Articles

Environment Conducive to Work-outs, One-on-One WINSLOW MASON JR. Bucks County Courier Times
Good Health and Great Spirit by Melissa Yerkov
Pondeli's Lift for Life in Bensalem: Changing the Rules, Improving Lives By Howard Riell
Joining Their Lives From a Position of Strength
Press Release

Environment Conducive to Workouts, One-on-One

Pondeli Hajioannou calls himself the "Personal" personal trainer.

February 6, 2007 By WINSLOW MASON JR. Bucks County Courier Times

Pondeli Hajioannou prides himself on embodying the opposite of what many people think about personal trainers. The 44-year-old Bensalem resident owns Pondeli's Lift for Life Inc. One-on-One Personal Training Center on Bristol Pike in Bensalem. He offers one-to-one-personal training -- and he means it. When you have a session with him, it's just the two of you in the personal training center. There are no salespeople or loud music. There's no one hogging the equipment or talking on a cell phone. The most crowded his personal training center ever gets is four people. And that's only when his wife, Marian, is doing a one-on-one personal training session for one of her clients. Hajioannou said he opened his personal training center in 2000 because he found a market for people who wanted a one-to-one experience with a trainer -- without the crowds and hassles at other gyms. He said he doesn't require contracts. "I'm not like your typical business owner. I'm really in this to help people," he said, pointing to his "break-even" business philosophy as proof. Hajioannou said he considers his personal training center a second chance at life. When he was 35, he said, doctors discovered a cyst on his head that caused him dizzy spells, memory lapses and headaches. He said doctors didn't offer him much hope for a normal life, but he was determined to beat the odds. He considers himself one of a kind, but he's not unique in the personal training industry. "The personal fitness industry is growing rapidly," said Lisa Shapiro. She's a member of the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Since 1983, the trade group has certified more than 200,000 personal trainers in 73 countries around the world, according to the association Web site. "More people are seeing the health benefits of working out," Shapiro said. When a high school wrestling injury ended his dreams of a wrestling career, Hajioannou said he turned to personal training. His said he worked as a trainer in the area and met many people who wanted something “I wanted to create an environment where people could relax, be themselves and not be embarrassed about being overweight,” he said.

Hajioannou charges $65 for a one-hour session. And has packages that reduce the price.
Because he handles each client personally, he said his roster is small — about 30 clients. If money were his motivation, he said he’d pack his gym with other personal trainers and clients.
His basement-style personal training center has no windows. Sessions are by appointment only. A security door keeps strangers out.
He said many of his clients like being out of the public eye while they train, including members of the gay and lesbian communities and prominent businessmen and businesswomen and their families.

Because of the exclusivity, he said, he’s attracted an unusual following of clients — including actors, models, exotic dancers.
Many of his clients call him the area’s best-kept secret.
“You’re here by yourself. It’s one-on-one training. No windows, no distractions,” said Nick DiBello, a Northeast Philadelphia resident and owner of NU-LOOK car wash, who’s been a client for three years. “Because it’s just me and Pondeli, I’m able to focus more and get better results.”
Denise Cohen, 42, a nightclub owner who lives in Northeast Philadelphia, said the personal training experience guarantees she makes it to the gym.
“Having scheduled appointments reduced the chance of deciding to skip a workout. Most of all, though, I feel comfortable with Pondeli,” she said.
New client Hillary Raskin said she likes the results of a focused, one-on-one workout.
“I’ve only been coming for a couple of weeks and I can already see the difference. Because I’m overweight, I used to feel self-conscious about doing exercises at the gym. But I can be myself here,” she said.
Hajioannou’s wife, Marian — Miss Philippines 1999 bodybuilding — said it’s never too late to develop a fit lifestyle.
“Most of my clients are 50 and above,” she said. “But if they want to get healthy, we can get them healthy there.”
Hajioannou said he realizes his business can only get as big as the number of clients he’s able to handle. And that’s the way he likes it.
“I love what I do,” he said. “That is the definition of business success.”

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Good Health and Great Spirit

ARTICLE & PHOTO BY MELISSA YERKOV Trend Editor The Trend October 12, 2005 Owner Pondeli Hajioannou poses with his son Jacobo in front of numerous testimonials and photos with such colleagues as bodybuilder Frank Zane and the late Dr. Jim Corea.

