ABOUT US

PURESTRENGTH is a professional fitness training facility, not a gym.

We seek to inspire, inform and educate, providing expert one-on-one instruction designed for your optimal training experience.

Not your typical workout facility we've created what we feel is an ideal environment with your whole being in mind.

In your 20-minute, once a week personal training sessions, one of our exercise specialists will guide you through your slow motion/high-intensity training.

Utilizing our P.L.E.A.S.E. The Body Blueprint and the breakthrough technique of slow cadence strength training, on select equipment in an exclusive setting, at Pure Strength we help you reach your fitness goals in a focused, efficient manner.

We desire the minimum amount of exercise that will produce the stimulus for adaptation. Anything beyond this amount of exercise only acts to consume precious recovery resources. This allows you to obtain optimal results.

History of Superlow Model and our P.L.E.A.S.E. The Body Blueprint

Researched and documented in 1982 by Ken Hutchins through the Nautilus sponsored Osteoporosis Study at the University of Florida Medical School, SuperSlow® has demonstrated to be a most safe, productive and efficient exercise. Research has shown that the optimal environment for “SuperSlow®” training includes the following:

  1. Private one-on-one instruction
  2. No Distractions
  3. The Best Equipment – all of our equipment is specially modified for using the SuperSlow® training protocol
  4. Controlled temperature
In addition to the specialized work we do in the studio, we know you won't get the best results unless you are doing everything you can to support your body in this process. Through our P.L.E.A.S.E. The Body Method, we give you the tools you need to feel your best. P - pace the intensity, L - Live Whole, E - Enjoy the Movement, A- Activate Your Energy, S- Systemize Sleep and E- Empower Yourself. We will help you set a system, tailored to your needs, so you get the most out of the hard work you put in at the studio.

Click here to learn more and figure out what this looks like for you!

Meet The Team

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Melissa Gunn

Founder

Melissa is a Certified SuperSlow Instructor, a certified Exercise Specialist, and a fitness and nutrition coach. She has two decades of experience in the health and fitness industry, has worked with thousands of people over the past 20 years to regain and rejuvenate their health, and today is the founder of Pure Strength LA which has helped women and men over 40 gain optimal wellbeing. She discovered slow cadence, high-intensity strength training and immediately found this technique to be in a class alone.

Melissa found that many people were either not getting results when they went to the gym on their own or were getting injured. She is devoted to sharing her expertise and helping her clients stay injury-free, and feel stronger as they age!

Melissa Gunn is passionate about sharing the importance of being truly healthy, educating her clients so they feel this passion, experience it, and come to believe it for themselves!

Melissa founded Pure Strength LA in 2004, which stands as a private, exclusive, personal training studio. Its core principles are simplicity, efficiency, and balance, to give individuals the very best personal training in a private and focused environment. 

Our mission is to educate people over 40 how the goal of gaining strength is the foundation of your health regimen and the #1 factor in healthy aging.

We've been honored to be featured in numerous Los Angeles publications such as Angeleno Magazine and Valley magazine, as well as being targeted in news segments for local news stations.  We have recently launched virtual training to benefit our clients outside the greater Los Angeles area.

Randi has been involved with fitness in some aspect or another for most of her adult life. As a personal trainer for over 15 years, she has worked with a myriad of clients, ranging from student athletes to gracefully aging seniors. Having worked closely with a physical therapist for many years, Randi is skilled in working with clients who have impairments or are post-operative, rehabilitating from various surgeries, such as knee replacement, hip replacement, torn rotator cuff, etc.

Discovering Pure Strength and the SuperSlow protocol has truly made quite an impact on Randi’s outlook on exercise. “After seeing so many negative consequences of high-impact exercise and sports injuries, I’m thrilled to have found an exercise regime that is so safe, while being incredibly effective and time-efficient. For me to be able to share this with my clients is a joy and I’m truly passionate about preserving one’s physical fitness, regardless of age or physical limitations.”

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Randi

Instructor

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Lupita

Instructor

Lupita is a NASM Certified Instructor with a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology with an Exercise Science Concentration. She has studied the mechanics of human movement and its impact on health, well-being, and overall quality of life.
 
