Athletic Lab has a very wide range of clientele. As such, we do have a shirt policy. If any youth participants are in the facility, adults should be wearing a shirt.
No. The use of sports balls is only permitted within a session that is being overseen by a coach. Athletic Lab’s facility is not a sports field. The use of sports balls can potentially pose a risk to participants of ongoing sessions. For example, a stray ball hitting someone while they are weightlifting or rolling out in front of someone while they are running could create a risk of injury, not to mention damage to the facility and equipment. For this reason, an Athletic Lab coach must be overseeing the use of sports balls. Recreational use of sports balls is not permitted within Athletic Lab’s facility.
Yes! Our facility is temperature controlled year-round and in addition, we have two massive fans to help circulate air in the training area. We also have locker room equipped with showers.
No. Athletic Lab does not permit animals or pets inside of its facility. Aside from reasons stemming from cleanliness, we have several members who are severely allergic to certain animals.
No. If you are sick, please stay home. The health and wellbeing of all of our members and our staff are put at jeopardy when members choose to attend sessions while sick. If you have a fever, are coughing, or feeling ill, we ask that you please respect everyone by staying home until you are symptom and fever free.
Athletic Lab is a very busy place with a lot of members and equipment moving around and it is unsafe for onlookers to wander around the facility. As such, we only allow observation by non-participants from the lobby by parents or guardians who are waiting for youth class participants. Non-participants are not allowed to enter the training hall. Anyone wishing to take a tour of the facility must sign in at the front desk and present an ID. The only exceptions are for those who have been granted prior permission for coaching education or sports science purposes, while having already completed our waiver requirements for entering the training hall. Everyone else is advised to schedule a facility tour in advance.
We also ask that those who are waiting in the lobby refrain from taking photos and videos as to protect the privacy of our members as well as to protect the HIPAA policies of the medical offices with whom we share space. Casual spectating is not permitted. Casual onlookers who are not waiting in the lobby for a participant/patient or have not scheduled a facility tour may be asked to leave if we feel the privacy of our members is in jeopardy.
We ask those who wish to view the facility contact us in advance to set up an appointment at info@athleticlab.com. Please understand that walking in unannounced can disrupt the work and schedules of our staff and there is no guarantee that staff will be available for facility tours if an appointment has not be made in advance.
All Private Training sessions are priced as 1 Hour sessions. Multiple sessions from a private training membership may be used to extend the length of a training session. For example, a two-hour private training session would require using two sessions from a private training membership.
For Private Training: In the event that members arrive late for a scheduled private training session, coaches may be forced to end the session at the regularly scheduled time due to scheduling conflicts.
For Group Classes: If you have missed the warmup, it is typically too late to join the class.
Private training evaluations are available as a single stand-alone session and they are also recommended prior to beginning a training package. The policy for the initial evaluations are as follows:
- Stand-alone evaluations are priced as a single session private training session.
- If a membership is purchased following an evaluation, the entire cost of the evaluation will be applied to the cost of the Private Training package. The membership start date will be backdated or set to begin on the date of the initial evaluation session.
At the present time, we are not accepting Open Gym drop-ins. If you would like to drop-in for a coached training session (group classes), check our schedule for eligible sessions. Walk-ins are not accepted. Drop-in reservations are mandatory and must be paid online prior to the session. A waiver is also required prior to the initial session. Refunds will not be issued for class no-shows or drop-in cancellations.
We understand that members sometimes need to leave early. That’s why our early termination policy is as fair and as transparent as possible.
All 1 Month Memberships must run their course.
For our discounted 3‑month and 12‑month Performance Fitness memberships, you are committing to a fixed term in exchange for a lower monthly rate than our flexible 1‑month option. You may request to end your agreement early by submitting written notice (email info@athleticlab.com), with the cancellation effective as of the date we receive your request. No refunds will be processed for charges that have already processed. If you choose to terminate a 3‑month or 12‑month membership early and there are 2 or fewer months remaining on your contract at the time of your request, a flat Early Termination Fee of $99 will be charged; if you terminate early and there are 3 or more months remaining, a flat Early Termination Fee of $149 will be charged.
There are no refunds for punch card packages once the punch card has been used. Punch card sessions may be transferred to another individual upon request.
Any cancellations requiring a refund or a partial refund will incur an administrative fee.
All sessions on punch card memberships expire 12 months from the date of purchase.
It’s always best to check our schedule for the most up to date facility hours. If you would like to set up a tour of the facility or speak with one of our staff, we can be reached at 919-617-1472.
We permit account paid and complimentary medical holds to freeze your account. Paid holds are charged $10 per 7 day period for a maximum of 28 days ($40) for instances such as vacations. Holds must be requested in advance of an absence, not retroactively. Holds will not be placed on an account if the account’s billing is overdue. Payments must be up-to-date at the time a hold is placed.
Day 1-7: $10; Day 8-14: $20; Day 15-21: $30; Day 22-28: $40
Alternatively, complimentary medical holds are provided with a doctor’s note for illness/injury for the amount of time prescribed by the doctor as included in the note. The note must be for the member specifically, not for a family member, etc.
