Emily Franklin
Founding Trainer
Coaching clients through pregnancy, the postpartum return to lifting, and steady strength building for busy schedules.
More about EmilyBeginners
Strength Training for Beginners on the Upper West Side
For anyone who knows they should be lifting but would rather not figure it out alone on a crowded gym floor. Private studios, one coach, and a plan for your first few months.
The part nobody tells you
Most people who avoid the weight room are not lazy — they simply have no idea what to do, how much to lift, or whether what they are doing is right. That is a coaching problem, not a character problem.
Your first sessions are deliberately unglamorous: a few patterns, light loads, a lot of feedback. Within a month or two the movements feel like yours and the load starts to matter.
What you will learn
The fundamental patterns
Squat, hinge, push, pull, carry. Almost everything useful is a version of these five.
How to use the equipment
Dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, cables and machines — what each is for and how to set it up without guessing.
Technique that holds up
Position, tempo and breathing coached rep by rep, so form does not fall apart when the weight gets real.
Progressive overload
How and when to add weight, reps or sets — the difference between exercising and training.
Where to start
An honest starting point based on your history, not a template. Beginning too heavy and beginning too light both waste months.
Confidence
By the end of a first package most clients can walk into any gym and know exactly what they are doing.
A private room, not a commercial gym
Both studios are private: no queue for a rack, no mirrors full of strangers, no music you have to shout over. For a beginner that changes everything about how the first month feels.
You can train at either PWR 82 on Broadway or PWR 72 on West 72nd Street — your coach and program travel with you.
New to lifting? A complimentary consultation is the easiest first step — come see the room and ask anything.
Book a Complimentary ConsultationStarted strength training later in life
"Everything I've read about longevity points to the importance of weight training, so I decided to give it a try… now I'm completely hooked. Emily is lovely, inspiring, and an incredibly skilled teacher. The gym itself is inclusive, positive, and genuinely welcoming — every body truly feels at home here."
Training without the crowd
"I love having a private training gym where I can really focus on my progress without the distractions of a larger gym. And no need to wait for equipment! The studio is so well designed and fully stocked."
Your coaches
Coaches for this kind of training
Morgan
Coach, Group Strength
Leads our capped Group Strength classes — keeping every set on form while the energy in the room stays high.
More about Morgan
Katelyn
Resident Trainer
Strength, balance and joint-friendly progressions for clients who want to feel more capable in everyday life.
More about KatelynInside the studios
The rooms you'll train in
Where you'll train
Two private Upper West Side studios
Train at whichever fits your day — your coach and your program travel with you.
PWR 72
143 W 72nd Street, New York, NY 10023
Between Amsterdam & Columbus Avenue
Personal training on West 72nd StreetPWR 82
2284 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
Between 82nd & 83rd Street
Personal training at 82nd & BroadwayQuestions
Beginner Strength Training — questions we get
- I am not fit enough to start training. Should I get in shape first?
- No. Getting in shape is the job of the training. We start at whatever level you walk in with.
- What happens in the first session?
- A conversation about your history and goals, some simple movement screening, and then actual training so you leave knowing what this feels like.
- Should I start one-on-one or in a group?
- One-on-one is the fastest way to learn technique. Once patterns are solid, many beginners move into a Small Group block or Group Strength alongside their sessions.
- What should I bring?
- Comfortable clothes and sneakers. Water and towels are here.
This page sits alongside our main guide to personal training on the Upper West Side, where you can see how one-on-one coaching works at PWR from the first consultation onward.
Upper West Side
Ready to Get Stronger?
Start with a complimentary consultation. We'll learn about your goals and help you find the right coach and training option.