Akemi Fitness Method

Akemi Fitness is fabulous. I love classes with Jocelyn and Jade - they're both great energy and just amazing. I've done the barre express and mixed class. This past summer, I started going to class at least 1-2 times a week. I had a wake up call when my doctor told me that I was now entering my 5th year as a pre-diabetic and highly recommend that I focus on losing about 10% of my body weight. I found myself going from 1lb weights as my light weights to now 4lb weights and 2lb weights as my heavy weights to now 5lb weights! So, I definitely know that I've gotten stronger and gained muscle. At the end of the summer, when I went into my doctor's appointment, I found out that not only did I lose 10% of my body weight but for the FIRST time in five years, my blood sugar was not in the pre-diabetic range!

Besides adding the classes into my routine, I have always eaten healthy and didn't change my diet. I also do Pilates and get acupuncture on a weekly basis. Adding barre class which is the perfect mix of weights, cardio and stretching really helped me get over this hump and move to a new level of healthy me! Thank you, Akemi Fitness!!

Best workouts I have ever streamed. I love her studio as it help me drop 75lbs. But after a move to Boston I struggled & failed to find a replacement. Enter the pandemic. Yes it sucks but the silver lining is Akemi Fit's livestreams. Great price too.

I've been attending Akemi after buying a groupon a few months back. The Groupon was literally the best deal going, I think it was about $50 for 20 classes for students. I like Akemi and think it's a good place to take classes if you can get the classes at a discount. Pros of Akemi are:

1) Classes are small. I think the largest class I've ever been in is 4-5 people. I don't know if this is a reflection of their lack of popularity or what, but you can always get into classes last minute and you never have to worry about being crowded at the bar.
2) You're supporting a local business. I prefer going to studios that are locally owned as opposed to supporting big chains.
3) They seem to have a lot of deals going on where you can get discounted classes. I would only recommend Akemi if you're paying the discounted rate.
4) Classes are good for beginners or people who might be intimidated by Barre. I find the classes here sometimes easier than other Barre classes I have taken (depending on the instructor) and it is a pretty welcoming environment.

Cons:
1) Even though the classes are small, I have never had anyone correct my form. I know I need my form corrected constantly, so it bothers me that even in a class of 3-4 people, form isn't being corrected! I am hoping this is something they can improve upon.
2) The aesthetic isn't great. The studio isn't the nicest looking place (although it is clean!). I think this is fine since I am paying such a discounted rate. If you want a really modern swanky looking place you are better off going to Pure Barre in Evanston or Exhale.
3) The earliest class time they have during the week is 9:30 AM. I wish there were some earlier options for people who need to get to work/class.

I bought a Groupon for a month of unlimited classes and have really enjoyed taking classes here! The studio is at 518-1/2 Davis St (how Harry Potter-esque!), which was a little hard for me to find the first time since I'm directionally challenged. You should just walk past 518 on the street and make a right in the alleyway and it's the door on the right.

So far I've attended Full Body Sculpt, Barre Mixed, Barre Stretch, Afro Fusion, and 30 min Abs & Upper Body and my favorites are the Barre Mixed and Abs & Upper Body classes. The studio is small and intimate, which is great since everyone has a spot at the mirror where they can check out their form. I've taken most of my classes with Jocelyn who is fantastic! She's very enthusiastic and really changes up the exercises, which is refreshing for barre classes since they tend to be very similar from class to class. The Afro Fusion class is also fun, but was a bit challenging for me because I'm pretty uncoordinated. However, the atmosphere is very welcoming and non-judgmental, so I recommend checking it out if you want to try something new.

Overall, great neighborhood workout spot that I highly recommend if you're look for a great teacher and small class sizes!

Love, love, love Akemi Fitness. Jocelyn is a tireless, inspiring instructor. I was unsure of what to expect, being that I am not a dancer and not particularly flexible. Jocelyn made me feel comfortable with the exercises and worked to make sure I had proper form. She creates a fun, welcoming, friendly environment...and kicks your ass.

My favorite classes are Akemi Cardio and Arms-Abs-and-Booty. Hello, Arms! The Akemi Barre classes are amazing as well. I am not one to love a slow/easy workout, and all of these classes deliver. My tone and flexibility have really improved. Thank you, Akemi!

If you seriously want a fitness routine that will give you mad results, Akemi Fitness is the place to go! If you can't tell just by looking at her body, Jocelyn is a highly-trained individual when it comes to fitness, and she knows all of the best tricks to keep challenging her students so that everyone gets the results they are looking for. I have had several injuries that make some fitness classes hard for me to do, but Jocelyn offers modifications for those of us that need it.

Although she is very professional, Jocelyn makes it a point to make sure every single student in her classes feels welcome and successful. I highly recommend the Akemi Barre classes and Akemi Cardio Sport, both of which classes were created by Jocelyn herself!

This class is so different from any classes I took. It goes fast. I am fit, but this class is very challenging. It is not borring and i am looking forward to take more classes, even to sign for a month. You would really see a difference in your body.
Thanks

Shiw: Shiw here! I purchased 20 classes through groupon and bought another 30 classes recently. Love this place a lot! Jocelyn and Felicia are both amazing instructors, motivating and welcoming. They make sure you push yourself and make the most out of the 60-min workout. I've recommended this place to a couple friends!

I bought a groupon for this place, and encouraged a friend to do so as well so we could work out together. I felt so bad after our experience that I actually offered to give her her money back!

I did my due diligence and checked yelp prior to buying-and the overwhelming positive reviews helped me decide to buy the month-long groupon.

The classes were excellent. Very small class size, upbeat music, and Jocelyn is a very charismatic instructor. BUT...

1. She repeatedly runs late for classes. Not a huge deal, but unprofessional.

2. She does not consistently check her email or voicemail, and I had to just drop by to schedule my first class.

3. She took offense to me mentioning another barre-method class when answering a question someone posed. Really? I understand competition but...she was very cold to me for the rest of my workouts, when before she had been friendly and welcoming.

4. After she was nasty to me for mentioning the other barre method place, she had the nerve to repeatedly email asking for my support in some sort of contest and try to connect with me on LinkedIn. To me, this indicates she has no idea how she puts off others by her behavior.

5. You should be warned there is a questionnaire she sends out. The results are supposed to be anonymous. They are not and if you give less than a stellar review, she WILL discuss it with you. And not in a nice-I see you were unhappy type of way, but in an accusatory, negative and defensive type of way. This happened to my friend and she was made so uncomfortable by it she refused to come back.

Overall, I would not send anyone there-not because the quality of the workouts (which were great) but because, with so many other options out there, why deal with funky attitudes?

Love this place! I bought a groupon and had an opportunity to give this studio a try. The owner, Jocelyn, was a sweetheart - I was late for the first class, so she let me sign a waiver so that I didn't delay the other class participants, then stayed afterwards with me to help me fill out paperwork. When leading workouts, she is enthusiastic and encouraging. I consider myself someone who works out fairly frequently, and she still manages to get my abs so sore that I have trouble laughing without clutching my tummy the next day. There's not many classes offered currently over the summer, but there should hopefully be more in the fall.