I joined Etage back in September and really love the gym! I can conveniently get downtown from Lawrenceville in 10 minutes, and parking in their Stanwix Street garage is free (for 1.5 hours). I started off using the gym just to get a little bit back into shape by using the treadmills and machines. Once I got better at running again I thought I was ready to try a class. I was scared to jump right into a class and not be able to keep up.
I started off with Evelyn's "Short, Sweet, Strong" class a few months ago. It consisted of cardio, and a LOT of lunges and squats. I liked that it didn't require any equipment. It felt similar to the Insanity workout warm ups (high knees, jumping jacks, etc). This was a good beginner class because there were only 4 people in the class and she explained the exercises step by step. I did like this class and instructor and tried it 2 or 3 times! After a recommendation from my mom, I decided to try the full body pump class. I think it is listed on the Mindbody app as "Total Body". I really like the instructor Kamini! She is super motivating and doesn't skip a beat. She knows the workouts like the back of her hand, and always changes up the workouts. She teaches Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. I have taken all of the classes and there are a few regulars in each class, but it is never busy. You can also do her classes virtually. Since I had never done a weight training class before, I was a little nervous. The other women in the class helped show me what equipment I would need for my first class. This class is for every fitness level. I started out with 5.5 lbs on each side of the bar and now can do 11 lbs on each side! You complete a ton of reps with lighter weights for a full hour. You go through each muscle group so you aren't totally sore the whole class. Your body is burning by the time you finish each muscle group though! This is a great workout and I can tell I am getting stronger. I plan to continue taking Kamini's classes in addition to using other cardio machines throughout the week. The gym is always clean (they are literally mopping the floor every time I'm there...), and it is never super busy. They also have hydro massage beds that are amazing! I love that I can easily park downtown, attend my workout class, then do the hydromassage and head home all within 90 minutes. The front desk staff are always friendly. I highly recommend this gym! read more