Vien Vu, DPT, SCS,CSCS,CPSS - Sports Physical Therapy

This past year I moved from Novato to Larkspur. I decided to stop going to the YMCA in San Rafael and Novato and switch gyms to save time by staying close to home and work. I chose SF Fitness because it is on the same side of the freeway as my home/job. That minute detail is actually a very important one because traffic in Larkspur can be a nightmare when trying to get to 24 hour fitness in Larkspur because of the traffic heading to the 580 around 5pm . I loyally went to the gym for at least two hours a day on average, 6 days a week. I became acquainted with the facility, during my workout I made it a point to observe the personal trainers because I wanted to find someone who had a style I liked. I am a bit shy to approach strangers and wanted a trainer relationship to feel right and happen naturally(that's kinda my general life philosophy too). After about six months of going to the gym every day, I still hadn't found a perspective trainer. One day, on my routine trip to the ab-cruncher, there was a new trainer with a massage table set-up in the corner, and a sign that said "Doctor of physical therapy, ask me anything!" Before I even had a chance he struck up a conversation. I worked with Vien for about 3 months and added a lot of new exercises to my library, which is great because I was getting so bored of doing the same old boring exercises every day. He also encouraged me to NOT workout 3 hours a day because I was actually burning muscle instead of fat. I don't work with Vien anymore because I have a trip to Africa coming up and need to save my money. If Vien stays here and doesn't move to Wisconsin I would love to possibly work with him again in the future because his enthusiasm for not just exercise, but life in general is contagious. I would highly recommend Vien to anyone needing a highly efficient, capable, kind, and educated trainer!Thanks for everything Vien, let me know if you are available for some sessions in the future, and please follow me @Goddesssondra on Instagram. #scenesfromheaven

Vien is not only passionate about fitness and physical therapy but he also carries that same passion for his clients, it's highly appreciated. I have had the pleasure of being trained by Vien for several years now, following a recurring lower back injury. He has taken great care with my injury and has not pushed it but always keeps in mind my ultimate goals, strength training.
I have loved the balance Vien gives me in my training regimen.

I began training with Vien because I wanted to get into weight lifting. He created a program based on my goals, and showed me the fundamentals which have allowed me to be confident walking in to any weight room. I get a lot of comments on my good form from other gym-goers and its all thanks to him! Vien is incredibly passionate about fitness and genuinely cares about his clients. His goal is for his clients to become independent in the gym which scared me at first, but I am so grateful for. I appreciated how Vien took the time to explain exercises and their benefits all in basic human language :)

Vien also was a huge help in assisting with rehabbing an injury I had sustained. His vast knowledge in fitness and physical therapy was able to shine (and this was before he completed undergrad!) Despite his great knowledge then, I could see his thirst for more. He is someone who is constantly striving for more knowledge because he knows he can always be better.

Anyone would be lucky to be trained/treated by Vien. He is the best!

Vien is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about what he does. As someone with a kinesiology background, I was impressed that Vien took the time to explain things thoroughly and correctly. He is also a no-nonsense/tough love trainer, which is great because our sessions were efficient. Vien is also realistic and worked with my busy schedule to help me reach my goals. I have always been a runner and intimidated by the weight room, but after working with Vien, I felt confident working out by myself in the weight room and more specifically, in the squat rack. My strength increased tremendously over the course of 4 months - the amount of weight I could lift and squat doubled! My half marathon time even improved.

Even after years of not training with him, I am so thankful that I started my weight lifting training with Vien because I developed good habits. Thanks to Vien and his emphasis on proper form, I have been weight lifting injury-free for many years! I even get comments on my form from other trainers and lifters at my current gym. He's the best!

Vien is the man! Until I started training with Vien, I had no idea what I was doing in the gym. During the course of my training, Vien created a solidified workout regimen to help me reach my goals. He also placed special emphasis on the importance of nutrition and a healthy mindset, both inside and outside of the gym.

Vien is the type of trainer who wants you to succeed in your goals. Unlike most trainers, he explains the importance of every single movement in the gym. As opposed to blindly following specific exercises, I found myself understanding the variety of movements that play a role in developing my body.

Finally, Vien strives to ensure that you are independent from the day you start training with him. The biggest thing for me was to be able to walk into any gym and know what I need to do (without asking other people) in order to target certain muscle groups.

Under Vien's training, I have seen remarkable results and I highly recommend him to anyone who wants to better themselves both physically and mentally.

Reliable. Tough. Educated.

Those are the three things I look for in a trainer. Someone I can count on, someone that will challenge me, and someone who knows what they're doing.

Vien Vu is all of those things and more. As a Yelp Elite, I eat out a LOT. My occupation puts me in front of a computer all day. I was consuming way too many calories and living a very sedentary lifestyle. I was sick of that and wanted to do something about it. That's when I found Vien and inquired about personal training sessions.

Vien and I discussed my goals and narrowed it down to the two most important to me: losing weight and getting strong. Given my busy work schedule, I was only able to commit to training sessions 2X a week with Vien. But over the course of three months, I became 2X stronger and at least 50% faster. However, we didn't see much of a difference in my weight. Vien knew how hard I was working during our sessions, so he suspected it was something I was doing outside of our sessions. Instead of accusing me, he urged me to start a food diary. That's when we found out that I was still consuming way more than I was burning, making it impossible for me to lose weight. I really appreciated this because Vien was looking out for me outside of just what we did together during our sessions. In addition, he didn't make me feel like an idiot for still eating like a fatty. When I made these adjustments, the pounds started shedding and I continued to get stronger.

Another thing that I appreciated about Vien was that he was great at teaching and explaining to me what we were doing, why we were doing it, and what was happening to my body physiologically. These things really helped me understand and remember the workouts so that I could do them independently on my own time.

Unfortunately, I moved offices and now work from San Francisco making it very difficult to see Vien. However, I highly recommend him to all of my South Bay friends looking to make a lifestyle change for the better!

Vien's treatment was spot on. Every exercise he gave me for my hip pain worked immediately. I was really afraid that PT wouldn't work but his treatment and exercises worked great. I would highly recommend Vien for any PT needs. Thanks Vien!

I have been working with Vien since May 2016 as part of the University of the Pacific's Staff and Faculty Fitness Challenge. I absolutely love working with Vien, because he pushes me to show up, work my hardest, and get out of my comfort zone - without being intimidating. He has a real passion for the work that he does, and that means that I never feel like I'm just another client. He takes the time to fully explain why we do certain exercises and how to work different muscles so that we can be independent and confident in the gym when he's not there with us.

When I started working with Vien in May, I was someone who NEVER worked out. Like ever. Now I'm committed to working out or being active at least 3 days a week, and I've seen positive changes in my body in the last five months. I've lost an inch off of my waist, my chest-press increased from a 60lb 3-rep-max to 105lbs, and my leg-press increased from 70lbs to 190lbs. For me, that's HUGE. And with Vien's training and motivation, we've been able to win the Staff and Faculty Fitness Challenge twice in a row!

If you're suffering from an injury and looking for a PT who is friendly and professional, I highly recommend working with VIEN! I suffered from a herniated disc, which was extremely debilitating and painful but with Vien's treatment and direction, I recovered in a matter of a few weeks. His treatment focuses on long term recovery as opposed to short term and he is extremely proactive with his patient's progression. He clearly explains all of the exercises and more importantly, he will educate you on the purpose behind each treatment. His level of knowledge is truly on par with other PTs who have over a decade of experience. I felt supported throughout the whole process and I couldn't be more happy and relieved with my experience working with him. I would recommend him to family and friends of all ages. He is TERRIFIC! Thank you, Vien!