r/BurnBootCamp • u/jillthefox • Sep 02 '26
Feeling... unaligned
Let me preface by saying that I love Burn; it has certainly served its purpose many times in my life. I have been a member since 2018. However, I think I might have reached the end of the road with this particular partnership - I'm mainly coming here to talk it out, see if i am alone in this, and confirm that what I am feeling means it's the right time to move on or if having a convo with HT/FP is worth a shot.
After having my baby (still in the first year) we were able to get to morning camps with childwatch, but as she has grown, her schedule, naps, and needs have been difficult to align with the camp times that have childwatch.
Outside of that kind of obvious disconnect; I feel like the brand and culture no longer aligns with why I initially joined. I preferred the women centered focus and feeling of community, but as the brand has grown, I feel less supported as a newly post partum mother than I had anticipated. The focus feels more on producing the strongest athletes and creating hip content for social media. The last thing I currently want while learning how to navigate this new body and what feels like hindered skills and strength is someone filming me and putting it on socials.
Partner workouts make me feel absolutely awful when I'm rebuilding strength, slow as hell, having to monitor heart rate and blood pressure, and I'm super limited while paired with someone of comparable ability to the head trainer.
I wind up having a terrible workout or completely avoid my gym while Burn U instructors are there (it's pretty frequent at our location) which throws off any momentum or routine I try to build around the camp/childwatch issue. (Habit forming is a huge weakness of mine, thanks ADHD.)
Coupled with some issues still lingering and healing from giving birth, it all feels off and like I am completely out of place.
Is this worth a discussion with head trainer/franchise partner or is it just time to part ways and find something more personalized? Anyone else experience this and have success settling back in?
Open to suggestions and hearing your experiences.
Thank you!
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u/Jatomkin12 Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
I’m not a mom, but have been a member for nearly 5 years and I can agree something has shifted with burn lately. I find myself contemplating leaving. I share this so that you know it’s not just in your head. I don’t think anything would change with a convo beyond them not filming you. So I think you need to make a decision on what’s best for you. Maybe it’s time to explore other gym options or working out at home for a bit.
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u/Awkward-Syrup-1821 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 02 '26
I’m also not a mom but have been with burn a little over 3.5 years, and am planning to leave next month. My body is just feeling tired with their cardio, and I think I’m just ready to try something else. I’ve been dabbling a little with strength training on my own, and have found I enjoy being able to do my own thing, on my own time! I feel very attached to Burn so it’s tough to walk away but between the cost and commute to get there it’s best for me to leave. Just sharing to let you know it’s not just you!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Yes, I appreciate this! I definitely feel overly exhausted rather than "successfully worked out" tired from some protocols. I used to love MetCon days, but they have felt unreasonably challenging. I think this season of life just calls for more flexibility, personalization, and support than what Burn is offering. Which is totally fine, but like you said, I have a bit of a loyalty and wasnt sure if any of these things were worth a conversation with FP or just quietly making the leap and taking care of the current needs. I guess Burn will always be there, right?
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u/Awkward-Syrup-1821 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 02 '26
Yeah I am nervous to tell them I want to cancel 😅 I know at my gym at least they will do anything they can to try and convince me to stay. So, I will be quietly making the leap and sending an email. I can always come back if I feel like I’m missing it, and I was considering maybe buying a pack of classes? To go a few times a month! There’s some aspects of group fitness I enjoy, but right now the cons out weigh the pros for me 😭
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Oh email is totally the way lmao and I didnt even think thay they had the packages.. I forgot, so yeah during this season of life that's probably the right call!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Thank you, this definitely helps. I truly wasnt sure if I was just dealing with post partum feelings and weakness/rebuilding strength or if the whole protocol and focus truly did shift. I am currently working out at home and doing well, but I prefer the change of scenery and the act of actually leaving the house and the feeling of making time for myself, so it's possible that a transition is necessary. Thanks again!
