I have just completed my first week of both group + personal training with Pedro, the owner of No Limits Rowing and now partner in 721 Fitness located at 721 Monmouth St. in Newport. I have a lot to say about this experience because personal training is a very intimate experience. So let me break it down for you... OTHER STUDIOS: I've done some rowing classes at other studios in Cincinnati and I always found it to be my favorite activity vs. TRX, yoga, pilates, barre, boxing etc. but I didn't feel like I was getting the right instruction that I needed to make the most of it. Having been an athlete and playing 5 sports through school, I always pushed WAY harder when I had a coach to motivate me. So I knew that heading to just any gym, group class, I could get a work out in sure, but in order to fit into that wedding dress in April - I needed a coach to bust my ass, every day until that happens. MEETING PEDRO: I knew Pedro as he is also the head coach and founder of the Queen City Rowing Club (http://www.queencityrowing.com/) He is a very humble person, so let me do the bragging for him and list just a few of his LAUNDRY list of accomplishments so you can see just how incredible he is: - Pedro has been rowing for 30 years and has coached rowers to more than 30 national titles - He is a former Mexican national champion rower and still rows competitively in US regattas around the country - He is a National and International medalist - He is a USA certified rowing coach, UCanRow Certified Indoor Rowing Trainer, and is the ONLY person in Cincinnati to have the Concept 2 level certification. - Last but not least, I love that he is committed to youth advancement in rowing with both the Queen City Rowing Club and Cincinnati Country Day as Head Coach GROUP CLASSES: You can try your first class out for free! Pay Per Class: $18 5 Class Pass: $75 10 Class Pass: $80 SPECIAL SUMMER DEAL - 20 Class Pass for $100! (this may be the BEST fitness deal in all of Cincinnati) $5 a class for this high intensity work out? Are you SERIOUS?!! My experience with the group training classes has been great. They are smaller personalized classes anywhere from 3-20 people depending on the night. The best part? You don't have to book in advance you just show up! The first thing I noticed is that no one makes you feel weird. It's more of a community of people committing to making their lives better rather than a "look at me" kind of place. At my first class we had no idea what we were doing and another member helped me put my rower up and both ladies behind us kept smiling and telling us we were doing great and as stupid as that sounds, that small gesture really meant a lot to us. I also REALLY dig the playlists and love that I don't have to curate my "workout music" any more. Pedro wears a mic so that you can hear him at all times. Every workout is different and it's not just rowing. And what I really love is that he doesn't let you cheat and makes sure that you are getting the most out of your workout. Even though you are in a group - he leaves no one behind. What is even crazier to me is that he does the workout WITH YOU! He leads by example at all times, and I really respect that. Group classes are offered: Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays in the evenings. At the end of each class you just bring up you class pass and he marks it off. Super easy! PERSONAL TRAINING: You can book in 4 block sessions. 1 per week, or 2 per week monthly. He recommended we book 2 per week and mix in group sessions. So a total of 8 personal training sessions per month. The price per hour is $50. First let me try to help you understand how the group classes vs. the personal training sessions work. The personal training sessions are tailored to YOU. You give him your goals, talk through what you want out of it and he comes up with a program that will realistically help you achieve those goals. You will need a heart-rate monitor so that during the workout he can push you on a more personalized level. After our first group class I thought -- "dang, that felt awesome! And I'm not too sore. What a great workout!" After our personal training session I thought -- "OMG I just died. I'm dead. Is this normal to be sitting in a pile of this much sweat? How am I ever going to get out of bed? My legs feel like hot dogs. I am so sore and sticky I need to run to the nearest pool and jump in it immediately!!!" And yet somehow, we made it back and did it all over again. Now, I am not the easiest person to deal with. I am a perfectionist and when I can't do something I get pissed. There were a few occasions when I couldn't do what I wanted and full disclosure - once I got so mad I cried. I left everything out there and bared my true colors to Pedro and you know what? He didn't abandon me. Instead he gave me the exact amount of motivation I needed to keep going. Pedro - I can't wait to take this journey with you. You are my hero. read more

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We've been looking for something other than just the "traditional" workout for a while now. I've tried other gyms and everything just felt so stale, and very much of a "go through the motions" workout experience. Not to mention these sessions never really worked out my entire body. Enter, No Limits Rowing. We called and talked to Pedro, the owner, about what he recommended as far as group sessions and personal training sessions. He let us know what he recommended and told us to come in the next day for a trial run to see if we liked it. Needless to say, immediately after the class we cut him a check on the spot we loved it that much! He was really flexible with our schedules and gave us a ton of options for our one on one sessions that worked best for our schedule rather than working around his. You just don't see many trainers doing this so it was very much appreciated. The workout itself is really amazing. I didn't know much about indoor rowing so I went in not knowing what to expect. He will spend the first classes teaching you form. Form is important to maximize the workout and get the most of your money and exercise. I really liked that you aren't just sitting on a rowing machine all class with no clear end in sight. He sets up stations, which are different each day depending on what he wants us to focus on. With our heart rate monitors he tailors our different results individually because we are at two different levels, thus we are trying to achieve two different heart rates. Pedro is really great at pushing you hard - yet not in your face screaming. He's really good about pointing out things that you can be doing and explaining why it should be a certain way. As far as I can tell, the workout is definitely working. I can feel each area he said we would feeling it in. This truly is a full body workout, I feel great after each session whether it be the group sessions or on-on-one sessions. It's also a great low impact option. So if you have knee or ankle problems this is a perfect fit. Pedro and his team won't let you down. He'll definitely give you a fun, efficient, and complete workout every single time! read more

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So you may be in the same place that I was when I first found out about rowing...I knew nothing about it. Pedro(owner) knows his sh...stuff! He has been rowing for years. Rowing is a full body workout. I have never felt such a cardiac feeling from a workout where I was sitting down the entire time. For anyone who has knee issues or problems with pressure on joints, you should definitely check this workout out! If you are doing it right, you can burn 1000 calories in an hour! That is not a typo! ONE THOUSAND! That is insane. There are a few other places that I have seen that will let you row for intervals, but Pedro aims to teach proper technique so you get the full effect/benefit of rowing. He plans actual rowing events in the summer where you are rowing on the water! This place is definitely worth checking out. read more

At the encouragement of my friend, I began rowing classes about a month and a half ago. I had never rowed, but we got the hang of it quickly. It's not at all intimidating now and you get lots of help from the instructor. I also hear there are margaritas sometimes, although we have yet to see proof of that. ;) I lost 7 lbs in 6 classes. It's a really good workout. And now I feel comfortable in my swimsuit. I'm back to my 30-year old body. Give it a shot...you won't regret it. Laura A. 41 years old, Hyde Park resident read more

I have finally found a great class to get a full body workout. The rowing class offers a great option for low impact exercise that gets your heart moving. It's just a bonus that the only group rowing class in the city happens to be in my backyard! read more

These guys are serious about rowing. Great class. Great instruction. I'm from out of town and loved it. Will definitely come back when I visit again. read more