Underdogs Boxing Club & Personal Training

Reliability I signed up for 30 personal training sessions with Laura twice weekly. Then, the cancellations started. It was often with short notice--the morning of or as little as two hours before our session--with different reasons; headache, sick, past injury, family emergency, or just no reason given. Of our 30 sessions, she cancelled/rescheduled 17 of them! She once cancelled on me 5 times in a row which meant it had been a month since I'd had any sessions. A few times she cancelled because she had an appointment. Why are you scheduling appointments during our session? Especially after you've cancelled the last 4 sessions in a row? It felt like she had zero respect for my time. I tried to bring this issue up, ask if the date/time wasn't working for her, how we could move forward, etc. but she was unapologetic and uncooperative. In fact, she rarely apologized or took accountability for any mistake. Can I work with another trainer? No. Maybe you need a better time for us to meet? No. Do you need time to figure out whatever is going on in your life? Also no. After 6 months she finally offered to refund me for the remaining sessions. Preparedness When we got to the halfway point of our sessions, I noticed that we hadn't done any chest exercises. She was surprised, then agreed we should've done them after reviewing past sessions. It began to feel like she wasn't keeping track. We did exercises sometimes which felt unnecessarily straining on the body (wrists, knees). I'd ask if something was going to be hard on the knees and she'd just say,"no one's had a problem yet". She also didn't seem interested in incorporating feedback into our sessions. She seemed to have a "suck it up" mentality in general. Communication She also never spoke about progress. I asked her if she noticed anything interesting about my strength or mobility--nope. Overall, she seemed uninterested in our work together and like she wasn't interested in fitness at all. She would often seem bored, lose count of my reps, and be chatting with other trainers at the gym. I've worked with a number of trainers over the years and have never worked with someone so disinterested in their work. On top of all of this, we worked together for months. She did not ask me a single time, "what do you do for work?" or much attempt at getting to know me. She never asked, "how was your week/day?"--nothing. When I did try to engage in conversation, it often resulted in her talking about negative experiences. She would raise her voice, get angry, and point in my face, recounting arguments she'd had with ex-boyfriends or "difficult" clients. She never checked in, for example, "are your knees okay?" Or "how are your glutes feeling after our last session?" Trainers I've worked with before have asked these things to ensure I'm not hurting myself, if there are any modifications to be made to our routine, and also to ensure the exercises are working as they should be. Safety It should also be clarified that this is not a trauma-informed space with an enforced code of conduct. Underdogs Boxing is a business that operates within a gym NOT owned or managed by Laura. The trainers and clients who work within this gym are not bound by the code of conduct or guidelines set by Underdogs Boxing. When I first started training, I spoke to Laura about psychological safety. She said that during our sessions, there'd only be one other trainer around. However, during this time, a number of other trainers and clients were present. This included a client who made racist remarks and a trainer who joked about eating disorders. This wasn't an issue for me, but it may be for others expecting a trauma-informed space. Facilities Lastly, it's important to note that this is not a full gym. There are no change rooms or showers. They also don't have towels or a private washroom. After use, items would be returned to their original place or used by other clients so I also can't speak to the frequency of cleaning or disinfection of equipment.

If you are looking for a personal trainer, considering boxing, or want to be part of the only Niagara-based, explicitly affirming, inclusive gym, Underdogs is the place for you. I have tried other gyms in the past and have always felt out of place or like I had to measure up to unrealistic body standards. Underdogs has been the complete opposite. It is a community of caring, kind and strong people who are accepting and encouraging. Laura is a motivating and realistic coach and trainer that values you as a person first and listens to your goals. She pushes you when you need the encouragement and works with you to understand your limitations, creating a tailor made plan to fit your needs. Her approach yields results. Underdogs has changed my relationship with my body and I can't speak highly enough of my experience. It's truly unlike any other gym.

As a queer person, I struggled to feel like id ever find a place I'd be comfortable boxing with others. Underdogs is a very welcoming and kind place.

I started training with Laura in 2024 with zero boxing experience and was honestly intimidated. She made everything feel approachable, welcoming, and safe. I’ve since added strength training and hit PRs I never imagined—all injury-free, which was my biggest goal. Laura’s supportive, knowledgeable, and truly one of the best coaches I’ve worked with. Highly recommend her to anyone starting out or looking to level up!

Laura has been keeping me accountable to my personal training goals for 6 weeks now. Her passion for fitness and commitment to your success is above and beyond. She’s genuinely invested in your progress and makes me feel supported even when I didn't want to work out or follow my nutrition guidelines. The gym is spotless, the equipment is top-notch, and the atmosphere is welcoming and motivating. Laura ensures you feel supported and challenged. Highly recommend Laura to anyone serious about reaching their goals!