Genesis Fitness

I completed my first Power camp at the Lodo location. The camp exceeded my expectations. I am not in shape and was nervous that I was not in shape enough to start a boot camp. I was definitely incorrect. I was able to do modifications when needed. The instructors pushed me and were always encouraging and respectful. You just need to give them 100% and you will do great. You have a different instructor each day of the week. They ensure that you have a full body workout for the week. It is definitely a boot camp and not an aerobics class. I left camp in much better shape and felt great. I look forward to taking another camp. They offer memberships now and you get a discount on the camp. I put price as a con. I definitely feel like I got my money's worth. I just cannot afford to do this every month. It is comparable to gyms in the downtown area. Pros: Instructors, Fellow Campers, Whole body workout Cons: Price more

I go to Genesis Fitness and I have been an athlete for many years. I played football in college, so I know what a work out is about. I think the workouts at Genesis are great! The work outs are always very well planned out and the instructors are very knowledgeabIe. They keep the class motivated, and keep me going. I enjoy my work out every time I am there. By far this is the best total body work out I have ever had. more

Honestly I can say that Genesis Fitness has changed so many things for me in my life, and all for the positive. I am a stay at home mom. I have always been ""into"" working out. Running on the treadmill, or doing a little work out video in my basement. I was finally able to go outside of my home to work out, and thought I'd check out Genesis. I LOVED the first day, and couldn't wait to go back the next. Through Genesis, I realize that I am capable of so much more than I have ever given my self credit for. I myself, with the encouragement of my fantastic instructors can go way beyond what my mind says I can't. The boot camps there have transformed me not only physically, but mentally as well. I am so grateful for the concept that has been created. I will be a loyal camper for as long as my body will allow me. more

The thing about Genesis Fitness is this: they are committed to providing the best workouts available. The instructors know when a class has done the workout already, and they are constantly coming up with new methods to keep people motivated, excited, and thrilled to be apart of something great. People from all walks of life, age range, and physical ability come to Genesis for two reasons:(1) to get a butt kicking workout, (2) to meet motivated people ensuring you will always work your hardest. The camaraderie involved is contagious. Bootcamp is meant to be tough, it is meant to be challenging, and it is meant to inspire you to a lifestyle change. For goodness sakes the US military (the greatest military in the world!) employs the same sort of physical training to their recruits and we have a lot to be proud of our service men and women. They are disciplined, motivated, and 100% professional. Genesis Fitness has the same background (about half of the trainers have a military background!): all of their instructors care about you. I hear them talking after class about things we need to improve on, things we can do in our free time to better ourselves physically. They offer criticism too, which not many people offer. No one is going to get better if they do the wrong thing and no one tells them otherwise. My take on the situation below: I am ALL for rehabilitation. How else are you going to get better? But from my perspective of how the classes at Genesis work she should have never signed up in the first place. Genesis Fitness is unlike any other gym out there: they take into consideration everything (injuries, travel, your physical background as a whole) and if YOU TELL THEM you have an injury and what part was injured I can guarantee the instructor will do their best to modify. One class I was in an instructor simply told the person we are doing strictly shoulders (she had recent surgery) and gave the camper the opportunity to take the day off, or go into the other room and run on the treadmills. She of course opted to stay, but the fact of the matter that the instructor cared enough about her so she wouldn't hurt herself again. One person cannot dictate what the entire class does. If one person had an injury on, say, their legs, the entire duration of the camp isn't going to just cut out legs completely. To me, that would be unfair to everyone else, or say one particular camper in the class whose target may be to improve their leg strength. Genesis Fitness is balanced, but if you have had a serious recent injury/surgery that will severely hinder your participation in constant movement group exercises maybe you should consider gaining your full ability back via personal training before you decide to join these camps because these bootcamps are just that: they are intense military oriented workouts. That having been said, take a serious look at their website. They explain all of their programs. Do note that the lowest intensity of their classes is HIGH INTENSITY. They stay true to their word. Even their ""easiest"" class is a real butt-kicker but they have a very good reason. They take what they teach to heart: these are military workouts. Our military wouldn't be anything like it is today if people were allowed to go into bootcamp and dictate what they want to do. That would be a disaster! Therefore if you are ready to commit to the best workout in the world that improves your physical ability, your motivation, your determination, and your ability to succeed your goals, then join Genesis Fitness. I GUARANTEE that if you walk in there with a great attitude and a drive to improve there is nothing that the instructors and fellow bootcampers wouldn't do to ensure you meet your personal goals. Take a camp! They offer anyone who's a first timer through those doors to take one camp free of charge just to see what a daily workout is like. That way you can see just what they're all about. Pros: The real deal more

