Retrofit Studio

Perhaps you are an interested, but unmotivated exerciser like myself. I struggled for years to find the right place to work out. I didn’t feel comfortable in gyms and yoga studios. Many small studios (i.e. crossfit) intimidated me. I wanted to run outdoors, but I was so out of shape that I would often injure myself my knees from lack of quad strength. A friend recommended Retrofit and I started with Mark as my personal trainer. Not only did Mark help me gain strength and endurance, but he changed how I thought about physical fitness. He was patient, but challenging. He pushed me to excel, but within my comfort zone. It’s always fun to be at Retrofit; the trainers are silly and sweet and really nice. I stopped the classes to save $$ and ran outdoors for a year, but the muscle weakness returned as did my knee injuries. I started again with their group classes and I’m incredibly impressed by how hard AND fun they are. The teachers are excellent (shout-​out Amanda). The class format is constantly changing –I’m partial to the kick-​boxing elements — so you never tire of the routine. If you are really out of shape or a newbie, I advise starting with a personal trainer. The trainers will go over the correct postures for all the squats, lunges, etc. that you will be required to perform in excess. After you are acclimated, than switch to the classes or do a combination. The classes are very reasonably priced and you really only need to do 2 a week to see results. The personal training is an investment and I had a hard time justifying the expense — but I am so happy I did. If you stick with their strength training, you will notice a myriad of improvements in your overall health and waistline!

Brad is an incredible trainer and pretty much the best human being you could hope to be around. The other trainers are equally kind and supportive. The atmosphere in Retrofit is nothing if not overwhelmingly positive.
Retrofit is the perfect training studio for people of ALL fitness levels.

Retrofit is the best! I’ve been going there for 9 months. I researched a few gyms last year after having my second baby, and was drawn to Retrofit because the reviews praised Brad and his non-​intimidating fitness atmosphere. Brad took a lot of time to meet with me one-​on-​one, go over my goals, and explain his philosophy on eating and exercise. He paired me up with Julie, who I love! I thought I was a pretty decent eater and figured I just had to work out more, but Brad and Julie opened my eyes to a new way of thinking, taught me why my current diet wasn’t working, and gave me plenty of ideas for new meals and snacks. Julie holds me accountable, but is still encouraging and motivating, and I now take pride in taking care of myself. She’s truly turned my life around, and I love working out with her! She challenges me physically, and tailors the workouts to my needs and goals. She’s not only a trainer, but a friend, and one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. The overall atmosphere of Retrofit is laid back, fun and never intimidating. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking to better themselves!

Retrofit has changed my life. Since my first visit I have lost 50 lbs and eight dress sizes. I barely recognize myself these days. Meeting Julie has changed the entire way I look at myself and life in general. She is not only my trainer but I’d say a life coach as well.

If you want a body changing, life-​changing experience — Retrofit is the place to go.
For most of my adult life I have been a size 10 and comfortable with it. I had decided that’s the best my adult body could do and when I was active, fit and at my baseline, I looked good. But when I started working out with Brad Goodstein at Retrofit a year ago, life happened and I had creeped up to a size 14 and was looking to lose 25 lbs. After 6 months with Brad, just twice a week for 30 minutes (plus my standard cardio and a reasonable diet — I don’t starve myself, I LOVE food too much), my body changed in ways I didn’t think was possible. I was leaner, tone and more fit than ever, and had muscle places I didn’t think I could have muscle. I lost those 25lbs and for the first time in over a decade, I was a size 8 — at every store I went shopping. Everyone noticed, including myself. What I didn’t fully realize is that what comes with being healthy and fit is a general sense of well being, and it just makes you feel good inside and out. I’ve now been at Retrofit for a year and I’ve maintained my new body in spite of enjoying life a little more than Brad would like :)
Retrofit is a small personal training studio. You’re going to get personal attention catered to you and for what you’re getting, it’s amazingly affordable — I can’t stress this enough. I have a knee issue that makes certain exercises not ok — Brad read all about what I had before we started and created work outs that were designed for me and my knee. I’ve spent a year working out there, twice a week, and I’ve never done the same workout twice. I feel challenged every time and I’m a sweaty mess when I leave. And no matter what my mood when I walk in, Brad puts a smile on my face EVERY single time I go in. He truly loves what he does and puts everything he has into Retrofit. I haven’t worked out with the other trainers, but I’ve seen them all in action. They are all super nice and supportive, and EVERYONE in Retrofit is getting a good workout and having a great time while doing it.
The place is also epically clean and the equipment is solid.
Finally, this place has won Best Trainer in Hour Detroit 2 years in a row and there’s a reason — it’s the best! You won’t find another gym this great and the only downside is I can’t get Brad to move with me to AZ. The bar is set high. This place is a gem.
So do yourself a favor, call Retrofit and set up a consultation — you wont regret it.

