COVAL Fitness — Local services in Ann Arbor

I joined COVAL after numerous seasons of various workouts—BBG, Blogilates, running, OTF, yoga, pilates, spin, etc. None were bad, but I always found myself falling off the train after awhile. I realized that even in a class setting, it can be hard to get personalized guidance when there is only one instructor. I would do the moves that I knew confidently, but the ones that were difficult I would either skip over or not do them well, & that was just my loss (physically & financially).

All of this made me a bit wary of joining yet another gym, but based on COVAL's stellar reviews I had to give it a try. I submitted an interest form via the website on a Sunday & within 10 minutes had an email from Mike (the owner). Mildly impressed but thinking it was probably automated, I responded with some questions & received a definitely non-automated reply less than an hour later! Now I was surely impressed with the level of attentiveness, attention to detail, & communication that I had not experienced before.

Going to a gym was intimidating for me bc I felt like anyone could tell I had no idea what I was doing in a room full of weights & contraptions. But Mike & his staff made me feel comfortable & welcome, & helped me so I wasn't doing it alone. Even trainers I hadn't trained with knew my name & said hi. I agreed to the trial period hoping to not like it too much initially because of the price, but quickly found myself looking forward to the next session each time bc I just felt better. I also appreciate the many time options for busy people with demanding schedules. Just wish there were more 5:30 am spots ;)

Before COVAL, I was afraid of weightlifting because I didn't want to look bulky/scary, so I stuck to 5 lb weights. But all the coaches are knowledgeable & helped me understand that that isn't the case. With the help of my coaches Thomas, Anmar, & Mike, I have progressed more in a short time than I thought I could. I started about 6 weeks before a trip to Zion & was able to summit Angels Landing without much difficulty (which was big for me—I was expecting to only get to Scout Lookout)! My running pace has also improved just from the strength training alone, & I'm hoping it continues to as I try to reach my sub-2 half goal sometime next year. I just feel stronger all around.

Each person has a program personalized to circumstance, range of motion, goals, & needs. There are 2-3 people training with your coach in a session, & it's a good balance of independence & attention. They are quick to ensure correct form to prevent injuries. The training program changes every 4 weeks so you don't feel like you're doing the same thing repeatedly, & even within a given training program, the reps/sets will change so there is still some variation. You also get an accountability coach who will check in with you about your goals in and out of the gym. The trainers are lighthearted & funny, which is great when the workout doesn't feel as light :)

After a long day of work, it is hard to feel motivated to stay active. I used to go home & pass out on the couch for 2-3 hours. Despite being vegetarian & generally making healthy choices, I literally had no energy beyond making it through a work day every day. But after joining COVAL, I somehow have more energy & am generally happier, more productive, & less stressed. Mike is a very busy man, but is always responsive & takes time to patiently/kindly answer my questions. COVAL isn't just a gym... it is a family that will truly change your life! So I got my boss to join too :)

One last thing—I feel like Jill doesn't get enough credit in these reviews, but she is behind the scenes making sure everything is running smoothly. Her response time is quick, & she is kind, helpful, efficient, thorough, & patient. I can always count on Jill to have my COVAL life together. Thank you Jill!

Not sure what more you can ask for. This is truly one of the best investments I have made for myself, & my only regret is that I didn't find it sooner. Thank...

COVAL was 100% the best fitness experience I've had (and ever will have). I started working out consistently on my own in the summer of 2015 a few months before I moved to Ann Arbor to start a grad program. During my first semester I somehow managed to maintain my workout schedule but was looking for something to keep me motivated which led me to COVAL's 21-day trial program.

Looking at the prices (especially an out-of-state student at U-M) I really had no intention of continuing on after that period but was immediately drawn in and continued to find a way to keep working out with COVAL for my next year and a half in Ann Arbor. I'm sad to be moving away because I know it'll be tough to find a better gym environment.

Workouts: Your first session is essentially a "get-to-know" you, your eating habits, workout schedule, fitness history, body, current/past injuries, goals, etc. From there Mike wrote out a plan tailored specifically to my own needs. Every 4 weeks brings a new plan. More importantly, he would constantly check in with me (whether or not I was doing sessions with him) to see whether I liked the plan and if any of my goals had changed. When I started getting back into playing basketball as a part of a rec league and noticed how out-of-shape I was, he immediately wrote up a new plan which included more cardio as well as lateral/vertical jumping movements.