i too was in the class and neither account is accurate. it is more down the middle than either point of view, from what i observed. in this instance, both the student and the instructor were wrong. it was wrong of the student to walk out and it was wrong of the instructor to make her feel belittled. i knew of her injury because i was standing next to the instructor when she informed him of it but was not sure how it affected her and we should be careful to criticize as no one can know the extent of it. either way, the matter should have been handled more maturely on by both parties. i have been through three genesis fitness programs and have had interesting experiences in each of them. most of the instructors are incredibly friendly and great at motivating but i have seen a few of them, including the one involved in this matter, use slightly negative means to motivate students. while it is a good workout, i am still not convinced. i prefer the 5 day workout to the three day as the instructors are more committed to the students progress but after going through this last program and reading what people are saying im not sure this is the place for me. Pros: good workout Cons: strange experience more

I was also in the class with the incident between the instructor and injured person, if it can even be called an incident. The particular class that we were all taking was only a 50 minute workout, and she consistently came 15 minutes late to every class, and then proceeded to do a completely different workout than the rest of the class. I'm still confused as to what her injury was as she was able to do some things for all body parts - it seemed like she was just avoiding the things that are difficult, or not the most fun to do. (Like running on an incline - not the most fun, but a fantastic workout). This was extremely disruptive to the class as a whole - motivation is hurt when there are such negative people present. On the particular day in question, the instructor very kindly told her the proper way to do an exercise (as they do for all campers, caring about form and trying to avoid injury), and she freaked out. At this point the instructor nicely (not in a raised voice whatsoever) that for rehab she might be more suited to personal training instead of the group workout environment. At this point she threw down her weights and stormed out.\r \r I have been a loyal customer to Genesis Fitness for almost 3 years and have taken numerous classes. I have never seen an individual use the classes the way this particular individual did. If you are not going to attend the whole class and are going to do your own workout, why would you not just go to the gym or work out on your own for free?\r \r I have also taken classes where I've had an injury going into them, and the instructors are more than willing to show you how to modify the specific exercise to accomodate the injury. I think part of the problem was that this girl not only did not communicate what her injury was, but didn't even seek the advice from the instructors as to what she could do differently, but rather would snap at them whenever they offered suggestions.\r \r As a member of this specific class, I was relieved when she was finally gone, and that seemed to be the mood of the entire class. Pros: Best workout and best instructors around more

I have to rebut CO24's post ""Personal Trainer Instead"". I was in the class that this person is referencing and their comment is a very biased view of the incident. It looks like someone is using the third person to try to legitimize their personal complaint. As a neutral observer in this class, the fault for this incident does not belong to Genesis Fitness, but to the person that took the class. This person was consistently late to class, forcing the instructor to stop instructing the entire group to bring this person up to speed on the workout. I am empathetic to this person's injury, however this person went well beyond asking for a replacement exercise to accommodate their injury rehab. Virtually every exercise presented in the class she asked for a replacement exercise. Her antics were consistently disruptive to the class. All of the trainers we worked with tried their best to accommodate her, but her constant demands for individual attention were over the top. In regards to the specific incident, the trainer merely suggested the correct way to do the exercise. This person threw down her weights and snapped back at the trainer. At that point the trainer nicely and not in any way aggressively told her that this is a group class and she might be better suited for a personal trainer. At that point she stormed off in a huff. At the end off the class, the trainer apologized for the incident to the rest of the class. Not a single member of the class seemed upset by what happened and I think everyone was a little relieved because we were all tired of her distractions, tardiness and poor attitude. I have taken several Boot Camp classes at Genesis and I have enjoyed every class. It is an enjoyable and challenging workout. The trainers are top notch and are quite respectful to the different fitness levels within each class. If you are looking for an engaging and unique workout, I highly recommend taking a class at Genesis Fitness. Pros: Variety of workout, great instructors more

