This review is long overdue. Rob, the trainer at 3Strong, has been training me on-and-off for years…read morenow and he's helped me reach goals that I previously thought were completely out-of-reach.
Originally, I was a self-taught weightlifter with dreams of seeing an Arnold-type physique staring back at me in the mirror. I read Arnold's encyclopedia, I frequented all the bodybuilding websites, I read the science-y sounding articles sprinkled across the web... But eventually I realized that it was both foolish and risky to trust the wellbeing of my body to my interpretation of what was mostly bro science. These "simple" movements that weightlifters rely on (i.e. the squat and the deadlift) can lead to serious injuries if done improperly. I felt like I knew a lot, but like the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know.
There are a lot of personal trainers in this area, and I wanted to find a trainer whose credentials and experience stood out from the rest. So I did a little reading up on the various personal training certifications out there, and I felt the NSCA CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) seemed to require more out of its members than did the other certification associations. For instance, the NSCA requires its candidates possess a Bachelor's degree to earn the CSCS certification, whereas the NASM-CPT certification only requires a high school diploma.
So after looking around for a CSCS trainer, I stumbled on Rob's name in some trainer database.
From what I could tell, a CSCS could technically have a degree in Basket Weaving and be allowed to join the organization. I saw that Rob has a Masters in Kinesiology (the study of human body movement), which demonstrated to me that this guy knows a lot more about the human body than does the average Joe. Not only that, but he had been a trainer at that point for years.
Between his certifications and his experience, I felt Rob was the best choice on paper. I signed up.
Rob works out of a gym with a really interesting mix of equipment. There are the requisite barbells, dumbbells, and squat racks necessary to safely perform the big compound movements (bench press, squat, deadlift), but when you get bored of those tired old exercises, there are kettlebells, gymnastic rings, Bulgarian bags, sandbags, tires... It's pretty hard to be bored!
He was able to critique my form and help me execute movements with confidence. Also, he structured a personalized workout program to get me to my goal in a smarter way. And eventually, after sticking with the plan, I got to a point where I was pretty happy with the aesthetics of my body.
These days, my goals are less aesthetic and more functional. For instance, I was inspired to run an ultra-marathon awhile ago. Rob helped me figure out a training plan as well as an effective race-day plan that ended up working really well. Also, I find that though I'm able to push myself pretty hard at the gym, Rob motivates me to push far past my typical limits. And to be honest, there is a certain satisfaction to exert myself to that point (and it really helps that Rob always has interesting things to talk about to distract me from the muscle fatigue).
If you're looking for a trainer who has both the knowledge and the practical experience, if you're looking for a trainer who will work with you to figure out how to reach your physical goals (whether they be bodybuilding, powerlifting, or sports focused), if you're looking for a trainer who knows a million ways to push you to where you need to be - I couldn't imagine a trainer I'd recommend more highly than Rob.
