When Karen Moyer takes her place on a cycle, she repeats one simple, encouraging mantra to push herself through each grueling workout: “Go legs!”

In fact, she says that phrase so often that it only seemed fitting as the name of her Bradenton indoor cycling studio, where men and women of all ages and degrees of athleticism come to integrate spinning into their workout routines. ­

“Come to a class at Go Legs,” said manager Kara Sharp, “and I can guarantee that you’ll hear Karen scream that out fifty times or more in one hour, without a doubt.”

Two 92-inch plasma screen TVs dominate the front of the studio, blasting upbeat music videos in the otherwise darkened room. There are 20 state-of-the-art cycles lined up in rows facing the front of the room where Moyer, Sharp, or one of the seven other instructors lead 60-minute classes throughout the day.

It may seem a little intimidating to walk into the middle of a class, but as Moyer likes to say, Go Legs is the place “where intimidation becomes addiction.” The first class at Go Legs is free, and the studio seems to have no problem collecting return customers who are drawn to the addictive adrenaline rush that the exercise provides.

Go Legs originated in Seattle, where Moyer’s husband, Jamie, was the starting pitcher for Major League Baseball's Mariners from 1996 through 2005. Karen Moyer closed the business in 2008 when her family relocated to Bradenton, but she reopened Go Legs locally in February, 2010. Since the cycling studio at 3459 53rd Ave. W. opened just more than a year ago, it has collected a solid following of individuals from all walks of life.

Jamie Moyer, who at age 49 is the oldest active pitcher the major leagues, has been playing professional baseball for 24 years, claims more than 250 wins and recently pitched the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series win in 2008. Moyer, a free agent who was sidelined by Tommy John surgery this season, regularly spins at Go Legs for the cardio workout. He partially attributes his longevity in the major leagues to the fitness benefits that he has reaped from his cycling routine.

“The whole goal here is to help you maintain a healthy living lifestyle,” he said. “Whether you’re already in shape or you’re looking to get there, this is the way to do it. What makes it so great is that it’s a low-impact exercise. There’s a big difference between running for five miles and cycling for 15 — when you’re spinning, you don’t have that pounding on your body.”

Moyer paused briefly before adding, “And as a bonus, when you come here to cycle, you can do it in an air conditioned room – it’s definitely a relief to get out of the Florida sun for a workout, especially during the summer months.”

Moyer is not the only professional athlete who comes to Go Legs as part of his workout routine. Players from the Bradenton Marauders minor league baseball team are known to attend spin classes, as well as athletes from the nearby Bolletierri Tennis Academy. Harvard’s rowing team even gave Go Legs a spin while they it was in town for a recent training session.

However, Sharp made sure to stress that Go Legs provides a workout that is suited for everyone — not just seasoned athletes.

“This is not a boot camp,” Sharp said. “You go at your own pace. We’ve had people who could barely spin for thirty minutes at a time work their way up to coming in three times a day.”

One woman, Sharp said, has lost nearly 40 pounds since she began spinning in October. Another regular Go Legs customer is a teenage girl whose everyday mobility requires the use of a walker. Despite this, due to the low-impact nature of cycling, she has found a workout routine at Go Legs that provides her with an excellent option to stay in shape.

There is also a group of Manatee County teachers, most of whom are in their 60s and 70s, who regularly attend spin classes at the cycling facility.

“This is an atmosphere where you can feel comfortable, do what you can and be completely free to go at your own pace,” Sharp said. “There’s never any judgment here.”

Recently, the Moyers, who are known nationwide for their philanthropy through The Moyer Foundation, put cycling to a cause even greater than physical fitness.

On April 16, Go Legs hosted its first annual Cycle-thon to raise money to build a local camp for children who are dealing with the effects of having family members who are struggling with drug addiction. The Cycle-thon raised $16,000, putting The Moyer Foundation well on its way to reaching its $85,000 goal to provide local children with a bi-monthly weekend camp, as well as weekly counseling sessions to help them deal with the challenges of living with an addicted or co-dependent family member.

On Saturday, the foundation will be hosting the Celebrity Rock n’ Bowl Charity Event at AMF Bradenton Lanes to continue in the fundraising effort. For more information, contact Kara Sharp at kara@moyerfoundation.org.

Between the exemplary workout options available at Go Legs and the charitable efforts of its founder and her husband, it’s difficult to walk out of the fitness studio without feeling good in one way or another — whether it be physical or spiritual.

After all, “Changing minds, bodies, and souls,” is, according to Karen Moyer, what Go Legs is all about.