For Larry Brenneman, exercise was a pain.

So he avoided it.

Brenneman, who is in his 60s, suffered arthritis pain so severe that he feared surgery would be his next step.

In late January, he tried a last-ditch approach: working out at Hartz Physical Therapy's new medically adapted gym.

Six weeks later, Brenneman, of East Hempfield Township, says his hip and knee are virtually pain-free, and his shoulder is on its way.

"It's made a dramatic improvement, and very quickly," he says. "It's like having a private trainer, with a customized program just for you."

Hartz, a nine-year-old practice, treats sports teams to senior citizens at its Lititz and Lancaster offices.

The MAG, located in the 90 Good Drive office, serves people with health conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, and those recovering from injury or surgery.

Clients get extra exercise guidance, including a personalized workout program and demonstrations of proper technique.

"There are too many people who fall through the cracks and don't get what they need," says practice owner Brian D. Hartz, who has a doctorate in physical therapy.

"We feel everybody should be able to exercise to some extent."

The MAG, which opened in January, is smaller and quieter than a traditional gym, offering hands-on, individual attention.

Clients are supervised by physical-therapy personnel, who have expertise in designing exercise programs for people with health concerns.

Only serious exercisers need apply.

"We want motivated (clients)," Hartz says. "We want people who want to make a change."

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MAG clients begin with physical-therapy and fitness evaluations.

Most health insurers cover the initial assessment, Hartz says. The $75 monthly fee ($50 for ages 60 and over) is self-pay.

Clients are supervised by an exercise physiologist, physical therapist or physical-therapy assistant, who re-evaluate fitness levels every two months.

Customized workout plans include cardio, weight training and other exercises. Hartz personnel also offer diet and nutrition advice.

Ideally, MAG clients work out two to three times a week. They can schedule appointments 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The equipment is similar to what is found in traditional gyms. Some is adaptive, making it more easily accessible for people with health issues.

The MAG also targets children who are battling obesity or other medical conditions.

Dr. Elliot Sterenfeld, of Lancaster Neuroscience and Spine Associates, says that while some traditional gym employees are well-trained, people with chronic health problems may be better supervised by personnel with medical backgrounds.

"With a physical therapist, it's a higher level of training and a higher level of expertise," says Sterenfeld, who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation.

The MAG, he says, can encourage people who are otherwise reluctant to exercise — lending, for example, a sense of security to patients who might be afraid of reinjuring themselves.

"The obese patient might be a little inhibited, going to the usual gym setting and putting on the spandex," Sterenfeld says.

"It can be a little intimidating."

Clients can stay with the MAG indefinitely. But it often serves as a bridge between physical-therapy sessions and traditional gym workouts.

"If they can get to a gym atmosphere where they can do it independently, that's great," Hartz says.

"That's a success story for us as well."

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Last spring, Anne Floyd overdosed on exercise, injuring her lower back.

After her physical therapy ended, Floyd, 55, exercised at her Manheim Township home.

But it wasn't the same.

"I really missed the gym, but I was petrified to do something unsupervised and reinjure myself," she says.

Floyd, who also has neuropathy in her left foot, joined the MAG about four weeks ago. She already feels stronger, healthier and more flexible.

"The program is adapted just to me and what my limitations are, what my abilities are," she says.

Charlotte Horton, a retired educator who lives in Lititz, has battled her weight since her second child's birth 35 years ago.

But a host of physical problems — high blood pressure, a weak knee, bursitis in her ankle — kept Horton from exercising.

An angioplasty last fall convinced her to get serious about weight loss.

Horton, who joined the MAG in January, appreciates its supportive, personalized nature — and the fact that she has appointments.

"You have your time, and they have their time with you," she says. "That ... works, because you can't cheat."

At other gyms, Horton felt like working out was a competition. Now she's competing only with herself.

Her goal?

To wear a pair of size-14 jeans.