I was recently in a class at Genesis Fitness and witnessed an incident which shocked me. A woman in the class had been hurt and using the class as rehab. When she could not perform the stated task she was yelled at, told to get a personal trainer, and to get out of the class immediately. IF you are looking for a fun way to get in shape with great instructors, this is not for you. While the instructors are knowledgeable, they are brash and dictatorial. If it's not their way its the highway. And if you are not in shape enough to do a push up i guarantee you will feel unwelcome. Cons: negative workout environment more

This gym is not for someone that wants an easy or light workout. Everyday has been different and draining, but worth every minute of it. Each day I leave feeling like I am getting stronger and stronger. Great instructors, very professional and highly motivating. They are not going to just leave you on your own. Don't join something like this if you are not willing to make time for it either, you need to go often to see results. Will do another one for sure, loved it!!!! more

Being completely out of shape, I was quite nervous about joining any sort of fitness group. I looked at gyms and was scared away. When I finally got dragged into a fitness boot camp at Genesis, I felt welcome, comfortable, and not looked down upon. It's rough at first, but the trainers are kind and willing to help people of all levels. Every night is a different workout and they keep it balanced. If you're looking for help getting back into the realm of being fit, this is definitely the way to go; don't be scared off by the suggested requirements. Pros: Friendly trainers, comfortable environment, low pressure, variety of people in class, motivational Cons: Beating the heck out of your tailbone ;) more

Genesis Bootcamp is truly the greatest workout training facility I've been associated with ever! I'm into my second bootcamp right now, and will absolutely continue to sign up for consecutive sessions. I started camp as a non-athletic, depressed, soft-body and now I feel so confident, my running, endurance and strength training have measurably improved. In addition, I've lost several inches and lbs. The camps are great for all levels of fitness; there's a camp for everyone. It's a great way to support a healthy lifestyle and make some great friends!! The five day a week classes are wonderful and there's a level of accountability and responsibility to participate in each session (you pay for it, may as well show up!). The classes are fun and lively, very upbeat and challenging all in one. There is a variety of different trainers who are all top-notch with incredible personalities and vast training knowledge. I love it, and I promise, you will too!! Pros: Every day, different adventure more

I took bootcamp on a recommendation from a friend and honestly, I was a bit skeptical. I had a blast though, def was not easy, but that is what I was looking for. My instructors were a lot of fun. It was nice to get my butt kicked but still have a smile from the ones in charge. I did do another bootcamp , which shall go nameless and i can tell you, there is a reason a lot of people wrote nice things about this place. I even had the owner of the company teach a few classes, NICE! Highly recommend this camp. I said goodbye to my own boring workouts and hello to my old size 32 jeans. Pros: Great instructors, good music more

I came to Genesis Fitness as a former runner who had not moved in about 5 years unless you count the distance between my computer and the fridge. I wasn't horribly overweight, just soft, squishy, and weak. You know, when you look okay in clothes but chunks of cottage cheese are lurking beneath the surface? Yah, that was me! \r \r I signed up for the downtown PM fitness class. I started the class very slow at running, and hating it. During the course of the class I discovered I actually like running, and can't do without it. My time dropped 5 minutes in the 5 week course. I never thought I could do pushups, much less 50 of them in a row (with no cheating!). \r \r As the instructors say, this is not curves. You will sweat, you will grunt, you will learn to embrace pain as a friend that leads to results and that happy feeling you get after a good workout. Most of the people in the class are 23-35 years old, normal folks. People are friendly, not snobby, and not critical or competative (except me, I like to race for fun because I am a spastic dorkweed :P) I know it is hard to drag your flab into workout clothes and bounce around in front of people...but at genesis you have nothing to be ashamed or or worry about. \r \r One of the most positive things I gained from it was losing my fear of looking stupid in front of people. I'd never done a group activity like that, and was shy about not knowing what to do. The shyness probably came off a little standoffish. Now I'm probably the goofiest, happiest person in my class. Clothes fit better, I have muscles and tone coming out in places that never occured to me (say bye to those dreaded backfat handles and muffin tops!), but I'm equally grateful for the shameless way I can toss myself at any exercise with energy and fearlessness. Although I think they would rather I not jump down 5 stairs at once. =P Pros: ^^ Cons: Saturday class is too early more

