3 /5 Lara Holding-Jones: I’ve taken a few weeks to write this because I wanted to reflect on the experience fairly before reviewing. Unfortunately, my experience didn’t quite match what I expected based on my initial sales conversation.
Programming/coaching
There was no assessment of my abilities at the start of the trial. The programme felt quite generic and didn’t relate to my main goal (chin-up). Despite raising that a few times, and even after multiple revisions to my second plan, my programming still included pull-ups, a different movement.
From the start, I felt quite underestimated (potentially based on assumptions about my weight rather than actual capability). I was given very low starting weight suggestions and beginner-level movements. Even after repeating that I’d been training in calisthenics for over 3 years, the sessions didn’t seem to reflect that. When I naturally adjusted to heavier weights, this was described as great progress, but was really just calibration. As a result, it never felt like my programming reflected where I was starting / aiming for, it felt like I’d simply been placed on a beginner path.
Body composition review
I asked a few questions about the body composition readings and received explanations that were incorrect (for example, around the meaning of the soft lean mass and fat percentages). I was advised to increase things like my total body water even though it was already above the healthy range, and very small fluctuations such as changes of -0.01 were described as meaningful improvements. The data wasn’t being interpreted with a clear understanding of the tool or how to track progress accurately over time.
Nutrition support
The main reason I’d reached out to Fonseca Fitness was because I wanted support with nutrition. Unfortunately, the nutrition advice didn’t match up to expectations. As a veggie, I wanted practical ways to increase protein intake but was just told to eat more protein and add protein powder to everything (exactly what I said had happened in the past). My coach listed what she does rather than asking about my habits or preferences, so the guidance wasn’t tailored or relevant. This reflected the communication style that I’d experienced throughout - lots of telling, and ‘this is what I do’, but not enough questioning and understanding of my situation before making suggestions.
Communication
The communication style throughout didn’t feel very responsive or personal. I answered questions and shared feedback in sessions and over WhatsApp, but it rarely seemed to lead to any change. Often, when I shared that I was struggling or not enjoying a session, I’d get polite acknowledgment but no real follow-up.
When I flagged that I wouldn’t be continuing my membership, the conversation was obviously escalated to Farah, who wanted to discuss it.
During the call, I raised my concerns about programming, communication, and nutrition support. Farah then passed on that the trainers had found me ‘difficult to coach’ because I would give brief answers to questions. By this point, I was incredibly frustrated by my experience and had stopped answering questions because it made no difference to what happened next.
Whilst I appreciated the opportunity to discuss things with Farah, unfortunately, my programming was never properly oriented around chin-ups and I didn’t feel my feedback was really heard or acted upon.
Overall
When I first spoke to Farah, I felt really encouraged. It felt like she understood what life is like as a woman in her 30s, juggling a lot, trying to prioritise health. But after signing up, I didn’t feel that same level of understanding from the coaches. Whilst they were lovely and well-intentioned, they didn’t understand me / my goals / my experiences, because they didn’t ask enough about them. Ultimately, the experience didn’t match what was described, and despite sharing feedback along the way, little seemed to change. This didn’t feel like a worthwhile use of my time or financial investment.
