Onelife Fitness - Newport News Sports Club — Local services in Poquoson

I fell 2.5 stories head-first onto concrete in 2009, was later diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (causing constant dislocations and subluxations if not careful) and eventually underwent a spinal fusion surgery of my L4-L5-S1 in 2019 and despite multiple rounds of physical therapy, have been almost entirely bedridden in the years since.

My parents had gone to this gym for years but lapsed for a few after my Dad had a heart attack. The staff was accommodating to bring them back into the gym to help them continue their health journey and my parents asked for the most experienced and capable personal trainer that could deal with the variety of serious issues that my body faces on a daily basis.

I was paired with Robin and she radiates positivity, experience, motivation, and inspiration. From the very first meeting, she stated her entire goal was to get me to love coming to the gym, to get to the point where I was capable of showing up on my own, but also took my concerns very seriously.

Due to the head injury, my memory suffers from week to week and I often forget things, and having Robin at my side ensuring that I’m in the proper position and posture and I’m not going to hurt myself is a relief beyond words. I feel empowered to continue with my gym journey because she’s by my side making sure that I can’t do any damage to myself and is structuring my workouts to engage my core muscles and other supporting muscles to help strengthen my problem areas.

To be entirely honest, I haven’t been able to even make a reservation to go see a movie (where I just sit in a chair for 2 hours) and frequently cancel at the last minute because my body is in that much pain. So a commitment to a personal trainer when I wasn’t even sure that I’d be able to show up for one session (let alone a month now, I think it’s almost been) is literally life changing.

Robin is the best possible type of trainer you could want. Her inspiration and positivity is infectious, she clearly feels fulfilled in working a job in which helping people is her primary goal. Had it been anyone else, I probably would have bailed after the first session.

I look forward to continuing my gym journey with Robin and I strongly encourage you to ask for her by name when signing up for a trainer of your own (if she has the time). You could not possibly be in better hands, and she’s a credit to One Life and an exemplary employee that reflects positively on the goal and mission statement of the gym. They’re lucky to have her, and I’m lucky that she was there to work with me, or I’d still be in bed, muscles atrophying, and one step closer to giving up.

So thanks Robin, and thanks One...

I've been a member for over 6 years and I have had no complaints up until today. That is the reason they received 2 stars instead of 1. I originally joined with a 1 year commitment and then it shifted to a month-to-month basis after that. so I've been month-to-month for the previous 5 years. I emailed them to cancel a few days into the month as I no longer use their facilities. I understand paying for rest of that month, due to canceling after the 1st, heck, I even understanding paying a prorated period for the following month due to a 30 day cancellation policy. However, I'm being charged for 2 additional months. When I called to inquire about this, the jest of the conversation was that it was in the contract I signed that they will continue to bill me for 2 additional billing cycles (the current one plus the next one) because they cant process the cancellation in less than 30 days. Even with as shady as this policy is, I can understand as it's part of a signed contract.

I was planing on re-joining in the future (I indicated so in the original cancellation email). However, that will no longer be the case for the following reasons: When I placed the call, I was almost immediately transferred to a manager (I did not ask to be transferred, the representative could not answer my questions and volunteered to transfer me). The manager immediately answered with an attitude as if I was just another complaining customer that he'd have to shut up. The disrespect in the way the manager talked to me was unbelievable. He said that it was my loss that I didn't remember the cancellation policy of a contract I signed 6 years ago and it was their way of squeezing one last payment out of members who were leaving them anyways and I'd just have to eat it. He even went as far as complaining that I was raising my voice and yelling at him, which I was not. Furthermore, he wanted me to refer other people to join their gym.

As a business owner myself, one of the main things I judge other business on the most is their customer service. There are some business that will go well above and beyond what is expected in any customer service interaction, and to those businesses, I make a point to be a repeat customer. Other business meet the expectations. OneLife Fitness, however, falls FAR below any reasonable level of expectations in customer service and I do NOT recommend them for that...

We absolutely love this gym! They’ve recently reorganized the space, and the improvements are fantastic. With so much equipment and various tucked-away areas, it’s easy to focus on your workout without feeling crowded. The friendly staff and great amenities—like the fresh towels, sauna, and water massage chairs—make the experience even better.

That said, I do have one concern: the use of synthetic air fresheners. (One dispenser is right by the hydro massage chairs.) These artificial fragrances might smell pleasant to some but they can contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which have been linked to hormone imbalances, reproductive issues, and even certain cancers.

Phthalates, commonly found in artificial fragrances, mimic or interfere with our natural hormones, disrupting critical biological processes. Research shows that exposure to EDCs, even at low levels, can accumulate over time, potentially impacting long-term health (Diamanti-Kandarakis et al., 2009).

As someone who values health and wellness, I feel strongly that gyms should prioritize clean, non-toxic environments. Switching to fragrance-free policies or using natural alternatives like essential oils (if properly ventilated) would be a great way to enhance the experience for all members.

On a different note, I want to share my personal experience with personal training Pilates sessions. While the gym itself is great, my time with one instructor, Heather, was disappointing. I found the sessions lacked proper assessment and guidance, which is especially important when dealing with chronic injuries and pain. She ignored anything I said and aggravated chronic injuries I have been battling. Communication about contract details was also unclear, leading to some frustration.

I’m sharing this so others can be informed and advocate for their needs. Despite this, I still enjoy the gym overall and hope improvements can be made...