Reviews

Why do you train?

I do a lot of sport, mostly running and cycling, and the occasional racket sport. Because you get older, I want to maintain my muscle strength, especially in my upper body. BerkSports is not a standard gym; here I get coaching and I can train with a purpose.

Why at BerkSports?

Irma, my wife, knew Ricardo, and I was immediately pleasantly surprised. The place feels welcoming and easy to walk into, but serious as well. The interaction and the attention are very good. You can train at your own level with your own weights, and there is room for a coffee afterwards. In short, a good balance between enjoying yourself and getting serious work done.

What do you notice?

I notice that I stay at my weight, that I feel firmer and that belly fat is kept in check. That may of course also be down to the cycling, but training at BerkSports certainly helps.

Why do you train?

I did not really like exercising. I trained at a big chain gym for a short while, but I had to drag myself there. Now I actually enjoy going, which is something I never expected. With 60 kilos less on my body it is a good deal easier as well. As a child I did jazz ballet for a few years, but after that I never did any other sport regularly. BerkSports is something I do keep up.

Why at BerkSports?

When I wanted to start training I searched for "small gym + personal training", because above all I wanted something small-scale. I did not want to stand among all those muscle men in a big gym. Getting started was a bit of a threshold. There is a lot of personal contact and they look at what works best for you. If something does not work, you come up with something else together.

What do you notice?

I have become much fitter, and everyone around me notices it too. I can mess about with my children now, run to the end of the street, so to speak, and I could not do that before. Walking up stairs is no problem. Daily life feels so much easier.

Why do you train?

I have had a weight challenge all my life. If I do not exercise, my muscles really ache. Sitting too much is bad for me. After training I always feel better. I simply have to move.

Sometimes it takes an effort to go. I am used to basketball, the best game there is, and fitness is not necessarily my favourite. But once I am there, I enjoy it. The group makes all the difference in that.

Why at BerkSports?

It is very good that you are in a group of no more than six people. The coaching is intensive and someone really watches what you do. If I cannot do something, because of my knee for instance, you come up with an alternative straight away. You know well what you can and cannot do with the body. That gives confidence.

What do you notice?

Alongside BerkSports I walk a lot and I do yoga. Through the training I notice that I am steadier and getting stronger, even training once a week. Twice might be better still, but combined with yoga this works very well for me.

Why do you train?

I love sport: I do a lot of bouldering and I really enjoy padel too. I like the gym less, but I do it for my health, to keep my muscle mass up. Strong muscles also help me in the other sports I do!

Why at BerkSports?

Years ago, when Ricardo was still teaching Small Group Training at another gym, I got in touch with him. I was working out at that gym, but honestly found it pretty boring and regularly skipped a week. At Ricardo's Small Group Training I have a fixed slot in the schedule and I am expected every week. That helps me enormously.

What do you notice?

Since I started doing Upper Body Strength, I have noticed that my upper body has become genuinely stronger. My arms, shoulders and back are a lot stronger, and that helps me with climbing. That is really great.