FAQ

If a gym is needed and you are located in the vicinity of the North Hills, I train clients at Athletic Republic in Wexford, PA. Contact me directly for personal training.

I can train clients at Virtus Barbell Institute. Contact me directly to explore these possibilities.‍

Most of the time. Whether you have a full gym or some equipment in your home, I can usually train clients at home. Contact me directly and we can discuss what equipment options you have for personal training.

The purpose of the exploratory call is to see if I am a good fit for you as a coach or a personal trainer. I will help you see the gap where you are now in regards to your fitness and wellness to where you want to be. You will see how big that gap is. The gap is where the action takes place. You will feel as comfortable as possible during the exploratory phone call. We will talk about focusing on your goals and challenges. We will talk about accountability. We will talk about perspective and that challenges need solutions.

You will follow through setting up plans and following through- execution. Obstacles will constantly be monitored as they will come up and new ones will happen. You will learn how to handle those obstacles when they occur in the future. This has a tremendous impact on a successful lifestyle modification program.

I have an extensive background in endurance sports in which I have participated competitively. I have coached new endurance sports athletes in multisport athletics, mountain bike, and road bike races and running endurance sports from 5K races to full marathons. My coaching for these clients has consisted of not only full training programs but also programming for injury prevention, core and strength training plans. I have also worked with golfers, racquet sport athletes, hockey, lacrosse and soccer players.

Clients come to me seeking nutritional help. I understand that all clients are at different stages of readiness to make changes to their diets. Getting each client to make a change in their diet is a different process for everyone. I coach the whole person by using a client centered approach. I build a strong relationship and rapport with clients by knowing, understanding, respecting the clients' priorities, values, and goals. Together, we collaborate on the plan of attack.

For one on one personal training, I require clients to pay for five weeks' worth of training in full before appointments begin.

Yes, I do offer partner sessions. In some cases, it is not prudent to train two clients in the same session. I need to consider a variety of factors to see if two individuals can train together. The best way to determine this is to contact me for more information.

Yes! Please contact me to discuss corporate wellness options that will fit your company's needs.

Yes. I would be happy to create a gift certificate or a gift card for personal training or health coaching. Please contact me for details.

Many people who are overweight or obese know what to do to make themselves healthier. They know what they should eat. They know that they should get up and move more. They know that they should exercise regularly. Many that have chronic health conditions know that they should take their medications.

They all know that they should follow this positive advice but they have a difficult time putting these recommendations into action. A health coach can help a client take action through lifestyle changes that have a tremendous impact on weight management, health, and wellness. A health coach can help a person want to change by connecting with them in a way that the person believes that they can change and that those changes will be lasting. These lifestyle changes involve fitness, nutrition and emotional-behavioral balance which all affect a person's wellbeing.

They will have balance physically and emotionally in everything that they do. Feelings of stress, apprehension, and insecurity occur when people start a lifestyle modification program. I build relationships with clients through direct interaction during regular coaching sessions which provides the time and the opportunity to improve a client's experience, adherence, and success towards a lifestyle modification program. I keep the clients' needs in mind during each coaching session.

Coaching sessions are held in a non intimidating environment at a quiet comfortable space in the client's home or online via video or phone call. I constantly work to increase the client's belief that they can succeed successfully. We talk about the unsuccessful past attempts to be healthy, stay active or lose weight. We work towards identifying and understanding why these attempts didn't work. I examine the client's support systems, expectations, barriers and preferences as they relate to those previous attempts at lifestyle modification. It's common for initial program expectations to be unrealistic.

I will work with the client to modify the expectations by focusing on the client and understanding the client's needs.

Absolutely! A combination of online and one on one coaching/training services can be combined.

Depending on your location, the two services could be combined but with some restrictions. Contact me and we can find an option that works for you.

The cancellation policy for ANY personal training appointment and health coaching session is 24 HOURS.

The safety of programming is of utmost importance to me when I am working with clients.

I have established a risk stratification prior to coaching and training clients. This is important since someone with one positive risk factor will be treated differently than another person with several risk factors.

You may need permission from your physician if you have the following:

· Cardiac diseases
· Pulmonary diseases
· Metabolic diseases
· History of heart problems
· High blood pressure
· You currently take blood pressure medication
· You have joint problems/arthritis that a doctor has told you may be aggravated by exercise
· You experience shortness of breath or unusual fatigue at rest or with mild exertion
· You over 50 years old and unaccustomed to vigorous exercise
· You are pregnant
‍
I cannot begin any type of personal training with you if you have the following:
· You had recent surgery and have not been released by a surgeon for unrestricted activity
· You have been warned previously by a doctor about participating in an exercise program
· You experience pain or discomfort in the chest, neck, jaw or arms that may be ischemic in nature
· You experience dizziness, fainting, or syncope

I do carry liability insurance. I also require a client to have homeowner's insurance as well.

Generally, if a prospective client is under the age of 18, they will need to be accompanied by an adult for personal training. An adult must be in the visible vicinity when a training session is occurring.

Health coaching clients must be over the age of 21.

Payments for my online personal training services can be made through my online personal training app.  

All in-person personal training and health coaching payments are invoiced through Square point of sale system.

Some researchers say that it takes 21 days to change a habit while other researchers say 90 days.

Still, other studies have shown it can take longer and that it also depends on the individual.

‍https://www.sciencealert.com/how-long-it-takes-to-break-a-habit-according-to-science There are so many factors that go into behavior change especially when we are referencing exercise behavior. The history behind the development of current behavior, the learning keys for the new behavior, an individual's social support setting, personality traits, an individual's knowledge, attitude and beliefs about starting and adhering to an exercise program are just to a few key aspects that need to be evaluated in order for behavior to start to change. You also can't expect this newly formed behavior to stick. Relapses in behavior will happen and those relapses can promote some negative feelings. Planning for relapses needs to occur so that when they happen again, the negative feelings aren't as bad. The client can "get back on track" quicker. Ninety days is the minimum amount of time that the majority of individuals can begin to take the small steps towards changing their exercise-related behavior. More times than not, people will need longer.

Whether inquiring about personal training or health coaching, the start of the process is the same.

The first step in the process is to schedule an exploratory phone call with me. This call can help you determine if I am the right coach for you and your needs. The duration of the call can last as long as you want so you will not feel rushed. The main questions that I will ask:

How can I help you?
What are you looking to achieve?
What would you like to be able to do when you reach your goal?
What have you tried in the past? How can I be of best assistance to you?
I want you to talk about your physical fitness, work/life balance or managing your own business or career.
A successful planning process not only involves what you do in the gym and the kitchen but also involves your entire lifestyle. Work, family and life stresses have a tremendous impact on your health and well-being. It's important for you to discuss these topics and I want you to be comfortable talking about them.

We are partnered in a relationship that is centered on you. I will partner with you to set smaller goals that you specify. With your input, we will make small changes and plans that are concrete.

As you move along achieving your goals, your behavior will begin to modify. You will begin to learn more about yourself through my continuous feedback and your continuous input during your coaching sessions. Your behavior will begin to modify by your reflection on your actions.