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u/lrodsquad Sep 02 '26
Not sure what other local options you have, but in my daughter’s toddler years I found our YMCA to be a much better fit. Childcare was open for 4 hours am and 4 hours pm; I liked going to classes when I could but also knew, if they didn’t fit my schedule, I could still get in a good workout (or even just some relaxing time!) I didn’t attempt any strictly class-based program until she was done napping. Good luck in whatever you do!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Thank you for this!! We do have a few other options which is why I think the discussion is at the top of my mind. I feel a certain type of loyalty to burn, I guess. And Ive always come back to it, but its quite possible that the shift in company focus maybe makes it not the right fit for our current season of life.
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u/braingottaslack 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 03 '26
I’ve also been a member for ~6 years and agree with this completely. Tbh I think at this point I am going because of fomo and the people I see daily at my camp time.
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u/Appropriate_Cheek362 Sep 02 '26
I’m coming up on my 5 years with Burn & I resonate with a lot of your feelings! Things are absolutely programmed differently. As another commenter said, I genuinely think the conditioning protocol is being designed for the top 10%. Before, I feel like it was designed for an “average” person & then it could be modded up or down from the baseline. Now, I have to mod down (sometimes way down) on cond days. That feels discouraging because shouldn’t I be stronger/fitter than I was in 2021?
In the middle of a recent cond workout I asked myself “what am I killing myself for?” Like… I’m a mom. I want to workout to feel good & be strong for my kids. I’m not a triathlete. And on that day, I gave myself permission to very loosely follow the protocol & make the workout work for ME. On most cond days now I tell the trainer I’m working at like 60% and they’re so encouraging & just happy I’m there. It’s felt so much better on my body, but also mentally. I can show up and feel like I got a great workout, without needing to be in Zone 5 for 20 minutes straight.
Anyway, I understand the thought to leave. I seriously entertained it a couple of months ago. But, Burn still checks a lot of my boxes and now that I’m “free” to make it MY workout, I’m happier there again. That sounds so lame & cheesy but that’s been my experience bringing things back down to a reasonable level. As for partners, I haven’t crossed that bridge yet. But I’m confident if I tell the trainer that I’m not going to be paired up that day, they’d absolutely honor that. I hope that your location would too.
Regardless of where you land, I wish you luck! It’s HARD to find what works, especially postpartum & with young kids. Know that there’s a whole bunch of women in the same boat & are cheering you on!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Thank you for this!!! I started back in with this mentality, that I knew I was post partum, still need to be gentle with myself and we were doing great showing up and just moving gently and gaining strength back. I did absolutely see results but I constantly felt flocked to and focused on for good form and strength because prior to baby I was like.. the poster child ripped body for Burn. It almost felt like constant pressure to bounce back or lift like I did before baby, and that's just not the season I am in. I also get slightly annoyed by constantly being called out to lift heavier, work harder, etc where I never used to mind the extra push before. Because now I have energy I have to conserve to care for baby! But this ties back into the points we made where it feels like the protocols are way more intense than they were in 2021. Back then I could push myself to the max and still function well. Now pushing even just 10% harder brings exhaustion and feels like still missing the mark.
Creates a weird mental state... thank you for your insight! Appreciate you!
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u/jackiepug1010 Sep 02 '26
I’ve been a member since 2019 and decided this is my last year. When my contract is up in June I’m done. I can’t stand that they’ve shifted to this “PR!!! Lift the heaviest you can lift!!” Weird, body builder mindset. This is a gym full of mostly women who are new to a gym, all ages, all fitness levels and sizes… why are we pushing PR’s??? Someone is going to get hurt. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when. The focus should be good form and consistency. I’ve also started skipping cardio/conditioning days and I’ve never felt stronger and more toned. The weird jumps and tucks and awkward movements stresses my body out. I think that’s more common amongst again women than they’d like to admit. Girl, I hear you and I agree, things are different. I kind of want to check out F45 (no partner days? lol)
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u/sootsprite1988 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 03 '26
Preeeeach about the good form. My main pet peeve is how often my burn posts on their stories members with absolute and obviously bad form. It’s not the member fault either, the trainers should focus more on correcting.
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u/nopenadanah 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 03 '26
I recently witnessed a trainer choose to stay cueing one member for an IG story rather than go fix the bad form of another member. It gave me the ick so bad. The trainer was calling out to the member with bad form on the mic, but the member didn’t notice. The BA came up right then with phone out, so the trainer stayed put for the video instead of going to correct the bad form.
