Isabella was so patient with both of our boys. They absolutely loved her and gained a ton of…read moreconfidence in the water!

Gina B. is an excellent swim instructor! She is warm, patient, kind, and made our infant feel…read morecomfortable during her very first swim lessons. She was always punctual and came prepared with toys and equipment that made each lesson engaging and fun. Her sweet personality and calm energy immediately put both baby and parents at ease. You can truly tell she loves working with children, and we're so grateful for such a positive first swimming experience. Highly recommend!

Mixed Feelings :Great Start in Adult Group Level 1, But Disappointed in Level 2…read more I was genuinely excited to enroll in Level 2 swim lessons this year after having such a positive experience in Level 1. My coach in Level 1 was amazing,patient, encouraging, and I truly felt like I was learning and growing as a swimmer. Unfortunately, my Level 2 experience didn't live up to those expectations. On the first day, I was assigned to a coach , and it quickly became clear that he didn't have a structured plan in place. There were only two of us in the session, yet I felt like the other swimmer received the bulk of the attention. As someone who's still very much a beginner and working through things like fear of the deep end, I felt unseen and uncomfortable. Building trust and rapport in a learning environment like this is essential,and I didn't feel like that was prioritized. That said, I did appreciate that he introduced side swimming, which was a new and useful skill for me. So there were some moments of learning! During the second lesson, there was a new coach . Once again, I had to re-explain my swimming background. He was kind and acknowledged that he hadn't been given any info about the students beforehand, which explained some of the confusion. He reassured me that I belonged in Level 2, but I still felt mostly overlooked during the session as the more advanced swimmers got the majority of his attention. Because of these experiences, I ended up missing the final two classes;one due to travel, and the other because I just didn't feel comfortable returning. I didn't see the value in making up the missed session given how things had gone. While I'm grateful for the strong foundation I got in Level 1, my experience in Level 2 left me frustrated and disappointed. I'm sharing this review in hopes that the program improves communication as I emailed them my experience 07/06/2025 and haven't received any response yet and support for all swimmers, especially those still building confidence in the water.

The star rating is specifically for the portion of class I was able to attend. The class itself was…read moregreat, but the hassle and difficulty of getting/parking around here would make this otherwise a one star rating, as you can read below. I've been wanting to get my baby into swim lessons since about the time she was six months old, but just didn't get to it until now. They do offer infant lessons, so I signed up. I don't know that we'll be at the pool a lot, but I also recently started bathing her in the tub, and I want her to be safe there as well and decided it was time. Lakeside may be the closest swim option to us since it's maybe 10 minutes from my home and I've heard good things. I was really pleased that I was able to get in so easily--my friend is taking her son to swim lessons at another, more well-known brand of swim school, and it took her several weeks on the wait list to get in. The price is the best I've seen, and it's easy to register--I have been able to register just a few days before the class I wanted to attend, and for the baby lessons I didn't have to sign up for a month in advance or specific number of classes, which is a huge bonus. The instructor, Josie, was nice. I enjoyed our class a lot; it was small and the instructor was able to give us attention. The baby wasn't sure about being in the water, and got upset a bit (especially just as we were getting in), but she calmed as the lesson continued. The teacher sang some songs so we could bounce and sway and twirl. She showed me some techniques for getting the baby acclimated to the water and to entering the pool, and getting the baby's legs kicking (though she wasn't real keen on kicking at that point). I actually wanted to take adult swim lessons here too since they offer them. Unfortunately, as great as it was, I just can't continue paying $25-30 per class when out of the two we've signed up for, I've only been to half of one of them. Because of the parking (see further down), we weren't here until about halfway through the lesson, and the second class I signed up for we missed altogether though I left 20+ minutes early. By the time we got there, got her swim ready, and started heading toward the pool it just wouldn't be possible for me to get in with her in my arms for the last 10 minutes of class. And maybe it's still the pregnancy hormones but I was fighting back tears. So even though the class is easy to get into and the class size is great, I don't think that Lakeside works for me because I don't generally have time in the morning to leave an hour before class to make sure we can find parking. If I was in walking distance, this would hands down be my choice. Logistically, the address listed for the swim school is the Edgewater Athletic Club address, which for some reason is the Granville side. But don't let that fool you because the entrance is about halfway down the block on the Kenmore side of the building. The Edgewater Athletic Club has no access on the Granville side of the building. There's some parking across the street, though the lot is tiny and can be really hard to get parked into (it's a little narrow). The lot has 14 spaces, of which one is a disabled spot, shared with several businesses. But the lot is terrible. It's too small to have cars parked in straight, as it's currently designed, though I know they do it because it allows for more cars than diagonal parking does. But the parking lot isn't even wide nights three cars would fit if parked bumper to bumper, so getting in and out is not for the faint of heart (and if you don't like parallel parking this would probably stress you out). I waited for another car to leave so that I could pull out more easily since they came out a couple minutes after we got into the car. In theory, there's lots of street parking, which one may think would easier when Loyola is out since the dorms are only a couple blocks away but you'd be wrong. I've never seen apartment buildings with driveways in Chicago the way they are in this area; along Kenmore almost all of them have them, so what you think may be a spot is actually the driveway for apartment parking. I can't help but wonder if some of the cars belong to students who don't move them often. And if the parking is that bad in the morning, I think it would be worse in the evening so I think I need to continue looking for adult lessons, too.

Great coaching staff! Great team! I know several families who have been involved with this…read moreprogram and absolutely love it!!

Coach Stephens and his group are committed to the kids. My daughter has been with the team for 3…read moreyears now and loves it. They work hard and it shows in the results. They train in the UIC pool making it an ideal central location in the city. For those kids who are not ready for the team but want to learn to swim, they offer a lesson program for all ages. Check them out, class sizes are small and they fill up fast.

