You're not a number
We get to know your goals, your experience, and what makes training difficult for you.
Family-owned personal training · East Lyme, CT
REAL COACHING.
REAL STRENGTH.
REAL RESULTS.
You don’t need another crowded gym. You need a program built around you, coaches who know your name, and a place where you can feel confident getting stronger.
David & Aidan McIlhenney · Private coaching studio · 323 Flanders Road, East Lyme
A message from our family to yours
Get to know the people behind your training.
Hi, I’m David McIlhenney. After more than 35 years of personal training, one thing hasn’t changed: people deserve coaching that’s built around them.
Today, my son Aidan and I work together at our private East Lyme studio. We help adults get stronger, improve their fitness, and make practical changes to their nutrition—without the impersonal experience of a big chain gym.
We look forward to meeting you, hearing your goals, and helping you find a realistic way forward.
See where you will train
Not another crowded gym. Your own place to get stronger.
Our East Lyme studio gives you serious strength-training equipment without the chaos of a big fitness chain. No fighting for equipment. No getting lost in a crowd. Just focused training and people who know your name.
COME SEE THE STUDIOA different kind of gym
Not a chain. Not a crowd. Your coaches.
Training built around you
Strength, conditioning, and modifications that fit your abilities—not a one-size-fits-all template.
Coaching that lasts
We focus on progress you can maintain: stronger muscles, better habits, and confidence in everyday life.
Meet your coaches
Family-owned. Personally invested.
David McIlhenney founded the studio after decades of hands-on coaching. With more than 35 years of personal training experience, he helps clients build strength and lasting fitness habits through individualized programs.
Aidan McIlhenney trains clients directly and helps run day-to-day studio operations. Together, they provide the attention and accountability that can be hard to find in a large commercial gym.
COME MEET US →Explore more at East Fit Coaching
Discover our Red Light Therapy.
Beyond personal training and nutrition coaching, our private East Lyme studio offers red light therapy sessions as a separate wellness experience.
Curious about our red light equipment? We’ll explain what a session involves, discuss whether it suits your goals, and help you decide whether you’d like to try it.
IN-STUDIO WELLNESS EXPERIENCERED LIGHT
THERAPY323 FLANDERS ROAD · EAST LYME, CT
THERAPY323 FLANDERS ROAD · EAST LYME, CT
Individualized instruction
We don’t just hand you a workout. We coach every step.
Every client has different goals, experience and physical abilities. We meet you where you are, teach sound movement, make modifications when needed, and progressively adjust the training as you improve.
Real instruction, practical nutrition guidance and consistent accountability—not a one-size-fits-all routine.
START WITH A FREE CONSULTATION
How we help
Coaching for real life
Personal Training
One-on-one strength and conditioning programs that meet you where you are and help you progress.
Fitness After 40
Build muscle, improve fitness, and feel more capable without chasing quick fixes or punishing workouts.
Nutrition Coaching
Practical support with protein, portions, food choices, and sustainable habits—without fad-diet nonsense.
Individual experiences vary. Photographs document one person’s training journey.
Strength built over time
Real progress is built, not promised.
Progress takes consistency, intelligent programming and effort. At East Fit Coaching, we celebrate stronger muscles, better movement, confidence and the ability to do more—not just numbers on a scale.
HEAR OUR CLIENT STORIESStrong at every stage
You don’t have to be fit before you walk through our doors.
We help people starting over, returning to strength training, working around physical limitations, or pursuing new performance goals. The right program fits your current abilities—not somebody else’s.
We also coach experienced lifters who want thoughtful progression and a more personal training environment.
FIND YOUR STARTING POINT
Seasonal gift experiences
Give the Gift of Strength.
Give someone personal attention, coaching, and a welcoming place to get stronger. Our beautifully presented holiday gift experiences combine personal training, in-studio red light therapy, and a personalized program. Packages include a copy of Own Your Vacation, a heart-rate monitor, and gift-ready presentation.
2-week experience
Get started with confidence
Four personal training sessions, two red light therapy sessions, and a two-week personalized program with app access.
4-week experience
Build a stronger routine
Eight personal training sessions, four red light therapy sessions, personalized programming, app access, and four weeks of key-fob studio access.
Contact David or Aidan to discuss availability, gift presentation, and package details. Pricing is provided directly when you inquire.
More than a gym
A community where you are known by name.
At East Fit Coaching, a smaller studio means personal relationships, real attention and the confidence to train at your own pace. You will be coached, supported and welcomed—not treated like a membership number.
HEAR FROM OUR CLIENTSReal people · Real coaching
See what strength looks like here.
Client stories, training photos, and results from inside East Fit.
In David’s own words
My Training Philosophy
Watch the videos behind the way we coach.
Client success stories
Real people. Real progress.
There is no better way to understand what training at East Fit Coaching feels like than hearing directly from the people who have experienced it.
Client testimonial · Over two years of training
I have been working out with David and Aidan for over two years. They are both great coaches and are very knowledgeable, not only regarding weight lifting, but also about nutrition and overall health. I deal with ongoing orthopedic issues. They always listen and help me work around these by suggesting alternate exercises. My workouts at the studio have enabled me to get stronger at a pace that I am comfortable with. I also appreciate David and Aidan's willingness to work around my busy schedule.
Client testimonial 1
Hear directly from a member of our East Fit Coaching community.
WATCH ON VIDEOASKClient testimonial 2
Hear directly from a member of our East Fit Coaching community.
WATCH ON VIDEOASKStronger over time
Progressive training built around current ability.
Confidence in movement
Coaching and exercise adjustments for individual needs.
Consistency that lasts
A realistic plan you can fit into your life.
Inside East Fit
A look around our private studio
WATCH · TRAINING TIP
Training to Failure: Technique Comes First
Watch David demonstrate a pulling exercise and explain why good technique and recognizing the end of a set matter.
TRAIN WITH USFree advice from our studio
The Stronger Living Journal
Short, useful guidance from David and Aidan—no gimmicks, just habits that work.
STRENGTH
How often should you strength train after 40?
Start with a manageable schedule and gradually build your workload. Two or three well-planned sessions per week can be a strong foundation.
NUTRITION
Protein: the overlooked part of your meal plan
Include a protein source at meals to support muscle maintenance and recovery, especially while trying to lose fat.
CONSISTENCY
Stop starting over every Monday
Choose a realistic training schedule and repeat it. The plan you can follow consistently beats the perfect plan you abandon.
Your first step
Let's talk about your goals.
Meet the team, tell us what you're working toward, and find out whether our studio is the right fit.
Choose from current appointment openings in Eastern Time. Consultations are free, with David or Aidan.