You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to start.
For 20 years, RSF has worked with people who thought it was too late — people managing Parkinson’s, cancer survivors rebuilding their strength, older adults who fell and are afraid to move, people with diabetes who were told to “just exercise more.” They weren’t too late. Neither are you.
Individualized, medically informed exercise and nutrition programs in East Rochester, NY — and virtually, anywhere.
Two Decades of Transforming Lives
Rochester School of Fitness was founded in November 2006 by Mido Zelenjakovic and Dr. Cathy Hahn with one conviction: that medically informed exercise belongs in the hands of everyone who needs it — not just those who can afford hospital programs. This November, we mark 20 years of that belief in action. Twenty years of walking alongside people with Parkinson’s, cancer survivors rebuilding their strength, older adults reclaiming their independence, and families learning to move and eat well together.
To every member, family, and healthcare partner who has trusted RSF — thank you. You are the reason we keep going.
See RSF in Action
Watch how Rochester School of Fitness transforms lives through medically informed exercise — and hear from Dane LeClair, who trained at RSF and went on to compete internationally. Read his story →
Who We Serve
Every person who walks through our door has a different story. What they share is the desire to feel better, move better, and live more fully. Our programs are built around that — designed with your specific condition, your goals, and your safety at the center.
Healthy But Inactive — Ready to Change
No chronic condition. Just a decade of not moving the way you know you should. You know what needs to change — you just need the right structure and someone in your corner who won’t let you give up on yourself again. That’s what RSF provides for people exactly like you.
Parkinson’s Disease
A diagnosis of Parkinson’s is frightening. But exercise is one of the most powerful tools available for slowing its progression — not a supplement to treatment, but a core part of it. High-intensity exercise stimulates the same brain-repair mechanisms that medications target. We know how to build programs that use this.
Cancer Recovery
You did the hard part. Treatment is behind you. But your body doesn’t feel like yours yet — the fatigue, the lost strength, the uncertainty about what you can safely do. We’ve helped people rebuild after treatment. We know what comes next, and we build toward it with you.
Cardiovascular & Metabolic Health
Your cardiologist says exercise. Your body says “but where do I even start?” We fill that gap. Exercise reduces cardiovascular mortality by up to 35% — an effect comparable to medication. We design programs that work alongside your care team safely and effectively.
Diabetes & Metabolic Support
If you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, your muscles are your most powerful tool — responsible for 80% of your body’s glucose uptake. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed lifestyle change reduces diabetes risk by 58%. We help you build the program that makes that possible for you.
Adaptive Fitness for Chronic Disease
Arthritis, osteoporosis, stroke recovery, MS, peripheral neuropathy — each condition changes what exercise looks like, but not whether it’s possible. We’ve built programs for all of them. We don’t work around your condition; we design specifically for it.
Healthy Aging & Fall Prevention
If you’ve fallen — or you’re afraid you might — you already know how much that fear can shrink your world. Strength and balance can be rebuilt. At any age. Research shows it even in adults in their 80s and 90s. We’ve seen it ourselves, repeatedly.
Why Individualized Programming Changes Everything
Generic programs produce generic results. At RSF, every program starts with a thorough assessment of your health history, current fitness level, mobility, balance, strength, and goals — because the right program for you looks different than the right program for anyone else.
We draw on current research in exercise physiology, chronic disease management, neuroplasticity, and behavioral health. We collaborate with your healthcare providers when appropriate. And we adjust your program as you change — because the goal isn’t just to get you started. It’s to keep you moving forward.
Programs Available
From condition-specific medical fitness to healthy aging, group classes, and nutrition support, RSF offers a full range of individualized services — in person and virtually.
Personal Training
One-on-one sessions designed around your goals, health history, and current abilities. The most direct path to lasting change.
Medical & Adaptive Fitness
Exercise programming specifically designed for chronic disease management, post-treatment recovery, and adaptive movement needs.
Nutrition Counseling
What you eat directly affects your energy, recovery, inflammation levels, and chronic disease outcomes. Our nutrition counseling works hand-in-hand with your exercise program.
