It was years since i stepped into a gym, in addition to recovering from knee surgery - i could…read morehardly get down to the floor and getting up was worse. After area research i contacted Joe at Iron House to talk through membership, costs, equipment and using their in-house trainers. I will simply say this gym is a throwback in every positive way to what a gym should be - nothing fancy but everything you need; it was exactly like all my favorite gyms rolled into one - enough wieghts, cardio, machines (including some not found in other gyms) and fitness accessories (bands, steps, mats, sticks, heavy balls, etc). Most important i never felt uncomfortable. or judged - especially given my limitations - every staff-person and member was focused on their workouts and staff duties, and all were respectful and always helpful. This gym "vibe" is best captured with me struggling to stand up while at the same time the morning group classes - intense, difficult, and demanding - were going on in the designated area and I never once felt "less" or judged - always smiles (not sure how they managed to smile!!) and hello. Enter Anna or better known as "Coach" to many in the gym who use her personal trainer services. Anna was the perfect blend of understanding (adjusted equipment and moves to my level), motivating, encouraging and yes tough as she needed to be - i went from day-one needing help laying down and then getting up, to 3 sets of 3 different exercises, to workingout on my own. At home I could once again climb stairs (from one stair at a time) and had more energy at work. Joe has built a community (both in and out of the gym) and regardless of whether a member took part in other activities, everyone is also welcomed. Lastly a shoutout to Bruce who faithfully opened the gym every morning, even while recovering from his own surgery...

This gym is the best! Joe, Kati and the entire staff are knowledgeable about fitness and they are…read morededicated to the community. October has been quite a month for the Iron House Fitness. They sponsored "IHF Moves 4 Autism", where members and local athletes participated in different events (run/bike/run duathlon, lift-off, fun run, thruster/run). All proceeds were donated to the Mayer Center at Middlesex Hospital and The Nest in Deep River. Both support or employ children and adults with autism. Then there was a motivational competition for all members. You just needed to show up for classes to participate - easy!! I love my gym community! I have made great friends while maintaining my physical health. If you're looking for a great gym, this is the place!

Joint Effort is one of the things that give a reason for getting out of bed. The staff is great and…read moreso helpful. They help over come any problems you have with movement. They will customize your program to your needs. I started going to Joint Effort Old Saybrook shortly after they open and I sill there. So in my eyes they must be doing something right. I'm Still at it and I'll be 80 in January.

I've been a member at JE in Old Saybrook after getting recommendations from 2friends 3 yrs ago…read more I'm so glad I joined. I always disliked exercise and half-heartedly joined gym classes over the years only to get bored and drop out, or get injured (over-exuberant at Yoga!). At 64 I realized how much strength I had lost over the years and decided to take a chance at this gym where I had truly individualized instruction, modifications if something wasn't working for me and I saw progress which gave me confidence to continue. A bonus is the camaraderie of the members and instructors. It's more expensive than other gyms but those never worked for me. And getting older, preventing injury is much more important to me than spending a little more money. Plus I like it and I'm sticking with it, a first for me.

Small gym BUT surprisingly they have it all!! I am a gym nut and this place was sufficient for me!!…read moreI will go there over any gym any day. Local owned, veteran owner, warm and friendly atmosphere. Way better than some lousy chain gym!!

After a few more weeks here, have to commend the owner. Stand-up dude and takes amazing care of his…read morecustomers. Highly recommend.

Does this look like a torture chamber to you? Well, it is, but in a good way. Welcome to the latest…read moreworkout craze. After a lovely holiday week skiing at 12,000 feet in Colorado, I thought a Cross Fit class would be no biggie. Ha! But here's the thing: even though I was the oldest, fattest and slowest of the group (four men, four women), everyone was so encouraging that I managed the pull-ups (aided by a giant rubber band), the sit-ups (some new and interesting versions), and the interminable running (ok, jogging) loops around the building. This place has a cult following, there are even special Cross Fit shoes and a tee shirt! Everybody in the class is a happy convert and I know why. This workout will shed the pounds and have you ripped in no time. Lucky for me, you can go at your own pace. I figure I can bear anything for an hour, and I did. Panting, exhausted, but inexplicably exhilarated, I came home and looked up the schedule for the week. Buy me the tee shirt, I'm going back.

