About
I have been a personal trainer and a resident of South Florida for over thirty years; twenty-five of based in Boca Raton.
Teaching and reinforcing quality movement patterns facilitated with the use of corrective exercises lead to efficient muscle and joint recruitment throughout the kinetic chain and is one of the foundational pillars of avoiding repetitive stress injuries and addressing fall prevention founded in inefficient neuromuscular recruitment patterns.
I enjoy helping people who have contemplated making changes to improve their lifestyle, lose weight or other health or personal wellness goals and help to empower them into overcoming the hurdles that stand in their way to achieving them; with barriers to success eliminated, they are able to achieve in making their goals a reality!
Over 30 years' experience as a Personal Trainer/Fitness
Expert/Consultant/Health Writer.
Reviews
Marcia G.
Ronald M.
Andrew S.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Before any actual program design takes place, it is imperative to speak with any potential client in order to have a real understanding of the persons individual goals, current state of health, and any barriers to the completion of their goals they might need help addressing.
After gathering this information from the initial consultation with the client, a comprehensive assesment usually takes place; the assesment can consist of several different components but never deviates from the process of using evidenced-based protocols and are dependent on client's relative age, health and exercise history, goals, as well as any existing medical or orthopeadic concerns under medical supervision. These fitness assesments and movement screens form the baseline from which to measure the client's progress as well as establishes a starting point for the overall program design.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Florida Atlantic University- BS Exercise Science/Physiology
CAL-Penn- BS Health & Human Performace
Over 30 years' experience as a Personal Trainer/Fitness
Expert/Consultant/Health Writer
17 years as a Massage Therapist, and Certified Neuromuscular Therapist- RET. In 2000'
Post-Rehab Conditioning for shoulder, hip and knee prosthesis and flexibility, myofacial release programs.
Special Populations, Senior Fitness specialties.
Functional strength, endurance, balance, flexibility and fall
prevention programs.
Safe, effective, evidence-based fitness programs.
Certified and Insured.
Current Certifications:
American College of Sports Medicine- Exercise Physiologist
National Strength & Conditioning Association- CPT
National Academy of Sports Medicine- CPT, CES
Fitness Institute International- CPTS
Sharecare- Certified Health & Lifestyle Consultant
Advocate Healthcare- Certifed Intrinsic Training Coach
American Red Cross- CPR/AED and First Aid
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$75 - $110 per hour. (30, and 45 minute sessions also available at lower rates)
*Pricing is based on client's total weekly time commitment, and also dependent on client's health risk and abilities. Persons with little to no previous exercise history and higher risk stratifications, vestibular/balance issues or greater orthopeadic concerns generally require a greater time commitment as abilities allow, in order to achieve their goals.
As an example:
Initially, a new client might start with 30 minute sessions, three days a week; after ability increases, client might drop to two days a week for 60 minute sessions, along with guidelines for other days they might be able to execute on their own. Over time, they might only require "tune-up" sessions for program design updates and to address ongoing challenges.
How did you get started teaching?
I've always had a fascination with the human body as the amazing, adaptive machine that it is. I became earnestly interested in physical fitness as a teenager, when I saw the toll that diabetes and high-blood pressure was taking on my grandmother. Even at a young age, I saw how her quality of life being stripped away by the ravages of that metabolic disease. While in highschool, I ran cross-country and spent time in the gym; I realized how much better I felt both physically and mentally when I exercised and how it also helped my ability to concentrate in class. I'm glad that video gaming was in it's infancy because if I wanted to go gaming, I had to ride my bike 15 miles to the video arcade at the local mall...Today, lack of movement is the causal factor to so many degenerative diseases. It's important to understand that as long as we're confined and limited by our organic bodies that were made to move...in order to keep living, we need to keep moving.
What types of students have you worked with?
Over a thirty-year span, I have worked with all types of populations. Early on, I worked semi-professional athletes and those with specific, concrete goals. I also worked with busy executives, providing them with efficient exercise programs within their busy time-constraints. With a strong exercise-testing background, Metabolic Testing was my focus and I worked with athletic populations, older adults and seniors with metabolic diseases which still makes the bulk of my clientel.
As time went by, I've become more focused on medical fitness, realizing that the populations that really need our help and can benefit most from a qualified trainer's expertise are seniors and people striving to improve their quality of life while living with the medical constraints of various metabolic or respiratory diseases such as diabetes, COPD, cardiac-rehab, and multiple balance and vestibular issues which impact their quality of life if not addressed and properly managed. This also includes post-rehab individuals with joint surgeries or total knee, hip and shoulder replacements, as well as addressing some of the postural issues that have emerged as compensatory adaptations to those procedures...
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
After some time, I recently helped an 80 year old client with a total hip replacement greatly overcome her fear of falling by increasing her awareness of her kinetic chain checkpoints; ingraining the correct muscle recruitment pattern in order for her to regain the ability to stand from a seated positon without aid. When it finally "clicked" into place and she could do it on her own with increasing ease, the smile on her face and gratitude in how her quality of life has improved after helping her regain this task was tremendously gratifying...
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Do your due diligence. Most people just shop around based on price. It's important to ask the right questions from any service provider that you choose to work with you. Are they insured? What experience or background do they have? Are they qualified? Do you feel that the person you're hiring is a good match for you? Do they pay attention to you? Are they empathetic of your needs and situation? If not, then you might wind up paying less or more, but wasting your money and time nonetheless...
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
It's important to think about realistic short-term goals and what you expect from the teacher in helping you achieve them; it's also important to define what an actual goal is. As an example...
"I want to lose weight" is not a goal.
The weight loss is a side-effect...Making a plan to change your lifestyle habits in some small way in order to achieve the the weight loss is the goal.
"I think I can commit to consistently drinking more water throughout the day and not eating past 6:00 PM during the week." This might be an easy goal to set in order to build on healthful habits to attain the weight loss you seek.
It's also important to realitically state what potential barriers you might have to your succeeding your goal. Your openess and honesty with yourself and your coach and the clearer you articulate this with them, the easier it might be to start addressing some of the barriers to your success.