Fitness 19
Reviews and Complaints

Well over 3 months ago I noticed that in the women's locker rooms the same locks were on the lockers on there day after day. Over 5 weeks ago, I talked to Jessica, manager at this place. She seemed to be concerned and about 3 days later there were signs on the wall stating that the locks will be cut at the end of the day. The locks remain there. There's approximately 12 lockers, the full size, middle lockers, that have locks that have been there for an extended period of time.
I've approached Jessica twice and she assures me that she'll move to the next step, But nothing has been done. Empty threats do not get results and those signs serve no purpose if the locks are not cut.

It is unfair that those people to have the prime lockers at the gym as their own personal lockers, while the rest of us have to use the lower or bottom small ones.

BTW, the same problem exists in the men's locker room.

Please advise.

Alejandra Baliu

Peter Brook
Sun, Jun 16, 12:45 AM (2 days ago)
to me

Hi Fitness 19 Management:

I am writing to you about my Fitness 19 membership. I moved to Pasadena last year after selling my house in Silver Lake. I've been a gym goer for decades so I know my way around a gym. I was a member at Metro Fitness prior to joining Eagle Rock Fitness 19, and have at various times been a member at Gold's and Equinox.

I signed up for a bunch of training sessions ($500+ worth, from memory) which I was talked into by the nice asian guy who assured me, the trainers were great and I could try them out to see if I liked them. I needed to get back in shape after my last hip replacement and wanted to slowly build back to fitness over time. I explained this to the guy who signed me up. He put me with your trainer, Jose.

I am over 55 and have had surgery on both my knees and a hip replacement. I explained to Jose I was looking to very much ease into it - that I needed to be really careful with my hips and knees (which dislocate super easily because of a genetic problem) and that I'd just come out of surgery six months before so please take that into consideration, take it slowly, I've bought a lot of sessions, we have time.

My initial training session with Jose was to put it kindly, awful. He had me running and pushing crazy amounts of weights, I was slipping on the mat, he way overworked me to the point of exhaustion (all the while yelling at me) and ignored/shamed me for saying I was feeling light headed and needed to go slower. Yelling and pushy, he did not listen to me (or hear me) at all. He told me to get better shoes that have better grip so I don't slip. Jose seemed very sure of himself (and maybe just annoyed and disinterested in me?). He had no interest in hearing my feedback or my concerns during the session. I think he wanted to prove how tough he could be as a trainer. He seemed both annoyed and distracted, and it seemed he wanted to see how hard he could push me. So this was not a good fit, or a good start.

So I called the gym to cancel my sessions with Jose, telling them "he was not a good fit for me." The following morning, I received a call from Jose, and he started yelling at me, telling me he was more than capable of training me, that he had trained all sorts, that he was only pushing me to figure out my limits and that I had to work out with him and it was unfair of me to stop, that I would not get a refund, that I was not being fair on him and that he was a great trainer and he could "train anyone." He was literally yelling at me, mad because he was not getting my sessions, telling me it was "not right man", that I would cancel. He was really insisting that I go back to him and try again. I insisted that I just felt it was not a good fit and then he hung up on me, disgusted.

So after that (honestly abusive) phone call, I did not even want to go back to Fitness 19 at all. I was afraid of running into Jose, and being yelled at.

Realizing how absurd this situation was, I decided to speak to Adrian, the manager about it. I wanted to just get a full refund because of the whole miserable experience, but he refused that as an option. The best he could do, he said, since I'd paid for the training sessions, was transfer my training sessions over to my monthly membership and use it as a credit for the next couple of years. We argued on the phone about this, especially because I was also told that the training sessions were an hour long when I signed up (that was a blatant lie, it turned out they were 30 minutes). By this point I was really unhappy with the whole Fitness 19 experience. I did not trust the trainers or the managers who signed me up and I was afraid of going to the gym for fear of being accosted by Jose.

I put those fears aside because a refund was "out of the question" and settled on the compromise of just working out by myself and using the training sessions money as a credit toward a full gym membership. So I attended sporadically.

When I transferred the training money to gym membership, I spoke to a girl working at the front desk in Eagle Rock. I was told I would get the top level membership, which meant that I could use any Fitness 19 club, and that I could bring a friend or family member on weekends. I agreed because I was only going to be in Pasadena for another six months until my new house was ready in West Adams, Mid City, Los Angeles. Then I said I would be going to the Fitness 19 on Crenshaw. I brought this up with the girl at the front desk to make sure that was going to be possible. She said "of course".

When we moved to our new house a couple of weeks ago, I called Fitness 19 in Eagle Rock and was then told I would not be able to transfer to the Crenshaw Fitness 19 club because it "had closed". I was surprised because I had done some research about the club online, and it had great reviews and looked open, so I was really bummed. I later found out, the girl was deliberately lying to me! The Crenshaw gym is open. She just gave me wrong info originally about me being able to use it! So she was hoping I would just cancel and go away and not discover that she gave me wrong info or that the gym was open.