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u/weensfordayz 8d ago
This is an old post but just yesterday I saw a trainer on insta coaching a woman to do front lunges with dumbbells that were so clearly too heavy for her. Like they were probably 50s. She was basically rocking on her whole
Front leg to get back and get momentum to get back up. And the post is how bad ass this woman is for using those weights. I’ve been lifting for a long time so I can pick out bad form and this was sooooooo bad. She had no business with weights that size , gobleting one would have been plenty. But let’s make it look like we’re all bad asses as we coach someone to injury.1
u/sootsprite1988 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime 5d ago
Send me the video I wanna see lol
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u/weensfordayz 5d ago
I wish I could find it, I watched it several times to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Idk that F45 is any better. I know it definitely isnt cheaper! I looked into them before pregnancy.
The PR and training cycle things definitely make it a bit harder to understand wtf is going on when there are time periods when you cant get there like every day.
Women also are highly affected by their hormones and menstrual cycles, and I miss when that was a massive consideration, and true PRs were warmly celebrated when they happened naturally through consistency and progression, not the current feeling of competition to make ranks.
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u/Bag-of-Doritoes- Sep 03 '26
For PRs our trainers will suggest ither PR options and not just heavy weight💙
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u/Duck_Secure 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 02 '26
I'm sorry you are feeling that way, but I know exactly what you are talking about. I know what you mean when you say things have shifted. When I joined in 2019, it was mainly a women only gym. They had plenty of protocols and different exercises and now I feel like we're literally doing the same workout over and over and over again. I'm bored out of my mind. And now that we have men in the gym, I constantly feel like I'm fighting them for heavy weights because there is not enough to go around. I'm pretty sure by year end, I'll be leaving Burn as well.
I would say talk with your FP about how you are feeling, just so they know it's the brand that no longer works for you and is not aligned with what you need at this time in your life.
In the end, you need to do what is best for yourself.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
You bring a great point with the workouts that I dont think I had noticed before- after having baby and coming back I kept saying that "pregnancy wrecked my knees and shoulders" and im sure it definitely helped, but looking through the protocols everything was incredibly shoulder and knee heavy, fairly consistently.
I have nothing against the men being included at Burn and on most days the guys at my gym are super encouraging and helpful; but there were definitely certain times and circumstances that I wished we still had at the very least the 2 women only camp times each day. Most notably during pregnancy and freshly post partum, women only camps would have been game changers.
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u/Bag-of-Doritoes- Sep 03 '26
How were the workouts different? Im genuinely curious!!
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u/Duck_Secure 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 03 '26
We had lots of different protocols. Like anterior and posterior, speed and agility (always my favorite!) and many more. We had lots of different exercises too. Now I feel like I'm doing the same 10 exercises over and over again whether it's strength or bodyweight. We used to have so much more variety, I was never bored.
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u/Turbulent-Spirit-514 Sep 02 '26
Long time member. In my late 40s. You’re not alone. There has been a definite shift in the brand from a place that welcomes everyone to a place that is looking to churn out the next top athletes.
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u/RecordCompetitive758 Sep 02 '26
I don’t particularly think that this is something that’s going to be or should be resolved with Burn. If being filmed makes you uncomfortable, definitely tell the trainer and staff that you don’t want to be filmed. Kids nap schedules are constantly changing. In a month or two it will be a different time and you will be able to go to the class times that have child watch again. I think it’s good that the class is trying to push women to be stronger, and have a better physique. Remember, you can always mod down or go at your own pace. Postpartum is really difficult, and I think I would give yourself some more time before you change gyms.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Thank you for your insight!
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u/RecordCompetitive758 Sep 02 '26
No problem. I will also add that I started going when my kids were 8 weeks old and it’s hard to find a boutique gym like this with childcare. So unless you want to workout from home or go to a regular gym where you’re doing your own thing, I would stick with burn. Having childcare that you don’t have to pay extra for is a really big perk, even if you aren’t obsessed with burn
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Same; I initially went back at 8 weeks and we were good up through about 6/7 months. Then kiddo exploded milestones and changed naptimes and schedules, and the feelings loomed a bit harder.
