I, along with Michele, am a licensed ZUMBA® instructor and avid fitness lover. I have been with…read moreEmm at Studio M and even before she opened up her own studio for 3.5 years. Emm is a truly passionate, dedicated person and cares about each and every person that walks into her studio. I can say this from personal experience as I have watched her over the past 3 years guide so many people to a healthier, happier life. Not only that, she constantly hosts charity events, special runs, and works with the Norwalk Hospital Foundation and Cancer Society, etc. to help raise money and awareness. I highly disagree with her moves being hard to follow, and in any case, she ALWAYS offers for people to stay after class to be helped as well as slowing down DURING class and counting out steps and INSTRUCTING the new choreography before even starting the new songs. That being said, everyone has their own style, you may not fit well with a certain person's zumba style, and may totally groove with another person. Everyone has a right to their opinions, BUT remember, your workout is what YOU make of it. Even in some fitness classes that I personally did not love myself, you can always get a good sweat in if you push yourself. You don't have to love every class you take, and thats ok! I'm just happy to be part of such a caring and genuine community of people at Studio M, at the end of the day that's what matters most. Thank you Emm for showing us that! Zumba has become such a phenomenon and has shown us all how a little bit of dancing can help the world become a happier place. Let's all stop being so negative and seeing the good that truly lies within us. **Zumba Love** :)

The other reviews are funny! Perhaps they are Emm's personal friends. She caters to a small…read moregroup of women who are in her 'clique', and then ignores the rest of the crowd. She is NOT encouraging, but instead makes you feel like you're an idiot if you can't follow her crazy moves. She's not flexible nor does she offer deals to the most loyal of customers. Now, there are other instructors there who are absolutely wonderful...Naomi, Jimmy, Stephanie to name a few. They rock. Totally rock. But stay away from Emm's classes if you go. There are other Zumba fitness studios in town, and well worth visiting before heading to Studio M.

I started going here because my trainer works out of here. EVERYONE is happy, up beat,…read moreprofessional, and happy to see you succeed. I recommend it for anyone looking for that 1 on 1 experience, WORTH IT!

Great place with an easy location. Family style gym with big spaces and lots of machines and…read moreweights. Only negative comment I can give is some trainers act a little too juvenile and fray bro like. But all around I recommend.

Shaun is a great trainer, sparring nights on wednesdays and convenient classes everyday. Hands up…read moreboxing is the real deal

Hands Up is such an awesome gym. First, the trainers are great and have actual fight experience, so…read moreall of the combos and movements feel right. The workouts are also excellent and all of the members are friendly and encouraging. If you're looking for a fun place to get a great workout, with friendly, like-minded people, this is the place. Give it a try.

I was a member of Kong for nearly four years. I made large gains through trusting Chris' process…read more Progress is tracked in Wodify. I left the gym due to a move out of the area. After trying out several other Crossfit boxes, I realized what separates Kong from others. Typically, there is a dynamic warmup, a strength portion with a dedicated exercise and a Metcon. Only when I went to other gyms did I realize this isn't the format used everywhere. Other boxes may only focus on the Metcon. Some do not have an app that records your progress and you have to track it on your own. Both the daily format and progress measuring are items that set Kong apart. Next is the coaching and community. Once you settle in on a class, you'll frequently train with the same group of people, both competing against and rooting for each other as you grind through a long Metcon. There are usually community events as well. I would still be a member at Kong but for moving further away. The price is reasonable, less than other boxes in the area. More importantly, you get out what you put in. Eat clean, show up 4-5 times per week and the results will follow. Coaches are excellent. Meline gets everyone going when you're still rubbing sleep out of your eyes at 6 am. There are a couple shower stalls here. The gym isn't chock full of amenities, but that's what you get with Crossfit. It's results-based, hard, sweaty, and not pretty. Yet once you're sucked in, it's hard to leave. I highly recommend Kong. Crossfit is a punchline at times since it's a bit cultish. However, I drank the Kool Aid and can't imagine just going solo to a big box gym anymore. Two (callused) thumbs way up for Kong Crossfit!

Where can I begin with Kong Crossfit?…read more I'll start off by saying that Chris and his staff are top notch. They give you the support you need, and make you feel comfortable throughout the entire workout! Being a gym owner myself, its extremely hard to impress me. I'm very picky about cleanliness, friendliness of the staff and the environment itself. Kong Crossfit delivers in every aspect above! Not only are the trainers amazing, but the workouts are FUN. You really don't feel like you're working out when you go in. Its just a ton of fun, and awesome results. You really can't ask for much more than that! If you're in the norwalk area, you'd be crazy not to check this place out!!

