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Denise and Kelly, mother–daughter owners of Fit Monkeys, wearing crocheted Fit Monkey hats in their Carlsbad Pilates and personal training studio.

PRIVATE PILATES & PERSONAL TRAINING
CARLSBAD, CA

1-on-1 training built around your body and your goals!

You Deserve Pilates & Personal Training That's Actually Personal

Every body moves differently. That's why we don't believe in forcing people into predetermined programs or making every client train the same way.

We take the time to understand you, how you move, and what you want to accomplish—then use our experience across Pilates, strength training, corrective exercise, mobility, balance, and more to build a training program around you.

Observe How You Move

We start by understanding how your body moves, looking at factors such as mobility, stability, balance, coordination, movement patterns, strengths, and limitations. This gives us a clearer picture of where you're starting and what your body may need as you work toward your fitness goals.

Build Your Program Around You

Your body doesn't need to fit into our program. We build your program to fit your body.

Your goals, abilities, exercise history, physical considerations, preferences, and interests all influence how we train you.

Because we work across multiple training methods, we can choose the tools that make sense for you rather than limiting your training to a single approach.

Progress With Purpose

As you get stronger, move better, and your needs or goals change, your program changes with you.

We continually adjust exercises, resistance, complexity, and training methods so you're appropriately challenged while progressing safely toward your fitness goals.

Breadth & Depth of Movement

We're certified Pilates instructors who studied under internationally known Pilates teacher Julian Littleford of JL Body Conditioning, as well as NASM Certified Personal Trainers with specialized education in Corrective Exercise, Senior Fitness, and Women's Fitness.

That combination gives us both the depth and breadth of knowledge to draw from multiple training methods instead of relying on a single approach.

We Train You—Not Just Your Body

Great training takes more than exceptional programming—it takes great coaching. We take the time to get to know the person we're training and provide the support, guidance, and accountability they need to keep moving forward.

We're approachable, empathetic, and consistent, and we believe exercise should be something you can enjoy along the way.

Pilates & Personal Training Built for You

  • Always one-on-one
  • Always tailored to your body, goals, abilities, limitations, and interests
  • Never restricted to one training method
  • Led by certified trainers with the knowledge and experience to help you reach your fitness goals
  • Adapted as you progress and your needs change

Every Body Is Unique. Training Should Be Too.

Denise and Kelly, mother–daughter owners of Fit Monkeys, sitting back to back in their Carlsbad studio.

We're a mother-daughter team with 38 years of combined experience in the fitness industry. Over the course of our careers, we've worked with clients across a wide range of ages, abilities, goals, and physical considerations.

That experience has shaped a fundamental belief about training: the method should serve the individual—not the other way around. Effective programming requires understanding the person in front of you and knowing how to draw from different methods to meet their needs.

Before opening Fit Monkeys, we spent years working across gyms and Pilates studios, gaining experience with different training philosophies, methods, and approaches to movement. As our education and experience grew, we began to see how these different disciplines connected. Rather than simply adding more exercises and techniques to our toolbox, we learned how principles from one area could complement, strengthen, and change the way we approached another.

Over time, those connections shaped our own perspective on movement and training. We stopped thinking of Pilates, strength training, corrective exercise, mobility, balance, and other disciplines as separate systems and began looking at how they could work together. This gave us a broader and more integrated way of understanding movement—and more ways to approach the needs of each individual.

We wanted to create a setting where we had the freedom to think, teach, and program this way, rather than being limited by a single modality or predetermined approach.

So in 2015, we opened Fit Monkeys together—a private Carlsbad studio where we could put that perspective into practice and create thoughtful, individualized training without being confined to a single method or modality.

Today, our approach reflects decades of experience and continued education across Pilates, personal training, corrective exercise, strength training, mobility, senior fitness, women's fitness, and other areas of movement. The depth and breadth of that knowledge allows us to see movement from multiple perspectives, make informed training decisions, and continually adapt each client's program as they grow and progress.

Our Credentials & Specialties

Training That Meets You Where You Are

There's no single "type" of Fit Monkeys client. Our individualized approach allows us to work with people across different ages, abilities, fitness backgrounds, and goals.

