What exactly is The Lab? A gym?
No, and that's on purpose. Gyms hand you equipment and leave you on your own.
The Lab is what was missing: a place where adults 50+ rebuild strength, mobility and energy with a plan built around your body, and a mentor by your side in every single session. First we assess you (your body, your history, your goals). Then we design your program. Then we do it together, at your pace.
I already tried the gym and other things and it didn't work. How is this different?
Almost everyone who gets here has already tried a lot of things. Rest. A sheet of exercises. A modified group class. A room full of equipment.
What almost nobody has tried is a plan built from an assessment of your body, run by a professional who is accountable for your goal. Those are two very different paths, and it is exactly why this works for people who felt they had tried everything before finding us.
Those other things didn't fail because something is wrong with you. They failed because nobody looked at your whole body, your history and your life before handing you a routine. Here the assessment comes first, your plan is yours alone, and you're supervised 100% of the time. You'll never be left guessing, and you'll never be sent home with a printout of exercises you're not sure how to do.
How long until I feel different?
The honest answer is that it depends. The clarity comes on the very first visit: you leave the assessment knowing what is going on with your body. Physical change takes time, and how long depends on what we find. Most often, our members begin feeling a positive change within the first month.
Everyone is different, with their own history and their own limits. After your assessment we can tell you, with reasonable certainty, how long your process will take.
Is it safe for me?
Yes, this is exactly who we work with. Most of our members arrive with a long history and years without training. We start gently, measure how your body responds, and adjust every week. You'll never be pushed like a 25-year-old, because you're not one, and that's precisely the point. If a professional already gave you instructions, bring them and we build around them.
Do I need to go on a “diet” to see results?
No, and please don't. Radical diets are guessing games: they pile on stress and frustration, your body pushes back, and in a few months you're right where you started (or worse). We do the opposite of guessing: a 45-minute metabolic test that shows us exactly how your metabolism works: what your body burns, when, and how. With that data we go to the root of the problem and build eating habits you can actually sustain, without banishing the foods you love.
How much does it cost?
The assessment is free. The 90-minute in-person assessment costs zero dollars.
What follows depends entirely on what the assessment finds, which is why we do not quote a program before we have done one. Anyone who gives you a number before measuring you is guessing what you need or, worse, trying to sell you what they think you'll buy. By the end of the consultation you will know the full investment, in writing, before we ask you to decide anything.
By the end of the assessment we know two things: whether we are the right people for you and, if we are, which solution fits your case. If we are not, we tell you and refer you to someone who can help you better than we can. We'd rather do that than sell you something you don't need.
Where are you located? Is parking a hassle?
We have two locations in Panama City: Bella Vista, at Calle 45 Este, Bella Vista Plaza, ground floor, and Costa del Este, at Dream Plaza, Av. Centenario, Mezzanine level. And parking is the easy part: both locations have free parking. When you book, pick the one that is most convenient for you. You’ll find the maps just below this section.
Do I have to climb stairs to get in?
In Bella Vista we are on the ground floor. In Costa del Este we are on the mezzanine level of Dream Plaza, reached by elevator or escalator.
How long is a session and how often do I come?
Most members train about 3 times a week, 45 minutes a session. That is an average, not a rule. Your frequency depends on your capacity and on what your body actually needs, and the plan adapts to your real situation. Somebody coming back after years without training starts somewhere very different from somebody who simply wants to stop losing strength, and both are normal here.
What certifications does your team have?
Our mentors are strength training professionals specialized in people over 50, with years of experience working with adults who had stopped training. On top of that, every mentor goes through The Lab Academy: two months of study and supervised practice, 8 hours a day, ending in a 3 hour final exam. Nobody works the floor at The Lab without passing that exam.
I still have questions! How do I talk to a human?
Of course, real humans are kind of our whole thing. Message us on WhatsApp at +507 6510-7919 or call your location (Bella Vista +507 234-9614, Costa del Este +507 305-0402) and someone from our team will answer you personally: no bots, no scripts. Or pick a time on the calendar at the top of the page and we'll call you to confirm.
Talk soon,
Mickael, Priscilla & The Lab Panama team