Many thanks to Maureen M [Yelper ] for telling me about Brad & Retrofit ! ! !
Amazing Knowledge that he shared, I was blessed & impressed ! !
I met with Brad today to discuss fitness, calories, lean muscle mass, sugars & more nutrition.
His 10+ years as a trainer, coach, mentor & motivator, comes through with his every breath.
UNLIKE the high pressure of some chains & other places, his cost-​price-​program was anything but a pitch, as it pointed to proven techniques, fair dietary exchanges, watching sugar & caloric intake healthy living through incremental changes. Plus his trainers are in continual training /​education learning/​sharing/​implementing & listening. In a never ending journey of teaching & growing.
It is more than affordable, especially the couples rate.
He kindly set aside 45 minutes to talk reasonable goals & expectations, which turned into 90 minutes, you ever met that 1 person, who LOVES what they are doing vs. going through the motions. Brad is that young man, that Loves helping facilitate lifestyle/​eating/​exercise changes for the long term.
Note: He is an ace on his calculator and can help you pick your brain in areas to trim 50 – 100 simple calories from your diet per day… which can translate into 350 – 700 calories per week or 1,400 to 2,800 per month.
Work smarter not harder.
I did not sign up for a package today, but as soon as the bride gets there for the breakdown & head knowledge, we are looking at starting sooner than later.
PS:
SUPER SUPER CLEAN STUDIO. + off street free parking in Royal Oak!

Retrofit was my first personal training experience.
I met with Brad initially for the consultation which involved discussing my goals and the goals Retrofit has for its clients. Brad is enthusiastic to say the least! He convinced me that the goals I had for myself were within reach as long as i follow the meal plan & put in effort. (if only i followed the meal plan…)
I ended up working with Mark for the 6 months I was in town. I started off twice a week with Mark and increased it to 3x/​week. In each and every session, he found a way to challenge me. The exercises were constantly different/​changing. Some were out of my comfort zone, but he did a good job of showing me I would be just fine performing them. Never a dull moment. I left tired and sweaty but never regretting the 30 min.. Most importunately, Mark is accommodating with scheduling sessions in the evening which helped me stick to the sessions.
Sign up. you won’t regret it.
Only con– they are not in NY.

