ill joined the Army at age 22 after earning a degree in exercise science. Although he’d grown up playing sports he was, perhaps counterintuitively, overweight and out of shape at the end of his nine-year military stint. But he fell in love with the local fitness scene, managed a gym and trained clients on the northside for about a decade, and then opened up Will Power Fitness five years ago.

Will is dedicated to helping everyone reach his or her fitness goals, and being a gym that is accessible 24/7/365 helps accommodate people of all lifestyles. 

“After you’ve trained people for a decade or more,” he says, “it becomes clear that helping people reach their weight or strength goals is important, but it’s really about your clients building self-confidence. It’s the father with the bad blood work whose wife encouraged him to look after his health—and now he’s fit and confident. It’s the grandparents who are able to get on the floor and play with their grandkids when pain kept them from it before they started training.”

Will recalls one of the more poignant stories of inspiration that his gym cultivated was that of a fellow veteran who was deeply depressed but has now found hope through training at Will Power Fitness.

“Though we’ve trained people for powerlifting and more extreme physical challenges, we know that most people just want to go through their day pain-free with high energy levels.”

– Will Doyle

In fact, helping veterans stay fit—as well as active duty military, police, firefighters and first responders—is one of Doyle’s main missions. Roughly a quarter of Will Power’s 275 members serve in those capacities and receive a 20 percent membership discount. All members can choose from small group classes in the morning and evening as well as personal training from one of Will Power’s nine personal trainers.

“We focus on mobility, correcting form, and imbalances,” Will says, “by making sure joints are aligning safely under load. If the form isn’t correct, we deload until we correct it. Though we’ve trained people for powerlifting and more extreme physical challenges, we know that most people just want to go through their day pain-free with high energy levels.”

Doyle recalls how his approach to training has changed since the beginning of his career. “I used to be a drill sergeant!” he laughs. “I didn’t want anyone to have a better workout than the one I gave them. I still want that, but I’ve come a long way in how I achieve it.”

He’s found replacing his own intensity with simple questions is most effective.

“We are constantly doing little spot checks: how are you feeling? How did that last workout make you feel? Several weeks in, we assess a client’s energy levels, sleep quality, food choices, and recovery strategy. The most common question is, are you feeling stronger?”

He said he knows a client is on the right path if they feel stronger, their appetite is increasing and if they have more energy to pour into what matters most to them.

Will Power’s next move is a revamped website and gym expansion, but Doyle’s vision goes even further.

“I love the fact that there are so many other gyms and fitness options popping up in Lakeland. As the city grows, I hope fitness remains a part of it. I would love to collaborate with other gyms, perhaps have health fairs, fitness competitions,etc.”