Yes, this is hard. Yes, this kicks your a**but afterall, it is called boot camp. I am a beginner from the word go. I am about 25 lbs overweight and haven't worked out regularly in years. I also have a PhD in procrastination and excuse making. Have a hangnail? Cool, can't go to the gym. Had a hard day? Right on, I'll bail the gym so I can polish off a bottle of wine and eat an entire Chipotle burrito. This class has changed me. This class is worth the money, time and effort. A previous review mentioned that for beginners, it is hard. This is true, very true, however, you are not there to compete against your peers; you are there to compete against yourself. I am in my second 5 week class and I can't believe how much progress I have made. I am still the slowest runner and the last one to finish every single time we run, however, I cut an entire minute off of my total run time during the first boot camp. I do not measure my success by comparing it to others. I am the one in the back of the class who has to stop often while those around me are still going but I push through it. I take a lot more breaks than the others and can't do as many reps but for me, just showing up is a success. The instructor at the DTC Evening class, Lori, is amazing. She gets to know your strengths and weeknesses and helps motiviate you every step of the way. The other upside to joining these camps is that you bond so closely with your class. We encourage eachother and focus on what we can do rather than what we can't. We truly become a team by the end of the five weeks. Feel free to show up one night and take the class for free, Garth won't charge you. You will get your butt kicked but we'll all be there to cheer you on-Just look for the chubby chick in the back; the one who is the slowest runner, lifts the least, sweats the most and all around struggles through it-that's me. I just show up and do my best, knowing that the ultimate payoff in the end is losing weight and looking great! Pros: Challenging, fun, consistent, good value Cons: Hard workout, hard to go from sedentary to boot camp but you have to start somewhere more

I had surgery to replace my left ACL on Jul 2nd. By Aug 2nd with the encouragement of the Genesis staff (and the supervision of my doctor) I was able to slowly jog around Cheeseman Park without stopping. By the end of September I was able to do 75 push-ups in two minutes and able to run 3 to 6 miles on asphalt, and on Oct 15th I ran my very first half marathon. I couldn't have done it without the help, heart and encouragement of the Genesis staff. I originally joined Genesis to strengthen my legs after my surgery, but what I have gained in camaraderie, confidence and calmness, far surpasses any of my expectations of strength training. THANK YOU Genesis staff! more

Just recently our son turned six months old and my wife announced she wanted to get back into shape. I had heard about Genesis from a friend, and after reviewing the different classes on the Genesis website, my wife (who has never worked out before) wanted to join the Low Impact class. I run and work out on a regular basis so I wanted to join the Performance camp. We compromised and joined the Fitness camp, and so glad we did! \r \r A REVIEW FROM THE MRS:\r \r Six months after having a baby I realized my 'baby fat' wasn't going to go away on its own. Damn. I've never worked out before I was pregnant, but I wanted desperately wanted my pre-baby body back. I was intimidated with the word 'Bootcamp' but immediately felt at ease even though I was a total beginner and don't remember the last time I did a sit-up. Genesis staff is over-flowing with encouragement and knowledge, even at 5:30 in the morning. The staff genuinely cares about the progress of each camper and always suggested modifications if I couldn't do something. The workouts are hard and I was sore in places I never knew I had muscles, but I couldn't have found this type of 'tough love' instruction at my gym. At the end of camp I shaved minutes off of my timed mile, numerous percentage points off my body fat and have so much more energy. Highly recommended!\r A REVIEW FROM THE MR.:\r \r I have always been in good shape, I run long distance and workout on a regular basis. When I signed up I did it to support my wife. I thought this course would be relatively easy for me to complete since I am already in shape. I was gravely mistaken. I can truly say that I have received the best four weeks of workouts in my entire life. Not only do I feel that the workouts were challenging, but the positive mental attitude that I have taken with me throughout the day is truly exceptional. \r \r Thank-you Genesis! Pros: Challenging workout for the beginner and advanced more

