BRAINERD — At Strength Studio, exercise is more than an activity. It’s a matter of science.
“We’re really trying to get people the best results in the least amount of time,” said Emily Fairbanks, one of Strength Studio’s owners.
Strength Studio offers two different types of workout appointments with professional trainers: one-on-one appointments, which are once to twice a week for 30 minutes; and small group sessions, which are 45 minutes with two clients for every trainer.
It’s intense. I think it’s fun. It’s challenging. I think our clients really like it and it drives results.
Tom Fairbanks, Strength Studio co-owner
“They’re putting you through a total body workout once to twice a week,” Tom Fairbanks said. “Research has proven that you don’t need to work out more than that when you’re doing the total body approach. You absolutely can work out, but it doesn’t lead to better results.”
Strength Studio is currently located at 510 Washington Street in Brainerd, pictured Thursday, July 10, 2025. The business plans on moving to a larger building soon.
Jasmine Shackleford / Brainerd Dispatch
Strength Studio’s high intensity training method is based on scientific research. Tom Fairbanks said most of Strength Studio’s methods are inspired by the work of Arthur Jones, an influential inventor in the strength training field.
“When you’re training and you’re doing a total body routine, you’re taking each muscle to the point of what’s called momentary muscle failure. So it’s one set,” Tom Fairbanks said. “Research proves that doing one set is all you need to do.”
Tom Fairbanks said that while Strength Studio’s type of training can be challenging, it is efficient and very effective.
“When you get momentary muscle failure, it’s when you’re physically stuck. There’s no added benefit doing more after that,” Tom Fairbanks said. “It’s intense. I think it’s fun. It’s challenging. I think our clients really like it and it drives results.”
Personal trainers at Strength Studio in Brainerd help clients in workout sessions on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
Jasmine Shackleford / Brainerd Dispatch
Tom Fairbanks and Emily Fairbanks opened Strength Studio in Brainerd in 2019 after years of working at a similar personal training studio in the Twin Cities. Since then, the business has undergone many changes and significant growth.
“It pushes me and it makes my body feel better,” a Strength Studio client said on Thursday, July 10. “You dread coming in, but by the time you leave, you feel great.”
Strength Studio currently has six professional trainers that lead appointments, including Tom and Emily Fairbanks.
“Everyone has a four-year degree, then working on certifications,” Emily Fairbanks said. “Our whole exercise approach falls under this umbrella of high intensity training.”
Emily Fairbanks attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior, where she played volleyball and graduated with a degree in community health promotion and sports management. She then worked in corporate wellness in the Twin Cities for several years before starting a job as a personal trainer at a studio called Discover Strength.
A personal trainer at Strength Studio in Brainerd keeps track of their client’s high-intensity exercise routine during a training session.
Contributed / Emily Fairbanks
Tom Fairbanks worked at Discover Strength alongside Emily Fairbanks and also attended the University of Wisconsin-Superior. He is originally from Brainerd, having graduated from Brainerd High School in 2010.
Tom Fairbanks said after several years in the Twin Cities, he eventually decided to move back to Brainerd and open a training studio much like the one he previously worked at.
“I missed home and saw there was a market up here for a personal fitness studio that specialized in that,” Tom Fairbanks said.
Strength Studio also offers a body composition testing service, known as InBody.
“It gives someone an understanding of what their body is made up of physically,” Tom Fairbanks said. “Muscle mass, fat mass, how much water is in their body, and then it’s going to give you your basal metabolic rate, so how many calories you burn at rest.”
A personal trainer assists a client during a one-on-one training session at Strength Studio in Brainerd.
Contributed / Emily Fairbanks
Tom Fairbanks said the test then helps clients determine what their goals are, which can include daily calorie intake, physical fitness or weight loss.
Emily Fairbanks said collecting equipment for the studio took many exciting adventures around the country.
“We started taking road trips to get all our equipment,” Tom Fairbanks said. “We bought it on the market from Facebook, Craigslist, and colleagues that I knew around the country. So we would fly to cities, rent a truck, load the equipment, and drive home in a very short amount of time.”
Strength Studio first opened in a smaller location in its existing building and moved to its current unit eight months after opening.
Emily Fairbanks said the pandemic was a difficult period for the business because it had to close for six weeks immediately after moving locations. However, the challenge ended up making the business stronger and they bounced back quickly.
The business plans on expanding its clientele and staff team even further by purchasing a new location downtown with more space. Tom Fairbanks says he also hopes to eventually expand the business to a second location near Pequot Lakes and Nisswa.
“We think there’s a demand up there for us,” Tom Fairbanks said. “We see a lot of our clients come down from that area.”
Emily Fairbanks said anyone can schedule a free demo workout by visiting Strength Studio’s
or contacting the team over text.
Strength Studio in Brainerd is owned by Emily Fairbanks and Tom Fairbanks and features four other employees, all of whom are professionals with college degrees.
Contributed / Emily Fairbanks
“We offer a free demo workout,” Emily Fairbanks said. “You get to discuss your goals and injuries, then learn about what we do and do a total body workout in a 45-minute session. It’s a really good introduction with absolutely no pressure to sign up.”
Emily Fairbanks said her drive to help people achieve their fitness goals makes her work feel meaningful.
“I’ve always had a passion for helping people,” Emily Fairbanks said. “We have a very wide range of clients from ages 10 to, I’ve trained a 97-year-old. But on average, probably 45 to 65. And as we get older, we lose muscle, so it’s so important for people to continue this as they get older.”
Jasmine Shackleford is a reporter intern with the Brainerd Dispatch for the summer of 2025. She is a student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, where she is pursuing a degree in journalism and urban studies and will be entering her third year in the fall. She has previously lived in upper Michigan, northern Wisconsin, California and Minnesota. Jasmine can be reached at 218-855-5851 or jshackleford@brainerddispatch.com.