Ah, the gym. For some, a place of excitement and energy, and yet for others, a nightmare. It probably depends on the individual. You're either the person attracting the envy of other fitness buffs as you lift 100 pounds or you're the person feeling that envy because you're struggling with 20. And then, of course, there are the potatoes - like me - who lack the discipline to peel themselves from the couch if it means giving up a relaxing night of watching TV to sweat for an hour at the gym. But not everyone is like that. Many people thoroughly enjoy the gym, an exercise outlet that provides them with a sense of self-appreciation

and healthy living. But true physical fitness, when it is done properly, can be difficult. It takes immense strength, endurance and discipline - and Bensalem resident Pondeli Hajioannou has plenty of it.

To call this man a "fitness buff" would be a massive understatement. Not only does he operate his own personal training facility in Bensalem, but he got married there. He even had his child christened there. A wedding and christening in a gym? Needless to say, dedication and passion aren't just words for this energetic man - they are a lifestyle.

Hajioannou has been an active fellow for as long as he can remember. In high school he took part in football, wrestling and track, but a torn chest muscle cut short his athletic career.

Devastated by that unfortunate development, Hajioannou eventually realized there was another way to maintain his love of athletics. He decided to pursue training.

At the time, the profession of personal trainer really did not exist. For anyone interested in the field as a career, there were basically two choices - either become a gym teacher or an athletic trainer.

Because of a desire to work with individuals, Hajioannou was certain that being a gym teacher wasn't his calling, but being an athletic trainer - and dealing mostly with injuries - wasn't all that appealing either.

Basically, Hajioannou had an interest in helping people get in shape and feel good about themselves.

There was no formal training, college courses or certifications offered to help prepare someone to enter the profession of personal training. Yet Hajioannou wasn't discouraged by that.

Instead, he began traveling. In 1981, he accepted a position as assistant coach for William Tennet High School's girls winter track team. He then traveled to California to later train with distinguished bodybuilder Frank Zane, perhaps best known for his defeat of Arnold Schwarzenegger in a 1968 competition. Hajioannou also worked for the late Dr. Jim Corea, strength coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970s.

Hajioannou continued gaining valuable experience and in 1984 found himself working for a large health club on the Main Line. With more than 5,000 memberships, he recalled, it was no surprise that people often felt neglected or left behind in pursuit of their fitness goals. The health club itself was not bad, but that lack of personal attention for clients enlightened Hajioannou on a different way of achieving physical fitness.

He decided to start formatting a personal workout sheet for each client of the health club who was seeking extra assistance. He used the experience he'd gained to that point as a reference and created customized workouts for individual club members.

The response, he said, was remarkable. Not only did more and more clients want his help, but they also wanted personal training in their own homes. As word continued to spread, so did the employment opportunities for Hajioannou.

"When working with clients, I encourage them to leave their worries at the door... This is completely different from your traditional gym. When clients are working out, I want them to get in their zone and have a quality workout with no interruptions"

Inspired by a longtime goal of opening his own personal training center, Hajioannou continued working at various gyms and health clubs to gain even more knowledge and experience.

In 1997, however, a sense of reality struck as Hajioannou was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst in his head, leading
to major surgery. Although the operation was a success, Hajioannou was instructed to make some massive lifestyle adjustments. For beginners, he no longer was allowed to work out. That was an almost impossible thing for Hajioannou, who worked out twice a day, six days a week.

He felt at a crossroads. With that strong medical recommendation to shelve his workout regimen, but
outright rejecting the alternative of just sitting around and doing nothing, Hajioannou developed a new outlook on life. He knew it was time to make some changes.

After his surgery, Hajioannou gained a refreshed and clear perspective on his life goals. Working for a large-scale health club no longer was an option. He decided that the way clients were treated and the politics of corporate business were overwhelming. Hajioannou decided not to be part of it, and embarked on another career path, resurrecting that lifelong dream - in 2000, he opened Pondeli's Lift for Life Personal Training Center, a 4,000-square-foot gym at 2636 Bristol Pike in Bensalem.

"This is completely different from your traditional gym," Hajioannou said. "When clients are working out, I want them to get in their zone and have a quality workout with no interruptions."

With a locked door, no receptionist, no cell phones and no sales staff, an uninterrupted workout shouldn't be too difficult. Hajioannou has taken all these steps to ensure a quality and focused workout for his clientele.

When working with those clients, he explained, he encourages them to leave their worries at the door. The environment he has created strives to ensure a comfortable and intimate workout.

These clients are paying for a one-on-one training session, and as Hajioannou sees it, taking time away from that workout to talk to walk-ins or be distracted by other aspects of business is not an option.

