Retro Fitness — Local services in Annapolis

The employees, owners and managers are helpful and dedicated to each member’s fitness journey. The staff are friendly and care about safety while getting in shape. I am just returning to Retro from over a year of being unable to workout due to one injury after another (non gym related). I went back for the first time last week and lo and behold one of the owners waved and smiled a big smile at me and asked me how I’ve been and that he had noticed I hadn’t been around for a while. “ Good to have you back!” I was impressed- I mean it has been over A YEAR! When I first joined Retro Fitness within a matter of weeks almost every employee knew my name! That was impressive. The staff do a great job of making members feel comfortable and part of this community. If I have questions about machines or even particular free weight lifts all I have to do is ask. In my experience all staff are friendly, professional and continually go out of their way to find any information I need. If I have a question about a bill, prices or membership, I always receive kind and quick responses! No bad employee attitudes here! The staff are also very encouraging to me with my fitness journey. I am a middle aged woman who recently discovered Powerlifting and fell in love with it, but I have a lot to learn. . I started my Power Lifting journey a year or so before joining Retro, so I’m still a Newbie. Not once have I felt any negative attitudes or felt ignored due to false preconceptions based on my appearance or age. The staff are respectful, accepting and hard working. And they treat me like anyone trying to get more serious about their sport. No one is condescending or dismissive due to my age and gender. My fellow Retro members seem to mostly concentrate on their workout. I would not say members are generally friendly, but that is ok. We are there to workout. The space is rather small but they still manage to make room for a lot of weightlifting machines, 6 squat racks 1 Smith machine, a few pulleys/cables, rowing machines and plenty of treadmills and elliptical machines. The place is exceptionally clean. Bathrooms roomy enough-3 or 4 showers, 3/4 toilet stalls, plenty of lockers (women’s room). No towel service that I am aware of aside from towels for cleaning equipment after use (fine by me). No Pool. Rates are very reasonable. Last I checked(my insurance pays for my membership) everything was entirely correct as far as billing is concerned The owners and managers went above and beyond when I first signed up. They did not yet have my particular insurance company in their system. So they went to work to make sure my insurance would accept them and pay the bill and that headache took a couple of months, but they cheerfully conquered it and let me start my membership while they finalized the details! Very cool! When the owner informed me they had to go through a lot of red tape before my insurance would pay, I asked if he had any idea how long it might be before the insurance started paying and I could be considered a member of Retro Fitness and use the gym and most importantly start LIFTING!! He grinned at me, and said, “As of about 5 minutes ago.” And with that he handed me my membership THANK YOU Retro...

I am compelled to share my extremely negative experience at this gym, as it left me thoroughly dissatisfied and frustrated. The restrictive policies enforced by the management have tarnished what could have been a positive fitness journey.

their policy(according to the owner) regarding personal trainers and guest assistance. It is utterly absurd that the gym prohibits individuals, even friends or family members, from offering basic guidance and support during workouts. I find it mind-boggling that they discourage members from seeking help from knowledgeable individuals, hindering the overall progress and enjoyment of workouts.

Moreover, what infuriates me is the blatant inconsistency in enforcing this policy. When I brought my brother, who possesses the same level of expertise as my friend, we were conveniently allowed to work out together without any interference. However, when I attempted the same with my friend, the owner immediately pounced on us, accusing him of being a personal trainer and restricting our workout. The lack of consistency and fairness in implementing their own rules is simply unacceptable.

Beyond their misguided policies, the gym fails to create an inspiring and supportive environment. While some staff members are friendly, the overall attitude from the "personal trainers" and owner at the gym leaves much to be desired. It seems that genuine assistance and guidance are replaced with a robotic adherence to senseless rules. As a newcomer to the fitness world, I expected encouragement and guidance from experienced individuals. Unfortunately, this gym has proven to be a disappointment in that regard.

Furthermore, although the facilities and equipment meet basic standards, they lack any standout features or cutting-edge advancements. The gym appears to prioritize enforcing unnecessary rules rather than investing in top-of-the-line equipment or creating an inviting atmosphere for its members.

In summary, my experience at this gym has been nothing short of a nightmare. The management's rigid policies, lack of consistency, and unhelpful staff have turned what should have been a positive fitness journey into a regrettable decision. I strongly advise potential members to seek alternatives that prioritize member support, flexibility, and a welcoming environment. Save yourself the disappointment and frustration by steering clear...

This gym has a great group of trainers here in Annapolis that are serious about their hands on training! SEAN is superb! He is sincerely concerned and digs deep with your health goals inside and out. You want to work harder(?) then Sean is the man for you! Very personable and stays in-tuned with helping you achieve a serious workout pattern to benefit you personally. LAURA is great with providing healthy nutritional knowledge and keeps you on a tight schedule with following up on your success rate. QUAN is very knowledgeable with hard core health supplements and his intense workout regimens to achieve a hard toned body to your max. Big JOEY is real with you and always keeps you connected with knowing you have a caring staff here that really wants to help you build that body and get in better health for you. He is very helpful with any nutritional conerns you have. We haven't had the chance to work with Rochelle but im sure she'll put you on the right track. They supply these cool looking bright yellow (what i call) "The Bumble Bee" machines, that will help you "Transform" your body. And after your sweaty workout don't forget to cool off by trying one of their delicious health smoothies at the front bar! Come treat yourself to a new and healthier and BETTER you! *Let's get that oxygen pumping back to our muscles and organs that 2020 took from us all! I wanna keep this gym my lil secret but with great caring people we gotta...