Livermore Executive Delves Into 'Smart' AI-Based Fitness Venture

PLEASANTON, CA – Michelle Setchell has tried any number of gyms and fitness options from personal trainers to workout videos and seemingly everything in between. For the most part, the results she experienced were mediocre at best and often took too much of her time considering her busy schedule as a local business executive.

But as someone has passed the age of 50 and who understands the importance of strength training as her body ages, Setchell figured there had to be a better fitness alternative — not only for herself but for others like her who struggle with more traditional gyms and fitness routines.

Setchell recently opened a “smart” fitness studio in Pleasanton, The Exercise Coach, which uses a proprietary technology system that uses artificial intelligence that tailors workouts to individual clients. The technology is used during a full-body 20-minute workout that is done twice a week to help users achieve fitness goals.

"There are a lot of people who are not being served by other fitness profiles that might be out there," Setchell told Patch on Thursday. "They're crying out for something where they can come and feel comfortable, not feel judged, feel safe and The Exercise Coach does all of these things."

The Exercise Coach limits participants to no more than four clients per session. A personal trainer guides participants through the workout using high-tech equipment that is based on the individual’s patterns and adjusts the workout in real-time to ensure that users are getting the most effective workout possible.

The real-time feedback is displayed on a screen in front of the user and the software built into the equipment monitors what the user’s fitness ability is at that moment and adjusts to provide a safe and effective workout based on individual performance on that particular day, Setchell said.

“When people come in off of (the) COVID (pandemic) and they really haven’t been working out, we can kind of tailor a workout to fit where they’re at and build them back up to where they want to be,” said Setchell, a Livermore resident who has sent the past 23 years as the Chief Financial Officer at ExtraTeam, a systems engineering company she built from the ground up.

Setchell opened the Pleasanton studio, located at 3958 Valley Ave Suite A, in March and has already gotten a positive response from users both from a fitness standpoint and for the studio’s attention to making sure clients are safe. At a time when many former gym-users may be leery about returning due to the ongoing pandemic, Setchell said that she has remained cognizant of making the experience favorable for those who are working their way back into a fitness routine.

With the Exercise Coach brand of workout, not only is the 20-minute workout attractive to those with busy schedules, but the fact clients receive a full-body workout without the risk of injury is a win-win, Setchell said.

The personal trainer aspect of the workout and small group-setting environment allows trainers to ensure that an individual’s form is correct, which allows the clients to get the maximum benefit out of the workout, which integrates both strength training and cardio into the 20-minute session.

There are usually 1-2 recovery days built in to allow for the twice-a-week visits to provide enough strength training in a way that clients may not have expected when they started the routine.

The technology built into the machines charts user progress so that over time, clients will be able to see how they have gotten stronger and have improved their fitness levels — all without much of the body damage that can be done with other workouts. Setchell said the demographic that the studio is targeting is people 40 and older who are looking to remain healthy but want to limit any soreness they feel after a workout and busy professionals who don't have time work out five days a week that other fitness platforms require.

The benefits can be measured in everyday activity whether it being users feeling more fit, sleeping better, fitting into their clothes better and feeling like they are improving in their workout routine. Benefits also include reduced chances of cancer and diabetes, which come from regular physical activity.

“People may see the feedback initially and may say, 'Hmmm, I'm not sure, I don’t know if this is working,’”, Setchell said. “But over time, they come back and say, this is amazing.”