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March 2023 by Shaan J.
Late last year, I committed myself to losing weight and getting in shape, and I decided to try something new since my previous attempts hadn't worked so well. I eventually found my way to Darwin Fitness, and I'm very glad that I did. After a few introductory text messages with the owner, Jean-Sébastien, I was scheduled for a consultation with Dustin, one of the gym's trainers. The consultation itself was good; I never felt overly pressured, and the intake mostly consisted of gathering a baseline to measure progress against over time. I've been training with Dustin for close to half a year now, and I'm very pleased with my progress. In conjunction with dietary changes and a not-insignificant amount of calorie reduction, I've lost nearly 50 lbs. in less than six months and have also put on a good amount of muscle, which I always had trouble doing in the past. Similarly, my stamina is greatly improved, I don't find myself getting out of breath, and I'm able to move around more easily. I'll continue coming to Darwin Fitness, not only to further my weight loss journey but for the people as well. Dustin is a pleasure to work with; aside from being a genuinely friendly and nice guy, he's never judgmental and is always encouraging, and he knows how to push you without coming off as a drill sergeant. Admittedly, I don't get a lot of opportunities to chat with Pamela (one of the other trainers), but she's always friendly and greets you as you walk in. And then there's Jean-Sébastien, the real-life Gaston. I swear this guy eats five dozen eggs since he's roughly the size of a barge. Jokes aside, he genuinely cares about his clients and wants what's best for them. He's also very knowledgeable and can cater to your specific needs. His Parisian accent and sensibilities are just the icing on the cake, err, I mean gâteau.
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June 2022 by Cynthia Fernandez Culver
Love this place and especially love Pam who is my daughters trainer. She has been wonderful working with my 12 year old on coordination, physical fitness, and promoting healthy habits! She has been a supportive , positive influence on her and I have seen my daughters confidence bloom over the last 4 months. My daughter always looks forward to their sessions and comes out of them afterward feeling happy! This is especially great for us because her school has limited PE classes and the time with Pam fills in that gap. I recommend Pam to any parent who is looking for a PT to support their child as they grow in a healthy, positive way!
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April 2022 by Lani B.
I've been working with with Pamela since just before Christmas, coming 3x a week for 30 minutes. She's tough, but fun, and adapts workouts to your likes and ability. My strength has improved and the impacts to both my mental and physical health are measurable. I highly recommend checking out this boutique personal training studio! Prices are a little steep and credit cards aren't accepted, but I'm happy with the results and it's worth the expense.
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January 2022 by Mark H.
I've been training with Jean for a few months and the result is exceeding my expectations! At first I was a bit hesitant since he seemed focus more on the athletic training, than body building. BUT he can really make plans for different clients, to cater different needs. Besides being professional, he's always fun to work out with. Working out with him after work completely ease my stress from the day. Highly recommended!!
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September 2021 by Nerissa R.
If you're thinking about personal training, look no further. Jean-Sebastien is a fitness expert and customizes every workout to fit your level and goals. I started training in July with a complimentary consultation and session to help me started and determine if this was the right fit, and I have continued my personal training here ever since!
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September 2021 by Alexi V.
I've been working with Jean Sebastian for a few months now and would highly recommend! I was really struggling to adjust to working out at home after my gym closed and luckily found Darwin Fitness. Jean Sebastian is really good at adjusting workouts so that you are always pushing yourself a little more without it being impossible (which is so hard to do on your own). He puts lots of variety into the workouts and is fun to talk to so it doesn't feel like a chore to go train. I appreciate that he will follow your goals - so will give weight loss and nutrition advice if you want it, and not worry about that if it's not on your radar. I also thought he went above and beyond when I went out of town for almost a month and he gave me a great maintenance plan so I could workout on my own - which I actually did for the first time in ages! I feel like I have made a lot of progress in fitness overall. It's also awesome that it's such a convenient location, right on the 17-92 and by a grocery store and a couple coffee shops so it's easy to squeeze in some errands.
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December 2020 by Shana Bamerick
I have been working out with Jean Sebastian for 2 months now on Saturday mornings. He knows how to motivate you and works at your speed! Would recommend him to anyone!
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December 2020 by B B.
Jean Sebastian trains my 7 yr old son twice per week. He is patient, knowledgeable and expertly tailors each session to my son's ability level. The training facility is clean and the COVID safety procedures give us great comfort.
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November 2020 by Julia M.
Jean-Sebastien has incredible knowledge and helps his clients tremendously. I have been working with him over 4 years. He does not have a "one workout fits all" mentality. He uses his experience and knowledge to make every workout fit your goals. Every day is something new and something geared specifically for *you*. My 50-yr old body feels (& looks) great because of him. Jean-Sebastien recently opened his new personal gym in Maitland with every conceivable piece of equipment. He is dedicated to keeping it spotless. He wipes down every piece of equipment or machine used between clients. You are the only person in the gym, so during this pandemic you feel incredibly safe. I highly recommend Jean-Sebastien. He is excellent in his craft, he has a great sense of humor, he genuinely cares about his clients, and now he has his own place. He has 5 stars for a reason.
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September 2020 by Tara O.
Darwin Fitness is a state of the art Gym. The equipment is elite and the gym is so cleaned. The owner and trainer JS listens to what your fitness goals are and assists you in reaching them. He has been on point with my nutrition and training and my results are so noticeable. I love the way I look and feel. Tara Lee Olmstead
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August 2020 by Katie O.
Jean is an awesome trainer! I've been training with him since December. He's very knowledgeable and pushes his clients to achieve their goals. The studio itself is very clean and has brand new equipment. It is especially convenient during these times with the COVID outbreak. Overall, I am very happy to be a client of JS! Highest recommendation.
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March 2020 by Evan Weston
I went to Jean-Sebastien in October 2018 at 215 pounds having never exercised consistently. He worked with me to improve at my own pace, developed a nutrition plan that was easy to follow and understand, and consistently challenges me with new, interesting workouts. I have lost nearly 40 pounds and feel as healthy as I’ve ever been. If you’re looking to genuinely change your lifestyle to be a healthier, happier person, J-S is your guy!
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March 2020 by Tim Lee
Jean-Sebastien is a very professional personal trainer. He is always punctual, his workouts are very well thought out and he does a good job of balancing pushing clients beyond their limits while keeping the safety of the client in mind at all times. I highly recommend his services!
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March 2020 by Timmy L.
Working out with Jean Sebastien as my personal trainer at Darwin Fitness has been a pleasure. He was very flexible in working with my schedule to fit me in to his. He always had a good full body workout ready for me and he always made sure to keep my safety in mind. He's great and I would recommend him to anyone!
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November 2019 by Dana B.
My husband and I have been training with JS for almost two years now and I can tell you it has had an amazing effect on both of our mental and physical wellbeing. We have both dropped weight and bad habits. Our weekly training is something we both look forward to as JS challenges us to be better at living. We are feeling younger and stronger than ever. His workouts balanced with an incredible sense of humor make it easy to come back for more! Thank you JS!