So I called back Fitness 19 in Eagle Rock back and got a hold of the asian guy who originally signed me up and I explained the absurd situation. He told me, that I would have no choice but to cancel and lose my money, that in fact it is true that Crenshaw is open, but it is not in the same group as the Eagle Rock Fitrness 19, and that I was given wrong information. He claimed that he showed me the long list of clubs that were included, the first day I signed up (which is true) but despite the seconds he held the list in front of me, he also deliberately misled me into thinking that all the Fitness 19 clubs were on the list because I asked that same question.

So then I asked to speak to the district manager Adrian again, and I was told Adrian would call me back, but that he won't refund me the money I still have as a credit. I was told that I might as well just cancel, if I can't travel the 15 miles to attend the Eagle Rock gym. I never heard back or got a call from Adrian to discuss.

So that is a summary of my experience with Fitness 19 in Eagle Rock. Rather than Yelp my misery, the lies and the abuse and go ballistic on social media venting my frustration and/or continue to get nowhere with junior managers or with Adrian, I am hoping you will intercede and help me. I' m merely asking for the credit I have left, to be refunded to me, or for it to be transferred over to the Crenshaw location as I was promised it could be if and when I moved.

Many thanks for your consideration, I look forward to your reply and a speedy resolution.

Sincerely,

Peter Brook
[protected]

Fitness 19 -207 N. Grand Ave. Covina, Ca. 91724 For the at least 3 to 4 months this location has failed to open on time, from 1 to 2 hours before anyone shows up. Everyone enjoys going to this gym, but something needs improve/ change because whomever is suppose to open up is not a reliable individual. This is happening every month. Some of us like to hit the gym prior to going to work and this is a problem. Thank you...

My son who just beat Stage 4 cancer, lost his card and went in to get a new one. He's clearly under my name which he gave the girl helping. She told him he didn't have a membership and had to pay $249 for a lifetime membership. I had to go in and talk to the manager who argued that "some people get 2 memberships" She did not apologize. They refunded my son after arguing he already had a membership. But then I came in to get add on my daughter for a membership, and the same manager refused to price match the same rate that I'm locked in for and wanted to charge me the same rate that I pay for 3 people just to add her on, doubling my membership rate so I didn't add her on. Poor customer service skills !

Employee by the name of Michelle, threated
me your cuatomer like an [censored] over the phone and in person. I called asking a simple question regarding recent charges on my account which Michelle did not address politely and instead, decided to act like a total jerk in a very unprofessinal way over the phone.

I decided to go to location and speak with manager which Mr. Jose Villa was not in till later. When I walked in, Michelle spoke to me and said that she did not want to deal with me and sent someone else. Another employee said he would take care of me but instead decided to take care other customers and every time I tried to get his attention, all he said was that he would be right with me but instead, ignored me and continue to take care of other customers that were just walking in. The Total time I waited at front counter without been assisted was 20 minutes while other customers were been care for.

I asked to cancel my account which both Michelle and other employee refused to do. After 20 minutes, i was handed a brochure with a phone number to call to cancel my account which is a third party company which they did not have authorization to handle my account. All they did was send me an email with instructions on how to cancel.

I am very harshly requesting for you to fire Michelle. She did not show signs of any customer service etiquete and or understanding of what customer service is. She had a very bad attitude towards me hangs up on me when I called and apoke to me with a very harsh and rude attitude. All I was asking was an explanation regarding the recent charges.

The Fitness 19 on Rosewood dr in Pleasanton really needs to be cleaned. The tops of the machines are generally wiped down but the base of all of the machines are disgusting. Especially the treadmills. Just look down when I am on any machine and its just layers of dust and sweat. It really grosses me out. The place 'looks' clean when you walk in and the bathrooms always look great. Its just the base of the machines get NO attention. Also another HUGE complaint is in the new room, there has been insulation hanging from the ceiling in a couple of places and then with the fans on I can just imagine the fiber glass particles blowing around. I would have to assume it is a health hazard and violation. Its been months now and no attempt to correct it.

So please correct the insulation hanging and clean the base of the machines.

I phoned the Fitness 19 Sylmar location to find out the final balance of my son's membership and was quoted $17.99 which included a $5 late fee which I was told by Sabrina at approximately 12:56 pm if I paid before January 16, 2019 would be the final balance however when my son arrived this morning at approximately 11:30 am, he was quoted a final balance amount of $30.98 which he was not prepared to pay. I phoned Sabrina back this afternoon at which time she gave me the same amount of $30.98 stating I needed to pay the amount in full before January 15, 2019 which is not what she told me just yesterday otherwise I could have made the payment of $17.99 last night. I am extremely disappointed and frustrated by the lack of clear information that I was provided as a customer.

