MBG 101

Welcome to the Monkey Bar Gym!

MBG was created by Jon Hinds in 2000 and was the beginning of a fitness revolution. MBGs are the only gyms in the nation to integrate full-body skills training for strength, speed and stamina; Eischens Yoga for restoration and healing; and a plant-based diet for the health of people and our planet. Full-body skills training, Eischens Yoga, and Plant-based Nutrition is the MBG3.

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MBG Mission:

To change the way the world looks at health and fitness

To open people's minds to experience how their bodies truly function. To follow the roots of nature in everything we do - we run, jump, crawl, climb, roll and react like on the playground as children. With a unique type of exercise that engages the entire body and mind we build useable skills along with lasting confidence. Members are empowered to progress in a challenging, non-discriminating environment.

We strengthen ourselves through full body workouts and the foods the Earth provides us. Now its your turn, Join us!

Let the Revolution Begin!

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Want to get back in shape or train for a marathon? Whether you want to lose weight or enhance your athletic abilities, the Monkey Bar Gym will provide you with a unique fitness experience. Our certified trainers, led by Jon Hinds, will revolutionize how you think about movement and nutrition by teaching you the basics.

At the Monkey Bar Gym we step off of the machines and get away from the mirrors.  We teach and train the four, basic functional fitness skills: Running, Jumping, Crawling and Climbing.

Mastering these movements will provide you with the stability, strength and power you need for all of your favorite activities. What's more, you will never work out alone because in our gym, we're committed to teamwork, too. Many of our members consider MBG their "third home," because we are a community of people who work hard and play hard to help you stay fit for life.

Find out what makes the Monkey Bar Gym so special by visiting one of our gyms.

History of Monkey Bar Gym

The history of the Monkey Bar Gymnasium began when Jon Hinds was a little boy, playing on the playground or at home. He remembers running after (or away from) friends, jumping on and off obstacles, crawling across the ground or over logs, climbing trees like a little monkey. Parts of these experiences were also spent reacting to others, thrown balls or surprise attacks from his dogs or cats. Fitness came naturally to Jon as a child, because staying active was a natural form of movement that was both instinctive and intuitive.

Jon recalls that, "No one had to show me the skills from my childhood, I just did them and the more I trained them the better I became at all the games that involved these skills." Playing skill-based games was a big part of Jon's life, until traditional training methods took over when Jon started to play high school athletics. To Jon, he felt that "the skill playing was replaced by a machine and it took one-hundred percent of the natural fun and movement out of the equation. This new way of developing my skills was the norm, all the kids did it, but the goal of staying active had changed as well. Instead of having fun or staying in shape, it was 100% about how you looked, then if it helped you out in your sport, great!"

Jon continued on this new isolated "skill" training path off and on for several years following those early days in the gym. It wasn't until Jon was training an NBA player named Lucious Harris when he realized he wasn't having fun working out and he wasn't getting the results he truly wanted. That experience restored Jon's focus not only on what defines the phrase "great athlete," it also forced Jon to re-evaluate what true health and happiness really means. In Jon's mind, "results" from working out equate to a tri-fold approach that includes an increased skill level, better overall health and happiness.

That single moment of realization led to a philosophy and the opening of the first Monkey Bar Gymnasium in August of 2000.

Since its opening, the Monkey Bar Gym's mission has been to create a revolution in health and fitness with a primary focus on "function" rather than "fashion" or "trends". The MBG focuses on intuitive, skill-based movements that do not require any machines and can be performed anywhere, inside or outside a gym. The staff of the Monkey Bar Gym trains members to rely on their instincts for the basics of movements to train. These basic movements include; running, jumping, crawling, climbing, rolling and reacting.

After focusing on the basics, the Monkey Bar Gym challenges its members to increase their skill level to achieve the ultimate performance in strength, speed and stamina. The result of this skills-based training offers all members the chance to achieve success in life and in any sport imaginable.

Incorporated into these sessions, is a natural, restorative means of re-aligning and rehabilitating mind and body with the only form of Yoga in the world that teaches Active poses and partner hands on feedback.

Biology has proven that animals employ their own form of "training", progressing skills and using regular active stretching to keep their bodies in top physical condition. This type of training has worked successfully with all of the world's varied species, including humans. When you visit the Monkey Bar Gym, you'll see for yourself how this unique type of training works for their committed members today.