Her combination of experience and knowledge of anatomy, biomechanics and physiology principles gives clients a better understanding of the importance of physical activity.

Lisa Zeigel holds a B.A. in Physical Education, is an American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, and is a fitness trainer, group exercise instructor, fitness writer, and educator.

Lisa's philosophy is that strength empowers people and that strength training is for everyone. After taking a weight training class in the late 80s that helped restore her own mind and body, she became excited about fitness and decided to make a career out of helping others. She has enjoyed a diverse career as a fitness professional and has worked with people of all ages and fitness levels.

Lisa specializes in working with people who, like herself, experience the discomfort of Fibromyalgia and other pain issues.

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Lisa

Instructor

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Casey

Team Coordinator

Casey works with our clients to ensure high-quality customer service, engagement and helps everything run smoothly at Pure Strength.

THE SCIENCE OF OUR METHOD

Intelligent strength training without compromise

Scientific research has proven the effectivenes of the slow method of high intensity training employed at PureStrength. The logic and universal success of this slow-motion training continues to be evidenced decade after decade.

In 2001, exercise physciologist, Dr. Wayne Westcott conducted studies comparing this slow-method workout to traditional weight training. His research proves overwhelmingly that slow-motion strength training produces significantly superior results. In fact, it yields a 50% increase in strength compared to the traditional-tempo workout.

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MUSCLES ARE THE ENGINES OF OUR BODY

Physical strength, and the dynamic energy associated with it, is largely a function of muscular vigor. The largest portion of our metabolism is represented by skeletal muscle tissue. Therefore, building and maintaining muscle mass is of utmost importance.

MUSCLES ARE THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORT OF OUR BODY

Sarcopenia is the loss of skeletal muscle that naturally accompanies aging. Starting in early middle age, adults who do not strength train lose an average of one-half pound of lean muscle per year. This muscle is replaced by fat, compromising the body's structural support. PureStrength offers an efficient antidote to this problem.

A REGULAR PROGRAM OF THIS FORM OF EXERCISE ALSO HELPS

  • increase bone density
  • enhance joint flexibility
  • build resistance to injury
  • reduce back and neck pain
  • lower blood pressure
  • relieve arthritis discomfort
  • control blood sugar

INTELLIGENT STRENGTH TRAINING: SAFE, EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT

Cultivating physical strength is one of the best things you can do for both your mind and body. Being strong allows you to think and move with stamina and grace, resulting in greater ease in your everyday life.

DON'T WASTE ENERGY, DON'T WASTE TIME

PureStrength pushes the body beyond failure to achieve unprecedented response. Best performed in just one 20-minute session per week, an ongoing program at PureStrength will support your objectives for: gaining muscle, reducing fat and improving cardiovascular health. Hard to believe, but our 1 x per week prescription actually allows the body its natural course to recover and build the long term, sustained strength desired from a workout.

NO MOMENTUM

Velocity and momentum diminish muscular resistance, waste energy, and compromise the integrity of your workout. The slow, smooth, controlled repetitions of our method require maximum use of muscle and mental focus, delivering an extremely safe, productive result.

SARCOPENIA: THE THEFT OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH & COUNTERING THE DECLINE

Starting in early middle age, adults who don’t strength train lose an average of one-half pound of lean muscle per year. With that muscle, goes part of their physical strength.

sarcopeniaAs strength decreases, so does everyday functioning. The ability to walk correctly, climb stairs, and accomplish simple tasks and chores diminishes.

This loss of strength creates a vicious cycle. Since it takes more physical effort to perform daily tasks, often mixed with discomfort, a person is inclined to avoid the effort. This creates even more weakness.

MAINTAINING STRENGTH, IS A KEY TO QUALITY OF LIFE AS YOU AGE

The regimen followed at purestrength-notagline counters the natural decline of Sarcopenia.

In Sarcopenia, the muscle loss is replaced by fat as evidenced by the image above. Muscle mass cannot usually be maintained into older age with ordinary aerobic activities.

Current studies using high intensity workouts have shown that strength can be doubled in just 12 weeks of training. Even frail nursing-home residents in their 90’s proved able to build muscle and strength. Additionally, preserving muscle mass supports the body’s ability to withstand disease.