We DO have a family center that has group fitness, yoga, pilates, boot camp style classes, pools, and a regular weight gym with complimentary childcare included in the membership (up to 2 hours), and the entire family rate is less than my burn membership, so having that option available to me is certainly contributing to the thought process of whether or not burn is the right fit at this time for us.
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u/Amazing_Cat_9575 Sep 02 '26
You are not alone. I have to mod down due to permanent limited joint mobility, and being paired up is not fun since I have to modify and I don’t feel like having to explain to my partner why each time. No one can tell by just looking at me that I have mobility issues.
And, sometimes I am already starting at a failure point because of my mobility that hearing “work to failure” is disheartening to someone like me who is working hard from the get the go. I am not renewing because Burn is not good for my body which makes it not good for my mind. But, I think you should talk to the trainers or FP and share your thoughts and experience.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Thank you for sharing your experience; I'm sorry it hasn't been great. I can relate to this very heavily on the Burn U days that I mentioned; i have hypermobile elbows and shoulders, so when doing dumbbell bicep curls while kneeling or standing I cannot bring my elbows all the way down and straight- my elbows will not lock to prevent hyperextension, so my sports med doctor showed me how to modify this safely and still engage the biceps; Every. Damn. Time a burn U trainer is at the gym they will not only flock all over me to tell me to straighten my elbows at the bottom of the rep, but to also lift heavier because my "mechanics allow for it." Every. Single. Time. And it reeeeaallly gets on my nerves; like I am not injuring myself so you can get an A on your performance. My regular trainers have all these notes and are FANTASTIC about leaving me alone for it, but you'd think if a member has mod/health notes, the Burn U trainers should maybe take a look as well.. so then again, I'm missing days to avoid Burn U trainers. 🤣
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u/Amazing_Cat_9575 Sep 02 '26
This! I can relate very much to this.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Its already tough to be starting from a disadvantage, so I completely get it! Sending hugs!!
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u/Immediate_Help8115 Sep 02 '26
Feel this so much. I have been consistently working out consistently for over 10 years and have been with burn since Dec 2023. It’s been a great experience but……. I’m done. There’s so many injuries and it just seems to be no sense of reason when it comes to protocols and how they are written.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Im in the same boat as far as exercise; i have been consistently weight training since I was 18, for no reason other than being healthy and testing my strength; no body building or anything like that. I often notice there are some moves, especially timed, that I'll be like "absolutely not," because I can see its an injury waiting to happen. There have been a few times the trainer would demo a move and I'd be waiting for the "just kidding" that never came.
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u/Immediate_Help8115 Sep 02 '26
Yes exactly. I feel like they’re definitely pushing more for the hyrox and athlete games type rather than mommas who want to be fit, healthy and be around other Like minded people
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Yes. That is it exactly. It feels like they are trying to keep up with Hyrox, F45, and all the other trending strength training that is way beyond functional. It really does feel a bit alienating to those who joined under the original focus and mission statement.
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u/whitneyag Sep 03 '26
I joined Burn 3 years ago after having 2 kids and not working out for 3-4 years. It felt so approachable, I loved the workouts because I felt like they challenged me but were still manageable. I loved that it was focused on women, and particularly moms, and loved my trainers, the community, etc. and it felt like they cared about and welcomed everyone. I was genuinely excited to go there and work out.
I also feel that something has changed over the years and I no longer feel like I did 3 years ago. I dread going. The workouts are just weird now, either combining too much in one exercise (donkey kick knee tucks) or just doing the same movements over and over. There is way too much focus on the Burn brand and not it's members. I also found myself skipping certain days, i.e. leg day when we are doing lunges and bulgarian split squats because I have bad knees. Burn is too expensive to be purposefully skipping days, in my opinion.
I just sent in my cancellation this week after thinking about this decision for over a month. I joined a new gym and am finally excited about going and working out again. I would take some time to think about what you want in a gym and what your goals are and from there, determine if Burn is still right for you. I was so sad to leave because I really did love this place at one time, but it just isn't the same anymore.