There is a limit to the maximum length of a hold. Depending on the illness or injury, if medical holds require extensive time off, a membership cancellation is highly advised.
We recommend individuals younger than 18 join our Scholastic Prep or Scholastic Sports Performance Training programs. Minors between the ages of 16 and 18 may attend our adult Performance Fitness classes with the signed consent (waiver) of a guardian, but again, we highly suggest anyone under 18 attend our sports performance classes as the adult classes often are not the best fit for younger participants. The waiver must be signed by a legal guardian prior to the initial session. Our normal policies and prices for Performance Fitness classes apply. Specifically, memberships require successful completion of our Foundations course or proven ability to bypass the course. Individuals must be 18 before participating in Open Gym, which requires an unlimited Performance Fitness membership.
We offer two options for age-group athletes:
- Scholastic Prep Middle School (6-8th graders) with a minimum age of 12
- Scholastic High School (9-12th graders) with a minimum age of 15
We use these cut offs to ensure that athletes have the physical and social maturity to enter the program.
Parents wishing to advance athletes into the high school program who do not yet meet the program eligibility requirements must complete a battery of performance tests, meeting test result requirements before advancement is allowed. There is a fee for the testing and it must be scheduled outside of class time.
Athletic Lab requires at least 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a scheduled private training session. Sessions canceled with fewer than 24 hours’ notice, including missed appointments, will be billed at the full scheduled-session rate.
No. While we do provide special training for elite and emerging elite athletes we also train athletes and the general population. If you spend enough time at Athletic Lab you’re sure to meet elite and professional athletes from a variety of sports.
We are not a health club. We are a training facility with hands on coaching from world class coaches. The level of instruction and the individual attention means that we cannot compete with high-volume, low-quality for low prices. With that said though, Athletic Lab provides real results that are a true value for the price of the class.
In most cases, the answer is a resounding “yes.” One of the things we do best is develop training plans that fit for every circumstance and this includes cases of injury. Research and years of anecdotal evidence suggests that recovery and return to fitness will be significantly faster if you train safely and appropriately while recovering from the injury.
One of the most common questions we receive via email or phone is what to expect from our CrossFit class. People are wondering whether it’s appropriate for an out-of-shape individual. Or someone with an injury. Or for non-athletes. The answer is that it’s perfect for all of the above. In our CrossFit classes, the goal is to train the everyday person, former-athletes, non-athletes and “weekend warrior” types to have fitness and functional capacity levels ordinarily reserved only for highly trained athletes. The class incorporates principles of Gymnastics, Powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, Martial Arts, Military, and sport training in to one hybrid training protocol to allow the member to achieve higher levels of fitness than they ever have. All activities, exercises and loads are scaled so that everyone will be able to truly challenge themselves but workout safely regardless of the fitness level they enter the program with. Instruction on technique, rhythm, and method of execution is given throughout the session to ensure safety and quality of movement.
After only 2 weeks you’ll notice significant improvements in your fitness, body composition, and functional capacity. If you’re using the class as a means of training for another sport you’ll start to see performance gains right away as well. The class will challenge you physically and mentally but once you’ve had a taste you’ll keep coming back for more.
Yes. Research has proven that well-supervised strength training can be an integral component of not only injury prevention but also performance enhancement in developing athletes. Although myths persist that weight training will stunt growth and harm bones and joints there is no (NONE!) research to support this notion and there is overwhelming evidence to suggest that appropriately implemented strength training can help in motor development and athletic performance. As with all program planning, appropriate progressions which are age and developmentally appropriate will be employed to ensure that the training is both safe and effective.
Yes?.and no. If your sport requires speed, power, strength and agility then we do sport specific training. If you’re expecting “training for baseball catchers” or “specific exercises just for soccer defenders” then you might be a little disappointed. The fact is that anyone who sells you specific training for sport positions, and even to some extent specific sports, is selling you a bag of wind. Many of the super-specific exercises touted as “sport specific” are gimmicks more than effective training. This is especially true for developmental athletes. Athletes younger than 20 years old should train largely as generalists and progress to greater and greater sport specificity over time. This is what years of sport science research recommends and this is how we train our athletes.
This depends on your goals. In most cases, for athletes competing or practicing for their sport, 2-3 times per week is ideal. 3 times per week will typically yield better performance gains as long as it can be fit in to the training schedule. At 2 times per week, performance gains will still be made however if attendance drops to 1 time per week then the best one can hope for is maintenance of prior training adaptations.
The same holds true for our Performance Fitness class. Most clients attend 3 times per week however those with special performance goals will often attend up to 5 times per week. As with most things fitness related, the effect is dose-dependent. The greater your frequency and commitment the greater your rewards will be.
This is a common misconception. Without pharmaceutical intervention, women don’t have the hormonal capacity to put on muscle mass like a man. With our training sessions you will lose body fat and build lean muscle mass, but you won’t look like a body-builder we promise.
