“When I started looking around for a personal trainer, I was disappointed with what I found. Based on Internet searches, the personal trainer community in Ottawa seemed to consist of guys who were vying for the Mr. Universe contest – muscles on top of muscles on top of muscles. And a lot of pictures to prove it. From my experience in the martial arts, I knew however that most “big muscle” guys were surprisingly weak in their cardiovascular ability, flexibility and even in certain elements of more functional strength. I wasn’t interested in bench pressing 400 lbs but I did want to lose some weight, tune up my stamina, flexibility and all-around functional strength.
Then I happened upon Mike’s website. Instead of endless ego-stroking pictures of muscles, I saw photos that demonstrated Mike’s incredible all-around fitness – his ability to balance on an exercise ball is nothing short of amazing. I was further heartened by Mike’s credentials. He trains other personal trainers and has an incredible depth of knowledge that spans the fitness spectrum from stretching to strength training to diet. I promptly called Mike and realized immediately that I’d made the right decision. In our first meeting, we agreed upon some fitness goals. We next set some benchmarks to measure our progress. Over a three month period, I hit all my goals, losing almost 20 pounds, gaining a lot of strength in my areas of weakness, improving my flexibility and broadening my knowledge and understanding of fitness and health. Throughout, Mike was supportive, enthusiastic and helpful with tips and suggestions to improve my home-based workouts. Perhaps most importantly, my experience with Mike was not only beneficial from a fitness perspective but enriching from a knowledge and experience perspective – I now feel equipped to make the kind of permanent change to my lifestyle that until now has eluded me. And I know Mike will be there down the line to help me when I need it. Thanks Mike.”
Marc-Andre Pigeon, Ottawa, ON.