Park Avenue Fitness

Park Avenue Fitness was founded on a simple belief: no two bodies are the same, and no single workout plan works for everyone.

Owned by longtime fitness professional Mary Doyle, the personal training studio takes an individualized approach to exercise, serving clients of all ages and abilities, from preteens to seniors, specializing in those recovering from injury or surgery or managing chronic health conditions.

“We believe people come in all shapes and sizes, and life impacts everyone differently,” Doyle said. “That means no one workout plan is right for everyone.”

Doyle, an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer, has worked in the fitness industry since 1998. She has served as a fitness director for nearly 30 years, owned a health club for 11 years, and holds multiple certifications, including orthopedic exercise, senior fitness, functional training, nutrition, and a specialty in brains and balance past age 60.

Over the course of her career, Doyle has worked with a wide range of populations, including cancer patients, seniors, individuals with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as people recovering from injury or surgery.

“Fitness and nutrition affect every aspect of your life — emotional as well as physical,” Doyle said. “My job is to help people find plans that fit into their lives, not take over their lives.”

Park Avenue Fitness does not describe itself as a rehabilitation or wellness center, but the studio works closely with physicians and physical therapists to support clients’ overall health goals.

“Physical therapists are often focused on the one thing they’re referred for,” Doyle said. “Whereas we’re going to look at the whole person. Everybody is different. One knee replacement is not exactly like the other.”

Clients begin their experience with a free initial consultation, which includes a tour of the facility and a discussion of health status, exercise history and short- and long-term goals. Doyle personally meets with new clients and pairs them with a trainer based on individual needs, personality and areas of expertise.

“We’re pretty different than other places,” Doyle said. “We have four personal training studios with 14 trainers, and all have slightly different areas of expertise.”

She said personality plays a key role in determining whether Park Avenue Fitness is the right fit.

“Everyone starts with a tour and a chat with me,” she said. “If we’re not what someone is looking for, I can direct them to where they need to go.”

The spaces are designed to accommodate different styles of training, allowing trainers to tailor sessions to each client’s needs. Studio A is primarily used for strength training and small group sessions. Studio B focuses on balance, gait training, tai chi and other rehabilitative work. Studio C is used for hydraulic circuits, movement patterns and range-of-motion exercises, and also hosts small group sessions. Studio D is dedicated to small group classes and is intentionally limited to about seven or eight participants to allow for more individualized instruction.

In addition to one-on-one personal training, Park Avenue Fitness offers small group classes such as Gyrokinesis, Yoga for 50+, balance training, circuit and stretch sessions, pop-up boot camps, pre-season ski conditioning and classes focused on getting safely off the floor.

The studio also hosts monthly workshops and events addressing topics relevant to its clientele, including senior fitness, perfect gait, injury prevention and mindset for success.

All workshops and events serve as fundraisers for the Second Harvest Food Bank.

“I grew up here, and we always had a barrel for Second Harvest,” Doyle said. “But I learned that the money goes much farther for them than donating canned goods, so I shifted to raising money instead.”

Doyle said her connection to the organization is also personal.

“My uncle was the executive director of Second Harvest in Alaska,” she said. “They feed all the other nonprofits – food pantries/kitchens and so forth. It’s a great organization.”

The studio’s 14 trainers all specialize in working with special populations, Doyle said. One trainer regularly visits memory care centers to work with clients onsite.

“Our trainers are dedicated to making people feel better when they leave than when they walked in,” Doyle said. “The goal is to send them out the door feeling taller, stronger and more confident to face the world.”

Doyle, who recently authored a book on fitness and health, said her passion for the work continues to grow.

“Working with clients is always a collaboration,” she said. “It’s about finding what benefits them — physically, emotionally and long-term.”

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Park Avenue Fitness
2505 Cabrillo College Dr., Aptos
www.parkavenuefitness.com