Discover Strength will open its first Florida location in Naples in April 2026, marking a significant milestone in Discover Strength’s continued national expansion.
Discover Strength Naples will deliver the brand’s signature 30-minute, twice-weekly strength training sessions led by expert exercise physiologists. Rooted in decades of peer-reviewed research, the Discover Strength model is designed to help clients build strength, enhance body composition and support long-term health without spending hours in the gym.
The Naples location is owned by Steven Mueller, a longtime Discover Strength client turned multi-unit franchise owner with a deep professional background in health care. Mueller spent more than 23 years with UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division, including over a decade focused on Medicare Advantage populations, where his work centered on improving outcomes for older adults managing chronic conditions. That experience shaped his passion for preventative health and sustainable fitness solutions.
While working in health care, Mueller experienced firsthand the frustration of traditional fitness models that require hours of time with inconsistent results. After discovering Discover Strength more than a decade ago, he found a science-backed approach that delivered what he describes as a minimum effective dose with maximum impact – an approach he has remained committed to ever since.
“I doubted the science at first,” said Mueller. “Thirty minutes, twice a week felt impossible compared to what I had been doing. But within weeks, I realized I had been doing fitness wrong for years. This works, and it’s sustainable.”
Mueller currently owns and operates two Discover Strength locations in the Minneapolis area and has secured a development territory spanning from Naples to Sarasota. Following the opening of the Naples studio in April 2026, he plans to expand with additional locations throughout Collier County and Southwest Florida.
Naples emerged as a natural choice for the brand’s first Florida location due to its active, health-conscious population, particularly adults over age 55 who prioritize healthy aging and quality of life. While the region offers a wide range of fitness options, Mueller identified a clear gap between popular workout trends and what exercise science shows to be most effective for long-term health.
“Naples has incredible energy around health – tennis, golf, pickleball – but there’s a real disconnect between what people are doing and what the science supports,” Mueller added. “Discover Strength fills that gap. There is nothing else like this in the market.”
Overseeing day-to-day operations as general manager is Mitchell Borchardt, an experienced exercise physiologist who recently relocated to Naples to lead the studio opening. Borchardt has years of experience within the brand and previously played a key role in launching and managing a successful studio in Minneapolis.
Discover Strength Naples aims to become a destination for wellness and healthy aging, offering what the team describes as resistance training as medicine. Clients simply show up, train under expert supervision, and leave knowing they completed a safe, efficient, and highly effective workout designed to support strength and independence for years to come.
A grand opening ribbon-cutting celebration is slated for May 2026, with additional community events and local partnerships to follow.
