FAQs

What exactly is Spectrum Fitness Consulting? Is it a gym, or a training studio?

Spectrum Fitness Consulting is located in a training studio, roughly 1000 sq feet. We have an open concept design, to allow us to work with a few one-to-one clients at a time, as well as small groups. Most of our services are rendered on site in our studio or assessment room, however we will do off site services, such as seminars and workshops.

Do you have memberships that allow people to train at your facility on there own?

No. Clients always work with a trainer in the studio

What types of clients do you work with?

We work with clients of all ages, from children as young as 11 to adults in their 80’s. We work with those of all activity levels, medical conditions, ability levels, and goals. From the obese, to elite athletes, we have worked with the full Spectrum of clients

Can I see you for physical therapy?

Yes! Both Dr. Stare and Rob Herron are fellowship trained physical therapists and provide physical therapy reimbursed by most insurances at our affiliated business partner, Orthopaedics Plus, located adjacent to Spectrum Fitness Consulting’s training studio. Sometimes people are not clear as to whether they should be seen in physical therapy, or Spectrum Fitness Consulting. See the response to the question below.

What is the difference between going to Spectrum Fitness Consulting vs a Physical Therapy clinic?

Spectrum Fitness Consulting provides services geared towards addressing a variety of health and fitness goals through proper fitness program design, exercise instruction, and nutritional guidance. Physical therapy is designed to utilize skilled assessment and therapeutic techniques, including exercise, to restore function due to an injury, trauma, or condition. Although the scope of training at Spectrum Fitness Consulting and treatment in PT can overlap due to the unique background of the trainers at Spectrum Fitness Consulting, the true distinction is imposed by insurance designations. Insurance reimburses for care provided by physical therapists when: there is a physician referral, there is a diagnosis that is deemed appropriate for coverage, and is related to an impairment or functional limitation resolution in the short term. It will not cover fitness, maintenance, fat loss, prevention, nutrition, and chronic conditions. The distinction is often difficult for patients to make. We recommend that you schedule a consultation with Rob or Mike at Spectrum Fitness Consulting so we can best assist you in determining which is the best option for your unique situation.

Do you work with people who are in pain, or is it better to go to PT?

Yes, we are able to help many clients who are in pain. Whether we address their pain at Spectrum Fitness Consulting, or refer to physical therapy often depends on the cause and nature of the pain. If the pain is related to poor exercise technique or program design (i.e. over use, poor exercise selection, etc), a consequence of insufficient strength or movement efficiency, then working with the experts at Spectrum Fitness Consulting is usually best. However, if the cause of the pain is related to a trauma, surgery, or an impairment that requires manual therapy or specific manual therapy assessment, than a referral to physical therapy at Orthopaedics Plus is best. In many cases, clients are treated concurrently at Spectrum Fitness Consulting and Orthopaedics Plus. We are able to determine which option is best during your initial consultation at Spectrum Fitness Consulting.

Does insurance pay for Spectrum Fitness Consulting?

No. However, most health insurance plans offer an annual stipend that can be used towards fitness and nutrition services at Spectrum Fitness Consulting. Also, our services often qualify for inclusion in flexible spending account plans.

What kind of Speaking engagements is Dr. Stare available for?

Dr. Stare is available for a variety of engaging and entertaining speaking engagements. Schools, corporations, networking groups, philanthropic organizations, social clubs, municipalities, professional organizations, and athletic leagues have been some of the venues where Dr. Stare has presented in the past. For more information and a sample of topics Dr. Stare has presented, please see our speaking engagement page here.

How can we schedule you for speaking engagements?

Please call Dr. Stare at 978-927-2065, or send an email to mike@spectrumfit.net.

Do you work with sport teams?

Absolutely. We are available to train athletes in our studio, provide seminars and workshops for teams, parents, and coaches, as well as consult with coaches on proper training strategies. Our Young Guns Seminar is our most popular team workshop for you baseball players, for more information, click here. Please go here for more information about our Athlete Development Program

My child needs to eat better and exercise more – do you offer anything for that?

Yes. We often provide nutrition seminars, and all of our training programs address nutrition. For kids younger than 12, parents tend to have the biggest influence on nutritional habits. Accordingly, we find working with the parents tends to be the best strategy. For older children, working with our Athlete Development Program, or any of our one-to-one training options are the best options.

How old does my child need to be to train with Spectrum Fitness Consulting?

The youngest client we have ever worked with is 8. When working with young children, we insist on working with their parents as well as young children need the support of their parents. In most cases, 12 years old is the youngest client we work with. They do extremely well in our small group Athlete Development Program at this age and beyond.

Do you work with elderly clients?

Absolutely. We have worked with many clients in their mid 80’s, and they often have the most drastic improvements of all of the clients we work with.

Do you offer training packages, or pay per hour?