A couple of months ago, I realized that I was tired of overcrowded gyms & getting to exercise classes 30 minutes early to fight for a spot. I also realized that it was one more excuse that I didn’t need to avoid exercising. A long time ago, I had a really good experience with a Personal Trainer, and decided that was what I needed to do.
I came across Retrofit Studio reviews here on Unilocal,sort of accidentally. I liked what I read from the reviews & their website. I liked the idea of a private studio too. I called Brad & set up a consultation. There is no doubt that Brad loves what he does & wants every client to be successful. He spent a lot of time listening & talking to me about realistic goals, nutrition, and what to expect. He decided to set me up with Mark, one of his trainers.
So far, I have had 8 training sessions with Mark. When Brad said he was a good fit for me, he was right! My sessions are 30 minutes, 2 times a week. By the time I leave, I am a sweaty mess! Mark challenges me, makes sure I have good form, and always encouraging. If I don’t do it right, I have to do it again. Every session varies to work different muscle groups, especially the areas that are difficult to target. As hard as he makes me work, I’m never too sore to exercise in between our sessions. That is important to me because I need to do my part outside of our sessions. Mark checks with me regarding my diet and what I’m doing to reach my weight loss goals between our sessions. I always have fun training with Mark even when it’s really difficult.
The studio itself is great. It’s very clean, doesn’t smell funky like a lot of gyms (ha!), and a great variety of training techniques & equipment. There are a few cardio machines for client use before or after a session. Every trainer is always encouraging clients, whether it’s their client or not.
What about results? I started to feel stronger right away and continue to feel that way. I’m steadily losing weight & seeing the jiggle disappear! My muffin top is shrinking! I asked my husband if he noticed any changes. The poor guy looked at me with slight fear of answering the wrong way. ha! I wanted an honest answer. I don’t expect fast results, but I am curious if the changes I see are noticeable to others. He said that he has seen a big change. He said I have been a lot happier since I started training with Mark. I wasn’t expecting that answer & it made me realize I haven’t felt that way about getting in shape (or trying to) in a long time. It sort of made me all verklempt!
This is one of the best decisions I’ve made in a long time!

update! Just had my second baby in January and worked out during my entire second pregnancy with brad as I did with my first pregnancy. once again brad was careful yet kept my arse in shape! immediately after having my son, my stomach was almost flat, legs and butt were in great shape still. certainly don’t look like I just had another baby thanks to brad. most importantly I had an extremely healthy pregnancy also which I’m sure I can say was from working out. thank you retrofit for making pregnancy much easier!

Retrofit is a great atmosphere with friendly trainers, great equipment, and great clients, all working to maintain and/​or reach your personal goals.
I have trained with Brad Goodstein for several years. He helped me lose over 150 lbs! He has stuck by my side throughout the ups and downs of training and life. Brad cares and is willing to give you 200%, even if you have given up on yourself. It will truly change your life! You won’t regret it!
Give him or any of the other trainers 5 min, and try not signup at Retrofit!
Plus, Retrofit has a Chuck Norris Poster… Come On! You know it’s cool if it has a Chuck Norris Poster!

I trained for roughly a year at Retrofit with Brad Goodstein. I can’t say enough good things about him and his work. First off, Brad truly cares about his clients. He is not all about the money, he really sincerely cares about his clients success and will do anything to help them succeed at their goals. His rates are very reasonable and I challenge you to find someone as good as he is that charges a similar rate.
Being a little bit of a clean freak, I also like that Brad is very meticulous about cleaning off the equipment after it is used. Something I would normally worry– about using equipment lots of other people have touched, but he is always very good about sanitizing everything.
Brad is very professional and was able to help me every time I had a question. He even helped with nutrition advice and provided me with a detailed eating plan. The eating plan was great because I didn’t have to worry about what I should be eating. Everything was in writing with specific choices for each meal. It made it easy for me.
And if you need any further proof that Retrofit is the place to go– Brad won trainer of the year for 2012 for Hour Magazine. Retrofit has only been open a little over a year, so this is an amazing award for someone that just opened their business. It goes to show that Brad truly is the best trainer in the metro Detroit area!

I started working out at Retrofit 3 months ago, and 20 lbs ago.
Brad is super professional, very personable, and know’s how to get results. Gym equipment is all brand new with a very clean facility. Highly recommend, it’s as good as it gets!
Retrofit was also an Hour Detroit winner for 2012! (I’m not surprised)

I did not realize how much weight I put on until I stepped on a scale. I thought «how in the world did I get here.» I realized all the stress from school, work, eating fast food and not doing regular activities made me put on a lot of weight. Since I was always skinny I never had to workout or watch what I ate. I tried to go to the gym but didn’t know what I was doing and felt embarrassed. I tried to eat healthy but I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to eat. I then realized I needed to seek professional help, but where?
After driving passed RetroFit almost everyday I decided to give it a try. I met with Brad and he gave me a consultation. The first thing I thought was «wow, this place is very neat and clean,» which is a huge deal for me. He set me up on a meal plan and worked with me a few times a week. I lost 20 pounds (in just a couple of months)!
He encouraged me and made me look forward to working out! He taught me how to do the workouts and what area the workout concentrated on. He made me feel excited about my improvements and I could feel how proud he was of me. I did not feel embarrassed at all! In no time I saw improvements and felt great! If it wasn’t for Brad I would be overweight, lazy with poor eating habits. He changed my life. I recommend him to everyone!

