LA Fitness — Local services in Aberdeen Township

This is mostly about my personal trainer experience!

I left PF because I wanted to join a gym that had classes. I'm overweight right now and was HIGH KEY terrified to join LA Fitness because most people that go there are super fit. I joined for the Aqua and Yoga classes. While I absolutely love the classes, the only reason I have stuck with my gym and running routine for the last 4 months is because of my Personal Trainer experience at LA.

Ari walked me through the opportunity to start PT one day at LA Fitness. I didn’t want to do it because of the cost and low key felt like I would quit within 3 months. I thought I would be wasting my money. Ari was really good at pointing out all the benefits of starting PT Sessions though. She was so nice and personable and everyone kept coming up with her during our convo (gym members) and I could see how nice she was and motivating. I signed up because of her and am super glad I did. I've had a few sessions with her and she's such a great teacher. She's always on the floor too when I am at the gym working out alone and ALWAYS comes up to me to catch up and ask how my training is going. She really does care about everyone that joins because of her.

I started scheduling sessions with Ashanti and absolutely love what I've gained from my PT experience so far. He has been super helpful teaching me the right form when doing any workout. He's also super nice, chill, and motivating at the same time. I have never done well with teachers who use intimidation or yelling to motivate me. Ashanti pushes me for sure during workouts but in a way that is nice and encouraging. I don't like working out but I do like knowing during my PT sessions I have someone on my side that really does want to show me how to succeed and become healthier than I currently am. Honestly out of all the teachers I've had in the past on sports teams and at other gyms (like OT), I think Ashanti's been the best coach for me so far. Learning from Ashanti how to do other stuff other than the 4 machines I knew how to use really has helped me train every part of my body. He also is great at checking in personally quick before every session to show he actually cares about his clients.

When I'd get to the gym before joining PT, I would hide in classes or in one of the rooms in the back because I didn't feel like I belonged (again, currently high key not in shape). Now I feel a lot more comfortable on the floor and on the tredmill. I feel like I deserve to use the floor space or machine just as much as anyone else there.

Since started personal training sessions in March, I've started to see mini wins in my own body. I've ran 2 5ks since starting PT and have another scheduled. This would have NOT happened without Ari teaching me how many time's I should be coming to the gym, the info packets she provided on workout tips and nutrition guidelines, and my sessions with Ashanti. I legit couldn't run for a minute straight in March and now can run a 5k without stopping.

I also can pull up and button a pair of jeans that have not fit since 2022. I still am not wearing them until they look better, but in January they didn’t' even go past my thighs so that's a big win. My face is looking better and so are my arms and back for sure. Also might be TMI, but my weight was classified as Obese class II, and after 2 months I dropped out of that weight class. I really do thank my personal training sessions for this.

I have a LONG way to go to get where I will feel comfortable with my body but I know I will get there if I keep up with what I'm being taught in training sessions. Seriously this is adding years onto my life because I was so unhealthy.

THE only negative I have to say is people don't clean machines after use (same problem though at PF though). Kudos to the gym putting signs everywhere telling us to wipe down machines before and after. They can't do much more unless there's a way to attach wipes to every station.

Also, front desk staff is always super nice too whenever I go...

