I have done work with a few different personal trainers over the years. After a shoulder injury…read morelast year I decided to get back into personal training to help me strengthen my core and upper body. I specifically chose this gym due to several reviews that specifically indicated that John has experience working with people who have sustained injuries. I also really liked that it was a private gym and that street parking was super easy. John was able to accommodate me quickly and at my preferred 6pm time. He was pretty flexible and offered some good rates. I was a little apprehensive at purchasing 20 sessions for $1200 (and having to pay upfront), but the more you buy the less you pay per session and it seemed to me that this was pretty common among personal trainers. I had liked what he had to say at our initial consultation and so I decided to go for it. Unfortunately for me that was a big mistake, and my only hope is that I can prevent someone else from doing the same. - On the website it states you get a personalized fitness assessment that includes measurement of body mass index, weight and circumferences at every workout. I was NEVER measured, not even once, in the approx 10 sessions I completed. - It also states he will provide nutritional guidance. He did this twice. 1- Asked me what I had for dinner, I gave a good answer and that was the end of that discussion. 2- Asked me what I had for breakfast, and told me to add eggs or something protein rich as soon as I woke up. - Does not provide time for stretching or guidance on how to stretch at home. First time ever I have never received guidance on something so vital to weight training. I took it upon myself to ask questions on how to best stretch my shoulder and he did provide guidance but only after being asked and never again after that. - Constantly on his phone during the one hour work out. Not even just a check here or there, CONSTANT. I grew extremely frustrated and would call out to ask him if I was doing something correctly. As a professional, save an emergency, you should NEVER be on your phone while a client is performing exercises that could injure them. - My work outs also seemed very cookie cutter, and solely based on weight training. I have had many sessions that incorporated cardio and weights and asked him about adding cardio. He said it would come in time. Half way through my sessions and there was never cardio. It also appeared to me that I was doing all the same workouts as the guy in the time slot ahead of me. The workouts rarely varied, and if they did it was by one different exercise. (One session arms, the other legs). With that being said, John was cognizant of my shoulder injury in that he would ask how it was feeling and did not try to push too hard if I said it was hurting; or he would end the session early. The problem though is that my sessions were still not designed around my injury. I know that personal training helped John after his own injury but I feel as though he thinks everyone will respond like he did, when that is not the case, as all injuries are different. Add to that the fact that he wasn't watching closely the majority of the time, and there is a large window for error. So while he did ask those questions, they weren't enough. An hour of weights on a weak shoulder was likely too much and the whole session should have been more varied, in my opinion; and should have definitely incorporated stretching. As you may have guessed by now I re-injured my shoulder. I also pulled my other shoulder performing a sit up with a weight. I saw an Ortho specialist who recommended Physical Therapy and to stop my Personal Training. I have now started intensive physio for my shoulders. I told John about this and requested a refund. Although I didn't sign anything, there is apparently a paper on the wall that says no refunds, and he tells me I can come back at anytime. When I further stated that I was injured and there should be some difference (I am not just quitting) he said he would get back to me. He never did, so I texted him a couple weeks later. He did not respond again. To me, this is completely unprofessional and irresponsible. I am now at a point where I will cut my losses of approx $600 because I do not feel safe coming back at any time, even when I am rehabilitated. Bottom line: I do not recommend this personal trainer. Please don't waste your money like I did. I have had several other trainers who are much more professional and experts in their field who I felt safe with. If you do come here I implore you to only purchase a few sessions until you know what the sessions are like, but I am telling you, this is nothing compared to what you can get with a real pro.

I'm starting 2017 with the best personal trainer in Boston: John Carter. Already he's got my 64…read moreyear old body getting accolades from folks 1/2 my age. All in 6 months. Looking forward to what 12 more months will bring!

I joined Benefitness in mid-February, and I couldn't be happier with my experience there so far…read more I'm not that picky when it comes to gyms. My wish list: sufficient space, affordable, no grunting, not intimidating, not 100% Lululemon-clad clientele. Benefitness meets all this, and more. I've gone at many different times of day, and I've never waited for a machine or a spot in the weights areas. EVER. The staff is friendly and nice, and the instructors manage to make classes meet the needs of all gym-goers. (I am in my 20s and in good shape, but I get in a great work-out alongside women in their 70s! The instructors are amazing about adapting many of the moves to all participants' needs and limitations). I find it really inspiring. In terms of classes, I've loved every one I've attended. These include: Flex (weight lifting plus core), spinning (I've never had a bad instructor or playlist, but I particularly liked Elora's style), and HIITS with Jesse (this girl has crazy energy and keeps the class moving for an hour straight). I am going to be living in Brookline for at least the next 3 years, and I'll be sticking with Benefitness.

