Mjj Sss
5/5
The Best Place to Get Started for Exercise Newbies Like Me!
TL;DR
1. Semi-private training option they offer is truly the best bang for your buck in this area.
2. Genesis, the owner, and the coaches here are amazing. They really know how to push you in the right direction without burning you out.
3. The least intimidating place to get started for a complete exercise newbie like me.
When I first signed up for semi-private training at Genesis Fitness, I was desperate but also scared for change. I had been recovering from a myriad of pain issues I had received physical therapy for. I was also severely depressed. I knew I had to exercise to put on more muscles to prevent further pain issues and to improve my mental health, but I had never exercised regularly in my life and had no idea where to start. At first, I was hesitant to spend a lot of money, but I also knew that I'd fail if I tried to do it on my own at a gym. I took trial classes at many places that offered either a group training option or 1:1 personal training. In group setting, I felt like I needed more guidance on navigating the various pain issues, while personal training options were too expensive for me. That's when I found Genesis Fitness that offered a semi-private training option where I still get personalized guidance from the coaches at a much better price than 1:1 training. Now I am going into my 5th month training here (yes, the picture is a 4-month transformation!), and I can certainly say that I am so glad I chose Genesis Fitness and that this truly is the "Best Bang for Your Buck" in the entire San Marcos area!
Besides it being a great deal, there were a couple reasons that made me want to sign up here. First of all, Coach Genesis, the owner, is genuinely invested in helping people transform their lives through exercise. He really understands that fitness isn't just about the body, but it is also about the mind. He sometimes sends emails containing some helpful or encouraging tips. One of the emails he sent while I was still in my trial phase said, "you cannot pour from an empty cup", and that really spoke to me at the time. It really made me think about how I should feel healthy and fulfilled first before I can help others and helped me get motivated to exercise. Second reason was Coach Emir. In the trial class, I had a lot of questions about different movements, but he really took the time to explain in detail in a way I can understand as a newbie. I also kept getting pain when I did certain movements and he was very well-versed in how I can modify my form to still exercise without hurting myself.
After coming here for 4 months, I've been grateful for all the coaches here. They really know how to push you in the right direction, but also very attentive to any issues you may be having. I want to mention Coach Brenda especially. She does most of the background heavy-lifting in terms of keeping all the members in check with scheduling, diet plans, and progress assessments. She is always extremely helpful. I really enjoyed training with her as well. She definitely made me push my limits, and I felt really accomplished after. She's very strict, but in a loving way! Coach Ryan has been amazing as well. He makes it very fun to train and extremely helpful with forms. The way he explains the forms has been very easy to register for me. He is a fairly new coach, but I already learned so much from him about how to properly target the muscles I'm trying to work and how to use breathing to stay in the flow while doing my sets.
Lastly, the best thing about Genesis Fitness is that it's truly welcoming to all levels. I felt a bit intimidated at many other gyms I trialed before Genesis because I really had no muscles and no experience working out with other people. Here, I see people of all ages, all levels, and all shapes, and the coaches really know how to work with all of them. All in all, if you're reading this review and you are like how I was, desperate for a change and also scared for one, I wholeheartedly recommend Genesis Fitness Training!