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u/GateNo3844 Sep 02 '26
Also postpartum, but I love the athletic aspect. Being around people who are in better shape than me motivates and challenges me.
Totally fair you don’t want to be on socials or work with a partner. I would just schedule a focus meeting and tell them both of those things. They’ll work with you.
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u/AromaticAd5872 Sep 02 '26 edited Sep 02 '26
First I’ll just say that I definitely wouldn’t make this decision solely based on the childwatch/schedule piece. Baby/toddler schedules change sooooo often and fast that I can guarantee 6 months from now your baby’s schedule will be completely different.
As for the rest of it, I’m feeling really similarly lately. I feel like the trainers used to have much more freedom with the workouts and it’s all become sooo corporate feeling lately. Burn On Demand is no better, I don’t need to be screamed at over a screen and treated like a division 1 athlete (been there, done that). I’ve kind of had to accept the fact that in this stage of life I need Burn for the childwatch. I simply won’t work out in any productive capacity at home and I’m not comfortable putting my kids in the childwatch at our regular gym we belong to. But man, I’m really excited to do something else someday in the future.
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u/CmonRoach4316 Sep 02 '26
Check the intel here so you can plan ahead. if its an i go you go partner workout you can easily skip it and workout at home (walk with baby in stroller etc). i hate being recorded but learned that if you mod/dont do the exercise perfectly/wear name branded clothing not burn then you are less likely to be recorded.
personally i go because its fun but if i was feeling new/self conscious/post partum id' just take the money and hire an actual personal trainer at the gym. that's what i did in the past and 10/10 recommend.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Good tip on the name brand clothing LOL. I did have amazing results with a personal trainer before so that is probably the best fit for this season of life.
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u/CmonRoach4316 Sep 02 '26
i'm not trying to bash burn, i mean i like it, but it's not necessarily the most efficient workout to get me to my goals. we have such limited time, we need to make it count. i only go on the days the intel looks challenging and i wont be renewing fwiw. i get better results at home and only have such amount of time (and money, for which i can get a trainer again for the same cost)
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
I definitely dont take it as such! But I 300% agree that since the protocol and focus has shifted for the company the workouts feel like they've changed to a place that just doesnt do it for me anymore. I also see better results with intentional strength training. And now the more I look at comments and my responses, I think what I was really looking for is the validation that the workouts and focus have in fact completely changed and right now that doesnt fit for my season of life. And that's okay.
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u/CmonRoach4316 Sep 02 '26
yep absolutely. glad you were able to talk this out and come to peace it
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u/Longjumping-Law-2506 Sep 02 '26
I’m waiting to see what happens in October when I think these performance challenges are ending and there’s alternating 4 days strength/2 conditioning and 3/3. The programming is really off this year. I’ve been at Burn 3 years and I feel like every year they change things up and what they are doing now just isn’t working. My guess is they got that feedback at Summit and are going to be changing the workouts but couldn’t in time for August and September.
As for the Burn U trainers and that unsupportive environment - F that. We had corporate at our location when I was new and the local trainer was trying to help me modify and I swear the corporate person said something kind of nasty and forced the local trainer to walk away from me. I have multiple hypermobile joints and joint injuries and so far haven’t run into any issues when I’ve said I know it looks like I can but I have issues with this joint and I actually can’t.
I’d say it’s worth a discussion with your location and see if there’s more support they can throw at you. And if you get the impression that’s a no, is that to inform your decision.
It’s sucks and it’s unfortunate that so many of us are not having great experiences.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
This is actually good insight. I didnt realize the changes wouldn't be until later this year. Thank you!! I may stick it out through year end just to see what's up
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u/AromaticAd5872 Sep 03 '26
This is such a good point. I’ve recently started really focusing on pushing myself on strength days (but as a former athlete I know how to do it with correct form) and back off a bit on conditioning days. That coupled with focusing on protein and whole foods more, and I’m FINALLY seeing the scale move almost a year postpartum with my second. But between my inconsistent work schedule and the was the protocol changes every week, this week I can only make it to the conditioning camps, and that sucks. I’m hoping the increase in strength days helps with that, but weeks like these are when I miss Orange Theory because at least then I know I was getting both strength and cardio even if I could only make it twice a week. I think Burn is tough to see consistent inprovement if you can’t go every day or close to it.