This is a nice gym with good equipment and a lap pool and respectful people working out in there. I just want to share my story about that 3 day pass trial thing. And that’s the reason I give it two stars. So I’m a middle-aged Chinese woman and I’ve been around and don’t have much shame:) I’m financially doing fine but it’s not easy to sell me anything unless I feel really good. I do live in Matawan sometimes but not all the time, this gym is very close by and I wanted to try it out so I signed up for a 3 day pass on their website. What’s the big deal? I thought, I’m not dirty and I smile and spread good vibes, I’m not gonna hurt anyone or damage any equipment, I just want to have fun for 3 days as they offered, simple. Wow I didn’t know this place was run under such an uptight sales vibe! The minute I signed, I got a call asking me when I’ll go there. And as soon as I went in a young guy asked me to sit down at a desk trying to give me offers and asking me to sign up, gosh at that point I didn’t even do any workout and not a drop of sweat came out of me yet. So I told him what I just told you and quickly ended this pressure to sign, like I said, I’m an old woman I have no shame, you said it’s 3 days free so I want to use it. Then he said he needs to see me on my way out, I was like I don’t have time for that, so after one hour of work out I left. As soon as I stepped out of the door they called me but I didn’t pick up. I don’t have time to waste. So the next day I went again to get my free workout, and again had to stop at the desk, sit down and let him convince me, ok I sugared him off and got my another session of free workout. I realized that the whole time he activated and deactivated my pass and maybe put me on the flag list so they get alert when I scanned in. So guess what, the third day I went in for my last work out, another guy raced out of the desk area telling me I can’t work out because I don’t have the intention to join. “What do you mean? You gave me 3 days to try it out.” But he said bunch of nonsense, saying how this pass works is only if I join, then the 3 day is free. This is ridiculous, it’s like those free samples offered in front of a candy store, you take a piece, didn’t even bite it yet they already asking you to buy a bag of it. Then you take a bite, and didn’t taste it yet, they say “give me that remaining piece back!” lol Ok whatever, he seems so upset and I feel like maybe they are working under high pressure to turn the leads to sign with the corporate policy. After all, these look like nice kids coming out of college trying so hard to make a commission. So I said ok and left. I have my dumb bells and bunch of videos downloaded from instagram at home anyways, I still get my workout.

I happen to be a person with extensive knowledge of successful sales strategies and philosophy of running a successful business. Over the years I saw plenty of business fail doing wrong practice like that and plenty of them succeed doing the opposite. I hope this review gets attention from the corporate level management because I want to help their gym to thrive. Sales is important, but it’s more important to improve the service, in this case they can make the gym a little cleaner and shift some focus to service and cleaning crew. And really good sales technique is not about pressuring people, it’s about being chill and make people feel good. Yeah, i seem like a cheap old lady who is not gonna sign now, but I might sign a month later or a year later if you don’t make it look so stressful. When I walk into a dealership to buy new car, I’ll walk out when the salesperson gets so pushy. I love those old Italian salesmen who act so chill and like they don’t give a shit if you buy or not, I only want to buy from those...

Such a shame that when you have an issue you never receive a response. I don't really understand why I have to continue to pay and LA Fitness can continue to ignore me. Isn't there something in the contracts about that???

Here was my last unanswered email... Wanted to provide some feedback on how terrible the personal training program is at LA Fitness. I signed up in December and there were problems from the start stemming from the high-pressure sales tactics to the unreliable/unprofessional trainers. I first signed up in Cliffwood NJ and then cancelled the next day after being embarrassed and shamed by your salesperson in front of my daughter. I went to the Holmdel location and was lucky enough to meet the sales Director who has since moved to Cliffwood. You can review the notes on my account and see all the issues I had in Holmdel with a trainer that did not show up and when he did show up he was late. Nice guy but certainly not worth the $240/mo I am paying. The Director straightened things out for me and I was able to switch back to Cliffwood. The club is very nice and I like the classes. I have a newer personal trainer and he is very sweet but still learning. Again, not worth the $240/mo I pay. The past few weeks I have been going to the club for personal training and there is literally no room to workout. Other members take the space and your trainers do not even have any priority for an area to work out. You have an amazing HIT room at the club that is not being used. We were able to use it a couple of times with our trainer in the past. Two or three weeks ago my trainer was told they changed the locks and nobody can use it. I confirmed with the director and it is true. What a shame that you have folks that are paying $240/mo for training, an open room with nobody using it, and instead of making your clients feel special and comfortable you lock the room. The Director said the Regional Manager is bringing rope to block off an area to work out. That has not happened yet. Today I had to ask my trainer to just have us work on machines since there was no room to workout. I can do that on my own and I don’t need a trainer for that. My experience with your personal training program has been terrible. I am not getting any value for the money I am paying. I would like to know how I can cancel my personal training. I joined and signed up for the personal training to better myself. I am getting nothing but a headache out of it. Please let me know what my...