As someone who rarely writes reviews, I felt this one was necessary…read more
I've been a coach/trainer for the past five years, and I have never been so disappointed in a new drop-in class. I had never been to an F45 before, but I decided to meet my friend for a short workout on Saturday morning (5/10/25).
I walked into a quiet studio where two trainers were present--one female, named Shannon, and a male. Neither introduced themselves or welcomed me. The female trainer was on her phone, and the male was walking around. I had to initiate the conversation, saying something like, "Hi, I haven't been to this gym before." The female glanced up and said, "Ha, you came to the one-hour workout--you're going to die," then pointed to the lockers and told me where to put my things.
The male said absolutely nothing.
I repeated myself: "Okay, well, I haven't been here before--do I need to sign something?" She looked up from her phone again and asked, "Oh, so you want to drop in?" I said, "I think so," and she pointed to a QR code on the wall and said, "You can sign up through here."
As a coach, I have never felt so unimpressed or unwelcome. After signing up, no one asked if I had any workout experience, prior injuries, or questions. No direction was given about where to warm up or how the class worked. Nothing. I was honestly in shock. Thankfully, my friend was there to guide me. (Imagine if I had come alone!) While I could figure things out due to my experience, the lack of attention was unacceptable--especially considering the $219/month unlimited membership price. Frankly, it felt fraudulent.
During the class, the coaches were flat, disengaged, and uninterested. No motivation, no energy--just generic lines like "Push harder... come on... 10 seconds left." It felt like a conveyor belt workout. The session itself was okay--I definitely didn't "die" as the coach joked.
After the class, neither coach checked in with me. No "good job," no "thanks for coming," no invitation to return--absolutely nothing. I walked out of the gym feeling upset and disgusted by how I was treated and how poorly this F45 location operates.
I know not all F45 gyms are like this. Shout out to Coach MoMo down in Burlingame, who creates an enjoyable and welcoming experience. But the F45 in Santa Rosa off Industrial Ave is, in my opinion, a huge waste of money. I would never recommend this location--or at least the 6:45 AM class.
Also, $30 for a drop-in session? For that level of service? No thanks.
It's unfortunate that I felt compelled to write this review, but people deserve to know they can spend far less elsewhere and receive far more in terms of physical and emotional wellbeing.
