASF for over a year and she has helped me tremendously! I am dealing with postpartum back pain and the strain of regularly lifting and carrying a now 30+ lb toddler. Pauline has impressive knowledge of the muscular system and understanding the best customized treatment. She is intuitive, thorough, and detail-oriented in her approach, and really cares about getting results for her patients. She has helped stabilize my back through MAT and given me at-home exercises to build my strength. She has also helped me set realistic and customized goals about getting back in shape, as well as supported my overall health and wellbeing. Perhaps most impressively, she has kept my husband-- who has suffered from debilitating degenerative disc disorder-- functioning, strong and nearly pain free since she began treating him a year and a half ago. Pauline and MASF have my highest recommendation!

Review of John Donadini, Trainer, Muscle Activation of San Francisco.If you are looking for a trainer who has nearly 2 decades of experience and education and who is thoughtful, methodical, and extremely knowledgeable about physiology, biomechanics, wellness, strength training technique, and injury prevention, then I highly recommend John Donadini.I have been working with John for about three years, and I am extremely pleased with my results - significant pain reduction (low back, hips, upper back); meaningful increases in strength, mobility, and mechanical function; no injuries and rare flare ups; and a stronger and more fit appearance to boot.John will guide you on a long term fitness path with a pace and focus designed specifically for you, and will help you understand the “why’s” of what to do and what not to do. And, as a bonus, he’s an extremely reliable and nice guy who can accommodate a wide range of musical and conversational preferences.5 Stars!

Ive been a client of Charles Lantz for a few years now. I see him for 2 reasons:1) My job leads to alot of chronic injury like most people in modern society, staying in one position for too long day in and day out leads to bad outcomes over time.2) Im an avid rock climber, and this puts alot of acute stress on the joints, with injury being a frequent thing amongst the climbing community.Since seeing Charles Ive seen my injury rate diminish greatly and I attribute this to his treatments to my ailing body when I see him and the exercises he gives me to be done at home. These treatments and exercises are not general stretches or chiropractic adjustments. MAT treatments are very specific and require an experienced practitioner to correctly diagnose and target injuries.If you are someone who suffers from chronic or acute injuries, Id seek out Charles Lantz.

This review is long overdue. I’m not kidding when I say I owe Charles Lantz my ability to walk more than five minutes without pain, inflammation, achilles tightness, plantar fasciitis, tight calves, the works.Not to mention that he and Muscle Activation SF blew away my previous concept of how muscles worked!My story:One day in 2017, I suddenly had burning pain on the top of my right foot after a long walk (what I later realized was just the tip of the iceberg). I thought I had strained something, and sat for a few days and iced it.Things got worse. My calves tightened up, and my achilles tendons started hurting when I walked. Then I seemed to acquire plantar fasciitis out of nowhere. I, who loved walking, could barely walk anymore. It seemed crazy. I was only in my early 30s!My parents had had success with active release techniques (ART), so I thought that might help me. Over the next few months, I spent over *a thousand dollars* on separate ART, pilates, and massage specialists without seeing any improvement.They were telling me to walk differently, get a special ergonomic chair, stand up straight, stretch, roll my calves with a ball, tense my arches, try to make particular muscles work, etc. Things would loosen for a second, but then redouble in tightness. I was at the end of my rope and funds were running low.The ART specialist chiropractor pointed me in the right direction. He said he thought my muscles were weak and not firing (but he couldn’t help me). In desperation, I did a Yelp search specifically for how to get muscles to fire and stumbled on Muscle Activation SF.Charles Lantz is a wizard. Listen to him. Why don’t they teach this stuff in school?? He cut through all the crap and the things I should be trying that were getting me nowhere.My problem was all muscle strength and imbalances.Muscle activation techniques at first seemed like magic (still do, to be honest). Charles would do a particular set of pressures on the misfiring muscles, and an entire range of motion would open up. Then, to preserve that motion, he’d show me isometric exercises to target and strengthen the related muscle groups. He’s extremely skilled at figuring out which muscles are misfiring, trying out various tests like a detective.As it turns out, the body is intelligent. It often tightens muscles to protect them. In my case, I haven’t needed to stretch anything. It all loosened from *strengthening* the surrounding muscles. So counterintuitive, but true.When I first came to MASF, my body was rotated in strange directions from years of sitting, favoring certain positions, and not much variance in exercise.Charles told me that my twisted, imbalanced core, weak glutes, and toes squeezed together from bad shoes were responsible for my leg nightmares. He was right.As I did the work, my pain vanished and the tightness unlocked. I could walk again without inflammation, within probably 3-4 months of just a couple sessions a month. Hes also helped me combat back and knee pains, shoulder problems, and more. You have to do the work on your end too, of course, but it’s not difficult.Since then, I’ve kept going to Charles about every 4-6 weeks to stay “tuned up” and not slip into a hole. To me, the value is enormous.I still struggle with adding traditional workouts (I was never a fitness buff). I still do a lot of sitting, slouching, and necessary computer work.But I’m learning to work simple movements into my day and overcome my lifelong inertia around exercise. This whole experience has made me aware of the importance of varied, regular movements and balancing your muscles. And I can freaking *walk* again!If you’ve got chronic muscular pain, tightness, nerves being pinched by tightness, misfiring muscles, or anything else you suspect might be a muscular imbalance, I give Charles Lantz at MASF my highest recommendation!

If this oasis of a therapy studio wasn’t located in the basement of my office’s building, I’m not sure I would have ever found it—and that would have been one of the great losses of my life! I’ve had chronic issues since my days of playing college football: two arthritic shoulders, three bulging discs/degenerative disc disease, and a bum knee. I’ve been to orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors, trainers, physical therapists for days...you name it. This is the only place I’ve been able to notice an improvement after the very first session. And after a handful of work sessions (not 20+ like some PT’s), I’m generally back to being active—pain-free. Life inevitably always causes flare ups at one part of my body or another, but a quick tune-up with these folks does wonders.Beyond being effective, Charles Lantz truly cares about his clients’ wellbeing. He patientially explains the science behind his practice as he goes through your body, activating underutilized muscles that the nervous system sometimes forgets exist. He’ll listen to what ails you, but he explores your own personal system to diagnose what’s out of whack. A symptom in your back, for example, may actually be the compounded result of hip unalignment or a weak inner quad.I’ve recommended countless friends to Charles, most with similar experiences to my own. He’s the man with the magic touch!