H.E.R.O. Fitness: James, Bach, ND

I have never written a testimonial before, but my experience with Mike Bach at HERO fitness has been amazing. I am an older guy, overweight, and with bad knees and I have literally no experience with gym and fitness equipment, but wanted to make a change in my health. Mike has been extremely patient, supportive and challenging in the best possible way and very sensitive to building strength around my knees. After working with him for six months, I feel a real and tangible change and hardly any knee pain. I have increased energy, flexibility and strength, and the best part is the sessions are always different and mentally engaging. Mike has a wide knowledge of different methods, and is constantly introducing new elements to our workouts. I would highly recommend him to anyone of any fitness level, as I have seen him working with other clients, and he customizes the workout to each individual. All in all a great trainer!

This review is for those looking for a new facility and/​or trainer.
The gym is CLEAN!!! You can’t say that about every private studio. The trainers are experienced, and work with you, your injuries, your goals, a better you.
This is not a gym you just walk in and join. You work out with a trainer. If you are dedicated to improving your health, this is the place to be.

Love this gym. I go to Lawrence Scott as my trainer, and he is amaze. He is super easy going, very knowledgable and won’t let you give up. Five stars because everyone at this gym minds their own business and they are all super friendly. Don’t miss out.

I love HERO! I enjoy going into the gym and seeing everyone BC they are all so nice like a little family and it’s a great atmosphere to be in while working out and I love love love my trainer Lawrence. I have had quite a few different trainer in my past and he is by far the BEST EVER! I’m the kind of girl that if you are mean and push me to far or are to nice and not motivating I’ll just stop and not come back but with Lawrence he know how to get me going and still push me! I work out with him 2 to 4 times a week and on my days I’m not working out with him, I’ll still go and do workouts he has given to me. He has me to the point where I love working out! I have seen such great great results and improvements with my body my eating and my motivation in 7 months all thanks to Lawrence. I have so much amazing things to say about him I feel like I could write a book. He’s the man, I would give him and HERO a million stars if I could!

I have been working out with Lawrence for a couple years now and I followed him through three different gyms and have always loved how he trained me but have absolutely loathed other facilities. Hero is amazing though. The entire staff is so fun to be around and every time I go in to work out I feel like I’m just hanging out with all my friends. I have recruited a handful of friends to come there too and they all love it just as much as I do. It’s well worth the investment and Lawrence is such an amazing motivator and he truly cares about your overall health. I’m a lifer there for sure. :)

This review is specific to my experience with Mike Bach.
Just like so many people, there was a time I was in shape with no injuries. Growing up playing competitive sports and going to the gym after graduating college was a regular part of my lifestyle. I never had a six pack but I was an athlete. Unfortunately, times changed and when I hurt my back 2 years ago all of it came to an end. Given the option for surgery or extensive physical therapy I choose the second option.
After nearly a year of acupunture and PT I finally wasn’t in pain, though found myself out of shape and afraid to try working out again or be active in any way. Finally after a year of sitting on the sideline afraid to do anything I was introduced to Mike Bach. We discussed what I used to be able to do and my fears regarding my injury. Mike built specific programs for me to not only slowly get back in shape but to regain the physical confidence I once had in my body. We communitcate regularly throughout the week on my diet and workouts that he wants me to complete when I am not with him.
I have lost weight, I can feel myself getting stronger but more importantly I am not afraid anymore. He has become a friend, inspirational motivator, and coach and I would highly recommend him to anyone trying to get in shape or in my case someone with an injury who wants to be active again, but isn’t quite sure how.

It was my first time having a personal trainer and I was super nervous! The idea of a pro watching me work out and telling me what to do left me shaky at first. After my first session things ran smoothly. I was a bit self conscious but I guess the trainers are in the business of getting people in shape.
The facility is super clean and very private. Every client is with a trainer and focused on their workout. If I could afford a trainer I would be going back. My trainer showed me many moves that I can practice on my own to trim down and home… if I see another you swoop I will swoop it right up! To get 10 sessions for $ 50 was a steal!

I have been working out at H.E.R.O. for the past two and a half years and highly recommend it
I work with John K who is great. His approach is holistic, including diet, rest and nutrition, which obviously is the only aw to go. The workouts are customized based on your individual goals and for me included a mix of cardio, weights, and bodyweight exercises. They do a comprehensive initial assessment, which includes a questionnaire, measurements and (upon request) body fat measurement.
They help me design workouts for when I am on the road, as I travel a ton and have limited gym equipment at the hotels when I travel. Free weights, machines or bands you can find a way to work out on the road if you want. Their equipment is state of the art, and there is no waiting.
One aspect that is important to understand is that this is a personal training gym, so you always work with a trainer.
Prices are very reasonable for what you get, especially when compared with personal training at some of the higher end gyms in the city. Parking always free and available.