I've been a member since 2008. I've been going to a newer location when today I am told I need to "upgrade to a premium membership", I tell them that sounds like a pay hike which they confirmed... what kind of business model is this? It would be like buying a crappy burger from McDonalds then paying $10 more at another location for the same exact burger. The only thing they would offer me was a discount on the premium... but then increase my annual maintenance fee because I've been a member for so long! I'm about to burn my membership and find another gym

I have recently sign up for the gym membership with the promise of the gym opening November 12. However, I show up and the place is still close. I do see large trailers unloading all equipment so I'm guessing it will not be opening anytime soon. I do understand things happen. But it would be courteous to let your customers know by email or text message an update on what's going on, especially if there was a set back. Also, maybe training your employees not to make the promise of opening dates. Also, one of the employees on the booth was on her phone the whole entire time on a social call, and completely ignored me when I arrive. If you want to build loyal customers you have to be honest even from the beginning. Thank you.

i enrolled classes and surprisingly i am not impressed to the instructors. Zumba instructors are not that competent enough except for Gabrielle. Are they not aware that other zumba instructors have only 5-10 people unlike Gabrielle, he can occupy the whole room or much more. I hope Zumba instructors are all like him. Sadly, i just heard that Gabrielle is giving up his other classes and i think the non competent one will replaced him. Please hire more people like Gabrielle and Debbie, these 2 instructors and the best so far.

I a review on yelp a month ago. On 10/3/18 the manager called me to say due to my review about him he was canceling my membership. I feel I was mistreated due the manager taking it personally and not looking at the fact that this was a safety issue. He said he didn't remember our conversation nor did he even know who i was. I go in almost 6 times a week and I see him almost every time. When I brought this to his attention I had my 2 year old son. How could a manager not remember something like this as a safety issue. I wasn't looking to get anyone in trouble but to bring up this issue. I didn't know this would cause me to lose my membership. This is what I wrote: I joined this gym because it is on my way home and looked clean. They also have a good child care, however as much as I was happy with this gym the manager Al has slowly been changing it. Not only are great employees leaving because of him, he really doesn't care about safety of his guests. A few weeks ago while I was working out a guy approached me asking me for my number saying he will wait outside for me to leave, this made me very uncomfortable and feeling unsafe since it was almost 10pm on a friday night and i am a young woman. Alan who was working there checked on me, talked to me to ask if I knew him and told me when I was done working out he would walk me to my car to make sure I am safe. I must say Alan was professional and so great about the whole situation and made sure I was truly safe. I couldn't wait to tell the manager, however when I did and Alan was to the right of the manager Al didn't say anything or acknowledge what a great job Alan did, I left feeling like Al didn't care that a paying guest could have gotten hurt, but I guess if I did snd I sued he would have, but all that got avoided because of the great work Alan did.

I have cancelled my membership and have been advised that I will still be required to pay the yearly membership fee because I did not cancel 30 days prior to it being charged. I cancelled 26 days prior. The membership annual renewal is for the upcoming year which I will not be using.

There was a complete refusal to waive the charge.

Poor business practices

I would Like to make a settlement of 50 for 123 I lost My job and I have to find ways to pay things off can u take 50 to settle and I also Cancelled my account way before I knew I couldnt afford it and the guy at the time told me that he wasn't gonna stop my card from getting charged and that I'm going to have to deal with it and it's the fitness 19 in lindenhurst ny

I received a bill in the mail but I cancelled this account a long time ago. I called the Concord place and the girl I spoke to said they had had a lot of these calls. She looked up my account and my husband's old account. They both had an amount due. She said the manager would call me the next day. It has been over a week with no phone call so I called the Concord place again. The guy that answered didn't seem to know anything about anything. I asked him to have the manager call me, but I really don't expect him to.
Can you please resolve these 2 bills for us?
Thank you.
Linda & Julian Gelber
4069 Salem Street
Concord, CA 94521
[protected]
[protected]

Incident: Sunday Sep. 16, 2018
Client #: [removed]

When I was on the stair master at your Orange, CA location, the steps of the machine collapsed, throwing me off of it. In addition, the steps crashed into my shin leaving a large bruise to my muscle as well as on my skin. I still feel pain in my shin while walking/exercising and when I notified an employee at the location, I was not asked if I was ok or given an apology.

I have been a member of fitness 19 for about 2 years and over the past year the stair masters have been consistently broken. It's extremely dangerous to allow members of the gym to continue using the machines when it is a known fact that they are unreliable and frequently breaking. I have been told that the stair masters are being replaced "this week" multiple times, but still no progress has been made. I hesitated sending this complaint because I have been extremely pleased with my membership, however this has made me question whether or not any of the equipment is safe for me to use.

Please let me know if there is anything that you can do for me. I'm highly considering cancelling my membership because I simply don't want to risk getting injured when I am trying to remain active at my gym. Thank you.