Louis Coraggio '04

Member of Adelphi University’s 10 Under 10.

Louis Coraggio believes the future of fitness is technology. “The CEO of Jawbone, which sells the fitness tracking device ‘Up,’  predicts that in five years everyone will be wearing some type of gadget like this that measures data such as the number of steps walked, quality of sleep, and other personal metrics,” he said. “I completely agree. I have my eyes glued on all of the fitness technology products that are out right now.”

Mr. Coraggio is the founder of Body Architect (trademarked though United States Patent Trademark Organization (USPTO) since 2005), a fitness program through which he delivers customized fitness plans with specific goals and real-time coaching through podcasts and videos clients can access on their computers, laptops, and phones. Each month he provides a series of weekly workouts with the tools clients need to succeed in improving their bodies and enhancing their fitness levels.

He has worked alongside fitness trainers Tracy Anderson and Shaun T and trained celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Valentino Garavani, and Sam Champion. 

For his expertise in the field of health and fitness, Mr. Coraggio has appeared on Fox 5 local news and been featured in popular publications such as Health Magazine, Cosmopolitan, W Magazine, Men’s Health and Weight Watchers Magazine. GQ.com featured his Cardio Mission class, and the video has received more than 142,000 hits on YouTube.

Cardio Mission, a body-weight training class created by Mr. Coraggio, is held at The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers. “It’s about keeping your heart rate up for 55 minutes,” said Mr. Coraggio, who infuses balance, power, endurance, and core strength into the workout during four interval circuits. “I wanted to create a class that was fun, where everyone is moving their bodies, pushing themselves.”

Louis Mr. Coraggio’s concern about the health of Americans, his affinity for action-adventure and spy movies, and his dedication to fostering wellness through science-based exercise programs spurred the idea for his most exciting venture yet: the app, Cardio Mission™.

“People exercise more when they are having fun,” he said. “The idea behind the app Cardio Mission is that it turns people into unstoppable super agents. You have to complete missions that have fictional espionage narratives incorporating cardiovascular activities like running, jogging, power walking, biking, rowing and cycling. You’re prompted to do speed intervals based on real-time audio coaching.”

His app will have seasons similar to shows like Homeland and 24, each providing different challenges to help participants stay fit. “After you perform any cardiovascular program for more than three to four weeks your body doesn’t adapt from those workouts anymore…that’s the formula for cardio,” he said. “At that point, you need to move on.”

While Mr. Coraggio is successfully juggling quite a few projects as a fitness trainer turned entrepreneur, he says of all of his responsibilities, right now he is most excited about launching his app. “My heart is in the app right now,” he said. “It’s coming together. I can’t wait until it’s up and running with the potential to help people, across the globe, get healthy.”

The world of fitness is exactly where Mr. Coraggio wants to be. But the path to where he is today wasn’t direct.

Mr. Coraggio lost his mother to cancer at four years old and, just thirteen years later, his father passed away from the same disease. “My parents were both very healthy people,” he said. “They didn’t smoke, didn’t drink. They did nothing that would warrant them to get those diseases, but they did. I felt like I had to step up my game big time.” He started exercising and watching what he ate, and eventually got certified in fitness training.

“My father always talked about me earning a college degree,” said Mr. Coraggio. “When he passed away, I knew I wanted to give him that. 

While Mr. Coraggio knew he wanted to go to college, he wasn’t sure yet where he belonged. He studied psychology at Stony Brook University and then business at Hofstra University, but he felt that neither these schools nor programs were right for him. 

During this time he also dedicated years to training clients, an experience that helped him to realize that fitness was not only a hobby he loved, but a passion he wanted to pursue as a career. He came to Adelphi where he got hands-on experience in the University’s exercise research and physiology labs.  

Compared to the previous schools he had studied at, Mr. Coraggio said he liked the intimate experience he had at Adelphi and that he never felt “lost in the shuffle.” He also appreciated the guidance, knowledge and real-world experience shared by instructors such as Professors Proscia, Otto, and Perez. “They were passionate and they really cared about their students,” said Mr. Coraggio, who still draws on lessons he learned at Adelphi in his work today.

“For me, getting my degree from Adelphi was the game changer,” he said. “My experience at Adelphi gave me the confidence I needed to succeed.”

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