Today, the Monkey Bar Gym is recognized world-wide as a health and fitness leader. By incorporating whole body training, restoration and plant-based nutrition, Jon Hinds has started a fitness revolution, forming one of the most unique gyms that exist today. Here are some of the milestones the Monkey Bar Gym has achieved in its short history:

  • First skill-based gym in the country that does not use exercise or weight machines, mirrors, or require shoes to train members.
  • First gym in the country that incorporates plant-based nutrition to achieve power and strength, rather than relying on animal by-products or supplements.
  • First gym in the country to integrate Eischens Yoga and balance activation into each workout.
  • One of the first gyms in the country to offer challenging, partner-based training regardless of fitness level.

Through its holistic approach, the Monkey Bar Gym helps its members reach their health and fitness goals to achieve success. Find out how the Monkey Bar Gym can make a difference in your life. Join the fitness revolution today!

Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 15:15
 
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Testimonials

February 23rd - 28th, 2012:

Certified Natural Trainer Course @ Thousand Oaks, CA

Testimonials
"The increase in my muscle definition has also been surprising and has not gone unnoticed by my friends and co-workers. I feel lighter, leaner and more fit than I have at any other point in my life. And it’s only been three months!" - Jacque Reese
 
"MBG has given me not just my life back, but the inert desire to try harder, faster, and feel like an animal…fit to my environment." - William (Double Day) del Moral
 
"I learned so much in such a short amount of time. Being at the MBG has reignited a fire under my butt to train even harder" - Chris Atkins
 
"In the two years I’ve been at MBG I am leaner, stronger, with better blood flow and breathing than ever in my life. These things help me to be a better cyclist." - Jennifer Munger
 
Monkey Bar Gym Experience: "Your spine is the healthiest I have ever seen in anyone except for a yoga teacher I treat." Consuelo Sanudo "The Monkey Bar is unique. For every exercise there is somewhere to start for the complete beginner and somewhere to go for even advanced athletes.   There is a refreshing variety in the types and intensity of exercises, but they are designed for optimal results. The classes are motivating without being competitive.  Instruction is consistently excellent. Class participants frequently partner with someone: getting motivation , encouragement, and constructive coaching on form. The approach is well designed and well integrated. In the end, you get out of it what you put into it.   Believe me, you will work harder in these classes than you ever would on your own.  The results are worth it. I’ve been coming to the MGJ 3-5 days/week since 2003 and the core group of, let’s say, “more experienced people”, hardly misses a day.  Why?  Besides the fact that starting over is hell, we are old enough to know high quality and value it, and wise enough to realize that in the end you are only the sum of your good habits.  Going to the MBG is really a lot of good habits:  exercise, diet, discipline, helping others, making new friends.  The whole is more than the sum of the parts.  And that’s the kind of leverage you need if you’re trying to turn back the clock." Jeff Ford "When I started the workouts in late Jan, I had recently gone to have myself checked out to see what was causing my lower back pains. "Doc", after checking me out, told me my hips wee misaligned. I asked him what I could do to fix it myself. He said it'll take a long time to fix, but stretching is a start. About a week later, a friend, who is a professional golfer, told me about monkey bar gym. He said he had heard nothing but good things about it and that I should try it out. Being a 34 year old former two sport collegiete athlete I hadn't really worked out steady for many years. I was at 226 during the time i started doing the daily workouts. At first I didn't workout everyday, for some reason or another. however, now that 4 months has past, and I'm doing the workouts on average 4-5 times a week, my hips have realigned themselves and the lower back pains have gone away. I went to visit "Doc" again to check the alignment of my hips again. He was amazed. He looked almost confused. He asked what I have been doing? I told him I was stretching and doing a functional workout program. He said whatever it is I've been doing has worked and he's very impressed with the results. I now weigh anywhere from 205-210. My energy throughout the day has increased greatly. I no longer need an energy drink in the middle of the day to get me by. I recommend anyone that is looking for that quick, non-redundant, low risk and high reward workout to look no further. You've found it here at monkey bar gym." Thanks Monkey Bar Gym Rusty Rushing   Certified Natural Training Courses: Thanks for everything the past several days. The intensive course was an excellent learning experience for me. I am amazed at the comprehensive system you have developed for optimal health and vitality…its like six sigma for health, it gets to the root cause…this system should be taught in our schools and universities in this country because it contains the foundation for optimal physical well being. Understanding this foundation is the key to sustainable health care in this country. Kudos to you…your vision and passion shows in your enthusiasm for what you do and I can see that shine through with the team at MBG! Jeff Simon - CNT level 2 (April 2010 Intensive course)