To some, exercise is a necessary evil. Others find joy in the stress and pain they place on their body, happy to win the mind over matter game that plagues many of us as we enter the final stages of a workout. For Kim Liles, it’s a ministry.
After moving to Tega Cay from Atlanta in 2020 with her husband Paul and two grown children, Kim was looking for a job in fitness. She had owned a gym in Atlanta but had to sell when the pandemic hit and Paul’s work brought them to the Charlotte area. Although there were no full time positions available, the owner of The Exercise Coach in Tega Cay hired her part time.
Due to her experience and passion for fitness, she quickly transitioned to full time and became the manager in short order. When the opportunity to purchase the business presented itself in October 2023, she wasted no time in taking advantage.
“I bought it to keep anyone else from buying it,” said Kim, with a laugh. “I was already here everyday. I knew all of the clients, had great relationships with them and none of them would have a place to go if I didn’t buy it.”
The Exercise Coach provides 1:1 training from a fitness instructor, the use of machines powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a program designed to help you build strength. Add in the fact that the gym itself is both clean and welcoming and you get the feeling of working out at a friend’s house rather than your typical gym.
“Conventional exercise was not a great fit for me. I’d get hurt trying to keep up,” said Kim. She went on to tell a story of having 4 knee surgeries and a torn rotator cuff. Injuries that made it very difficult for her to keep pace with a traditional fitness class model. This led to her interest in alternative gyms like The Exercise Coach.
Requiring only two sessions a week for twenty minutes, the programs offered are specifically designed for men and women aged 45 years and older. According to Kim, “we’re not about vanity so much as we are transforming the way people age. Staying strong and having healthy muscles, those are the goals.”
By adding muscle and building strength, you have the ability to reverse age related muscle loss known as Sarcopenia. Muscles MATTER because they house the largest supply of nerves, water, blood, and energy in the body. You can resist and even reverse the normal aging process of age related muscle loss and, when you do, strength changes everything.
For example, added strength helps with:
- Better blood sugar control
- Improved blood pressure and cholesterol
- Enhanced cardiovascular function
- Stronger bones
- Reduced inflammation
Strength is also correlated with longevity, mental health, and improved cognitive function. The programs offered at The Exercise Coach help you to build the strength you need in the right way, relying on an approach to exercise at a high intensity specific to your muscle load for a short amount of time.
Smart Machines are used to ensure you’re exercising at the right intensity for your body. Because the intensity is assessed with your range of motion and current strength capabilities, instructors are able to meet every client where they are to begin transforming the way they are aging.
When asked what her goal is for the business, rather than reply with a typical monetary response, Kim responded, “ to help more people. We want people to invest more in preventative care rather than treatment. If we’re not strong, the other things we want to do in life, we won’t be able to do.”
For anyone interested, the gym offers two free sessions where a staff member sits down with a client and reviews their goals, obstacles and physical condition. Once this is known, a client has the ability to try out some of the machines to get an idea of what a workout might be like.
As a special offer for Tega Cay Sun readers, Kim is waiving $150 off of any package you choose, simply for mentioning this article.
Do you need help getting started? Have no fear. I know someone who started a ministry.
