Personal training facility - ‘more than just a gym’ - set to open in Swansea

The owner of an Edwardsville personal training facility is opening a second location in Swansea.

I-Koach Fitness opens Monday, Aug. 5, following a grand opening 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Aug. 3, said owner and founder Ioannis Katrantzis.

Katrantzis is a certified personal trainer with additional certifications as a functional strength coach, functional movement specialist, functional aging specialist and other credentials in nutrition, kinesiology and weight lifting.

Located at 216 Frank Scott Parkway East, Suite 8, I-Koach Fitness provides personal fitness training programs. Katrantzis and his training staff work with members to establish personal goals, develop nutrition guidelines and develop fitness plans.

Katrantzis opened his Edwardsville gym three years ago, but he’s been a personal trainer longer than that. He also started with two part-time trainers.

Today, there are 13 trainers on staff and more than 250 members, including 50 athletes.

I-Koach is “more than just a gym,” according to the website. The I-Koach mission statement states that its purpose is to promote a healthy lifestyle, “empowering the lives of all who want to be fitter and stronger.”

At many big box gyms, people can come and go whenever they want to use the equipment. Katrantzis said that many of these facilities don’t usually offer personal training. Members may not know how to use the equipment properly.

In some cases people can be intimidated by the number of people around.

That’s part of the reason I don’t belong to a gym. Well, that, and I’m just lazy.

At I-Koach, however, training one-on-one or one-on-six are available options. Classes are small, around 10-15 people at most.

“We want people to feel comfortable,” said Katrantzis.

He also wants them to have a good experience and to have fun.

How it works

When a member joins, he or she consults one-on-one with a fitness pro.

The new member will undergo a fitness assessment that includes a body scan to determine body composition – total body water, muscle mass, body fat mass, weight, body mass index … you get the idea.

Assessment results are discussed, as are steps that can be taken to make improvements.

From there, goals are set and a membership plan is selected to help meet these goals.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

Let the trainers do the plan, the hard work, said Katrantzis.

Available memberships include:

• Personal Training: Work one-on-one with a professional trainer to meet challenges head-on to achieve desired results;

• Semi-private training: Personal trainers monitor the moves you make and make sure you’re staying safe in the gym. Members can train with a partner, friend or family member too;

• Small Group Training: Work in a group of three to six people and cheer each other on as you work towards goals;

• Large Group Fitness Classes: Classes of up to 10 people that include functional strength training with cardio and anaerobic exercise;

• Nutrition Coaching and Goal Setting: Learn how to “eat for your goals,” states the website. Your activity level, body type, lifestyle and other factors are part of this plan.

Group fitness classes are available to all members as needed at no additional cost, according to Katrantzis. They can attend as many as they want.

I-Koach offers a seven-day free trial. If you bring a friend, the trial is extended to 21 days.

For the month of August only, the Swansea facility offers a Founders Rate at 25% off of regular membership rates.

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Members go to I-Koach for multiple reasons that include weight loss, physical therapy and strength training. Everyone is different.

People don’t have to hit the gym six days a week to get healthy, said Katrantzis.

He recommends going to the gym 3-5 times a week and just enjoying other activities away from the gym, such as walking, riding a bike or other activities.

One of the biggest factors for successful results is consistency, he said. Getting healthy should not be a burden on one’s schedule.

Members are mainly in the 40+ range, he said, explaining that people in their 40s and 50s – who may have grown kids or are starting to retire – tend to have more time to prioritize themselves.

I-Koach also works with kids through its Youth Athlete Program, which is taking place now.

For seven weeks, Katrantzis and his trainers work with kids ages 9-17. Many of the kids play sports on school or local teams.

This year’s program includes about 75 young participants.

“It’s a good time for us,” said Katrantzis, who hopes to make this a year-long program.

The Swansea Facility

Katrantzis found the site for his Swansea gym through Kellie Mathes, owner of Go Yoga! Express .

Mathes has a studio in the same building in Swansea and a newer location in Edwardsville. The two met at her Edwardsville studio where Katrantzis attended yoga class. Mathes recommended the Swansea suite for his second location.

In addition to having Mathes as a neighbor, I-Koach is next door to a martial arts studio .

Katrantzis said that having neighbors with a similar client base makes it easy to share recommendations to potential clients, based on what their needs are.

He feels that each business should take care of its own specialities.

The 3,000-square-foot Swansea gym holds a variety of strength training equipment, including multiple sets of hand weights, stationary air bikes, Smith machines (barbell within a safety rail system), medicine balls and more.

As a trainer, Katrantzis finds his work rewarding, particularly in the relationships that are built with and among their members.

He believes that it’s not just the goals that are important. “It’s about the journey” to those goals.

About I-Koach Fitness

I-Koach Fitness has locations at 216 Frank Scott Parkway East, Suite 8 in Swansea and 4 Club Centre Court, Suite C, in Edwardsville.

Katrantzis opened the Edwardsville facility in October 2021. The Swansea studio opens Monday, Aug. 5.

Hours at both locations are 5 a.m. to noon and 3-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 1-10 a.m. Saturday.

For more information about I-Koach Fitness and the services offered, call 314-783-6321 or visit ikoachfitness.com .