Strength In Motion pumps up with second location

CNY Business Journal (1996+), May 30, 2008 by Reinhardt, Eric

ONONDAGA - Corey Parker says his clients have told him they don't want to travel more than 20 minutes to take advantage of what he calls "a niche program."

Parker, the owner and director of strength and conditioning at Strength In Motion, Inc. at 4569 W. Seneca Turnpike in the town of Onondaga, says he's ready to open a second location at 314 E. First St. in the town of DeWitt.

Parker says the niche program at Strength In Motion, a strength, speed, and conditioning center, combines those three elements of athletic training.

"The niche is we combine speed, strength training, conditioning, flexibility, and all of the components of nutrition that help make people better." says Parker.

He believes people will travel for it, but not more than 20 minutes. Parker says that's the reason a second location makes sense.

Parker says most of the athletes his coaches work with do their training at the facility between 3 p.m, and 8 p.m., so he feels the shorter the travel time, the better.

Strength In Motion currently leases space in Onondaga from Brinson Marine, LLC, a neighboring business. Parker says the 7,800-square-foot structure was formerly used for boat storage until the business was offered the space in 2001.

Parker says he pays about $4,000 per month to lease the space.

The second location will be in a 9,000-square-foot facility. Strength In Motion has signed a five-year lease with owner Joe Basile, but Parker wouldn't reveal, any terms of the lease agreememt.

CNY Gymnastics, Inc. was the most recent tenant in the building.

Parker says Basile has installed some new windows, expanded the office space, and worked on the building's mezzanine level. He says the renovation cost will be figured into the lease payment over time.

Strength In Motion will start moving into the building on June 23.

Parker wouldn't disclose annual revenue, but says his firm's revenue has increased 40 percent since the start of 2007. He wants the DeWitt location to be generating as much revenue as the Onondaga facility in two years.

The current location includes a weight room and an Astroturf running track. The new location will include similar amenities to serve clients living on the east side of Syracuse.

Parker says he has seven employees for much of the year, but that figure increases to 13 during the summer, w hen there's more time for training. He hopes to add two or three additional coaches w hen the DeWitt location opens in June.

When hiring new coaches, Parker says he looks for people with an education background in exercise science and practical experience. He also says coaches need communications skills.

The art of coaching is being able to take what you know and convey it to the athletes, so they can move forward. says Parker.

Strength In Motion has programs for all ages, says Ryan Dona, associate strength coach and director of marketing.

Dona says there's a youth development program targeting kids aged eight through 12, an intermediate class introducing strength phases to 13 and 14-year-olds, and then a program called "The Athlete's Advantage" providing in-season or out-of-training for high school athletes.

In addition, Strength In Motion has special progams designed for college-aged athletes, women, and golfers. A program targeting businesspeople will be starting this fall.

Dona says group-training clients can either pay for a full year or a 12-week session. Personal-training clients can either pay for a bulk package or pay as they go. The rate for personal training clients is $55 per hour, or $495 for 10 sessions, which includes a free initial assessment or nutrition consultation.

For group training, Dona says the cost breakdown is, on average, $12 to $19 per hour of training.

Parker says he sees a lot of people in the field prescribing the wrong exercises far the wrong kid at the wrong time and says it's a "recipe for injury."

"That's the reason we have a 1-to-6 coach-to-athlete ratio to make sure you can monitor and see all the kids that we do," says Parker.

He believes that philosophy is a big reason why Strength In Motion has generated 40 percent sales growth in the last 18 months.

Parker, a former strength and conditioning coach at Syracuse University, started Strength In Motion with a colleague, Mike Gerber, at the former Fayetteville Mall in 1999. A few years later, Parker took full ownership of the business after Gerber decided to leave.

In his time at Syracuse University, Parker worked with Donovan McNabb, Marvin Harrison, Rob Konrad, and Donovin Darius.

His clients at Strength In Motion have included football player Mike Hart, who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts after completing his senior season with the Michigan Wolverines, and Greg Paulus, point guard for the Duke University men's basketball team.