I showed up at MidCoast CrossFit seven months pregnant, and out of a box, given a cross-country…read moremove. With all my special needs for scaling WODs and modifying movements, the coaches and members accepted me with open arms. With the Elayne and Wendell's (co-owners) help, it's been possible for me to CrossFit at least three times a week right into my eight month of pregnancy; I'm at 38 weeks today, and planning to hit a class later this afternoon. It's become a habit to show up five min early to talk with the coach about scaling the WOD or substituting movements. I love that their community has been so positive, since being able to CrossFit has allowed me retain some semblance of normalcy amidst my first pregnancy, and the upheaval of a very big move! While I haven't encountered any naysayers at MidCoast, there are some who may comment "is it really safe?" If you're pregnant and wish to continue CrossFit, use common sense: talk with your doctor first (I did, and got a resounding, "yes, go for it!"), scale back your weight by 20-30% (pregnancy is no time to try for a PR), don't get your heart rate too high (breathe, breathe, breathe), and listen to your body - if a movement hurts or doesn't feel right, then substitute! Also, some movements are just "no-no's," so talk with your coaches and do the research on which movements to skip. Any day may be my last class before my big day, and I will miss all the support and sound coaching that I've received at MidCoast! I'm looking forward to returning a month or two down the line with baby in tow.

I joined about a year ago, and this location is convenient for me. Never packed. Machines are clean…read moreand in good shape. The staff (when here) is generally friendly, (when not on Facebook or surfing the net). I tried to call to set up tanning on my pass. Was never called back, so gave up on ever using the tanning booth here. Clientele is a nice mixed bag of young and old, gym rats and casual fitness/health-minded folks. I've been here at all hours and always a pleasant experience. No lockers, locker room or showers here. Just a rest room to change, and sink wash. Just know: this is a self-service gym; you want to consult a trainer, ask a question about a machine or technique? No dice! YouTube for that. This gym works; not awesome, not crappy. Price is right for my family of 3, which was the deciding factor. Now I just got to get off my lazy butt, and go more!

The quality and range of the equipment is B- and the owner and staff are remarkably unfriendly…read more It's only worth joining if no other gym is remotely convenient.

I have taken classes with Marlene; and, I can confirm that she is an excellent teacher who is…read morededicated to Pilates and helping her students.

Pilates for Life is Pilates in its purist form. Marlene Powers not only owns and runs the studio,…read morebut teaches every class. Group lessons are taught on a mat, while machines are used for privates. Marlene continues to train with Joseph Pilates protégé Romana Kryzanowska and her dedication to True Pilates is exemplified by the constant tweaking of her techniques. Her knowledge of the positions and the body and her ability to get you to "go deeper" into your core, not to mention her devotion to her students, is unmatched. When I leave Marlene's class, my stomach is flatter and I stand taller--what's better?!? Classes: Mat - All Levels, Privates, Barrel Classes Atmosphere: Clean, bright, soothing Price: $19/per lesson. 15% discount for two or more sessions. (Full disclosure: Heidi has been going to Marlene for years and has never felt the inclination to wander).

I'm a new member and new to OS. Love this gym everything you need. Never too busy. Kept clean…read more I left my phone here by accident. They found it, tried to contact me and returned it to me. Today my son is home for a few weeks from the USAF academy as and is active duty, they let him work out for free and made him feel welcomed and honored. Well done and thank you

This gym was a great find! Extremely clean, all new equipment friendly knowledgeable staff. Onsite…read moreowner is very hands on and helpful. Great class selection and plenty of space and stations on the floor. Definitely the best place in the area.

I have been a member of this club for over one year now and I enjoy the atmosphere, and the club…read moreowners Liz and Herb are very nice people. Most recently however, the club has been in decline. A promised new treadmill to replace one that is broken for over 2 months has not been replaced. Signs over the cleaning wipes say "take one only" ...the one wipe that is sticking out is usually dry with no disinfectant on it is...really one only! Since joining this gym I have brought my own disinfectant wipes because many times they are out. I like this gym and I enjoy my interaction with the owners, again very nice people. Please ask for help from members if you are having difficulties, I think that you will be surprised at the helpful response that you may receive. I (we) want this gym to succeed, but you need to reach out to members for suggestions on how to make this club better and be successful. A new club will be opening soon down the street and another club may be opening near by soon...it's time to be proactive and make Anytime Fitness stand out...helpful input is only a step away! Succeed or not...it's in your hands! Best Regards ... Mark

