Our members are tougher than competitive athletes.
Anyone can train 20-somethings who have hours of free time, flexible joints, rapid recovery times, and few obligations.
But to be a personal trainer for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s requires a special skill set, vast experience, an appropriate mindset, and an extensive tool kit. Our clients are high-achievers with full lives, packed schedules, limited energy reserves, and a tight range of motion.
Busy parents who readily bend over backward for their families, but can’t touch their toes.
Business owners with too much on their plates, literally and figuratively.
Super-moms who are constantly drained by kryptonite (and the occasional hot flash).
Powerbroker execs who hate how they look in their power suits.
Healthcare workers who’ve sacrificed their own health for others’.
Corporate warriors with brutal workloads and bad backs.
High-mileage rat racers running on fumes.
If you are one or more of the above (and most of us are), you deserve a body and brain that can keep up with the pace of your life—and for years and years (and years) to come.
And that’s why we’re here.
ABOUT US
At MidStrong, we believe functional fitness training is the key of a long, vigorous life full of rich experiences. Because when you feel strong, healthy, balanced, and grounded, it pours over into your personal and professional life. It makes every aspect of our lives better.
We aren’t your typical gym, yo-yo fad diet, or social media fitness trend. We’re here to make it easy for you to put food, fitness, and function first. And, to us, that means creating a no-judgment, no-nonsense fitness and nutrition approach designed to help you get stronger, look leaner, feel better, and do more than you (and your younger counterparts) ever thought possible.
Ready to kickstart the best years of your life?
So are we.
“When you get to be our age, sayings like “new year, new you” are almost offensive. We like who we are. We don’t want to reinvent our lives. We just know how much more we want to do—and we don’t want anything to hold us back.”
Meet the Team
About Paul Reilly Owner
CSCS
About Paul
An athlete all his life, Paul is fascinated with optimizing how the body and mind work. He’s a true believer who geeks out on the science of exercise and longevity.
Paul got his start in fitness when he was a cadet at West Point (USMA ‘89) on the Strength and Powerlifting Teams.
He earned the coveted qualification of a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association.
His Zone of Genius is coaching midlifers to build strength, balance, and function simply, safely, and sustainably.
When he’s not coaching or training you’ll find him climbing a mountain somewhere or enjoying some of his homebrewed IPA’s at a lake in the mountains.
Meet Julie Reilly NASM CPT, PNLV1
About Julie
As our members will tell you, Coach Julie is the brains and beauty behind MidStrong!
Like Paul, she’s been an athlete and avid fitness enthusiast her whole life.
Julie earned her training certification through the National Academy of Sport Medicine and added to that with a specific Nutrition Coaching certification through Precision Nutrition.
Her passion is helping women navigate the rocky waters of menopause, both peri and post.
She’s a phenomenal cook who’s at her best when in the kitchen lovingly preparing a meal for family and friends.
Meet Coach Sam NASM, CPT
About Sam
Sam Kowaleski is a fitness professional with over 10 years of experience helping clients build strength, improve performance, and feel more confident in their bodies. He holds certifications in Corrective Exercise and Performance Enhancement and takes an individualized approach to training, focusing on proper movement, strength development, and long-term progress. Sam believes fitness should be challenging, purposeful, and enjoyable, whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your performance to the next level. Sam hold several specialized certification: MMA Conditioning Specialist, Corrective Exercise Specialist, Performance Enhancement Specialist, and is a Advanced Therapeutic Stretching Specialist.
Outside of the gym
Sam enjoys spending time with his girlfriend Celia and their dog, Roxie, and is an avid disc golf player.
Meet Coach Madison MS, CSCS
Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist
About Maddie
Maddie brings high energy, clear purpose, and elite athletic experience to every session. As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with a Master’s in Applied Exercise Science and Human Performance from Plymouth State University, she combines evidence-based training methods with a passion for helping members unlock their full potential and achieve peak performance.
Having played collegiate rugby at Plymouth State, Maddie understands firsthand what it takes to train with resilience, intention, and discipline. She translates high-performance athletic training into approachable, results-driven coaching that empowers everyone—whether you are training for a specific sport or striving to become your best self through fitness.
Outside the Gym
When she’s not on the training floor, you’ll find Maddie running, competing in Hyrox events, or cheering on rugby matches.
Meet Coach Angelina NASM, CPT
About Angelina
Angelina is a NASM-certified personal trainer with extensive experience coaching small-group strength training and is dedicated to building strong, lasting relationships with her clients. Alongside her fitness work, Angelina works full-time in social work, guiding individuals facing mental health challenges as they develop vital life skills. She is eager to bring that same supportive, community-based approach to Midstrong, helping clients achieve their physical and mental goals.
Fitness has been a cornerstone of Angelina’s life since childhood. A lifelong athlete, she has spent the last decade dedicated to weightlifting, strength training, and bodybuilding. For Angelina, moving her body is just as vital for mental well-being as it is for physical strength. Driven by a passion for health and community impact, she is deeply grateful for the opportunity to transform lives both in the fitness industry and as part of the Midstrong team.
Outside of the Gym
You will find her playing with her dog and strength training at the gym.
Meet Max, M.Ed., NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
Max helps busy adults build strength, energy, and habits that hold up in real life. His own turnaround started at 35, when he stopped relying on good intentions and started building daily standards, ultimately losing more than 80 pounds.
That experience shapes how Max coaches today, combining practical nutrition, movement, mindset, and accountability to help people create sustainable change.
Max believes the hardest challenge we face is the battle of the "six inches between our ears". Building a stronger body matters, but so does building the resilience to keep showing up when life gets hard. Outside of coaching, Max is a husband, dad, hockey player, higher education professional, and children's book author.
Outside of the Gym
You will find Max coaching, spending time with his family, and playing hockey.
At MidStrong, a coach isn't just an instructor—they are your personal strategist, educator, and champion. MidStrong coaches focus on helping midlife adults build lasting strength, improve mobility, and optimize overall vitality. By combining personalized movement programming, evidence-based nutrition guidance, and practical lifestyle habits, your coach works side-by-side with you to ensure you train safely, stay consistent, and feel strong for life's adventures.
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The MidStrong Manifesto
We believe that
The best years of our lives can happen at any age. Why not now?
We are stronger than our excuses. Always.
Maximal healthspan opens more doors than money, success, and fame ever could.
The right choices can help us live long, happy lives, doing a bunch of cool and adventurous sh*t right up to the day we die.
Judgment steals joy, health, and happiness. Everyone deserves a chance to feel this good—and we all start from a hard place.
