Melissa Charles
October 25, 2017 12:19
COVAL was 100% the best fitness experience I've had (and ever will have). I started working out consistently on my own in the summer of 2015 a few months before I moved to Ann Arbor to start a grad program. During my first semester I somehow managed to maintain my workout schedule but was looking for something to keep me motivated which led me to COVAL's 21-day trial program.
Looking at the prices (especially an out-of-state student at U-M) I really had no intention of continuing on after that period but was immediately drawn in and continued to find a way to keep working out with COVAL for my next year and a half in Ann Arbor. I'm sad to be moving away because I know it'll be tough to find a better gym environment.
Workouts: Your first session is essentially a "get-to-know" you, your eating habits, workout schedule, fitness history, body, current/past injuries, goals, etc. From there Mike wrote out a plan tailored specifically to my own needs. Every 4 weeks brings a new plan. More importantly, he would constantly check in with me (whether or not I was doing sessions with him) to see whether I liked the plan and if any of my goals had changed. When I started getting back into playing basketball as a part of a rec league and noticed how out-of-shape I was, he immediately wrote up a new plan which included more cardio as well as lateral/vertical jumping movements.
Staff: Usually when I go into a new environment with options for trainers/hairdressers/etc., I prefer to work with"the expert." Or I find one person I like and stick with them forever. Because of my sporadic student schedule, I constantly found myself working with a different trainer and was NEVER disappointed. Mike & Matt provide this amazing level of detail and care for your form when lifting. Brett & Anmar are great at continuing to push you towards new PRs. Michaela somehow made super early morning workouts enjoyable and easy to get through. Those are just the people I worked out with most often, but it is clear that Mike places emphasis on customer service & kindness through his hiring decisions. Even the interns who come in and out have been amazing in the same ways full-time staff have been.
Facilities: Everyone has their personal preferences with regards to facilities so I won't go into detail, but what I will say comes back to customer care and attention to detail. There are changing rooms and a bathroom with a shower. But what I immediately noticed is that the bathroom is actually stocked with products that ALL genders can make use of. There are lotions, a hair dryer, feminine products, reusable towels, etc. For some this may not be a big deal, but I'm sure there are plenty of small gym-facilities that have bathroom access, but with no consideration of women's existence.
Other Members: I'm not the most talkative person but there is definitely community here. There are regulars, people become familiar with one another and are all-around friendly.
Attention to Detail: In case it hasn't shown through in my review of other areas, I wanted to give this it's own section because this is where I feel COVAL & Mike excel. It seriously seems as though every step is taken with the customer in mind. In our initial visit, I mentioned that I attended the University of Florida for undergrad (Go Gators), and from then on -- though it took me about a year to notice -- all of my programs were written up and printed blue & orange. Just one other tiny example of the attention to detail provided here.
Bonuses: Calvin the COVAL dog! If you're allergic and/or afraid of dogs, there are definitely times when he's not around, but for me Calvin was always an added bonus to my workouts.
Overall, if you're considering a new place to work out, definitely give COVAL a try!