Helping Improve the Lives of Others

“I want to make people’s lives better and more active….give them a better quality of life…succeed in whatever goals they may have,” said James Lanza, owner of Lanza Fitness Personal Training in Northridge, California.

An obese child himself, James understands the impact exercise can have on one’s life. He has been working out since Junior High School when his uncle took him to a local gym in Paterson, New Jersey, where he grew up. “The weightlifters took me under their belt,” said James, and he was hooked.

Since becoming a personal trainer 18 years ago, James has been doing all he can to improve the lives of his clients.  He and his staff of 17 trainers are devoted to the health and well-being of more than 150 clients. 

Lanza Fitness Personal Training is a full-service personal training facility featuring all the amenities, including showers and locker rooms. Clients purchase personal training packages and receive their membership for free.  As James explains it, “You work with the trainer for one hour a week and then you can come in on your own the rest of the week to work out.”

In addition, he offers a Senior Plan for members over 65. He charges them $50 a month, equal to one-half hour training session. They can then use the gym on their own the remainder of the month.

James holds certifications from the International Sports Sciences Association and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. He is also certified in CPR, artificial exterior defibrillation and first aid.

Soon after receiving his ISSA accreditation in 2002, James volunteered his services. “I was so impressed with the organization that I sought them out, asking what I could do,” he said. “Before I opened the club I facilitated ISSA’s weekend training seminars, which attract from 15 to 60 personal trainers. Now, I only have time to do it once a year or every other year.”

Hard to believe personal training was not James’ first career. This Jersey boy had a successful 20-year career as an actor, appearing in television soap operas, commercials, theatre and film in New York and San Francisco.

“As I got older, fewer parts were being offered. I wasn’t planning on waiting tables like so many other people I knew when I became 50,” commented James.

There is no chance of that ever happening now. Lanza Fitness has grown exponentially since he opened it in 2001 with two clients. These days, James can be found working out and kibitzing with clients. He is not just their personal trainer; he is their friend.  He extends his good will out to the community giving to many charitable causes and is supportive of other area business through his membership in the North Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce. In addition, James offers fitness advice to the community at large through a monthly column he writes for the NorthValley Community News.