GYM REVIEWS

“I wondered what the fitness classes could do for me! I signed up the next week, and I am so glad that I did. I was nervous to do so, having never stepped foot in a gym in my life and finding group fitness classes I had attended in the past to be chaotic, overwhelming, and intimidating. I really did need to start from “square one,” and that’s what I was offered.

The instructor, Sandra, was gentle, patient, and encouraging, with an intense focus on form. She noticed and corrected, in a kind way, even the tiniest errors in form, leaving me confident that, as long as I followed her instructions, my form would be proper. This exacting emphasis on form was something I had never experienced before in any group fitness class, and I learned that many of the things I believed I would never be capable of doing were attributable to incorrect form: when my form was corrected, the task became easy.

I also benefited greatly from the small size of the classes: there were never more than two students in the class, and frequently I was the only student, so I essentially had an excellent personal trainer at my disposal for an hour! Considering the small size of the classes, the personal attention, and the quality of instruction, I consider the classes to be an extremely good value.

Additionally, the payment structure - purchasing a set number of classes at the beginning of the month and knowing that if I didn’t attend all of the classes, I would essentially be flushing money down the drain, helped motivate me to attend the classes on days when I otherwise would have been tempted just to go home, plop down on my couch, and watch TV. In other words, the way the classes are set up incorporates incentives and accountability. Everything about the experience of the classes is pleasant: convenient parking, calm atmosphere, cozy space, kind faces, responsiveness to questions and concerns. I also love that the emphasis of the classes is on functional fitness, rather than aesthetics. From what I perceive about “fitness culture,” that seems to be exceedingly rare.

For someone like me, an introvert who always wanted to get fit - for health and well-being reasons, not for weight loss or “toning” - but had no idea where to begin, particularly on a budget, and was embarrassed by my perceived lack of physical ability, Square One Fitness has been a godsend. I feel so fortunate to have found it. More important, even, than the improvements made in my physical condition - the vanished pain, improved strength, and improved posture - have been the improvements in my self-confidence, energy, and mood. My only complaint is that I believe that Square One Fitness has spoiled me - I don’t think that any other gym or fitness class will ever compare!”