Small, private gym. Not a big gym rat race. Very personalized, one-​on-​one workouts — never gets boring, just harder! Great equipment. Caters to both men and women at various levels of fitness. Brad Goodstein keeps me motivated.

I drove by Retrofit several times before deciding to look it up on-​line. I was looking for a new trainer and decided to email Retrofit to get some added information.
Brad Goodstein is the owner/​proprietor and he emailed me back within 24 hours. I set up a consultation with Brad and as soon I met him I knew he had a passion for what he does. That was a few months ago and since then I have had a great experience with him and his studio.
The place is spotless, comfortable and plenty big enough to accommodate 2 – 3 trainers and their clients at the same time. Brad’s workouts are challenging and varied. The variety of workouts means you are never bored and continuously challenged. Brad really does care for his clients and is genuinely interested in getting you the results that you want.
You might think that a great studio and great trainer might be costly. On the contrary, Brad’s rates are more than reasonable. If you can’t fit into Brad’s schedule there are some other trainers that might be able to accommodate your schedule. I can’t personally vouch for them but from my observations they also seem focused on the client.
Brad and Retrofit are raising the standard for what you should expect to get from a trainer/​gym!

Retrofit Studio what a great addition to Royal Oak! I have been working out for years and have run the gamut of different options.
Brad Goldstein @ Retrofit Studio Is absolutely great. A nice warm clean quite space with a never the same never boring workout!
Brad really does tailor a workout around your specific goals and objectives and tracks your progress with weigh in and measurement check points.
Keep up the good work @retrofit studio!

When I travel to Michigan I like to keep my workouts going strong. I always use RetroFit Studio for that. Ask for Brad, he’s the best personal trainer by far.
He exhibits excellent customer service. Brad will take the time to not only put you through amazing workouts, he also focuses on your personal well being. Brad will give you lifestyle tips to meet your goals as well as put you through some grueling workouts.
Being from California I always stop in for a workout. I wish I could get this type of personal customer service in Cali.
Thanks again Brad, you made a difference with me.

Are you are looking for personal trainer who will scream at you like a drill sergeant until you are left lying on the floor in the fetal position in a pool of your own sweat and tears? Well, I will be honest with you … Brad of Retrofit Studio is probably not for you.
Are you looking for a personal trainer that cares about your goals? A trainer that has an extremely thoughtful approach to working you out in a way that best suits your body? A trainer that will make you feel comfortable and confident and actually EXCITED about working out week after week?
Well…then I have the guy for you!
Brad is a truly amazing, one of a kind trainer. He takes a personal interest in every single one of his clients and is genuinely interested in helping them reach their goals. Brad helps you really realize what you are looking for out of a personal trainer and will help get you there!
Going to a session at Retrofit Studios is fun! Brad has a ton of extremely inventive and innovative ways of making your muscles work and getting results. You can really tell that he puts a lot of thought and energy into each individual clients work out plan.
Brad sets a pace for every one of his clients that is extremely challenging (come on… this is working out! you NEED to be challenged) but also attainable.
Are you going to sweat… duh. Are you going to work really hard… of course! Are you going to get results… ABSOLUTELY!
Just because you have «Trainer» on your name tag doesn’t mean you know what you are doing. All of these big box gyms just seem to hire anyone off the street … you never know who you are getting or what kind of training they went through.
Trust me. If you are going to spend the $$$ on a trainer pick one that knows what they are doing, will get you where you want to be and actually cares about you. Pick Brad. Your body will thank you!