What began as a local personal training venture quickly shifted into something far more revolutionary: a global movement challenging how women view their relationship with strength. Breaking free from the “skinny” mindset, Cori Lefkowith’s vision for Redefining Strength transcended traditional gym walls, expanding into the digital realm with perfect timing – just before the world needed it more. Her approach? Raw honesty wrapped in genuine care, demonstrating that true transformation can use a little of both. 

Lefkowith transformed a simple ebook into a comprehensive wellness sphere through divinely aligned foresight and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. But unlike the countless digital fitness platforms that popped up during the pandemic, Redefining Strength wasn’t just another workout repository. It became a sanctuary where women could reimagine their potential, guided by specialized coaches who understood that building strength meant more than lifting heavier weights; it was about reshaping mindsets, habits, and, ultimately, lives. 

Cori Lefkowith 

In 2014, Cori Lefkowith founded Redefining Strength, an in-person personal training business. She prospectively extended beyond gym walls and expanded her reach through online activities, creating blog posts and videos that allow clients to maintain their fitness outside of scheduled workout times. 

The business’s evolution into online coaching proved visionary, launching just before the COVID–19 pandemic. While the transition to a digital platform presented challenges, it opened new growth opportunities. When asked about transitioning to being remote, Cori said, “Growth is always hard.” What began as a simple ebook evolved into a holistic wellness program offering online workouts and expanding to include diagnostics, nutrition, mindset, and fitness elements. A diverse coaching team enriches the program, bringing specialized knowledge in niche focuses like endurance training and competition prep. 

Cori’s philosophy is rooted in the power of daily choices and accountability: “You’re changing every single day whether you recognize it or not; the goal is to change the direction you’re moving in.” She believes each decision guides us down a specific path and encourages members to make choices leading to better health, community, and self-commitment. Through this approach, she empowers individuals to invest in themselves with each choice they make. 

Redefining Strength

Redefining Strength’s name embodies its core mission. Historically, strength hasn’t always been commonly associated with women’s fitness goals. For generations, women’s relationships with their bodies were dominated by society’s demands to live by the scale and its restrictive beauty standards dictated by appearance. 

Today, with growing awareness about the health benefits of lean muscle and a cultural shift from “skinny to strong, “communities like Redefining Strength find women actively empowering each other to build strength physically, mentally, and emotionally. This transformation creates a powerful chain reaction: when women prioritize their health, they influence their families’ (given or chosen) wellness habits, impacting entire communities.

Through its global network of clients and trainers, Redefining Strength comprises 99% women. It has cultivated an international movement where women support and uplift each other, making each person feel seen, heard, and valued.

One of the ways Cori fosters this type of community is through tough love. Cori is firm on leading with kindness rather than niceness, the difference being that nice sounds like what you want to hear, and kind sounds like what you need to hear. Holding each other accountable to showing up and doing their best even on the hard days, pushing clients out of their current comfort zones, and leading with a client-first, feedback-oriented culture are a few of the ways Cori leads Redefining Strength with kindness, accountability, and action. 

If this culture and mission sound interesting, check out Redefining Strength’s open positions on Marketplace by Coach360. 

Final Thoughts

Redefining Strength isn’t just about building a successful fitness business; it’s about dismantling generations of restrictive thinking about how women “should” behave, act, or show up. Under Lefkowith’s leadership, women can reassess that narrative and redefine what is possible when accountability and empowerment connect for more remarkable outcomes. 

When kindness overpowers niceness, and women decide to invest in themselves fully, this movement grows and proves that true strength multiples when shared, creating waves of positive change that extend through families and communities worldwide. For those inspired by this vision of fitness rooted in genuine transformation rather than temporary fixes, Redefining Strength offers more than just job opportunities. It provides a chance to be part of a revolution in women’s and global health.

About Elisa Edelstein
Elisa is a curious and versatile writer, carving her niche in the health and wellness industry since 2015. Her lens is rooted in real world experience as a personal trainer and competitive bodybuilder and extended out of the gym and on to the page as a writer where she is able to combine her passions for empowering others, promoting wellness, and the power of the written word.