I completed 10 personal training sessions with Paul, and this review reflects my experience.The facility itself is clean, well-maintained, and the staff are friendly. However, my experience with the personal trainer Paul was not positive, and I would not recommend him.There are plenty of reasons why, below:From early on, the training didnt feel aligned with what I clearly communicated I wanted. I specifically said I was not looking to focus on cardio or certain free weight exercises, yet a significant portion of the first few sessions included exactly that. It felt like my preferences werent being taken seriously. I was being pushed outside my limit to a point where I couldn't even return for the next session two days later.I also had concerns around how feedback and questions were handled. When I tried to ask about the approach or push for adjustments, the responses often felt dismissive rather than collaborative. In one conversation, I was told words to the effect of, I know what works because Im more muscular than you, which made it difficult to have a constructive dialogue. He justified it by saying something like "I wouldn't question you in your career" and he demanded that I trust his process. That came across as an appeal to personal authority rather than a reasoned explanation. A bit of a know-it-all approach than one focused on working with a client. We eventually recalibrated the exercise after I firmly pushed back on his initial program.There were also important concerns related to my physical condition. I clearly communicated before that I have a herniated disc and experience sciatica pain. I specifically said that certain movements, like kettlebell squats, were uncomfortable for me. Despite that, I was still asked to perform them, with the explanation that they were light and shouldnt be an issue. They were an issue, as I was in discomfort during and after those sessions. In my view, that showed a lack of understanding or consideration for those limitations.I also had concerns around safety during sessions. On multiple occasions, safety clips were not used during barbell exercises. As someone who is not highly experienced with those lifts, I expressed discomfort when the weights began to shift unevenly. Even after raising this, the clips were still not used. He said something like "you don't need them." again dismissively. Thats a basic safety precaution that should not be optional.For me, the worst part though was that were frustrations around communication and policies. I was charged for two missed sessions, one of which I told Paul that I couldn't do because I was too sore after the first session. For the second, I provided approximately 22 hours notice but was still charged under a strict 24-hour policy. He never told me that those sessions would be cancelled and I wouldn't be able to reschedule them.In both of these occasions, other trainers and facilities would had been more flexible and told us about the policy and given us notice that we would be charged. Paul didn't, and when I asked him about this when it was time to renew, he dismissively said "Why should I care what other trainers in your past did?" While I understand policies exist to discourage bad apples who abuse it, I made my comms very clear to Paul for those two sessions. I would have appreciated clearer expectations upfront and a more reasonable level of flexibility, especially early in the relationship.This dismissive tone and behaviour was a common thread I experienced, in his coaching and his policies.Overall, my personal experience with Paul felt rigid, dismissive, and not collaborative. I was looking for a trainer who would take my input seriously, adapt to my physical limitations, know my sport or at least try and understand it, and prioritize my safety. That wasnt my experience here. I'm quite dissatisfied by the services. I certainly wouldn't recommend Paul to anyone.
