Michael Medvig, CPT

I grew up in the 70's with asthma and was told not to exercise. As a result I grew up sickly, weak and generally unhappy. At age 15, against the advice of everyone, I started my own exercise program to pursue my dream of making the high school football team. From there I was hooked. Since then I have read hundreds of books and magazines, attended seminars, asked questions and experimented with various programs to find out what truly works and what doesn't.

I started personal training in 2002 for a number of reasons. One reason is that I want to share what I have learned in the 25 plus years since I picked up that first weight. I truly believe most diets and exercise programs are designed for you to fail. Since 95% of them do ultimately fail, I think I am justified in talking about this and suggesting an alternative.

Personal training is unique in that you are the ultimate proof if my training works or not. My job is to make your life better by helping you achieve your fitness goal, whatever that may be. I need to make it effective so you can see quick results. I also need to make it fun and enjoyable so you can keep this lifestyle up. Whether you want a gentle yoga-like workout or an aggressive kickboxing workout, I will custom design a program based on your needs, personality and fitness level.

"Michael's workouts are super!" He knows what he is doing and always answers all my questions.

I feel years younger since working out with Michael. "My back pain has disappeared and I already dropped 2 dress sizes!"

Michael is very patient and understanding. "I feel he really listens to me! I am very happy!"

At first I didn't know what to expect hiring a personal trainer. I have been pleasantly surprised with how much weight I have lost. "I should have done this years ago!"

Below Michael explains how he got into the business of personal training, his overall approach with clients, his fitness philosophies and more.

A: One day I realized what being fit has meant to me and the doors that it has opened. It is an awesome feeling to give my clients the same power. Training and reaching your fitness goals will change your life in more ways than you can imagine.

A: There are 1,001 ways to reach any fitness goal.My specialty is creating custom programs based on what you like to do. My theory with exercise and nutrition is if you don't like doing it, then it is not a long-term solution. If you are new to fitness, we will try a bunch of different things until you find your niche.

A: I have found that most clients get their knowledge of exercise and nutrition from commercials and infomercials. When I tell you that 90% of what you know about working out is wrong, you will probably be a little skeptical. All I ask is that you suspend your beliefs for a while.

A: If you are not serious about reaching your goals, please do not pick me as your trainer.

A: Communication. I know making changes in your lifestyle are hard and I am on your side. If there are any issues I am not addressing, I want you to tell me. My business is based on referrals and you are my walking billboard. I can't succeed if you don't succeed.

A: My strength is that I can create fun, functional programs for you regardless of your level of fitness, experience, amount of time or type of equipment. My weakness may be that sometimes I feel I want my clients to achieve their goals more than they do.

A: If that is your thing, I will work with you on it. In general, all diets work if you can stay on it. In general, all diets fail because you are forced to make too big of a change in your eating habits. I prefer to look at the way you like to eat and make a few tweaks here and there.

A: "How can I have dropped 2 dress sizes and still weigh the same?" P.S. Call me to get the answer.

A: J.C. Santana. He has taught me how to train anyone, anywhere with a minimum of equipment. J.C. has also taught me how to make effective training programs that will target flexibility, balance, toning and cardio in under 30 minutes.

A: My kids are my greatest success story. My son (8) and my daughter (10) were both born premature. Since they were born, I have worked with them using the same training methods I use for myself and my clients. They have both become absolutely amazing athletes.

A: 1. Find a trainer who will listen to what you want to accomplish.
2. Get an exercise and nutrition program you can realistically follow for the long term.
3. Commit to it 100%.

A: Whatever gets you to your goal is the method I prefer. If a group brings the energy level and motivation up, then we will do it. If it doesn't, then we need to make a change.

A: Personal training is my passion and I am fortunate that I don't rely on it for my primary income. That means I can concentrate on training a small select number of clients and keep the level of quality high. In the future I want to stay on the cutting edge both for myself and my clients.