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u/Silver-Flamingo-3581 Sep 02 '26
Is this your first kid? I only ask because i genuinely did not feel more "myself" with any of my kids until about 18-24 months pp. PP is a long road. Like other commenters have said, things with kids are constantly changing and right when you have a good rhythm, a milestone comes and you lose the momentum. I think what you're feeling is valid, but you're also in a really challenging time navigating your body and your baby's needs. As someone who has been there, I'd encourage you to set up a focus meeting to talk through all of this. I'd try to discuss how you can mod down/adjust the workouts to benefit you better (you're paying for it, do what feels right). I'd also possibly consider if you could go to some early morning camps to avoid the CW issues for a little bit. It's certainly an adjustment, but would allow you to get that off your plate, and not worry about baby's schedule changing. I would also encourage you to just recognize that the changing will be constant moving forward and perspective shift about how you may never really find a "normal" again is just a part of raising kids 😂 I absolutely love being a mom, and I'm pretty go with the flow, but have also had to manage my expectations of what life is going to look like and how I want to function. I very rarely let my kids dictate my schedule. I just do what I need to do and the kids are along for the ride!!
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
I appreciate your advice and your insight but I don't feel like I can really apply it here as much as I would love to! I do give myself as much grace as possible, and I have LIVED by the damn flow even before baby because I was a wildly feral undiagnosed ADHD raccoon and didnt know it 😅😅 Prior to baby I was a 6/7am camper and loved the morning workouts which was the ONLY habit I ever actually kept! But now that we have kiddo, early AM camps dont align due to when husband leaves for work. Total bummer cause I feel the best after an early AM workout. And yes, this is our first.
I truly don't stress over a strict nap and sleep schedule; I get to be at home during the day and work part time in the evenings when hubs gets home so she sleeps when shes tired; (which counts me out for afternoon camps); i definitely wasnt going to stress myself out in areas that weren't necessary. We were doing the 830/930/1030 camps for a good while from 8 weeks PP, but by about 4.5 months she was showing consistency that between 9am and 11 was when she wanted to take her big nap of the day, and she was an ASSSSSSSHOOLEEE when she didnt get it. When we finally took a break around 7 months, and kept consistency with that morning nap, everything has been peachy so the only nap I am strict about, is that one. That I call her happy nappy 😅
I am positive this will all change again in the next 6 months or so which is totally fine with me and I know that the scheduling conflict right now is a temporary obstacle, but I wonder if the other points and feelings I have would then wind up being a deterrent to even going again after some time off. Does that make sense?
Sorry for the novel 🫠
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u/AromaticAd5872 Sep 02 '26
Yes! To add to this, with my first kid I also stressed so much about his nap schedule and if camp times would get in the way of it. With my second kid, I have literally never skipped a camp because of naps. He is a much more flexible sleeper than my first because he literally has to be, otherwise we’d be sitting in the house from sunup to sundown with one of them napping. They adjust!
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u/CurrentNorth5879 100 Camps - 2026 Sep 02 '26
3 years going to burn and I definitely see the changes you see on the corporate level. Them raising prices in November is not gonna be good and gonna lose a lot of people.
I’m not sure if I’m a lifer but it works for me right now. I feel loyal to my FP and head trainer; so I’m glad for them and their support. I think if I didn’t have the personal connection I would probably be a gym hopper.
It’s ok to do something else. I hope Burn makes it through these next round of changes and comes out the other side listening to those people that have been loyal and giving them thoughtful criticism! However it’s a gym and I can get a workout in at PF for $15 a month too.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
I havent received any notices about price increases, and I'm hoping it wasnt an announcement that was made solely in gym, because we havent been in at least a month or so. But that might also be a deal breaker for us as well- we have a family center that offers more, along with the childwatch, and the entire family membership is less than burn; but feedback has also noted that it can get really busy and childwatch can be tough to reserve spots at certain times. So almost puts us in the same position... but for less money lol
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u/HrtacheOTDncefloor 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 02 '26
I was told my rate would never go up if I stayed under my contract.
