Making Strides in Medical Fitness

Subject: Lisa Coors, MBA

Company: Coors Core Fitness LLC

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Answering the Call. Lisa Coors, owner of Coors Core Fitness LLC, entered the fitness industry about 12 years ago as a part-time spin instructor. Several years later her obese father experienced life-threatening five-way bypass surgery, which spurred her to take a more commanding role in the fitness industry. “It was at that time that I knew I had to ‘be the change’ that our city needed to defeat the obesity epidemic.” Her father eventually recovered, and Coors decided to quit her full-time job to focus on becoming a highly educated personal trainer. “After my father’s bypass surgery, his four follow-up surgeries and his defibulator implant, I knew I had a calling in life. I wanted to help others prevent this type of thing from happening to them.”

Networking Know-How. Coors began her new career with a deeply felt understanding that a combination of education and practical experience would be paramount to her success. She knew that her interests lay in postrehabiliation, so she sought the expertise of two highly respected trainers and mentors to help her enhance and hone her skills. “Within a year, they had mentored me to a level where I could be a safe and effective personal trainer,” she says. “I owe my career in fitness to [my mentors].” One pearl she gleaned from her mentors would lay the groundwork for her current success as a postrehabilitation specialist working within an orthopaedic center. “My mentors stressed the use of the medical release form,” she recalls. “They said, ‘this is the start of your communication with the medical community.’” Coors adhered to their advice and became well acquainted with many of the physicians and therapists in her area. One therapist would eventually ask her to sublet space within Wellington Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, a facility housing surgeons, physical therapists, athletic trainers and more. “It was through continued
networking that helped build our relationship. To be invited by orthopaedic surgeons is a huge milestone in the fitness industry,”says Coors.

Being the Change. Coors’ unique experience, willingness to learn and ability to network have proven paramount to her current success. “One of the things that I have worked on since day one of being a personal trainer is developing professional relationships.” Without these relationships she might not have had the opportunity to live her mission and affect the change she had hoped for during her father’s health problems. “Sometimes I have seen miraculous things happen to my clients. For example, one man with a spinal cord injury bound to a wheelchair regained feeling in his core muscles. I have also seen a client win a regional Aquabike triathlon after losing 100 pounds and rehabbing from a hip replacement.” It is these stories—and many more—that reafirm her decision to switch careers and follow her heart.

Specializing. Not only has Coors developed a solid reputation within the medical fitness community, but she has also earned respect for her work with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients. “I started my own group training for PD 5 years ago,” she says. “[My work] has gained local and national recognition, which has aided us in our goal to make people aware of the benefits of exercise for PD.” She now works as a resource for the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute physicians. “They send me patients who need exercise programs to manage their PD.”

Returning the Favor. Coors knows that the road of a personal trainer can be difficult, so she also spends time helping newer professionals overcome obstacles. She serves on the advisory board of the American Council on Exercise and has authored a chapter for their Advanced Health & Fitness Specialist Manual. Coors is also a member of the EMAX mentorship program developed by Bob Esquerre to assist fellow professionals in seeking their maximum potential. As a mentor, Coors hopes to help others realize that personal trainers can be powerful agents of change if they are educated, passionate and professional. There is tremendous potential for a healthy career, if approached properly. Coors believes “there is no better job than to be a personal trainer.”