Awful... Wanted a gym that would give me 24 hr convenience so I signed up for a free week pass and…read moreto learn more. This would be great if the staff was actually ever there when they say they will be. Went by on day one only to find out they have different summer hours (which were not mentioned on their webpage), then went by again during said summer hours only to find out still no staff to enroll with or talk to. Doors only open for FOBs so no way of even going in to the front desk. Called twice and no answer. A nice gentleman let me in and on the staff door (which is INSIDE the gym) has a note from the incompetent staff member with a phone number to call incase of an emergency or urgent matter...lol guess their not in the business of getting new members... The 24hr convenient gym is actually the most inconvenient gym I've ever encountered. Thank goodness there are other and more professional options in Old Saybrook!

If you're considering working with Dr. Cynthia Kempinski I highly recommend starting with the…read morerecommended lab work and lab review. I am a skeptical person and I have had annual labs done with my PCP for years. I assure you the information, analysis, and explanation is like nothing you've had with even a great Physician. The level of expertise and knowledge I experienced with Dr. Kempinski was undeniable. I never felt like I was being "sold" she simply presented the data and I knew I was with an expert and the recommendations she made for my protocol were custom for my needs based on my labs and medical history. I am 7 weeks into my protocol and my results are undeniable. I am feeling better than I have in years. I'm excited to see the comparison labs and data. If you're considering please take the first step and review your labs with Dr. Kempinski!

A year ago, I had a decision to make: would I keep my appointment with that Minnesota bastion of…read moremedical diagnostics (you know the one--the name is synonymous with the best medical care available)? Or would I choose the leap of faith that led me to The Kempinski Clinic? After months of investigation, I was exhausted with researching case studies, with reading every book I could find, with feeling certain that I was dying, with being told by neurologists that I was simply (1) fat, and (2) crazy. So in the end, it had come down to this choice: would I submit myself to another round of scans and tests in the interest of finding a definitive label for my illness, after which the doctors would still bombard my system with the same frightening drugs they were already recommending? Or would I be brave enough to open my mind to a different approach, a treatment which involved retraining my brain to compensate for my physical deficits and realigning my nutrition to support health instead of illness? I won't tell you it was an easy decision: I was raised to believe that the MD degree was as close to God as it was possible to get, and that was a mindset hard to overcome. And yes, even though I'd read virtually everything there was to read about it and the efficacy of it was illustrated in those readings time and again, still the concept of neuroplasticity and brain training sounded to me a little bit like hoodoo. But here's the thing: I truly believed I was dying. I could not lift my arms to wash my own hair. The trip to my mailbox was a Herculean task. I was Googling wheelchair ramps and mechanized stair-climbing chairs. I was terrified. And I did not have enough time, money, or energy to seek both treatment options. I had to choose. Obviously, because I am here, because you are reading this, you already know I chose the Kempinski approach. It was a difficult process, and the work was challenging, and it wasn't in any way either cheap or inexpensive (and yes, there is a difference). And it gave me my life back. And I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude for the choice I made and the priceless care I have received since. Fast forward: one year after my initial round of treatment, I was still a new person. I was no longer nutritionally and metabolically bankrupt. I had fully regained my balance and my energy and my health and my intellect. Gone was the nausea, the headache, the crippling feeling of brain fog that, for a person who prided herself on her intelligence, was perhaps the most debilitating symptom of all. I actually laughed one day when I stumbled across my long-ago Google search for an automated staircase chair. Then...something happened. It was random, it was a fluke, it was a simple errant movement that once again triggered the crippling vertigo. I hadn't anticipated it, I didn't see it coming. It just happened. And I panicked. Within a month the neurological symptoms had returned with a vengeance, and once again I was terrified. But here's the important part of this lesson: thanks to the year I had just spent under Dr. K's guidance, I was now stronger than I had been before. I was nutritionally sound. My blood chemistry and gut health was balanced and working in my favor, not against me. And so, when I returned to the clinic expecting the worst, what I got instead was the best: not the start-from-square-one course of treatment I had been expecting, but instead a fine-tuning of my already competent system. Within the week I felt myself again, strong and repaired and ready to take on anything life threw at me. I am not in any way a religious person, and yet I know this one thing for sure: all it takes to make yourself well is knowledge, and willingness, and some pretty hard work, and a leap of faith. Whatever faith you happen to have will work just fine. Just leap.