At Athletic Lab it wouldn’t be unusual to see a workout that involves some form of squatting (overhead, back, front, loaded, bodyweight, etc) every day of the week. Squatting is a foundational movement that provides a high ‘bang-for-your-buck’ in terms of training stimuli. Because you’re incorporating the majority of muscles in your body to perform a squat it is a great exercise for training economy…no need to do leg extensions for the quads, leg curls for the hamstrings, and hit the “Thigh Master” for the adductors when the squat hits all those muscles at one time in a much more functional manner. Because the squat hits so many muscles at the same time it kicks your metabolism in to overdrive really quickly.
The squat also has a lot of carry over to other exercises. In fact, Russian sport scientists found that when technique in the Olympic lifts is proficient, the limiting factor is often one’s back squat max (an efficient power clean:squat ratio should be 1:1.3). The same thing has been found for the deadlift by the elite powerlifters of the famous, West Side Barbell powerlifting club. Finally, the squat is functional. It’s something we all need to be able to do well or we risk losing our ability to accomplish many simple tasks. Standing up, sitting down, picking things up, carrying heavy objects, and a host of other activities are all related to our hip and leg strength and mobility. Once we lose either the strength, range of motion, or both to perform a full deep squat we are on the road to a lower quality of life where we’re unable to do many seemingly simple actions.
The squat is a great movement because, if performed with appropriate technique over a complete range of motion, it can boost strength, metabolism, mobility, and increase a person’s performance in other exercises as well as in life.
We squat deep regularly. In fact, one of our beliefs is to emphasize range of motion before load. This means that if you’re unable to perform a movement through its entire range of motion that we don’t want to see you go up in weight until you can. Strength training is one of the best ways to enhance joint mobility and flexibility, but only if you are moving through the largest range of motion possible. For this reason, we squat deep to ensure you attain or maintain the range of motion that we’re supposed to have in the ankles, knees, and hips the same range of motion that we’re all born with that allows babies to easily sit down in to a deep squat. Additionally, squatting through the entire range of motion is the only way to maximally develop the glutes (your butt). The glutes are most active only during the deepest range of motion. And because glute strength is so important in posture, running, lifting things up, etc., it’s important that we perform the movement to develop the glutes to the greatest extent possible.
No. Our workouts and exercises scale to any level.
Many gyms, especially those that practice CrossFit, perform kettlebell swings so that the swing ends with the arms completely overhead. We do not. We prefer to teach what is known as a Russian kettlebell swing. The high swing is characterized by an end point where the kettlebell is completely overhead at the top of the swing and the knee and hip opened completely. This is referred to as an American kettlebell swing within the fitness community. It’s motions is longer and smoother. In contrast, we teach what is known as a Russian kettlebell swing. This is characterized by a high point right with the kettlebell directly in front of the eyes. The movement is shorter, faster and more compact.We feel very strongly that this kettlebell swing variation is superior to its American counterpart. It’s not only the original and most widely practiced version of the swing around the world, it’s also safer and a better training method than the American version. While the American version of the kettlebell swing moves the kettlebell through a greater range of motion, it places the highly unstable shoulder joint in a compromised position at the top of the swing. The shoulder joint is the most unstable joint in the human body and bearing a load overhead in a close grip position is not orthopadeically sound. Furthermore, despite claims that the greater range of motion associated with an American swing increases work (Work = Force x Distance) and therefore power (Power = (Force x Distance) / Time)), we are certain this is simply not the case in actual application. Although the range of motion in an American swing is greater than its Russian counterpart, this also requires the athlete to make a compromise in either Force or Time that easily negates any increase in range of motion. If the swing is brought totally overhead, the athlete must use a lighter kettlebell (which will likely lead to decreased Force output) to ensure they can move the kettlebell all the way to the overhead position. This somewhat obvious point is actually even greater than one might think because once the arms and kettlebell are moved beyond parallel with the ground the athlete is at a distinct mechanical disadvantage (read up on lever systems for details if you’re not a biomechanist or engineer). In fact, the kettlebell slows substantially once it passes the chest on the upswing due to this mechanical disadvantage. Basically, if you have enough hip power to get the kettlebell all the way to the American standard position overhead then you should be using more weight (or actively forcing the kettlebell down to increase the effective load of the kettlebell). The other consequence is that the time to complete the swing is significantly longer which reduces the power output. So while the American swing is the de facto technique for CrossFit competitions, we do not feel it is the best variation to be used in training outside of training specifically for CrossFit competitions.
When we’re working on speed, power or maximal strength (rather than aerobic or anaerobic conditioning or muscular endurance) you need to take sufficient rest to ensure that the body can continue to operate at the level necessary to best train those qualities. To train those qualities you need to be relatively fresh. You can not be overly fatigued and expect to train speed, power or maximal strength well. To train these them, one needs to be able to recruit muscle fibers maximally and efficiently. When someone is overly fatigued this is not possible. So while there’s certainly a time and place for fast-paced, minimal-rest workouts or portions of workouts, that would be inappropriate if the goal of that workout or portion of the workout was to train maximal strength, power or speed.