All are welcome to the Pondeli's Lift for Life facility. Hajioannou works with clients of all ages, gender, professions and fitness levels. From professional athletes to models to housewives to high school athletes - all are welcome. The full gym has custom-made equipment, showers and changing rooms.

The entire facility is overseen by two trainers, Hajioannou and his wife Marian, an international bodybuilder and one-time Miss Philippines. Only two clients are admitted to the training center at a specific time to ensure constant, individual training.

"Once Marian joined the center,"said client Bill Stat, "I began training with her and soon found her concerned and caring way to be a huge asset in bolstering my confidence level."

Before the first workout even begins, new clients are given a full body fitness evaluation so that a quality and productive workout program can be specifically created for that individual. Blood pressure, heart rate, body fat, cardiovascular fitness and flexibility are just some of the factors that Hajioannou will evaluate. He also takes the time to discuss your medical history, sleeping and eating habits, physical and emotional backgrounds, and personal goals.

"The thing I like about Pondeli," said another client, Myrna Hunter, "is that he trains the whole person. Pondeli talks you through your program and explains the body movement and what muscle groups are affected. On days when I'm feeling stressed, he will talk with me before my workout and he encourages me. Pondeli is interested in the stresses of your life and tailors the workout to suit your lifestyle."

Pondeli's Lift for Life is open Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Saturday from 6 a.m. to noon. Private in-home sessions are available by request. For more information call 215-245-0802 or visit www.pondeli.com.

- Reprinted with permission from The Trend

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Pondeli's Lift for Life in Bensalem: Changing the Rules, Improving Lives

By Howard Riell

PHILADELPHIA NATIVE Pondeli Hajioannou wasn't content with what had traditionally passed for a health club experience - so he changed the rules of the game.

That game has been reinvented and honed to a fine point at Pondeli's Lift for Life Personal Training Center in Bensalem, where Pondeli regularly infuses his passion for training and teaching into each and every client.

Pondeli, 43, became fascinated by physical fitness while attending Brooke high school in Weirton, West Virginia, where he and his family lived briefly. After excelling in football, wrestling and track, his athletic career was cut short by torn muscles in his chest. "I was told to either quit the team or become its trainer,"he recalls. "I wasn't going to quit the team after all the work I'd done to make varsity in wrestling. So I became the trainer, and that's when I got to see what it was like to be behind the scenes in helping other people out. I was given a view of what coaches and training staff do, and how you can take somebody and mold him into whatever he wants to be."

Upon his family's return to Pennsylvania he lived in Southampton and attended William Tennet High School in Bucks County. Soon after he went to work for the family business, Anthony's Bakery at Broad and Olney. Pondeli's day-to-day life became a blur of activity. "I used to work 12-hour days for my dad, jog five miles, and go to high school every day, "he says. "In my junior year I collapsed in the hallways twice from over-exhaustion." His father was less than sympathetic. "My dad would tell me that I had it easy because I only worked 12 hours out of the 24; I was only working a half day."The pace was grueling, but Pondeli stuck it out for five years before arriving at the decision that he "just wouldn't do that anymore. It beat me into the ground. I decided I would try the fitness thing."

In 1981, he accepted a position as assistant coach for his high school's girls winter track team. "My sister Stamie was participating in track, and the coach asked if I could come help the team work out. Girls weren't lifting weights back then." Later, Pondeli lived and trained in California with renowned bodybuilder Frank Zane, a three-time Mr. Olympia and the man who defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1968. He also gained valuable experience working for Dr. Jim Corey, strength coach for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1970s and a longtime Philadelphia-area radio personality on WWDB 96.5 Talk Radio. "I was his head trainer. He had a gym in Cherry Hill, and worked with some top athletes." Pondeli went to work for a large health club in the Main Line in 1984. "It was 5,000-member facility," he recalls. "I found that they had two different kinds of workout sheets: a pink one for girls and a blue one for guys. The blue one would include certain Nautilus machines, and the pink one would have those plus two extra Nautilus machines because there were two extra exercises for women. "Beyond that, he says, the free weights and other equipment were being left unused. "If you had some kind of injury that you had to work around, it wasn't figured into this workout. Pink or blue -- that was it, and my job was setting up seat adjustments and looking good. "It didn't take long for Pondeli to realize he could do better for the health club's members. Armed with the experience he had gained, he recalls, "I would white out the entire workout, make a copy of it, and write out my own customized workouts for people. Back then, nobody even knew what a personal trainer was."

Customers responded, flooding him with requests to not only revamp their workouts but begin training them individually at their homes. Word spread, and other health clubs began calling to see if he would work with them. "It wasn't unusual for me to be working for two or three health clubs at the same time," he points out. "After all, I was used to working a lot."