I am a beginning camper and have never run anywhere except to the phone and I feel Genesis camps provided exactly the push I needed to reach my health and fitness goals. \r \r Yes, it took me a while before I felt like I wasn't going to die from the workouts. The combination of weights, calisthenics, sprints and group drills left me so sore that there were days I couldn't even pick up my 3yr old! And yes, there is some running every day, but the workouts vary and are both inside and outside so that we dont just run all the time. And when we did run, although I was the very last person because Im not in the best shape, I was never left by myself nor did I feel I had to keep up with the group. Heidi, one of the instructors, ran and encouraged me every step of the way. She encouraged me to run a block, walk a block. Run to a tree, walk to a car. Now I can run around Cheeseman without stopping and as a result Ive lost two dress sizes and feel great! Granted I have a long way to go, but at least now it feels possible. THANK YOU Genesis for pushing me, although I wouldn't mind if you pushed a little less during those damn flutter kicks... ;o) Pros: Fun, Friendly instructors that pushed me out of my comfort zone which helped me achieve my fitness goals more

I signed up for a bootcamp due to the high reviews Genesis was given on this website and the testimonials on their site. I was very disappointed.\r \r If you are a beginner, then be very careful as the class you choose and whether or not Genesis is the best place for you! Before I signed up, I emailed Genesis to discuss my beginning fitness level. I was told that the class I was enrolling in was ""just fine"" and there would be ""no problem"" since everyone works out at their own pace. Not at all the case. \r \r Big problem and my pace could not keep up with anyone. The very first day of the first week, they told us to run 14 city blocks (7 blocks down and back as a round trip) to ""warm-up."" Being a complete beginner who is not a runner, I could run all of about 2 blocks and walked the rest of the way. Motivated to keep up with everyone...the rest of the week was running, running, running, running. Which is great. Running will get you into shape...that is if you are not a complete beginner. \r \r By Friday of the first week (4 days of running) my knees hurt so bad that I could barely walk. In fact I went to see my chiropractor to see what was going on. His response ""You have overworked them. No more running for awhile."" So much for the ""just fine"" and ""no problem"" being a beginner. \r \r The 2nd week and rest of camp consisted of my trying to work out and keep up with everyone without running. Not that easy to do. \r \r The folks at Genesis are very nice and I think they provide a good service. But, it is my opinion that you should be very careful about choosing Genesis if you are a beginner. The classes pushed too hard, too quick and ended up hurting more than helping. I did hear from a fellow member that Genesis offers a ""low impact"" class. But, when I emailed them to discuss which class to take, the low impact option was never mentioned. Things may have been different if I enrolled in that class. Pros: Facilities are good and staff is friendly Cons: Injured due to being pushed too hard as a beginner and not told of a low impact class more

when i turned 40 i realized i needed to get back on the workout wagon. i needed to tone up and lose about 10 lbs. i did the personal trainer route for about 6 mo. i got results initially, but reached a plateau and the trainer was just too busy to give me the attention i wanted and needed. so, i decided to try another route. i was hoping for something that would work and that wouldn't cost as much. i found garth's bootcamp. \r \r i found the camp super challenging, but both trainer's were super supportive and motivated. they were also knowledgeable and while in a group they were still able to give individual attention. i love these camps. they're fun and challenging and they work!! i had to take a lung test for my allergist and he was amazed at my lung capacity. i blew a 105 which he said was equal to the lungs of a 25 yr. old. i'm 41! he wanted to know where i worked out;) now, i'm trying to do 3-4 camps per year. if you want a great workout and want to feel comfortable, supported and not break your bank account....genesis fitness camps is the place to go! Pros: it works! more

I've honestly seen better results after completing a 5 week high intensity bootcamp at Genesis than five years with a personal trainer at my gym. I think the reason I saw such improvments is because there is such an emphasis on attendance during its five-day-a-week bootcamps. I never wanted to be the first one in my class to miss! As a result, I am almost 30 seconds faster in my timed mile run, can do 75 pushups in 2 minutes (hooray!) and more toned in my 'lower half' than I was before my two kids were born! I liked that we had a mixture of indoor weight training and outdoor cardio. I loved running in Cheeseman and City Park and really enjoyed the challenge of running stairs at the Capital Building. THANK YOU Garth, JP, Hilary and Heidi for always pushing, encouraging and challenging me. I can't wait for the next camp! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!\r \r Pros: Great staff, challenging classes, good mixture of indoor/outdoor activity Cons: Classes fill up fast & sometimes get crowded when indoors if class if completely full more