A bright sign that reads “Leave Your ‘I Can’ts’ at the Door” stands sentinel at the entrance of It Burns, a personal training studio on the second floor of the Main Street Market. 

Kellyanne Kowalski, owner and master trainer at It Burns, embodies this message. She is a former cheerleader and exercise enthusiast who believes that there are no excuses for not caring for one’s body—she used to wake up at 4 a.m. to work out while her young children were still asleep. She views fitness as preventative medicine, and insists that investment in health is worth the time and money.  

Kellyanne started her career as a trainer 20 years ago, when she was asked to teach a class at her gym. She has worked at both coed and all-women’s gyms, and has noticed that coed gyms can often be intimidating for women, who often encounter arrogance and disdain from men—many presume that they aren’t serious about working out. 

These attitudes prompted Kellyanne to open It Burns, as a studio or women only. The women who come to It Burns have formed an encouraging community; everyone applauds the successes of each individual. 

Kellyanne’s clients vary in age from 16 to 60, and many are working mothers with limited time. She is well attuned to their needs and interests. Perhaps because of this she has not experience a decline in clientele due to the economic crisis, even as two other women-only gyms in Middletown have recently shut down. Kellyanne’s dream is to license It Burns and open more locations.