LA Fitness International

As a gym, it is great. However, the Personal Training (PT) program is full of deception, deceit, bait & switch, & trying to extort more money out of you to keep your same trainer. Am super irked by PT. Had 3 major issues since Dec. Initially bot 4 sessions at a high rate per session + an Initiation Fee. Was told I could buy more sessions later & the rate per session would be dependent upon the # of sessions I bought & wouldn't have to pay the Init Fee again. LIES told by Ron to make the sale. Went to buy more sessions in Jan at a lesser rate per sesh. They said nope, would be at your initial rate even if you bot 100 sessions. To get a lower per sesh rate, had to pay Init Fee again & buy X # of sessions per month for a year. Discussed w/ HQ & Regional Mngr (took a month & multiple contacts to hear from him) in Feb by phone on a Fri. Had Chris F as my only trainer in Dec. Fri night signed a yr contract w/ Baracka & set up session w/ Chris F for next morning. Sat after sesh, went upstairs to see Baracka to schedule next sesh w/ Chris F. & was told his last day at Co is in 2 days. WTF? No one thought to mention this to me before I signed the contract? The regional manager didn't know? Baracka didn't know? And Chris F didn't even have the decency to tell me in person during our sesh? Now I am locked into a year & have to start over w/ another trainer? Felt deceived & ripped off a 2nd time. I train for BMX racing. It is super competitive & am trying to compete at the National level. It is not like I am just a once in a while gym goer or trying to lose weight. This is serious business to me. I had lower back issues during most of 2014 & was why I only wanted 4 sessions initially to try it out. I wasn't even sure I could work out all year. Dr had recommended I get a PT to help me with back issues. I had to begin all over again & explain everything now w/ Thuan as my new trainer? I wasn't sure he understood my goals/needs for the first month or that we were on the same page. It worked out well & I saw improvement. However, I went to schedule a session w/ him in Sept & the system said I couldn't as I didn't have a Master Trainer (MT) plan. LA Fitness made him a MT. To stay w/ him I have to pay more $ or find a new PT. WTF again? This is the 3rd issue w/ PT now in 7 months. And would be my 3rd "personal" trainer. HQ said my contract didn't specify a specific trainer. I could talk to Ron (NOT - since I think of him as a Liar and can't stand him) to pick a new trainer or pay more for the same trainer since Thuan is now classified as a MT. They gave me the # for the Springfield LA Fitness Mngr. Had to call twice to reach him as he never returned my call when I left a msg. He said same - pick a new trainer or pay more $ to stay w/ Thuan, my trainer of 7 months. To me, a "personal" trainer is like a Dr. Someone new just can't step in & take over. Nor did I want to have to explain everything & begin w/ someone new again. I thought it was BS I had to pay more $ to keep my trainer when I had a year contract at a specified rate per month. I asked Baracka what if I pay for MT & then Thuan leaves like Chris F? He said I would be locked into the higher rate & would then have to choose a new MT. I asked who, given my situation re BMX Racing & lower back, which he was aware of & knew who I was, would be a good PT instead of Thuan as I didn't think I should have to pay more $. He told me Kevin A would be the best fit for me. Had my session w/ Kevin A on Monday this week. He is basically brand new to the company; it was only his 3rd week there, or I was his 3rd training session. I can't remember which. But he didn't know what BMX was or how to train someone for it. Baracka essentially deceived me too. He was NOT picking the best personal trainer for me & my situation, he was basically sticking me w/ the "new" guy. 3 issues w/ a gym in 7 months for a 30 year member is ridiculous. I am completely disappointed & frustrated by the whole PT situation. Apparently the MT switch to try to get more money out of someone is a common practice by LA Fitness as I have seen articles on the net now concerning this at other locations. What a rotten stinking business practice for something that is supposed to be "personal".