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Semester Strength Program
Our founder, Samuel Pitcairn, served as a sports scientist for the University of Pittsburgh's men's and women's basketball teams and co-authored more than 10 peer-reviewed papers. Coach Noah Swaby is an assistant coach for Carnegie Mellon's track and field team. We already train the people your universities put on the field — the semester program brings that same coaching to the rest of campus. You get an assessment, an individualized program, and a coach in the room for every session. No guesswork, no generic app workouts, no wasted hours in a crowded rec center.
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For undergrads who want to leave college stronger than they arrived. Learn to lift properly once, build a body that holds up, and walk into any gym for the rest of your life knowing exactly what to do.
Squat, hinge, press, pull — coached rep by rep by someone with a graduate degree in the subject. Most people spend years guessing. You'll spend one semester learning it correctly.
Lecture halls, laptops and library chairs stiffen hips, round shoulders and tighten backs. We load the positions campus life takes away so the aches don't follow you into your career.
Muscle you build now is the easiest muscle you'll ever build. We pair progressive strength work with practical nutrition guidance that survives a dining hall and a 2 a.m. study session.
Playing club rugby, IM basketball or a weekend 5K? We build the speed, power and tissue resilience so you compete hard and don't spend the next week limping to class.
Your program is periodized to your syllabus. Volume drops during midterms and finals, builds over breaks, and picks back up when the semester settles. You never have to choose between the gym and your GPA — the plan already accounts for both.
For grad students, med, law and PhD candidates, and young professionals whose days are long and sitting-heavy. Efficient, coached sessions that protect your body and your focus for the years ahead.
Two to three coached sessions a week, every minute planned before you arrive. No waiting for racks, no scrolling for a workout. You walk in, train, and get back to the lab or the library.
Heavy, well-programmed strength training is one of the most reliable tools for sleep quality, mood and mental clarity under academic pressure. We treat it as part of your workload, not a distraction from it.
Neck, low back and hip issues start in grad school and become chronic by thirty. We assess how you move, find the weak links, and fix them before they become a diagnosis.
Practical guidance on eating, sleeping and recovering on a student budget and a student schedule, so the work you do here actually shows up.
One semester. One coach. A body that holds up for the rest of your life.
We start with a 60-minute assessment of how you move, where you're tight or weak, your body composition and your goals for the semester. This is the blueprint for everything that follows.
Using your assessment data, we build an individualized program periodized to your academic calendar — lighter through midterms and finals, heavier over breaks — so training fits the semester instead of fighting it.
You train in our supervised semi-private setting with a coach who holds an advanced degree in the field. Every rep is watched, every progression is earned, and the program adjusts as you do.
Advanced degrees in sports science and exercise physiology, with coaching histories at Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, Penn State and WVU.
Sam earned his Master’s Degree in Sports Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from Ohio University. He is a USAW Certified Coach and served as a Sports Scientist for Pitt and led return-to-play programs at UPMC. He has studied under under legends like Charles Poliquin and Ben Prentiss. He is well versed in the clinical philosophies of the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) and the Gray Institute.
Josh has over a decade of experience in athletic performance and holistic health. He graduated from West Virginia University (WVU) with a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies, emphasizing strength and conditioning, sport and exercise psychology.
Josh worked for the Mountaineer Football program. He has also designed and implemented training programs across 15 collegiate sports.
Noah Swaby is currently the assistant coach for Carnegie Mellon University track and field team.
Swaby is the Costa Rican National Record Holder in the decathlon. While competing at Penn State he achieved NCAA Second Team All-American and All-Big Ten honors. While at Arkansas he contributed to multiple team SEC Championships (2022, 2023) and placed fourth in the SEC decathlon.
You enroll for a fall or spring semester block rather than an open-ended monthly membership. Your program is built around that semester's calendar, including a plan for breaks. Student pricing is covered at your free consultation — book one and we'll walk you through it.
Students from Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne and Chatham make up most of our student clients, but any enrolled college or graduate student in Pittsburgh is welcome. Our East Liberty facility is a short drive or bus ride from Oakland, Shadyside and Squirrel Hill.
Yes — that's the ideal time to start. Beginners learn the movements correctly from day one instead of unlearning bad habits later. You'll never be handed a sheet and left alone; a coach is with you for every session.
Absolutely. Med, law, PhD and MBA students, residents and early-career professionals are a core part of this program. The Grad Student & Young Professional track is built for long, sitting-heavy days and limited time — efficient sessions that protect your body and your focus.
After you submit this form we will be in contact within 24 hrs to set up an appointment to come into our East Liberty location for a physical assessment.
Location:
5877 Commerce St #120, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412-339-9940Serving the Greater Pittsburgh Region: Proudly providing personal training and sports performance coaching to residents of East Liberty, Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Fox Chapel, O'Hara Township, Aspinwall, The Strip District, Highland Park, Point Breeze, Lawrenceville, and Sewickley. South Hills & Sports Performance Hub: Serving athletes and families in Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Peters Township, Bethel Park, Jefferson Hills, Dormont, Castle Shannon, and Canon-McMillan.