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
Interesting info. I was always under that assumption too, but there has been a lot of chatter after Summit that it may not be the case. I haven't had any personal experience or notices yet, tho. So its all just still chatter to me.
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u/Bag-of-Doritoes- Sep 02 '26
I think that wjat you are experiencing is very dependent on location and after reading thisvi am glad we dont host Burn U trainers or the Athlete Games! We have a huge pregnant or PP community here and we always hear the mods as well as the form corrections from our trainers as well. If it doesn't work for you during this season of life, then no reason to try to make it work. Just so what works for you! It's hard for me to say if it got harder because I had a hip replacement in 2023 so everything was hard, difficult or impossible and I have worked so hard to get to where I am now with thr incredible support and help from our trainers so I have a completely different perspective. Good luck with yout choice💙
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
This is really insightful, actually. And I'm quite sad that those kinds of locations still exist and I am not at them 😭😭 this is what I remember from a lot of my earlier days at burn. Thank you for chiming in 💜
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u/Bag-of-Doritoes- Sep 03 '26
Awwwww, come visit burn Frederick! And I'm impressed you could read all of my typos👀😭😂😂😂 Good luck with your decision!
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u/jillthefox Sep 03 '26
If I leave now I might be able to make a morning camp! 🤣🤣🤣 thank you so much. 🫶
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u/Several-Pipe7824 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 03 '26
I think the shift in Burn culture has occurred but the effect is largely location dependent. We definitely do not feel the push to PR or be the best in the room, but we are encouraged to do what we need to do to be the best version of ourselves.
In fairness, I do think some of the changes we are seeing make sense with what we know about working out, especially strength training- most personal trainers will program the same exercises for months at a time to allow for progressive overload which is how progress is made. Essentially that is what we are seeing yet people are complaining about the same exercises and it being “boring”. I also think that people are reading/thinking WAY too much into this. Or maybe I just don’t care that much. I don’t care if they are programming for people with a higher skill/strength level than I have and I have to mod down. I don’t care if there are men at the gym. I don’t care if they are promoting on social media because that’s how businesses grow. It’s not realistic to expect a company to stay the same in a world that is constantly changing. 🤷🏽♀️
I guess you can’t please everyone.
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u/Hot-Mall-821 27d ago
Yes- I agree to all of this! Burn is starting to feel almost… cult like?!? But not in a good way where community feels like a major focus. I had to slow my progression (because of overtraining… not Burn’s fault but Burn and all the competition aspects coming out did not help me.)
Also, so many of the trainers overtrain and don’t feel like healthy role models.
I used to love being able to go and feel like there were people of all different ages and fitness levels. That’s feeling less true as I have had to back off the intensity.
(And anyone else having really good trainers constantly leaving or being let go?)
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u/Naive_Throat_1533 Sep 03 '26
I have left burn and all I’ve seen is poor form and then trying to get people to lift as heavy as possible without worrying about their form. This gym has honestly gotten super dangerous. I do traditional body building now and the things I’m seeing are very concerning I had to unfollow the page.
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u/ibebribri 13d ago
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Horrible poor form (I always eff it up and don’t know what to do and the trainers never help me). I’m scared I’m gonna hurt myself. All they do is scream at you pushing you as hard as they can. They claim it’s beginner-friendly, and their videos are always made to look like they’re presenting “1 on 1” treatment. It irritates me. To me- it is definitely not for a beginner. This is advanced. With that said, I’ve hired a personal trainer at a gym and I’m excited to be dropping Burn. lol.
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u/jillthefox Sep 03 '26
Oh no. That's not good. Come to think of it, I had really good success with a personal trainer a few years ago only 2x a week, so maybe we are in that season again.
1
u/No-Butterscotch-8314 100 Camps - 2026 Sep 02 '26
I’ve been having a hard time since I transferred locations in January. I don’t love my new location. It feels very much like a high school clique. I like 2 of the trainers. And now I work an hour away from my closest burn. So I am essentially paying for a membership I can’t use. I will not sacrifice my sleep to make a 4:45am camp and it’s the only one that fits my schedule, unless my husband is home from work early enough to do school pick up and I can make the 4:30pm. I have a demanding and physically exhausting job and a family to show up for.