I'll give them this: It's an efficient workout. But damn, they sure make you feel like a cog in the…read morefitness-for-profit-not-wellness machine. Describing OTF as an impersonal exercise experience is an understatement. "Coach" is what they call the hour-long session facilitators which is pretty funny because they are just human stop watches who are programed to regurgitate platitudes about working hard and reaching goals to the blasting soundtrack of medlied synthesized remixes of synthesized remixes of occasionally recognizable pop radio tunes. There is one in particular at the Norwalk store (and it IS a store) who sounds like Lady Gaga as a state fair auctioneer. She is truly insufferable. There are a couple who let their humanity escape during the 3-minute stretching activity that wraps up each session. If you have even the hint of an injury, STAY AWAY. It is clear that the workouts are generated by corporate teams (I suspect they include more marketer and shrinks than fitness gurus) in some headquarter office. Lip service is paid to obvious modifications such as push-ups from your knees instead of toes, but the "coaches" simply do not have time to address anyone's individual needs. They often have three separate groups working on activities that are measured in increments of seconds. Each class accommodates 25 participants. There is no cushion between sessions. They run about a dozen classes per weekday. The full price is $30 per session but discounts for volume purchases and monthly subscriptions are available. I bought a package of 30 sessions on a whim, and it felt like a ball and chain until I used them up. No matter what you hear from OTF enthusiasts who distinguish themselves by driving around town with OTF car magnets, there is NOTHING fun about this workout. Expect to spend 20-30 minutes on a treadmill facing a wall, up to 20 minutes on a rower staring at the asses of the 12 people on treadmills, and the balance of your session (except for the aforementioned 3 minute "stretch") doing "floor work" which often involves dumbbells and no guidance other than an GIF on a computer monitor. Leave your headphones at home since "coaches" will be shouting time increments at you over the music throughout the entire workout. Oh. Right. The Orange part. You earn "splat" points when your heart rate exceeds 83%. This shows up in orange or red on the monitors that display each participants' heart rate monitor activity. Oh yeah, you have to buy a $99 OTF heart rate monitor to participate. No other brand will do. The goal is to earn at least 12 "splat" points during your 60 minute workout. But seriously, you don't need OTF to earn "splat" points. You can exercise anywhere with any old heart rate monitor and a phone app to produce the same (and much more pleasant) experience without the high price tag and the gimmicky name. Try to stay above the 83% range for 25% of a one-hour workout and you have a DIY OTF workout. Plus, you get to listen to your own music, revel in your own thoughts and maybe even spend a little time outdoors! As a person who is fascinated by the science of efficiency, I have to admit that I admire the organization. But don't be fooled for one second: Orange Theory Fitness was not designed to support fitness, it was designed to support Orange Theory. OTF participants, as the Phil Elliott character says in the end of the movie North Dallas Forty, are "the equipment." If that works for you, go for it. It felt super icky to me.

I guess I'm not that new anymore so I'll update my review with my experience over the last few…read moremonths. OTF in general is a great workout and I've had a good experience at the Norwalk location. I personally have an issue with getting bored with routine and repetition so that is where OTF has really helped me; no two workouts are the same and you never know what to expect on that day. The coaches in Norwalk are great and are very motivational/supportive. Though it is rather expensive, I do feel like it's been worth it for me.

I started practicing yoga about 8 years ago in college. Since then, I would take yoga classes at…read morewhatever gym I was going to at the time. I realized I was yearning for something more in my practice and after much research, it was clear to me that Yogi Brian's was the right place. Yogi Brian's is a completely different yoga experience than I have had in the past. The small class size allows for personalized attention and a sense of community. Beyond this though, Brian provides a space for each student to grow and learn in the exact way that they need to. Within a few weeks of attending classes at Yogi Brian's, I could feel my own resistances coming to the surface. This is something I never experienced in any other yoga class, but was exactly what I was looking for. I knew that facing these resistances head on through yoga and mediation under Brian's guidance was the path towards releasing them and gaining self liberation. In the last 5 months, I have learned so much about myself and how to better understand others in my life, through my time at Brian's studio. I would highly recommend Yogi Brian's to anyone hoping to strengthen their yoga practice both physically and mentally.

I recently moved to Norwalk and I've been attending Brian's classes for over 2 months now…read more Brian listens to you and understands what you are looking for and the areas of concern, he is very knowledgeable- knows the tweaks that can be done to different poses and the pros and cons of the tweaks and the muscle groups they target, gives the attention needed to each student, corrects you when you're not doing the poses right, he also challenges you in every class. The classes are fun and I've made it point to attend the classes at least twice a week. I had tightness around my lower back and hips due to an old injury, I've made a ton of progress and feel so much better. I highly recommend Yogi Brian's classes.

I literally Love Kickboxing! Not only a a great work out but I've made great friends. Everyday…read morebrings a new challenge. The support and energy from the trainers is just amazing. If you are struggling with an exercise they help you without making you feel bad. The gym is very clean and the location is well lit.

I have been here for almost 2 weeks now and I should say I really enjoyed it. All the coaches I…read moreworked with are amazing, always cheering and pushing you forward. I'm excited about this journey going forward and happy to be here. I look forward for this class every morning.

Hands down the best CrossFit box that I've dropped in on…read more No frills. Spacious. Highest caliber coaching. Just what the doctor ordered.