No experience is necessary! In fact, there may be some benefit to being new to exercise, as it’s often easier to teach you proper exercise from the start than correcting bad habits that may have already formed. On the other hand, having a history of exercise can also be beneficial as it gives us an idea of what does and does not work for your body, so we can hone in on what has been proven to be effective.

No matter your level, I always perform a physical assessment during our initial session. This gives me insight into your dynamic flexibility, core strength, balance, and overall neuromuscular control. I will also evaluate your cardiorespiratory fitness and your ability to perform the 5 “functional” movements: Pull, Push, Hinge, Squat, and Carry.

The end result is creating a fitness program tailored to your current level, whether you’re brand new to exercise or someone with years of experience.

The short answer: I work with individuals 18 – 50 with no significant or debilitating injuries. Typically, these individuals also have no previous gym experience with a general goal (e.g. lose bodyfat or build muscle) versus a specialized goal (e.g. performance and competition).

Now, for the answer that addresses all of the important nuances:

I want to be clear that I am not an expert. I don’t have an answer for every question, or every situation. What I can speak with authority on is my own journey in learning proper exercise as someone who was not an athlete, did not have injuries, and built muscle as a “hardgainer.” Because of that, I can provide the highest level of training to individuals with a similar background and goal.

With that said, there’s still universal principles for losing weight, building muscle, and improving your athleticism that I can teach you no matter who you are. Everyone starting a fitness journey can benefit working with a trainer—it’s a matter of matching you to the right one. That’s why I really take the time to get to know and understand your goals, so we can ensure I am the right fit for you. And because I do have your best interest at heart, if we find that you have specific needs that I cannot adequately address or are outside my scope of knowledge, I will refer you to someone reputable within my professional network who does have the right expertise to help you.

Ah! This is perhaps the most important question to you as the trainee and so it deserves a thorough answer.

My professional answer is this: Everyone is physically unique, starts in a different condition, and responds to exercise differently. Results depend on several factors, including genetic predisposition, effort applied to each workout, consistency, and proper nutrition. There is no quick fix or one-size-fits-all solution. Period.

It’s important for someone to compare themselves to themselves, as that is the real measure. As someone just starting a fitness journey, can you say you’re 80% consistent? Most new exercisers struggle to exercise even just one time a week. So if you can achieve 80% consistency—even 50%—you’re already ahead of where you are. That’s progress.

• A healthy individual can safely lose approximately 1.0 – 2.0 lbs. of body fat per week.
• A healthy individual can expect to gain 0.125 – 0.5 lbs. of muscle per week.

Understanding that the higher end of the range is achieved under optimal conditions, it’s important to note that individuals just starting their fitness journey rarely come out of the gate with full intensity, 100% consistency, and their nutrition fully dialed in. Over time, however, you can expect to make a little bit more progress than the week before.

The bottom line: “Being 1% better every day can lead to big changes.

In general, we will track your progress in 4 ways:

Performance metrics: Your weight lifted and repetitions completed to measure improvements in muscular strength and endurance.

Body measurements: Your waist circumference, body fat percentage, or progress photos to measure improvements in your body composition.

Fitness assessments: Your results from standardized tests like the push-up test, plank duration, or timed runs to measure improvements in your endurance, agility, flexibility and balance.

Lifestyle improvements: Are you getting 8 hours of sleep every night? Are you eating more whole foods? Are you walking more and sitting less?

And while we can’t measure it objectively, I believe it’s important to informally assess your confidence when it comes to exercise. This belief in yourself and your ability to complete a task–what we call “self-efficacy”–is also a figurative muscle that can be built.

Now with that said, your goals and how you define success are going to be specific to you. So when we decide to partner together, it’s important that we establish what success looks like from your perspective at the start and continue to reevaluate our approach each month to ensure we’re making progress towards the results that ultimately matter most to you.

First and foremost, it is required for you to receive formal medical clearance from your primary care provider before engaging in any exercise program. With their approval, and depending on the type of injury and your stage of rehabilitation, I will develop a plan that limits or avoids stress on the affected site. Moreover, we will explore opportunities to safely improve your mobility, flexibility, joint stabilization, and connective tissue strength within your limits.

However, it is not within my scope of practice to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or mechanical malalignment and I encourage you to seek the expertise of a professional qualified to serve you in that capacity.

As a new exerciser, I recommend 1 – 2 sessions in-person with me a week. Start with a routine that is easy for you to maintain and build upon that as you gain momentum.

I know that might come as a surprise, but contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to exercise a crazy amount for your body to start adapting, especially if you’re brand new to it. More often than not, I see people take on too much at once and that leads to burnout quickly. To avoid that, we’ll start with fewer sessions and add more as you progress.

In addition to your time with me, I also encourage you to continue to practice what we worked on together in order to develop your skills on your own. This will help you establish a workout habit so you are more likely to adhere to it for the long term.

No minimum number of sessions are required. You have the option of working with me in two ways:

• One single session at a time. In this case, you will be charged when you book.
• On a monthly plan that includes either 8 or 12 sessions per month. This is ideal for those who do want the commitment as a way to develop accountability and consistency, especially early on when you’re looking to first develop the habit. On a monthly plan, you can also add as many single sessions as you would like up to 20% off if you desire to train more during a particular month or need extra coaching. All plans require a credit card on file for an automatic payment every 30 days and can always be canceled at least 5 days prior to the end of the month.

Between these two options, you can build the ideal plan based on your needs month-to-month.

No problem! I can be adaptable based on your needs and availability. Please just let me know at least 24 hours in advance of when your session is supposed to start and we reschedule it. In the event of a late cancellation, you will forfeit the session.

From an accountability standpoint, I will still encourage you to engage in some form of physical activity–whether that’s cardio or bodyweight exercises–within 48 hours of when the session was set to take place. If you travel often, we can also develop full bodyweight plans for you to have ready whenever you need them.

As a personal trainer, my primary focus is on your training. I will educate you on foundational nutritional concepts and share basic nutritional guidelines that complement your fitness routine within my scope of practice. For detailed meal plans tailored to your unique needs, I recommend consulting with a professional nutritionist.