Pendulum Fitness

Rachel’s story is one we hear often: someone walks in looking for a gym and ends up finding so much more.

She joined Pendulum shortly after moving to Pasadena and quickly found a place filled with great coaching, welcoming people, and a community that made the city feel like home.

Over the years, she’s trained through different seasons of life, including pregnancy and now life with a newborn.

What’s stayed the same is the support, guidance, and consistency that keeps her coming back. Showing up, giving what you can that day, and building fitness for the long run adds up in a big way.

Barbell press and dumbbell press both have a place in training.

The barbell lets both arms work together, which makes it a great option for building overall pressing strength and learning how to stay tight through the whole body.

Dumbbells ask a little more from each side on its own. You’ll usually notice more demand on shoulder stability, control, and balance between left and right.

The goal is choosing the right tool for the day.

Strength, control, stability, and better movement all matter. Good coaching helps you understand when to use each one and how to move well while doing it.

Around Pendulum, a few favorites that came up were Domenico’s, Setebello, Prince Street, Pasadena Pizza Co., and Prime Pizza. Strong opinions, solid recommendations, and probably a few debates.

The funny thing is that everyone has their spot. The place they’ve been going to for years, the order they never change, and the pizza they’re always ready to recommend.

Training hard and enjoying good food have always gone hand in hand. Sometimes the best conversations happen after class when everyone’s talking about where they’re headed next.

What’s your go-to pizza spot? 🍕

A great coach can change the entire experience of training.

In this video, Coach Alex is working one on one with a member during class, helping refine movement, answer questions, and build confidence one rep at a time. That kind of hands on coaching is a big part of what makes Pendulum Fitness different.

Every class is a group experience, but you’re never left to figure things out on your own. We take the time to teach movements, adjust technique, and help members develop strength safely and efficiently.

Small corrections today often lead to better movement, faster progress, and more confidence in the months ahead.

The result is a room full of people who enjoy training, trust the process, and continue surprising themselves with what they’re capable of.

Before Pendulum, he walked into his first class with very little fitness experience and plenty of things he couldn’t do yet.

Fast forward eight years and he’s hitting PRs regularly, knocking out movements that once felt out of reach, and feeling stronger and fitter than ever at 40.

What stands out most isn’t a single lift or workout. It’s the accumulation of thousands of classes, consistent coaching, and showing up week after week.

Ask him what keeps him coming back and you’ll hear about the people. The shared effort, the encouragement, the laughs between sets, and the feeling of walking out knowing you did something good for yourself.

Progress has a way of adding up when you have a plan and a community behind you.

If you’ve been thinking about getting started, this is your reminder that every member’s story begins with that first class. 💪

Ask five people what the hardest part of Murph is and you’ll probably get five different answers 😅

For some, it’s the pull-ups when the grip starts to fade. For others, it’s the push-ups that suddenly feel a whole lot longer than expected.

Some people cruise through the bodyweight work and feel the run most.

That’s kind of the point.

Murph has a way of highlighting different challenges for different people, which is what makes training in a coached environment so valuable.

We all walk in with different strengths, different experiences, and different things we’re working on.

At 59, JJ had the intention. The books. The plans. Even the promises to himself. But real change didn’t begin until he found a place that felt human, supportive, and built around actual coaching instead of big promises.

Now he’s showing up at 6am three days a week, down over 20 pounds, fitting back into clothes he hadn’t touched in years, and feeling sharper physically and mentally.

What stands out most is this: he didn’t need a perfect starting point. He needed structure, encouragement, and a team that met him where he was.