Our Story

The Birth of Pure Physique: a story from founder Michael Lipowski

I established PURE PHYSIQUE in 2004 with the intent of solving two problems, and a belief that solving one would satisfy the ends of the other.  The plan was simple.  Provide aspiring personal trainers with a place to work in which they will continually improve their knowledge and training ability as well as learn valuable customer service skills which will increase customer demand and retention of their services.  People looking for training would then have a place(s) where they can rely on finding a personal trainer with the knowledge, expertise and professionalism to help them achieve their goals.  The customers find a quality of trainer and service they cannot find elsewhere and trainers find a place to work where they can grow as a professional with opportunities beyond just training.  It’s a win/win situation for both!

After having worked as personal trainer in a number of gyms and personal training studios in Manhattan and on Long Island I realized that there were some very big problems and voids that existed in regards to the personal training offered at these establishments.  The first problem was specific to the larger gyms and health clubs.  Although each place had plenty of personal trainers to choose from there were very few professional trainers.  Only a small minority of trainers had both the knowledge and servicing ability to make themselves sought after by the members.  

Training people in what would be considered a “productive” manner is rarely a pleasurable experience which is all the more reason that the trainer needs to provide more than just encouragement and comfort when putting the client through exercise that projects discomfort.  The second problem was with the smaller personal training studios promoting specific training systems/methods.  Many had very good training systems in place that produced results but at the same time the system handcuffed the trainer.  As soon as the system ran its course and the client’s results stalled or they became bored with the program itself, they would leave and trainers would lose their clients.  The system did not take advantage of the trainer’s ability to critically analyze the situation, the client, and make decisions to get their progress back on track if the trainer was capable of doing such in the first place.  In these instances the good trainers would leave because the environment was too restrictive and the facility would lose a good trainer and possibly any clients that left with them.

What is most unique about PURE PHYSIQUE to both the client and trainer is we teach our trainers how to work within a “system-less system”.  By this we mean, everyone is on the same page as far as training principles, guidelines, standards and application is concerned, however each trainer is taught how to personalize the workouts and programs around the client for continual progress and adherence.  So while there is a system in place it is not rigid or confined to a singular belief nor is it the same ‘canned’ workout routines over and over again.  The only thing we believe in is getting people results in the most effective and time efficient manner possible.   The best way to do that is left up the professionals…our trainers.