Very basic gym…read more Cardio room is really stuffy. It does have a variety of machines, which is good. Not the most modern equipment. Staff doesn't say hi to you, but they will help if you ask.

I've been going to this CrossFit gym for around 18 months now and I've really enjoyed my fitness…read morejourney here. Starting out I didn't know much about weightlifting forms and different movements, but I was eager to learn. The coaches at CFCC cater to all fitness and experience levels and always take the time during class to teach you the different movements and techniques. Since starting at CFCC I felt like I've learned so much about fitness and training, and I still learn something new to refine my technique each class! Looking back to where I started, I owe everything I know about fitness to CFCC now. The average class at CFCC starts with a strength portion of weightlifting where we all focus on technique as everyone lifts together. This is always my favorite part because I feel I am able to refine my skills to start seeing results in my lifts. The second part of the class is the conditioning WOD, what CrossFit is typically known for. These are always fun, yet challenging, to make sure everyone pushes themselves and reach their goal. The group setting is wonderful and I often find I push myself to get a better workout than I would on my own. Ending the class there is also usually a stretching/tabata/miscellaneous portion to finish up the workout. I am really glad I joined CFCC. The coaches and other athletes here are a great community that constantly help each other strive for their goals and the continuous improvement of ourselves.

I've been a CrossFit member at the Coolidge Corner (CFCC) location for almost 2 years. During this…read moretime, I have achieved several fitness goals that I set for myself including loosing weight, increasing muscle mass, improving overall health and wellness and learning new exercises and techniques. I was at another gym prior which was good enough but I was hitting a wall in terms or progress. My sister recommended CF as the way to take my fitness goals to the next level. She was right as rain and I've never looked back. CFCC is a fantastic gym with fantastic coaches, members and equipment. Below are a few meaningful highlights: Coaching - I've worked out in the mornings, evening and weekend classes, all of which are staffed by fantastic coaches. They are all attentive, knowledgable and are critical to the success of everyone who attends. They are extremely friendly, approachable and take the time to explain movements and techniques. They will also give personal attention to anyone who needs a little more explanation on something. Facilities - When I first joined CFCC, they were in a different location which has pretty good. In the last year, they moved down the street and now occupy a really cool, spacious location below the Brookline Teen Center. The space was custom built and is great to work out in. Most, if not all of the equipment is new or in great condition and there is plenty of parking for cars and bikes. There are also clean bathrooms, changing rooms and showers. Many times, our routines take us outside - the neighborhood is great and there are plenty of sidewalks to run on. Lastly, the location is only a 4 minute walk from the Brookline Village T Station and an 8 minute walk from the Coolidge Corner T Station. Programming - When I was leaving my last gym, they warned me that I would sustain injuries because CrossFit is a more intensive program...nothing could be further from the truth. Yes, CrossFit is a much higher intensity workout than most regular gyms but at the beginning of every class, the coaches take ample time and put lots of emphasis on the importance of warming up, stretching and other preventative techniques to make sure there are no injuries during the class. I have NEVER sustained an injury while at CFCC. The WODs are always super interesting and challenging. I've never been bored by a WOD since I've been there. Lastly, there are several CF-sanctioned events and competitions as well as improvement clinics. The last clinic I attended was on jump rope double unders..before the clinic, I could only do single unders....after I was starting to do double unders! Culture - CFCC has a great culture. Among members, there exists a great comradery - everyone is always encouraging each other to do their best and even sharing how they reached a goal that you might be working on. The coaches will always push you to work hard, but NOT in a way that you feel pressured to over exert yourself. I welcome it whenever a coach recommends that I should increase weight or try a different technique...that's how you get better. There are also lots of CFCC events both sanctioned and members based which does a good job of getting members together outside of the gym which is a nice way to make new friends or hang out with like-minded people. Once you become a member, there is a members Facebook site that's at the heart of communciations. Be involved as much or as little as you choose. If you're looking to take your health and fitness to the next level, do yourself a favor and sign up for a trial membership at CFCC. For $99, you can come as much as you want for an entire month. That's how I got my start...maybe this is how you'll get yours.

Small neighborhood gym with high prices/month. The space is small with to much equipment. You…read moreshould expect to be friendly or be awkward as you will see the same faces each day and expect lines on equipment in busy times. $70/month is to much for this. I am willing to go further for more space and lower pricing.