Healthy Aging & Fall Prevention
Balance, strength, and mobility training designed to help you stay independent, confident, and active through every decade.
Small Group Training
The motivation of a community combined with the individualized attention you deserve. Research shows group exercise improves adherence — because we’re wired to move together.
Whole-Body Vibration Training
Used as a targeted complement to your exercise program when appropriate, particularly for balance, bone density, and neuromuscular activation.
Fitness 101 — Kids & Parents
A family-focused program for children dealing with overweight alongside their parents. Building healthy habits together, through guided exercise and practical nutrition education.
Group Fitness Classes
Structured classes offered mornings and evenings throughout the week. Boxing, conditioning, and more — all levels welcome, no experience required.
Telehealth & Virtual Training
Can’t make it in person? RSF offers the same individualized coaching via video call — anywhere you are, on any device.
Train with RSF — From Anywhere
Geography shouldn’t determine whether you get quality care. RSF offers virtual training and nutrition coaching via video call for clients who prefer remote sessions or who can’t make it to East Rochester. You receive the same individualized assessment, personalized program design, and expert guidance — through your phone, tablet, or computer.
Virtual sessions are especially valuable for clients with Parkinson’s disease or other mobility challenges that make driving difficult, for those recovering from surgery, and for clients outside the Rochester area who want access to RSF’s specialized medical fitness expertise.
Wondering whether virtual training could work for you or a family member? Reach out. We’ll be honest with you about whether it’s a good fit.
Can’t get to us? We come to you.
Virtual sessions work on any device with a camera. We’ll make sure you’re comfortable and set up before your first session begins.
Available in-person & virtually:
- Personal training
- Nutrition counseling
- Healthy aging & fall prevention
- Parkinson’s exercise coaching
- Post-treatment cancer recovery
You Don’t Have to Be Sick to Come Here. You Just Have to Want Something to Change.
A significant portion of RSF’s members are healthy people who got busy, got sedentary, and are ready to do something about it. You are more welcome here than anywhere.
Inactive for years at 35–45?
This is one of the most important decades to act. The habits you build now determine what your 60s feel like. You’re not too far gone — in fact, deconditioned adults respond faster to training than almost anyone. We build a program around your real life: your schedule, your starting point, and what you actually want to change.
Feeling fine at 50, 60, or 70?
The best time to build the strength, balance, and bone density that protect your independence later is before you need them urgently. A program now is an investment in who you are at 80 — and it changes what that decade feels like.
Active and experienced?
Performance-focused individuals benefit from programming grounded in training science: progressive overload, recovery, injury prevention, and conditioning built around your sport or goal. Whether you’re training for competition or simply to be your best, we build with you.
We Work With Your Healthcare Team
Exercise and nutrition don’t replace medical care — they amplify it. RSF welcomes referrals from physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals, and we communicate progress back to your care team.
For Healthcare Providers
We serve as a trusted community-based partner for exercise and wellness — collaborating with your care team (with client authorization), tracking measurable outcomes, and filling the gap between clinical care and daily life.
Measurable Progress
We track what matters: strength, balance, mobility, endurance, body composition, and functional movement. Progress you can see gives you the motivation to keep going — and evidence your care team can act on.
Ask the RSF Wellness Guide
Have a question about a condition, a program, or whether RSF is a good fit? Chat with the RSF Wellness Guide using the button in the corner of your screen — available anytime, with educational answers grounded in current research.
Founded on a Belief. Built by 20 Years of Experience.
Rochester School of Fitness was founded in November 2006 by Mido Zelenjakovic, a certified clinical exercise specialist, and Dr. Cathy Hahn, a pediatrician — united by the belief that medically informed exercise should be accessible to everyone, not just those inside hospital systems.
As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in November 2026, that belief drives everything we do. We’re still here, still learning, and still deeply committed to the Rochester community we’ve served for two decades.
Your first step is free.
A free assessment is a conversation — about where you are, where you want to go, and what’s actually possible. No pressure. No commitment. Just a clear starting point.
Rochester School of Fitness provides general educational information and community-based exercise and wellness services. We do not diagnose medical conditions, prescribe medication, or provide physical therapy or other medical care. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your medical care.