Laurel Blackburn

I had the pleasure of taking a kettlebell class with Laurel recently and I cannot recommend her enough. She was extremely knowledgeable and gave me several tips on how to train without aggravating previous injuries. Even though I've trained kettlebells for a few years, I learned a great deal from that session and had a blast. If you get the chance, train with her.

I had found Laurel while searching for kettlebell instructors locally. I dropped by for a private session to ensure my technique and plan was good for my goals. She helped adjust my form and gave me lots of other tips and tricks for strengthening my posture. Id definitely recommend, very knowledgeable and does a good job of giving the info in a clear easy to understand way.

I booked a private lesson with Laurel and couldn't be more pleased. She coached me through all the basic kettlebell movements and provided clear, helpful cues. SHe clearly knows her stuff. Highly recommended!

I was interested in learning basic movements with kettlebells to improve my health. I contacted Laurel after not being able to find anyone locally that would respond to my inquires. She took the time answer my questions, meet with me and show me a circuit that I can do at home, at my own pace. Laurel is a fantastic instructor and I highly recommend her.

She is a great instructor, she was able to answer all the questions I had immediately whether they were about kettlebells or grip strength. She was also able to show me many things regarding perfect form with the kettlebell which is something that I have found many instructors cannot do. I will most definitely be going back for more training for not only kettlebells, but also things like strength training.

The whole gym space itself is amazing. Lauren is a wonderful, incredibly knowledgeable woman and I learned a lot in just one session. I LOVE THIS WOMAN!! I was with my mom and my brother for a training session, and we are at all different levels, and she didn’t skip a beat. Had so much fun! It’s really one of the nicest gym spaces I’ve ever been to. We will be back! Cannot wait!

Laurel is a very knowledgeable instructor. We asked her to train 3 of us — all of us on different fitness levels and she rocked it! We all got personal attention on the details. We were neither bored, nor overworked — perfectly challenged! (Well worth the 2 hour drive to get to her.) I have specific back problems that she was able to work with and around. I was able to achieve goals without being injured. We had a fantastic day! Thanks again Laurel!

My spouse and I recently participated in a virtual session with Laurel for coaching on our kettlebell form - swings and cleans. I had been coached by other trainers but was worried about my form causing lower back issues. Laurel helped me adjust my stance and swings so that my form was correct and I was getting more power from my movements. She does an amazing job of describing what the movements should look like and feel like. Several years ago I received weight lifting coaching from Laurel at her gym in Tallahassee and loved how she really focused on my form. I walked away knowing I was lifting safely and that I was getting the more power when lifting. The quality of her online coaching was just as good as her in person coaching.

I wanted to brush up on my swings and kettlebell exercises since I've been doing so much virtual exercise during the pandemic, and booked Laurel for a virtual training session for my spouse and I. I took her classes when I still lived in Tallahassee and remember her awesome teaching style, and it translated well into a virtual video session! She was very helpful in not only giving us much-needed verbal cues, but also was friendly, warm and engaging. I'd definitely recommend her virtually for both newbies and seasoned kettlebell exercisers who want to check their form.

I had a wonderful experience with Laurel.  From our initial correspondence and forward she was kind, professional, and responsive. I was a little intimidated due to my lack of experience with kettlebells, but Laurel has patience of the saints ?? and did a great job of setting me up step-by-step with each move. The gym is well very maintained, orderly, and each bit of equipment was thoroughly wiped down as we completed our work. I highly recommend Blackburn Fitness. Laurel's expertise makes her a great instructor for both the highly fit and the novice. ????????