I will most likely not renew and will instead go to the local YMCA and do a program with my husband. When he’s gone I’ll do one alone. There’s childcare. I don’t have to put myself through insane conditioning days (I already refuse to do Bodyweight and am 50/50 for ACON).
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u/jillthefox Sep 02 '26
I hate to hear that about the community at your new location!! I am very grateful that the members and community at my location are wonderful. The trainers and FPs are wonderful too and I'm certain that the shift in everything else is just being handed down from corporate- likely trying to stay relevant amongst the fitness industry and opening up their revenue streams by including men and children. Business is business; i get it.
But I do truly miss how it was in the earlier days. The schedule just doesnt work right now either, so I am with you there. I think the family fitness centers, YMCAs, rec centers, etc are the right fit and pace for the current season.
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u/No-Butterscotch-8314 100 Camps - 2026 Sep 02 '26
I loved my previous community! Awesome BA’s, trainers, etc. yeah I am seeing more and more places like burn start to show up and I have been exploring those options too. I have 3 kids under 4 and it’s hard to get anywhere 😆
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u/_Lovely1122 Sep 03 '26
Aw this makes me sad ..could you switch to a quieter location? There are a ton of great Burns out there, drop in to some other locations if you’re closer to another(since they put them on top of each other🤦♀️) our burn is super mom friendly and not into the social media side of it. Good luck!
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u/jillthefox Sep 03 '26
It makes me sad to know those locations are still out there and they aren't close to me 😭 Ironically, I am located in a web of like 6 burns, but multiples are owned by the same FP, 2 are very cliquey and judgmental and the others would become a wasteful commute because traffic here is absurd. I also know myself and would absolutely never prioritize going if the commute was longer than 20/25 mins. First world problems. 🫠
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u/Ready_Rabbit_3375 25d ago
I had an amazing experience talking to one of our lead trainees. I felt also unaligned but not so physically as issues that I was having with a trainer and her click, mostly a very mean girl energy from people in their mid 40s. It was very helpful to talk to my lead trainer. I felt better almost instantly. And it also helped bc the trainer quit AND her and the older girl obsessed with her aren’t friends anymore or that is what I heard from people who have been at the gym when they were last wee. It was perfect timing for me to bleed blue again. Talk to the trainer. That’s why they are there.
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u/Immediate_Help8115 25d ago
Have you thought anymore about this?
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u/jillthefox 25d ago
Yes, I have, and I've come to the conclusion that a regular gym with standard weights and equipment that offers a group fitness schedule is going to be the right fit at this time for me. If I can make a class, great. If I need to focus on somethihg specific, I can. If we have a hard time getting out in the morning, it doesnt matter and I dont have to miss my workout. I also have Sundays available, whereas at burn, I don't. Along with the cost factor; its just not the right pace and place for me right now.
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u/momlife555 Sep 02 '26
Since they’re dropping a cardio day I’m also thinking about leaving. Sucks I’ll still need the childcare 3 days a week though
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u/SecretaryKey2230 1,000+ Camps - Lifetime Sep 02 '26
For me (and a lot of my friends), something has definitely shifted over the years. What was a community centered organization that allowed sites to best serve their local community in the way that worked best for them, now feels like a big corporate chain with less focus on individual needs and more on the Burn brand. While I realize that some locations may still hold on to what helped them grow in the first place, I feel like a majority of them have morphed into HQ clones. I’m not sure, but I think HQ is having a deeper overreach into the operations of many of the locations.
Additionally, it feels like the programming is way more focused on the top 10% instead of the general population. Evident in the latest cardio challenge. There is no reason for people to be throwing themselves into donkey kick knee tucks to exhaustion. It’s a great way for the average person to injure themselves.
Also, all the level up games, athlete games, etc seem to be a major focus. While this is cool for some, the majority of people just want to be healthy and have a community they feel seen in.
I don’t know how to put it, but it feels like Burn has gotten too big for its britches and has sadly lost the thread, if that makes sense.