Pondeli always aspired to opening his own personal training center. "By working with my dad and essentially running the place with him I had learned management, but I just wanted to help people work out. I wanted to help people go beyond, to where they needed to be."

In 1997, Pondeli learned he had an Arachnoid cyst in his head, which required major surgery. Though the operation was successful, he notes, "I went from being a guy who used to work out twice a day, six days a week - I was a fanatic about it -- to somebody who couldn't work out at all."

It was, he concedes, a "huge lifestyle adjustment." He resumed his career, working for a major health club in the Philadelphia area. Before long, however, he began to sense that a change was needed.

"I realized, 'You know what, I don't want to be working for anybody anymore,'" Pondeli recounts. "'I'm sick and tired of health clubs and the way they treat people. People shouldn't be treated like a number.'"

At Pondeli's Lift for Life, they're not. The 4,000-sq.-ft. gym, just off I-95 at 2636 Bristol Pike in the Woodbine Plaza shopping center in Bensalem, represents Pondeli's ideal of what a Personal Training Center should be.

"The very first thing I did was make sure there was ample parking," he notes. "I made sure my facility was large enough to accommodate anything I wanted to do, and that there were no windows. Being secluded and separated from the world is ideal for what I do."

Pondeli's Lift for Life has no receptionist, no phone people, and no sales staff. "You can't even get in here unless you have an appointment," says Pondeli. "It's a full gym with equipment, showers and changing rooms." Only two trainers - himself and his wife Marian, an international bodybuilder and one-time Miss Philippines - and just two clients use the facility at any one time. An entire section of the gym is devoted to plyometrics, an advanced version of calisthenics, to train top-caliber athletes.

Pondeli charges $60 per one-hour workout, with special packages available. "I don't make a big mark-up," he admits, "but I don't really care. I just want to help people. I want to train them and do the right thing by them." Nor does he have contracts to tie people down.

"What I did was to take a lot of the things I believed in and implement them in my facility," he says. Clients come from as near and far as Center City, Huntingdon Valley, New Hope, Yardley, Newtown, Norristown, Cherry Hill and beyond. Says Pondeli, "Most of them are business owners and people who don't have time to wait for equipment or be bothered by other staff." Doors open at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m. on Saturdays. Private in-home sessions can be scheduled by special request.

The gym is clearly more than just a business for the Hajioannou family. Pondeli and Marian were married at the facility three years ago. "The Philadelphia Inquirer did a big story on us," he recalls, "because nobody else gets married in gyms." In fact, the christening for their newborn son, Jacobo, also took place at the gym.

The passage of time has, for Pondeli, added perspective. "As you grow older as a trainer you pick up on a lot of things," he reflects. "You realize that a lot of people come to you to look good. Others come to feel better. I've got people who just want to be able touch their toes again, to feel the way they did when they were younger -- just to be functional."

Helping people achieve such goals is what makes Pondeli Hajioannou tick - and the reason Pondeli's Lift for Life is becoming the place to train in and around Philadelphia.

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Joining Their Lives
From a Position of Strength

Photos Posted on Sat, Apr. 05, 2003
Philadelphia Inquirer Marian Almario and Pondeli Hajioannou By Dianna Marder

