MaxStrength celebrates 15 years of fitness
By Patricia Nugent
MaxStrength Fitness is celebrating its 15th anniversary this month with parties, new-client specials and the introduction of wellness coaching.
I sat down with founder Jeff Tomaszewski to take a little trip back in time to see where his mindset was in 2007 when he opened the location in Westlake, followed by a second one in Willoughby in 2017.
The science-based strength training protocol—20-minute, one-on-one, no-sweat workouts twice a week—was novel at the time…and still is today. Jeff estimates the number of clients he and his team has helped achieve training success is in the tens of thousands.
Q: To what do you attribute your longevity?
A: Two words: relentless commitment. I’m devoted to making steady improvements, pushing the envelope of personal and professional growth. As an ultra-competitive person, I see my career and my life as a game that I always set out to win.
Q: In addition to your clients’ success, what else are you particularly proud of?
A: I’m a training geek, so for me it meant a lot to be the only place in the country to beta test and help develop a new line of high-tech, low-friction training equipment called Imagine Strength. It tracks muscle and joint function throughout movements. This is a breakthrough methodology that works the muscles in a functional way, allowing for forgiveness in a therapeutic manner. There’s nothing else like it on the market.
Q: How elemental is your team to your success?
A: I’m only one person, and I realize that to achieve anything, everyone on my 16-person team needs to feel empowered. They are all life transformers who profoundly impact the lives of those they work with. As a leader, it’s my role to make sure they are fully engaged. We pinpoint goals for every part of their life, personally, professionally and financially.
Q: If you could give one piece of advice to your 2007 self, what would it be?
A: I would say don’t ever let yourself think small or rest on your laurels. Don’t get to a place where you feel too comfortable. If you push yourself to achieve what others think is unrealistic or impossible, that’s ideal.
Q: What’s the future hold for MaxStrength?
A: It’s an exciting juncture for us. Our franchising model, a natural evolution for us, is gaining strength this year. We are also rolling out a wellness coaching division. By working with a MaxStrength coach, people will receive a level of support to break the habits that might be holding them back in life, whether it means better nutrition, getting the best quality of sleep, or stress management. It’s basically a course-correct for taking your life to its optimal potential. We will customize this to individuals and the corporate world, too, serving employers who want to empower their employees. The relationship starts with a consultation. Our coach will help establish the person’s underlying motivations, identify obstacles and strategies for getting around them, and finally craft a vision statement. After that, follow-up sessions will happen once or twice a week.
And dovetailing the move into wellness coaching, I’m also booking speaking engagements. My topics range from awareness about sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass as people age, to the five pillars of health. I’m doing a sort of TED Talk at a national conference on exercise in Minneapolis this month. People have also asked me to do talks on leadership and entrepreneurship, two subjects near and dear to my heart. Locally, I can speak to groups of any size or demographic.
MaxStrength Fitness is located at 4212 State Route 306 in Willoughby. Call 440-226-8080 and at 2211 Crocker Road in Westlake, 440-835-9090 or for more information or to view more testimonials, visit MaxStrengthFitness.com.