Staff: Usually when I go into a new environment with options for trainers/hairdressers/etc., I prefer to work with"the expert." Or I find one person I like and stick with them forever. Because of my sporadic student schedule, I constantly found myself working with a different trainer and was NEVER disappointed. Mike & Matt provide this amazing level of detail and care for your form when lifting. Brett & Anmar are great at continuing to push you towards new PRs. Michaela somehow made super early morning workouts enjoyable and easy to get through. Those are just the people I worked out with most often, but it is clear that Mike places emphasis on customer service & kindness through his hiring decisions. Even the interns who come in and out have been amazing in the same ways full-time staff have been.

Facilities: Everyone has their personal preferences with regards to facilities so I won't go into detail, but what I will say comes back to customer care and attention to detail. There are changing rooms and a bathroom with a shower. But what I immediately noticed is that the bathroom is actually stocked with products that ALL genders can make use of. There are lotions, a hair dryer, feminine products, reusable towels, etc. For some this may not be a big deal, but I'm sure there are plenty of small gym-facilities that have bathroom access, but with no consideration of women's existence.

Other Members: I'm not the most talkative person but there is definitely community here. There are regulars, people become familiar with one another and are all-around friendly.

Attention to Detail: In case it hasn't shown through in my review of other areas, I wanted to give this it's own section because this is where I feel COVAL & Mike excel. It seriously seems as though every step is taken with the customer in mind. In our initial visit, I mentioned that I attended the University of Florida for undergrad (Go Gators), and from then on -- though it took me about a year to notice -- all of my programs were written up and printed blue & orange. Just one other tiny example of the attention to detail provided here.

Bonuses: Calvin the COVAL dog! If you're allergic and/or afraid of dogs, there are definitely times when he's not around, but for me Calvin was always an added bonus to my workouts.

Overall, if you're considering a new place to work out, definitely give...

My journey isn’t just about physical fitness - it’s about emotional and mental health as well. About a year ago, I hit an emotional low. Despite my fear of being open about my insecurities, I finally accepted that I needed to seek help and I started seeing a therapist. Counseling was rough at first, but my depression started to improve. My story starts with therapy because that’s what made me see that making a change for the better can be scary and challenging, but it’s absolutely worth it!

In April, after realizing I had surpassed 200lbs, I accepted that my physical health needed to be addressed as well so I signed up at COVAL. During the depths of my depression I lacked the energy to do anything. My sink was full of dishes, my apartment was a mess, and I would spend hours sleeping on my couch and comforting myself with junk food. But after only a few weeks of working out at COVAL consistently I felt a renewed vitality and purpose. I started doing more each day; I would buy groceries, clean dishes, workout, etc. Before I had any weight loss results to brag about I felt like my life was suddenly improving in every way. That energy is what drove me to work even harder!

Shortly into my new COVAL workout routine I signed up for the Transformation Challenge and committed to Whole30. Far from the miserable failure I feared it would be, Whole30 proved to be exactly what I needed. It detoxed my body from the junk I’d eaten previously, and it also reframed how I think about food entirely. With every weigh-in, my smile grew bigger as I consistently lost body fat. Between April and December, I lost about 40lbs. I even lost 10 of those pounds while I was traveling for a month! Since then, I have lost another 10lbs for a total of 50. I still haven’t reached my goal, but this is the lowest weight I’ve seen in about 9 years. And more importantly, this is the healthiest and happiest I’ve ever been!

So, what is it about this gym that has made such an impact in my life?

First, I want to recognize the trainers! I really don’t know how, but Mike always has the BEST trainers. Not only are they excellent at what they do, but I’m pretty sure I’ve cried in front of each of them, and they’ve only ever shown compassion.

Second, I am a believer in the COVAL programs - whatever you need, they deliver. Are you just getting back to the gym? Looking to build strength? Trying to lose weight? Wanting to set some PRs? Wishing you could get into box jumps? Just ask and they will help you attain your goals.

Third, the COVAL community - I love the sense of fun and friendship. I love that we celebrate accomplishments, like Personal Records. I love the group workouts and transformation challenges. And of course, being greeted by the best doggo ever!

I can genuinely say that COVAL Fitness has completely transformed my life. I’m proud of myself, and I’m so thankful for the trainers at COVAL, whose support has been so instrumental in...