A training center, and the members say so themselves
Move Better in Shavertown, Pennsylvania, holds a perfect 5.0, and the members are the first to tell you it isn't really a gym in the swipe-in, do-your-own-thing sense. One reviewer put it plainly: "I would describe MOVE BETTER as a 'training' center rather than a 'gym.'" The listing tags agree, calling it a "wellness_center" rather than a fitness center. Every review is about coached, small-group sessions with named trainers. So if you want a room full of machines and your own playlist, adjust your expectations now. If you want someone building and running your workouts, keep reading.
Read the 5.0 with your eyes open
A perfect score always deserves a second look, and here's why. The 5.0 rests on just 6 ratings. That's a tiny pool. One single one-star review would drop this from 5.0 to about 4.3 overnight. I'm not saying the praise is wrong; I'm saying the number is fragile by nature, and a handful of happy clients is exactly what a good small studio produces early on. Judge it on the substance of what people say, not on the perfection of the average.
What clients actually got
The substance is coaching that adapts to your body. A client in November 2016 who hadn't trained in decades wrote, "Take it from a guy who hasn't been in a gym in 20+ years! Their training program centers on your entire body... I have double knee replacements, so there are some things I just can't do anymore. Ken and Owen are very aware of my situation and they work around those issues." Working around double knee replacements is a specific, credible detail, not vague praise.
A member in September 2017 described the on-ramp: "Each person is taken through the program from whatever starting point they are at and progressed through as they are able to safely. Whether you haven't ever worked out or if you are already fit and looking for a new program you will be challenged at the appropriate level." Another, in October 2016, who said they'd "worked out in gyms all over the east coast," called it "the best I've been in," praising a "very clean and bright" training area.
Where the voices agree
They agree on three things: coaching quality, small-group attention, and safe progression from any starting point. The trainers get named repeatedly and warmly. That's the product here, individualized coaching in a small setting, and the consistency across reviews is more telling than the perfect score.
What that average measures, and what it hides
Here's the split worth knowing. Of the six ratings, five come with detailed text and one is a silent star-click from December 2019 with no words at all. So the written record is uniformly enthusiastic, but it's also small and, notably, the detailed reviews cluster in 2016 and 2017. The most recent thing on this page is that wordless 2019 rating. The score is current on paper; the stories behind it are several years old.
What's missing
No review states a price, and coached small-group training usually costs more than a gym membership, so that blank matters. Session structure (how many people, how long, how often) isn't spelled out either. The hours are unusually specific and split into morning and late-afternoon blocks, roughly 6:00 to 11:00 and 15:30 to 19:00 on weekdays, with a Saturday morning session, which fits a coached-slot model rather than open access. Confirm current times and rates at +1 570-301-6757.
Who it's not for
Anyone wanting anonymous, 24-hour, do-it-yourself gym access. This is scheduled, coached training in tight time windows. It suits people returning after a long layoff, working around injuries or joint replacements, or wanting structure and supervision. It's the wrong call if you'd feel crowded by a coach's attention.
FAQ
Is Move Better a regular gym?
No. Members themselves call it a training center, and it's tagged as a wellness center. Reviews describe coached, small-group sessions with named trainers, not open gym access.
Can it handle injuries or joint replacements?
One long-time client with double knee replacements praised the trainers for working around his limitations and progressing him safely. Discuss your specific situation directly before starting.
How much does it cost?
No review states a price, and the hours run in coached time blocks rather than open access. Call +1 570-301-6757 for rates and the current schedule.