I have been getting trained by Stephanie Lee at H.E.R.O. Fitness since October 2010. I love the one on one sessions and to be at a gym that is not open to the public to walk in and work out as an Xsport or Ballys. Everyone there is with their trainers and their attention is devoted strictly to their clients. Never have I seen a trainer on his/​her cell phone or having conversations with co-​workers while their client are doing their workouts.
I have worked out for many years. I have run many of Half-​marathons and even done P90X which I loved but also became bore of the workouts. I need someone to challenge me with different workouts and Stephanie is great with that. She doesnt allow me to give up and when she pushes me to my max she will switch the workout.
The owner James is a great trainer also and Im sorry that I dont know the names of other trainers but everyone is very friendly and make you feel welcomed. The facility its self is very clean. The showers and locker room area are kept very nice and ALL work properly which is a great plus, considering the locker rooms I have seen at other gyms. They have parking for all clients.
If you are looking for a trainer, H.E.R.O Fitness is your place…
Thank You, to my GREAT trainer Stephanie for making me feel and look fit. But most important for making me love my body again. :o)

I have been training with Jenn Hogg at HERO for about 6 months. It’s been a great experience — well, as great as exercise can be, I suppose. HERO has excellent equipment and a wonderful open space that never feels crowded. It’s easy to get to, easy to park, and Jenn is super-​knowledgeable about fitness and nutrition. She’s also a very entertaining storyteller, which is a very good thing when you want to take your mind off your challenging workout! I highly recommend HERO for personal training as well as their Team Training program.

After running through the 15 pack of classes, I upgraded to the 25 pack — I ran through that pretty quickly so now I’ve signed up for unlimited classes for the month. Honestly, I’ve never worked out anywhere that made me WANT to go and work out everyday.
Just to clarify, you can’t just join this gym like you can a Crunch or a Ballys. HERO is a private training facility. If you work out with one of their trainers at least once a week you get a discount on the group training classes — if you do not you pay a slightly higher price but you can come to the classes. If you’re looking for a gym where you can just go and hop on a treadmill, this isn’t the place for you. If you are looking for a place where you can get personalized instruction with some seriously awesome trainers, then you’re looking in the right direction.
The classes are challenging and fantastic and there is an incredible variety to choose from at all hours of the day — so you have no excuse not to go! From pilates, to kickboxing, to Budokon, to yoga, to a class that focuses on just your butt (my favorite) — there’s a ton and they all rock.
I work from home and I had been REALLY bad about getting out and going to the gym — and trust me, it normally takes a crane to lift my ass out of the house and make my way over to any gym — but not here, I love going and I go nearly every day. I feel so much better since I joined.
So, do yourself a big favor and get your butt over there — Jenn and James (owners) are the nicest, most motivating and awesome people ever.
Oh, and there is FREE parking — huge bonus. I hate paying anywhere from $ 3-​$ 5 to park on top of paying for a gym membership — ridiculous.

I have to say, I am a loyal fan of one of HERO’s trainer’s and co-​owners Jenn Hogg. I have been training with Jenn for 4 years now and I love the one on one attention I get from her and other trainers at HERO. HERO is a wonderful training studio, set away from the craziness of all of the day in day out hussle and bussle of other facilities. They offer a free, yes I said free, parking lot located at the gym. They have a state of the art facility/​equipment, lockers rooms, etc. Overall, HERO’s trainers are what keep me coming back for more. I strongly recommend this gym if you are looking for a trainer who is results driven and has heart! The staff at HERO generally cares about your overall fitness and will help drive the results you are looking for.

H.E.R.O. is a wonderful and unique fitness studio that brings a holistic approach to training. It blends the traditional styles of personal training with a mindful approach to your body’s framework.
I’ve been training with Jenn Hogg, one of the owners of H.E.R.O. Fitness, for almost 4 years. Jenn will personalize your workout and push you. She makes it fun and challenging. James Bach, the other owner, compliments Jenn with his pain-​free approach to training. The other trainers are also worth checking out as well, depending on your needs.
H.E.R.O. offers state of the art equipment, as well as a unique style of team training classes (taught in a beautiful studio with suspended wood floor!).
There is something for everyone, whether it is personal training or one of their specialty outsourced services (massage, acupuncture, nutrition).
The studio space itself is beautiful, with beautiful wood detailing and attention to detail. The minute you step inside, you feel as if you are whisked away from the city’s chaos. Plus, there is plenty of free parking and access to public transportation! Definitely worth checking out.

I just had my first training session recently with James Bach at H.E.R.O. Fitness, and I would highly recommend both him as a trainer, and the facility itself for what it has to offer.
To begin with, James has showed me that despite my own 20 plus years of working out on my own, he knows A LOT more than I do. His knowledge stems from his extensive training, experience, and even more impressively, his research into his individual client, their needs, goals, and in my case, physical limitations. I could not have been more impressed than when he started telling me about my back condition in detail (I had provided him with only the basics in the initial questionaire), and then implemented his specific program for me that took his research and knowledge into account. It was really a custom workout, designed for me, and it was impressive.
Otherwise, it’s not only the work out that is custom, as the gym itself seems custom through and through, with equipment that’s top of the line. In fact, they have an eliptical machine that I have seen no where else in the city (certainly not at Equinox, or East Bank). Further, the Asian inspired space is super bright with natural light, clean, and parking is free and abundant.
Thus, if you are looking for a new facility to do personal training at with either your own trainer (I think), James, or one of the other trainers that train clients there, H.E.R.O. is a location that you cannot go wrong with. In fact, you will be quite pleased.