Smart gym powers up in Cranberry Twp.
CRANBERRY TWP — People use technology for many things, from getting to work in the morning to relaxing at night.
But one Butler County resident is using it to help others get into shape.
Saxonburg resident Lisa Oldach opened The Exercise Coach on Sept. 10 in Cranberry Township. The site uses technology for strength training.
“We have to set up a range of motion,” Oldach said while explaining how to use isokinetic workout equipment.
The Exercise Coach is part of a national chain of “smart gyms,” where machines are set at a constant speed and pre-programed with personal strength data. After measuring the angles of a person's joints — their range of motion — the information is recorded in each isokinetic machine.
People using the machines can see real-time results and progress, according to Oldach. A computer system establishes a goal for the visitor using his or her strengths and weaknesses. The machines help visitors maintain and increase their strength by showing a movement-by-movement assessment of every workout.
Most customers are 40 or older.
“We kind of target an older generation who may not have worked out in a while,” Oldach said.
Oldach said The Exercise Coach also is a good way for people recovering from surgery or injuries to regain strength.
She clarified that The Exercise Coach is not a physical therapy center. It is a personalized alternative to “big box gyms” that focuses specifically on strength training and healthy metabolism.
“(There's) a whole-food element,” Oldach explained.
Through the nutritional program, customers cut sugar, dairy and gluten from their diets for 30 days and then reintroduce them to detect inflammation.
“A lot of people will find that they have a sensitivity,” Oldach said.
“We can (work) to decrease inflammation and increase strength and energy,” said Lisa Sentner, studio manager.
Sentner and Oldach work with Gloria Miller, a certified exercise coach, to provide one-on-one and group training. Sessions are 20 minutes. Oldach says that is all the time customers need on isokinetic machines to get a “full workout.”
“It's great for people that are limited in time,” Sentner said.
The Exercise Coach is the first smart gym in Pennsylvania. It has 70 studios in 24 states and aims to have 30 additional U.S. locations by 2021. As part of an international expansion, 20 locations have been established in Japan.
Oldach plans to open a second location within the next two years.
In the meantime, she's focused on building a strong rapport with clients.
“We want them to feel energized,” Oldach said. “We want them to feel worked out. We want them to feel like this is a home.”
The Exercise Coach is at 20120 Route 19, Suite 203. Workout sessions are scheduled, so those interested can make appointments by calling 724-638-8585.