  • Anyone who wants to get stronger and move with greater ease
  • Older adults and seniors—from lifelong exercisers to people beginning exercise for the first time
  • People with joint replacements who want to safely build strength, mobility, balance, and confidence
  • Prenatal and postnatal women who want to stay strong and active through changing stages of life
  • Professional and recreational athletes looking to improve strength and support performance
  • Runners who want to build strength and keep running for years to come
  • Pickleball players looking to become stronger, move better, and support the physical demands of their sport
  • People with osteoporosis looking to safely improve strength and physical capacity
  • People living with spinal conditions, including scoliosis, spinal stenosis, and spondylolisthesis, who have been cleared for exercise
  • People undergoing cancer treatment or in recovery who have been cleared for exercise and want individualized support as they rebuild or maintain strength
  • Everyday people who simply want more strength, mobility, confidence, and longevity

You don't need to already be fit to start. You don't need to fit a particular mold. We meet you where you are and build from there.

Client Testimonials

Real experiences from our personal training and Pilates clients.

Toby K. Age 77 · Senior Fitness ★★★★★
When my mom started with Kelly at 77, she was depressed, in a lot of pain, and unable to get around without a walker. Her back was curved from osteoporosis and lack of muscles, she couldn't go to the grocery store or manage housekeeping, and surgery wasn't an option because her bones were too weak. She had never exercised before, but she began seeing Kelly twice a week and they began slowly. Now at 80, she no longer needs a walker, can get out of the car without assistance, stand much straighter, and go grocery shopping again... Kelly gave me back my mom.
Lisa F. 40s · Personal Training & Pilates ★★★★★
Denise is an exceptional trainer who I've had the opportunity to train with for almost one year. She has helped me with my goals of gaining overall strength and fitness in my forties. Her workouts are always challenging, fun, and full of variety to target different muscle groups and help build my endurance. I highly recommend her and give 10 stars! It is the best gift you can give yourself.
Leah M. 40s · Personal Training & Pilates ★★★★★
I have been training with Kelly at FIT Monkeys for over 6 years now, and I'm so very thankful to have been referred to her! I began my training with her when I was pregnant, with the goal of staying in shape and strengthening. Kelly is so incredibly knowledgeable, compassionate, and patient - I immediately felt comfortable working with her. I found such immense value in my time with her, and the results that I experienced physically and mentally, that I have continued to work with her ever since. I also previously sustained a serious knee injury through soccer, and after several surgeries have always had difficulty with strengthening. With Kelly’s vast knowledge and skill, she has fine-tuned workouts and strengthening routines for me. I would highly recommend Kelly to my loved ones, friends, or anyone! She is amazing.
Bruce E. 70s · Personal Training & Pilates ★★★★★
I'm new to pilates but needed mobility and fitness. This has been an effective program and have gained flexibility as well as feeling much stronger. They made a comprehensive plan that took into account my age and experience making it very effective for me.
Linda B. 70s · Personal Training & Pilates ★★★★★
I love being a client at Fit Monkeys Personal Training Gym, operated by the Mother/Daughter dynamic duo team of Denise and Kelly. I have trained with Denise 2x weekly for over 2 years. Led by her extensive knowledge of anatomy she has customized a safe, long term success and goals based program for me. Denise changes up exercises every session which is important to me and I have failed to get bored. She has coached me through a couple of injuries utilizing pilates, weight training, yoga and other modalities using equipment creatively. The gym itself is sparkling clean and very well equipped. I highly recommend Fit Monkeys to anyone who is looking for fitness trainers that put their hearts and skill into customers health and fitness goals.
Jason C. 50s · Personal Training ★★★★★
I’m a long time runner, triathlete and desk jockey (aka…I work at a desk). Kelly did a great job working with me on core, balance and stability related exercises. Very valuable insight into all the weak areas I clearly should have been working on (and will!). I highly recommend Kelly. Looking forward to many healthy years running.

Getting Started Is Simple

  1. Contact Us

    Tell us a little about yourself, your goals, and what you're looking for help with.

  2. Meet Your Trainer

    We'll complete a consultation to learn about your goals, exercise history, injuries or limitations, and interests, and assess how you move so we can understand your strengths and areas to improve.

  3. Begin Training

    We'll build your program around what we learned—your strengths, areas for improvement, goals, needs, and interests—and you'll begin training with a plan designed specifically for you.

Pricing

4-Week Training Block - Full Package

Designed for consistency and steady progress. Expires in 8 weeks (includes 4 week grace period for travel and sickness).

  • 1 session per week (4 sessions): $480
  • 2 sessions per week (8 sessions): $880
  • 3 sessions per week (12 sessions): $1200

Single Sessions

$140

Ideal for occasional sessions, to be used day of purchase.

Fit Monkeys green monkey mascot waving.

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