Strongly recommend, particularly for a first time swimmer, if you have access to a pool…read more Had an amazing experience with Coach Michael. We were able to get access to a pool for the summer through our HOA. Within just a few lessons, our 1.5 year old is way more comfortable. He used to hate any water over his face or ears, and now he can go underwater for 3-4 seconds no problem! Michael's patient but persistent approach ensures we make steady progress without pushing our son too far. Looking at prices for group lessons at Goldfish, these 1:1 lessons at our desired location are only 2x more, which feels like a deal.

First swim class is amazing! They were able to work with me to do private lessons for my 18 month…read moreold and 4 year old. Coach Luie is the best. My son did not like being in the water at first and cried for the first several lessons. Coach Luie was so patient with him and made sure that he built trust. My daughter loves him and looks forward to every lesson. She progressed fast thanks to Coach Luie. They make class fun by singing songs, playing games, and learning techniques in a way that kids can understand "scooping icecream" with your hands. The class makes sure they learn safety in the water. I would highly recommend them.

I admit I'm not training for a Triathalon...I'm training for something much more difficult, zipping…read moreup my pants! This is a fantastic boutique gym. I've wavered for a long time whether to join, having enjoyed XSport very, very much. However, Well Fit is great even if you're not training for a triathlon! The gym is clean, very friendly, always available. You never must worry about getting to a machine or weights. Remember, they don't have a lot of "machines" which is the beautiful thing. I've learned that using free weights and a ball or whatever helps you get in shape much more quickly. The staff is just fantastic, I mean the BEST. Sharon the owner always has a smile and a word of encouragement, as does Keith and the rest of the staff. The members are fantastic. They are courteous and kind, friendly and thoughtful. There are no egos which overwhelm here. It's worth it to join here for the cleanliness of the facilities, the friendliness and knowledge of the staff, and the tremendous members who make it a warm and inviting gym. With those factors, it makes you want to go to the gym more often!!!! GREAT VALUE! Sharon...longer hours would be nice!

Excellent experience with Coach Ted. Good facility. Next time I'll try the altitude room.read more

This is a fantastic technique! I'm so glad I found it. It is gentle and very effective at pulling…read moreout all the tension and counteracting the hours I spend on the computer each day. It has done wonders for the lingering injuries in my shoulders, neck, and arms. It gives me strength and alignment. I feel great after each session. I have been going to Stretch Chi for about a year now. I would give it more than five stars if I could.

Carrie is awesome, she is very knowledgeable and focused. I really appreciated our convo taking a…read moreholistic approach towards my goals. it's stiffness, exercise, diet, rest, etc. I highly recommend her for those seeking an excellent body work specialist.

This place deserves a whole hearted 5-stars, but because the aquatics management at UIC is not fit…read moreto their jobs much of the time I demote to a 4-star rating. This is the story... I swam at a Division 1 level for 4-years of college and upon graduating I needed to find a place to try to remain active. Swimming alone is the most mind numbing and painfully boring activity in the world... so I knew that I would need a team and a coach to keep me motivated and having fun. I was 100% correct in this statement. I first joined Chicago Blue Dolphins (read my review of them elsewhere) and liked it... then it got old, and terrible, and mismanaged, and over priced, and and and... I will let you read the rest on my review of them. So when it came time to switch, a number of my friends and I made our way to Chicago Masters. I heard they were coached by the UIC coach (Paul Moniak) and they had a great team- that had a passion for swimming. Paul has an old-school methodology to his training habits that prove successful for his collegiate and masters swimmers alike time and time again. He is a great coach and is always willing to help with your stroke and swimming fitness needs. There are PLENTY of workout options, and the team trains long course much of the year- which is AWESOME. There is a large variance of skill levels from pre collegiates going for masters world records to 1-step away from aqua joggers. Ages range from lower 20's to infinity... so you will find someone in your skill and age range. The team is just as social as serious having breakfast outings after morning workouts occasionally, picnics on the beach, and other fun activities... Why you would not like it and I demote it to 4-stars. (1) WAY TOO MANY people wear equipment for the duration of a workout. Sure I wear paddles now and again, but fins the whole workout is so beyond appropriate swimming etiquette that it blows my mind. (2) You want a LOT of fine tuning to your stroke. This is a swimming team- we do mostly training. There is some drill work involved, but there is not going to be someone holding your hand through learning how to breath or finish your first triathlon swim. YES- there are options for private lessons (and I encourage those, because I love the though of anyone getting into my sport) but workouts are more training focused than skills. (3) The worst of all... the pool maintenance is poor. Its always clean enough, and the lane lines are in- the stuff you need to swim. But the water temperature is sometimes so impossibly hot that normal swimming is not possible. It seems that the staff that regulates it doesn't understand what good competition and training temps are. So in all- look past a few flaws that keep this from the perfect aquatic experience, but I can confidently say you wont find a better training program in the city. We have multiple masters world record holders, consistently send people to state and nationals... and Paul is easily one of the most underrated coaches around.

Christine is the only trainer I trust. She traveled to Las Vegas and set up a routine with portable…read moreequipment for full body conditioning and yoga at my home including mounting of the yoga trapeze in my backyard. I'm not Chicago local so we do virtual checkins at least once a week for progress, motivation, nutrition? With modern communication technology it's super easy.

OK, so I've had good trainers and not so good trainers. Christine Le Monde is assuredly the former…read more She has a no nonsense, no frills style of training that I totally appreciate. Every moment and dollar has been well spent. She wastes no time, arriving on her bicycle, aka gym on wheels, prepared with a program specifically designed to shred and empower. I will train with her as long as she'll have me as a client!