SHAPE Training 5916 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

"I wish I had checked the details of the 1-start reviews. I suggest that people think twice before entering a long term program. People here seem nice and reasonable before you decide to leave for any reason. The employees here have inconsistent words, and I have to pay more than the cancellation fee to leave the program. The training quality is OK here but the messy management and billing can ruin the experience. The main issues: 1. When I sign up for the personal training 12-month program, the trainer told me I have to pay first two months' fee upfront. However, when I decide to end the program, I checked the billing history and found I paid two months upfront and one monthly payment every following month. I am OK with paying an extra cancellation fee to leave, but I want to get the overcharged one month fee back. Then I was told the first payment is the first/last month fee, which will not be refunded because I ended the program early. This is different from what I was told in the first place, and even if this is true, the last month fee should be used as the last month fee. I don't understand why they kept the extra month's fee which they didn't provide service for. 2. When I tried to end the program, I expect to get the service for the last month I paid for. However, I was told that since I call them 5 days before the monthly charge date and their billing system charges the monthly payment 5 days before the payment date, I can either give up the left sessions of the month to stop the next payment or continue with the next month payment. In short, I cannot use the left session of the last month if I decide to end the program, even if I already paid for it. I don’t think the customer should be responsible for their billing 5 days in advance. There are other issues, for example, part of the personal trainers might not be as responsive as need to when you schedule the appointment, and you might roll over the sessions for later use. If you decide the end the program early, they will tell you the rollover sessions will all be cancelled. If you decide to leave for any reason, things get messy as some other reviewers said. The employees’ words are inconsistent and in the end you pay much more than you expected. The training quality is acceptable, but watch out for long-term commitment."

"I've been going to Shape for the last four years and can confidently say it is the best gym in Pittsburgh! The trainers are all so knowledgeable and take the time to help you learn the movements and correct form so you're less likely to get injured. They offer a ton of different training options so everyone is able to find the perfect training program for them (classes, personal training etc.). There is also a great sense of community among the members that sets an awesome and encouraging vibe. I love this place and the people that work there so much and will continue to go there as long as I'm working out!"

"I have been going to SHAPE since 2017 and absolutely love it. I started with the group athletics classes and have continued taking them to this day. I had never gone to a gym before SHAPE and now I can’t imagine not going. I added personal training three years ago with Delroy and have had a great experience. The sessions are challenging but rewarding, and it’s great to be able to track my progress. The programming at SHAPE, whether it’s for classes or personal training, is very thoughtful and intentional. They follow a cycle with specific phases, such as stability/conditioning, strength endurance, and hypertrophy. The overall emphasis is on building strength and muscle, and the trainers will work with you to set and meet your specific goals. Coming to SHAPE has definitely made me stronger physically and mentally and has been an amazing community for me as well."

"I was a coach at Shape Training from September 2019-June 2021. The energy and knowledge in that building is unmatched and that applies to coaches as well as clients and it all starts from the top down! It’s one of those buildings where you are going to become better just by stumbling in the room and being in that atmosphere! The level of coaching is top tier, the boxing classes are coached by actual boxers who teach you skills and the rest of the classes are ran by highly intelligent high energy coaches! If I was still living in Pittsburgh this would be my gym and I recommend it to anyone 10/10!!!"

"I started going to Shape in October as I knew I wanted to make a change to my exercise routine that focused more on strength training. I was hooked immediately! The trainers put a lot of time into planning the workouts and create a friendly environment that is open to people of all ages and fitness levels. I really enjoy the Squad Sessions that started this year to allow for a more personalized training session in a small group setting. You become friends with the people in the Squad Sessions which enhances the overall session. Thank you to DJ and all the other trainers at Shape for creating a healthy gym environment and pushing me to be a stronger and healthier version of myself!"