Where It All Started

The LAB Performance & Sports Science was founded in 2012 by Michael Piercy in Fairfield, NJ. The idea was simple and the standard was non-negotiable: build an all-encompassing training environment for athletes at every level, grounded in real sports science and elite-level coaching.

Unlike most commercial gyms that market fitness as a product, The LAB was built to deliver performance as an outcome. Every program, every coach hire, every equipment investment has been driven by one question: does this make our athletes better?

Thirteen years later, The LAB remains northern New Jersey's premier sports performance training facility — trusted by hundreds of athletes across Essex County and beyond, from youth players developing foundational athleticism to adult athletes who refuse to slow down.

Our Mission

To provide high-level coaching that gives athletes of all levels the tools to find and awaken their inner athlete — and become the best version of themselves, both on and off the field.

We believe performance is not reserved for the elite. With the right coaching, the right programming, and the right environment, every athlete can reach their next level.

Our Vision

A premier, industry-renowned sports performance facility equipped with cutting-edge tools, advanced training techniques, and world-class coaching — designed to elevate athletes of all levels to their peak potential.

The LAB exists to be more than a training space. It's a culture. An identity. A standard that people who compete seriously recognize and choose deliberately — because average isn't acceptable here.

Michael Piercy built The LAB from lived experience — from minor league clubhouses to major international stages. A former professional baseball player (Pittsburgh Pirates, NY Mets, Montreal Expos) with 34+ years in sports performance. 2017 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. 2013 TRX Overall Instructor of the Year. Author of Be A Playmaker.

The framework for peak performance, competitive mindset, and leadership — on and off the field. Used in keynotes, coaching programs, and organizations internationally.

Michael
Piercy

Michael Piercy didn't build The LAB from a textbook. He built it from lived experience — from minor league clubhouses to major international stages. A former professional baseball player who competed across three MLB organizations (Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Montreal Expos), Mike entered the fitness industry carrying something most coaches never develop: the perspective of someone who actually played at the highest level.

That experience became the foundation of everything at The LAB. Not a philosophy borrowed from a certification manual — a standard forged in real competition, real pressure, and real results. After more than 34 years in sports performance, Mike remains one of the most credentialed, decorated, and sought-after coaches in the industry.

He is the recipient of the 2017 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year award and the 2013 TRX Overall Instructor of the Year — one of only a handful of TRX Senior Master Course Instructors in the world. He is an international keynote speaker, author of Be A Playmaker, and has presented for some of the most respected brands and organizations in fitness and sports performance globally.

Science Meets
Lived Experience.

Most facilities run athletes through the same template. At The LAB, the program starts with data — Kinotek LiDAR 3D motion capture gives us biomechanical information most coaches never see — and ends with a plan specific to how your body actually moves.

Coach Piercy played at the professional level across three MLB organizations. He didn't just study performance — he lived it. That context shows up in every program we build.

Every athlete who trains here knows exactly why they're doing what they're doing. Purpose-driven training produces purpose-built athletes.