Water fountain often broken, and the equipment is outdated/also often broken. There are pools of…read morestanding water on the bathroom floor most days.

This is a shout out to Matt at Rreal Fitness. I signed up for a free evaluation with Matt for…read morestrength training. I did this because I was experiencing a lot of pain in my back and what felt like tennis elbow every time I worked out. As a middle-aged woman I wanted to incorporate more strength training to get stronger but also increase muscle mass and tone some areas. I'd been lifting for over four years and hadn't noticed a difference and was always in pain. From my initial evaluation all the way up until I finished 12 sessions, Matt taught me how to lift properly, how to engage the mind muscle connection, how to use my abs and my glutes to get more out of each exercise. Today I am pain-free, can I say that again, pain-free...and seeing results and it's amazing! I feel so different than I did just two months ago. Matt is engaging, encouraging, great at explaining and demonstrating the exercises, his workouts are well thought out and actually fun because you don't feel like you're killing yourself and still getting results. Thank you Matt for being awesome and thank you Bobby for opening up Rreal Fitness, I feel like a new person!!

From the owner: Join a community that values a holistic approach to health and fitness, guided by expert trainers…read moreready to elevate your private training experience.

This is a great place to train! The instructors are friendly, knowledgeable, and tailor instruction…read moreto your level. The instructors invest equally in everyone from white belt to black belt, whether those students are competing, learning a new sport, or just trying to get fit. As a new student, I never feel pressured to purchase uniforms or equipment directly from them. From an outside perspective, academies like these can seem intimidating. However, Florian's is the most inclusive environment I have participated in over my 30 years of training in different styles and at other academies. Although I have only been there briefly, I feel part of this group because everyone goes out of their way to be welcoming. It is an excellent place for women to train together as well.

Amazing practice for young children. Our son, now almost 9, has been attending BJJ classes for 2…read moreyears now and has loved it. As parents, we are impressed with the instructors skill and methods of teaching children, and encouraging the students to respect themselves, others and the practice.

Really awesome experience. I've been going for about a year and every session has been totally…read moreworth it. They really make every workout fun and unique to your personal preferences. Takes out a lot of the anxiety from going to the gym on your own. The coffee is also delicious. Highly recommended!!

A truly professional personal training experience with Sean - have been going now for 12 weeks and…read moreI'm much stronger and leaner than I would have been going alone. Workouts are unique and variable while still following progressions and power/balance/speed dynamics. Could not recommend more highly - this group is highly experienced, thorough, and well-located.

At the risk of over exaggerating, this place changed my life. I lost 18 lbs so far and went down a…read morefew pant sizes. I would strongly recommend this place to anyone who is serious about losing weight. The personal attention from the trainers is what I really love about this place. They get to know you not just how you need to get you motivated but what your lifestyle is like outside of the gym. They keep you challenged and accountable. This not a place for judgment or negativity. This is not a place where you worry about how you compare to others. This is not a big place where you can avoid a good sweat. That said it is not cheap and there are no showers but it has what I need.

I love this place! I've worked out a lot in the past, but the past few years, I've been having…read moretrouble motivating to get to the gym. So, the accountability here really helped! It also helps to work out with the same people, so you get to know each other, and support each other. The trainers are great.... they really try to mix it up, so it's not the same. Each week is something different (upper/llowers, speed, slow, around the world), and then within each, the trainer suggests different modifications so you don't get bored. I like the accountability, and the mix of nutrition, weights and cardio!

Pure Barre is the best workout! It is a workout where I have found a community and I love it. The…read moreinstructors are inspiring and although the structure of the class is the same each time the workout is challenging and I can never take it easy. I take classes 4-5 times a week and I have seen my body change in really great ways and it has also helped me approach my running and other workouts from a better place. For me the price of monthly classes works and they have an autopay feature. Try it out with their new client special and I believe you'll be hooked!

I did hundreds of Pure Barre classes a decade ago in Los Angeles, prior to my wedding. Three kids…read morelater, I was staying in Boston for a month and went regularly to the brand new beautiful studio on Harvard St. Amelia and the rest of the team are incredible instructors. She knows just the right corrections. I found Pure Barre to be more effective for me than Pilates reformer for rebuilding my core and achieving lean muscles. In addition, there is a really lovely community at the classes. Many are affliated with the Longwood medical center. I will definitely be back every time I am in town.