We are at Pondeli's Lift for Life in Bensalem, 4,000 square feet of Pondeli Hajioannou's heart and soul. Here in this windowless space, Pondeli (Pond-a-LEE), a relatively short man of remarkable emotional stature, helps individuals develop strength. A professional trainer since 1984, Pondeli displays his Greek heritage in statues and posters that line the walls. Born here, in the United States, and schooled there, in Greece, Pondeli became intrigued by bodybuilding after suffering a sports injury. He trained with one of the greats in the field, Frank Zane. But Pondeli's strength is not purely physical. Five years ago, he experienced vertigo, and doctors found a cyst on his brain. He had surgery and survived spinal meningitis. Still, the growth returned, and Pondeli holds out hope that regular checkups will keep him going. A cyst on the brain, he says stoically, put a damper on his dating. Divorced and a devoted dad to his two sons, Pondeli spent every weekend with the boys and every other available moment at his gym. Part of what sets Lift for Life apart is that the focus is on personal training - it's all one-on-one. About a year ago, while Pondeli was looking to add a female trainer to his staff, Marian Almario, a native of the Philippines and a bodybuilder (Ms Philippines) living in Arizona, was flipping through the latest issue of Idea, a trade magazine for weightlifters. She saw Pondeli's ad and called. Born in Manila, Marian, 35, majored in zoology at the university there but quickly moved on to bodybuilding. She'd been to the United States for personal training summits in 1998 and 2000 before moving here. Yes, one thing did lead to another - more quickly than either could have imagined - but much to their mutual delight. "I was mending a broken heart at the time. I'd been betrayed," Marian said. "But we talked and we kept talking. We were discovering things about each other on the telephone." Pondeli didn't want a long engagement. "I knew my ex for five years before we were married," he says. "We were best friends. And still that relationship didn't work out. So why wait?" On Feb. 15, Pondeli pushed the cardio machines aside to make way for dinner tables and a makeshift aisle. They would have the wedding inside the gym. A white trellis separated the weights from the guest chairs, and the unity candle stood on a plyometric exercise stand. Most of the wedding guests were gym clients who exercise with Pondeli or Marian and feel like family. The bride emerged from the gym changing room wearing a white lace dress, looking like a Greek goddess. Bill Stat, one of Marian's clients, escorted her down the aisle with Arianna, 8, and Kalysta, 5, Barnish as brides maids, and the groom's sons, Nico, 14, and Yanni, 12, stood by his side. Pastor Carl W. Vandine, a nondenominational minister from the Endtime Lighthouse Church in Levittown, officiated. "My brother's a grizzly bear on the outside with a big heart on the inside," said Stamie-Marie Barnish, one of the groom's sisters. "And Marian's the perfect partner for him."

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Press release

They're personal trainers, they're husband and wife, and they've redefined the term 'flexible'

BENSALEM, PA (Jan. 19, 2006) - When it comes to personal training, Pondeli and Marian Almario-Hajioannou know that being flexible is more than the ability to touch one's toes. To them, being flexible also means accommodating their clients' busy schedules, their particular training needs and, in some cases, their insistence on privacy. That's why this husband-and-wife team has built their business - Pondeli's Lift for Life - by offering only one-on-one training sessions. It's a strategy that seems to have paid off, because some

Pondeli, owner and one of the only two trainers in Pondeli's Lift for Life in Bensalem, PA

of their clients drive over an hour

to receive their "personal" personal training.
"What we do is unique in the Delaware Valley," said Pondeli. "It's unique, period. Our trainer-client ratio is always one to one. Each client receives our individual attention." That attention also extends to prospective clients, who receive a comprehensive one-hour fitness evaluation at no cost - and no obligation. He adds: "We don't offer group sessions, and we haven't hired extra trainers. We want to keep our service exclusive, and our clients appreciate it."

The Hajioannous, both nationally certified, train clients at their 4,000-square-foot Bensalem facility or in clients' home gyms. Pondeli also will help clients set up in-home gyms, lending his expertise on everything from equipment to lighting to flooring. At Pondeli's Lift for Life, his own personality - and heritage - is reflected with Greek statues displayed amid the equipment.

One-on-one personal training is also about teamwork, and the Hajioannous are a textbook example. Their gym has a family atmosphere about it, and many of their clients have become close friends. Baby Jacobo accompanies mom and dad to the gym every day. After giving birth to her youngest son, Marian was back in shape in record time. It's no wonder, then, that clients often ask Marian for tips on healthy eating.

"It's our home away from home," said Pondeli of their gym. "And it is for our clients, too." Pondeli has been training people in the Greater Philadelphia area professionally since 1984. In 1997, doctors discovered an arachnoid cyst in his head, a life-changing diagnosis for a man who previously worked out twice a day, six days a week. "When I realized I could no longer work out myself, that's when I decided to share my passion for weight training with others by opening Pondeli's Lift for Life," he said. "It's truly rewarding to know that I'm helping my clients achieve their own fitness goals."

Pondeli trained in California with Frank Zane, a three-time "Mr. Olympia" and the man who defeated Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1968. He also served as head trainer for the late Dr. Jim Corea, dean emeritus of Philadelphia's fitness scene. With a similar passion for fitness and a focus on bodybuilding, Philippine native Marian began her career in 1990 as an instructor. She quickly rose to the top of competitive bodybuilding, achieving the title of "Ms. Philippines 1999" and winning at the international level in the Asian competition held in Busan, Korea in 2001.

Pondeli's Lift for Life is located just off Interstate 95/Street Road in Woodbine Plaza, 2636 Bristol Pike (Route 13), Bensalem, PA.
All training sessions are by appointment,
from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. weekdays, Saturday until noon.
For more information, call 215-245-0802 or visit www.pondeli.com.

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