Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you offer online personal training?

A. Yes! Following the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, we saw a significant increase in the number of our clients who wanted to participate virtually, via online personal training. At the time, online training proved safer, more convenient, and even more affordable. So, even as we’ve left the pandemic behind (thank goodness), we’ve opted to continue offering online training for those that still prefer the convenience/savings. As long as you have a phone, tablet, or computer, and at least a few pieces of exercise equipment, our caring and knowledgeable Certified Personal Trainers will be able to guide you through an effective workout no matter where in the world you might be!

Q. Do you offer any sort of nutritional guidance?

A. Yes! Each of our Certified Personal Trainers are happy to provide general conversational feedback and suggestions about your diet, on a regular basis, at no extra charge.

Q. Where are you located?

A. We work with most of of our personal training clients at Common Ground Community Center (1701 Veteran’s Dr. Elkhorn, NE 68022). Online training, however, is another option, as is in-home training (if you live in the general West Omaha area). So please feel free to upgrade to one of our in-home training packages (these are simply priced a bit higher to cover the cost of your trainer’s additional travel time and fuel), try online training, or just meet us at Common Ground - whichever works best for you!

Q. Do I need to buy a membership if I want to workout at your gym?

A. No. The City of Omaha actually owns Common Ground and we simply provide personal training services there, with no direct tie to membership sales. We often recommend our clients purchase a membership, but you certainly don’t have to. Having a membership allows you to come in and workout on your own time. However, if you’re only coming to Common Ground for our scheduled appointments (and wouldn’t otherwise use a membership), we’ll pay to get you in.

Q. If I choose to train at home, do I need my own exercise equipment?

A. No, but it would be nice! Our Certified Personal Trainers are equipped with a variety of portable training gear such as adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands, medicine balls, balancing discs, suspension trainers, etc. That being said, having your own equipment will offer you more variety during your training sessions - and allow you to exercise in between appointments with your trainer!

Q. If I choose to train online, do I need my own exercise equipment?

A. Yes. Online personal training offers several benefits (e.g. convenience, affordability, social distancing, etc.) but since we won’t be joining you in person, you will need to have at least a few pieces of equipment at your disposal. If you don’t yet have any, or would like to purchase more but are uncertain as to what to buy, our Certified Personal Trainers will be glad to provide suggestions and feedback to help you find quality items that will be of the most benefit to you.

Q. Is this really “personal” training, or just a one-size-fits-all program?

A. Yes, this really is PERSONAL training! We typically start by assessing your weight, circumference and body-fat measurements, strength, flexibility, cardio conditioning, etc. We recommend these assessments, but do not require them. From there, we develop a corrective exercise program specifically tailored to YOUR needs. Using this as your starting point, we continuously monitor your progress and modify your program according to your abilities and goals. So while there is definitely a system in place, no two clients’ routines will ever be exactly alike.

Q. How does your “Buddy Training” work?

A. Buddy Training is a popular upgrade. It allows your spouse, significant other, best friend (or whoever) to join you during your workout for just $5 more! If you and your spouse are considering working with a trainer, this frees up more of your shared time and money, than if you were to train at separate times. And if you’re training with a friend, you can split the bill 50/50 between the two of you and each save nearly 50%!

Q. How often will you check my progress?

A. That’s actually up to you! We typically suggest seasonal progress assessments, but some folks might prefer more frequent assessments (maybe every 4-6 weeks). That being said, we’ve had a few who insist on NEVER weighing in at all (no matter how many pants sizes they’ve dropped)!

Q. Do you offer any payment or financing options?

A. We offer a variety of training packages, designed to fit a wide variety of goals, budgets, and preferences. We accept cash, checks, or credit cards (via Stripe or PayPal secure checkout, here on our site). And we do typically require payment in-full, up-front. That being said, we’ve never wanted financial concerns to prevent someone from working toward a healthier lifestyle. So if you’d like to get started with 10 or 25 sessions (but don’t have enough on-hand to cover the full cost), we could potentially arrange a 1/2-down now scenario, where we’d simply ask that the other half be paid in-full BEFORE you reach the halfway point of your package. This is NOT something we do on a regular basis, so if you need to, please contact us directly to confirm the details.

Q. How fast can I expect to reach my goal?

A. That depends on several factors, the most significant of which is your daily diet. Approximately 70% of the progress you see on the scale usually depends on your nutrition. As the saying goes, “You can’t out-train a bad diet.” Strength training and cardio-respiratory exercise can go a long way toward achieving a strong, healthy body…but weight loss (or gain) is more closely tied to what you put in your mouth, than to how many push-ups and sit-ups you can do.

Q. Will my trainer be able to help me with my diet?

A. ALMOST certainly! We’ve been doing this a long time, and we’ve earned Fitness Nutrition Specialist, Weight Loss Specialist, and even Behavior Change Specialist certifications that have equipped us with significant knowledge of proper nutrition strategies to help you reach your goal - BUT in many states (including Nebraska) it is illegal for anyone other than a Registered Dietitian to prescribe a SPECIFIC meal plan. Consequently, while we won’t be writing you an ounce-by-ounce specific plan, we’ll happily provide you with pre-written materials regarding basic proper nutrition.

You can expect us to ask you about your recent food choices, and provide conversational feedback regarding your good and bad choices - and suggestions about ways you could improve. We also re-share our favorite recipes from MyFitnessPal (and other sites) in our monthly newsletter, to provide you with new ideas for delicious and healthy recipes. The bottom line is that we’ll definitely guide you - but we’ll be counting on you to make good choices!

Q. Why should I choose Kennedy Fitness? What makes you different?

A. My wife and I started Kennedy Fitness because we felt we could provide a level of personal service to our clients that most folks don’t get at other, larger gyms. Because we’re a locally owned, small business, your satisfaction really does mean EVERYTHING to us. We shop at the same Costco, Hy-Vee, Target, and Walmart that you probably do. Like most of our clients, we enjoy eating at Pitch and then catching a movie at Marcus Village Pointe. We often attend church at St. Pat’s or St. John’s, and our boys attend Elkhorn Public Schools. We aren’t just your trainers. We’re your NEIGHBORS! Your results matter to us because you’re not just a number in our membership database - we know you by name!

We’re small enough to be able to treat you like family, yet (thanks to Common Ground) we can provide you with a facility far bigger than most other independent trainers have access to. Having launched Kennedy Fitness in 2007 (and having been training in Omaha since 2004), we’ve benefited from years of practical experience, training thousands of appointments with hundreds of happy clients… and NOTHING would make us happier than for you to be our next!