Local spotlight: Paragon Gym in Lakewood Ranch, and why strength training belongs in your health plan

Lakewood Ranch Concierge  |  October 17, 2026

Medically reviewed by Leo Kao, MD
Board-certified internal medicine physician

One of the questions we hear most often is, “Where should I actually go to work out?” Exercise is one of the most powerful tools in medicine, but advice only helps if there's a good place to follow it. This month we're shining a light on a neighbor here in Lakewood Ranch: Paragon Gym, a private strength-training gym on Solutions Lane, along with a look at why lifting weights matters so much for long-term health.

Why your physician cares about strength training

Most people think of exercise as cardio. Cardio matters, but muscle strength is just as important, and it becomes more important every decade. Adults gradually lose muscle mass and strength with age, a process called sarcopenia, and inactivity speeds it up. Regular resistance training is the most reliable way to slow it down.

The benefits reach well beyond the mirror:

• Independence and fall prevention. Stronger legs and better balance make everyday tasks easier and help lower the risk of falls, one of the most common causes of injury in older adults.
• Bone health. Loading the skeleton through resistance exercise helps maintain bone density.
• Blood sugar and metabolism. Muscle is the body's largest site for using glucose, so building it can improve insulin sensitivity. Muscle also contributes to your resting metabolic rate.
• Protecting muscle during weight loss. Anyone losing weight, including people using weight-loss medications, risks losing muscle along with fat. Resistance training and adequate protein help preserve it.
• Heart health, mood, and sleep. Regular exercise of any kind is linked to lower blood pressure, better mood, and better sleep.

Federal physical activity guidelines recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups on at least two days a week, in addition to about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly. Many adults fall short of the strength recommendation, which is why we talk about it at so many visits.

About Paragon Gym

Paragon is a private, roughly 2,000-square-foot gym in Lakewood Ranch built around strength training and one-on-one coaching. It was founded by Tyler Satnick, a personal trainer with more than 15 years of experience, including several years at high-end private gyms in New York City. Owner Lauren Satnick runs the business side, and the coaching team also includes trainer Ashton Rogers, who offers in-person and online coaching focused on resistance training and nutrition structure.

A few things stood out to us:

• A private, uncrowded setting. Members use keyed entry through the Paragon app, which can make the gym feel less intimidating for people who don't love a big-box crowd.
• Equipment chosen for strength work. The gym features plate-loaded and selectorized machines from strength-focused manufacturers, custom dumbbells, and a functional trainer. Guided machines can be a comfortable starting point for beginners and for people returning to exercise.
• One-on-one personal training. Paragon's focus is individualized, science-based coaching, which matters most for people who are new to lifting, managing joint issues, or working toward a specific goal.
• Long member hours. Members have access from early morning into the evening, seven days a week, so workouts can fit around work and family.

Paragon is located at 4224 Solutions Lane, Suite 108, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211, and can be reached at (941) 773-3983. For current memberships, training packages, hours, and pricing, please contact Paragon directly or visit theparagongym.com.

Getting the most out of a gym: pairing training with medical care

A good gym and a good physician work best together. Your trainer focuses on how to train; your physician focuses on whether it's safe, what to watch for, and how your body is responding over time. A few ways to connect the two:

• Get cleared first if you need to. If you have heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, chest pain or shortness of breath with exertion, recent surgery, or you've been inactive for a long time, talk with your physician before starting a new program.
• Train with your own numbers. A VO2 max test gives you personal heart-rate zones for cardio, and a resting metabolic rate test gives you a realistic calorie target. You can share your results with any trainer you choose.
• Tell your trainer about limitations. Past injuries, joint replacements, back problems, and medications such as blood thinners or blood-pressure medications can all affect how a workout should be designed.
• Track more than the scale. Strength gains, body composition, blood pressure, blood sugar, and how you feel day to day are often better measures of progress than weight alone.
• Start slowly. Some soreness a day or two after a new workout is normal. Sharp pain, chest pain, dizziness, or unusual shortness of breath is not; stop and seek medical care.

How Lakewood Ranch Concierge supports your fitness goals

For our members, exercise is part of the medical plan, not an afterthought. Dr. Kao can review whether a new program is appropriate for you, interpret metabolic testing results, and adjust medications or monitoring as your fitness changes. Both VO2 max and RMR testing are included twice a year on our MD Plan. Learn more about membership, text us to request an appointment, or call (941) 237-0129.