Personal Training FAQ

Your first session is a conversation and an assessment. We'll start with a tour of the facility and talk through your goals, medical and injury history, current fitness level, and any questions or concerns you have. Then we'll set a training schedule together, including what you'll do on your own between sessions.

From there, I'll assess your coordination, joint mobility, strength, and more. If you're an athlete training for a sport, the assessment will be geared toward that and may include power and agility. This shows me your baseline mechanics, so your program starts where you actually are.

Ready to start? You can schedule your intro session online.

Bring a water bottle, comfortable workout clothes, and good training shoes. Ideally those have flat soles, a wide toe box, and some flexibility. If you don't have them yet, no worries. Wear what you've got, and I may have you take your shoes off for certain movements.

Yes, I work with all levels, from people who've never touched a weight to lifelong athletes. Your program is built around your goals, your needs, and your current fitness level.

If you've never lifted weights, it's never too late. We'll ease into it, one step at a time.

I'm biased, but I think personal training is great for almost everyone who has the means. I'm a trainer and I still work with one myself, because an outside eye catches things you can't see in your own movement. Training also brings accountability, consistency, and programming built for your body and goals.

That said, not every trainer is the right fit for every person. Training tests your body and mind, so rapport and trust matter a lot. Listen to your instincts. If my style isn't right for you, I'd rather you find a trainer who speaks your language and helps you succeed.

After your first session, I'll build your program and send you an overview of our conversation, your assessment results, and your plan. Your program starts where you are and builds in phases, with intensity (and other factors) increasing over time. It blends the types of workouts you enjoy with what I see needs work.

Every Sunday, you'll get your workouts for the week, including the sessions we do together and the ones you do on your own.

The honest answer is that it depends on where you're starting.

The major guidelines give a general range. The American Heart Association recommends strength training on at least 2 days per week, along with about 150 minutes of moderate cardio. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 2 to 3 days of strength training per week. The National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends 2 to 3 days for beginners, 3 to 4 for intermediate lifters, and 4 to 6 for advanced.

If you're a beginner, it's okay to start lower and build up. Going from zero days to even 1 or 2 days a week is a big change, and it can feel really challenging. That's a win, not a compromise.

Once it feels manageable, and you're feeling better, we add more. For most people that's after about a month of consistency. From there, we can add more time, more days, and higher intensity.

If you're an experienced or highly athletic client, more isn't always the answer. If your results have stalled, the fix might be:

• Adding variability to your training
• Adding time, intensity, or days
• Re-testing your baseline so your training matches where you are now, like percentages of your 1RM, speed, or jump height

The goal is to make training part of your life. I'd rather you train in a way you can keep doing for years than go hard for a few weeks and burn out.

It depends on you and where you're starting. Beginners often notice changes quickly, like better coordination, stronger muscle activation, and feeling better in daily life. A lot of those early gains come from your nervous system learning to use the muscles you already have. Visible changes in muscle size and body composition generally take longer, often a couple of months of consistent work.

As you progress, progress continues but comes in smaller steps, because it takes more stress on the body. It's normal to have phases of big progress followed by stretches that feel like a plateau. That isn't failure. It's often a sign we need to change something, like variety, intensity, or recovery.

Absolutely. I work with all kinds of athletes and build training around the demands of their sport by breaking down the movement patterns that carry over. For hockey players, for example, I focus on posterior leg and hip strength and power for explosiveness on the ice, plus rotational core strength and power.

I also train to prevent the overuse that comes from repeating the same movements, by stabilizing and activating the muscles and movements that get used less. The goal isn't to take away from the primary movers. It's to keep your body from getting so imbalanced that it affects everything else you do.

Yes. Depending on the injury or surgery, I may ask for a doctor's okay first. I'll do my best never to put you in a movement your body can't handle, but communication goes both ways. Tell me if something hurts, feels like too much, or makes you nervous.

We'll work step by step, and if needed, break movements down into smaller and smaller parts until you're moving well. My time as a medical assistant in an orthopedic office helps here, because I understand how injuries happen and how to work around them.

Sessions are typically 60 minutes. Some clients train with me for 45 minutes, and others do 90 minutes. We'll land on what fits your goals, your schedule, and your recovery.

Yes. There are two ways to train semi-privately:

• Same workout: you and a partner do the same program together.
• Individual programming: you train side by side, but each of you follows your own program. This costs a bit more, since you're both getting individualized programming. You'll each do your own movement assessment first, and during sessions I'll move between you to coach and correct.

Semi-private works well if you want a training partner, or a more affordable option than one-on-one. You can read more on the services page.

Yes. Groups usually run 3 to 6 people, though I'm happy to talk through something outside that range. Group training works well for a team or friends training for the same sport, or for general sessions like HIIT, circuits, or CrossFit-style workouts. Tell me what your group wants and I'll build the schedule and programming around it. Details are on the services page.

Sessions are at Colorado Weightlifting Club, 1361 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80210. I also occasionally train clients at Kula Sports Performance in Greenwood Village. Find directions on the contact page.