We offer both options, however most elect to purchase training packages.

What should I expect to do during my workouts?

Your experience at Spectrum Fitness Consulting is individualized, so sessions can greatly vary from one person to the next. Most sessions begin with a dynamic warm-up, during which time you communicate with your trainer regarding your status, which determines the design of the workout. Often the warm-up is followed by corrective exercise, resistance training, energy system training, and then sometimes more corrective exercise. Sessions may also involve performing re-assessments and nutritional education, food log analysis, and meal planning.

I think I would like to start training with Spectrum Fitness Consulting, how do I get started?

The first step is to come in for an initial consultation. Simply give us a call at 978-927-2065, or go here, and we will ask you a few questions to see if you are a good fit for our complimentary initial consultation and schedule you. The initial consultation is a one hour meeting where we learn about your goals, motivation, needs, and medical history. It is also a chance for you to learn about us and our services to see if we are a good fit and decide whether you would like to work with us. At times we proceed to begin performing various tests and measures, depending on the flow of the meeting. The initial consultation is a vital component of an optimal program design, as we learn a great deal about what approach will work best for you. In many cases, the solution to common problems that people have struggled with in the past are solved simply because we asked the right questions and listen to your needs.

Do you just do exercise?

No, we also assess and teach, as well as provide nutritional analysis, education, and meal planning. This is a huge value of our service, and is why we are able to provide amazing results.

I’ve never exercised, and I have some joint problems. How to I know if this will work for me?

There is no group of people or condition that do not respond favorably to exercise. This includes those who are sedentary or have joint problems. The proper solution lies in assessment and properly exercising. We have a great deal of experience and success working with these populations, both in the physical therapy clinic and in our studio.

What nutrition plans do you offer?

Our nutritional services are part of our one-to-one training packages. We focus on analyzing your current nutrition, educate you on the proper nutrition plan for your needs, design detailed meal plans, and provide accountability and tracking tools to assure success. When you elect to train with us, you can use as much or as little of your sessions addressing your nutrition issues. Some clients have used their sessions to focus entirely on nutrition if that is there primary need. Recently, we have added The Body Balance Challenge as a combination group and one-to-one program to primarily focus on nutrition. Lean more about this option here.

How much does this cost?

We have a wide range of services to accommodate various needs and budgets, from fitness seminars that cost as low as $15, to large one-to-one training packages. Most training options range from $300-$900 per month. However, some clients work with us very infrequently, while others train with us 3 times a week. The best way to determine which investment is right for you is to discuss your goals and evaluated your need during an initial consultation.

I’m not sure I can afford this, but this sounds perfect for me. What should I do?

The best thing I tell prospective clients is to ask themselves what is the value they place on their health. What are the risks of failing to improve their health, versus the benefits of optimizing their health. Evaluate the value of or service we can provide based on what our clients have said about there investment with Spectrum Fitness Consulting (click here to read some of our success stories). Few will argue that investing in their health is the best investment they can make.

Why is there such a difference in education between the trainers at Spectrum Fitness Consulting and those at my gym – does it really make a difference?

The leaders in the fitness world realize that fostering health improvements in clients requires a vast amount of knowledge and skill, and accordingly pursue extensive education and experiences. Having extensive experience in the fitness industry, it is easy to see the disparity of positive results clients can expect in response to training from a skilled professional versus one with limited qualifications. In addition, it is obvious that optimal results are only possible with a comprehensive approach that includes proper exercise, nutrition, and injury prevention. This comprehensive approach practiced by Spectrum Fitness Consulting is rarely available in gyms or private studios.

Do I have to train exclusively at your studio in order to work with Spectrum Fitness Consulting?

No. About 50% of our clients train outside of our studio in addition to their sessions at Spectrum Fitness Consulting. This helps us address the needs of clients who simply need program design and brief instruction, those who live far away, or those who have worked with us extensively in the past who simply need follow-up training.

Should I give up my gym membership if I train with Spectrum Fitness Consulting?

It depends on your needs. For some, the process of getting to the gym is a constant obstacle, and they would be more consistent with their plan if it could be performed in their home. In this case, getting rid of a gym membership is a good idea. Others need to be away from the distractions of being at home, and need to be at the gym to get a good workout. We show clients how to get amazing results, whether they go to a gym or not.

I would like to train at Spectrum Fitness Consulting, but I live far away. Do you have anything that would work for me?

We have worked with clients as far away as New Hampshire and Maine. Those traveling a distance to see us often make 2 hour appointments to get the most out of their trip. Because we provide more than just great workouts, such as assessments, program design, and education, we can help many people get amazing results without seeing them frequently.

What are your hours?

We see clients from 7am-8pm Mon-Thurs, 7am-7pm on Fridays, and 8am-3pm on Saturdays