This is a long review, so I'm going to do a quick bullet point summary, then you can continue…read morereading if you're interested. Starting goal: - [ ] reverse the weight gain process , be able to get off the floor easily , start the weight loss process (60lbs) , not embarrass myself at the gym , gain strength and confidence One month results: - [ ] 10 pounds down , healthy diet , getting off the floor just fine , can actually lift weights (couldn't at start) ‼, not embarrassed to go to the gym , feeling so much better about myself !!! Unexpected benefits: - [ ] greater knowledge of myself, more energy, no pain, and I *enjoy* workouts! Recommendation: - [ ] This guy is phenomenal !!! Call him up and schedule an assessment today ; you'll be so grateful that you did! Now for the extended version... Hands down, this guy is THE BEST personal trainer I've ever had the pleasure of working with! His encyclopedic knowledge, combined with an engaging, easy to follow teaching style, and his own custom, fully-outfitted, conveniently located gym, make training sessions something I genuinely look forward to twice a week. And I am the type of person that use to avoid workouts at all costs. Just so you can understand how incredible this is, let me give you a bit of my backstory... About a year ago... A demanding, low movement job, combined with being a single mom to 4 kids, and a significant number of life stressors already meant that I constantly had to watch my weight. I managed it though, mostly by dancing 3 times a week and walking for a couple of hours most nights a week. THEN COVID HIT. At first I was okay without the dancing, but then came a family emergency... and the walks had to stop too. In spite of all my efforts, my weight crept up. And up. And up. A month ago... I was fast approaching my heaviest weight ever. Now, I've struggled with my weight my entire life, so I knew what I had to do. But it just wasn't working. I was in a deep downward spiral, and I couldn't get out. I started to get depressed. I had received a gym membership for Christmas, but I didn't really know what I was doing, and the embarrassment kept me from doing anything effective. I was disgusted with myself and wanted to quit going (and would have, if it hadn't been a gift.) Then my boyfriend told me I should try his personal trainer. Nathan "Nate" Stowe did my physical evaluation to determine what I could handle. Based on that, he designed a personalized workout just for me - taking into account my preferences, old injuries, life situation and current ability level. I'm not going to lie... the first workout, it took me an hour to make it through the warm up. Just. The. Warm up. I would have been embarrassed, but Nate was so calm and knowledgeable- explaining the process at every turn, honestly telling me how long it would realistically take to reach my goal, providing a nutritional program to complement the workouts... and by the next week, I was already doing better. Now... A month in, I've lost ten pounds, gained *so* much strength, and most importantly, regained the confidence that I will get back into shape in time for the end of Covid, so I can go dancing again. And, I look forward to my workouts, knowing that Nate will give me *exactly* what I need with his magical and mathematical ability to determine precisely what I can do every time - without pain, without injury, and without wanting to give up! His approach to exercise - keeping the body safe and functional for a long, happy and mobile life - is fully backed by science, knowledge, and years of experience. His gym is socially distanced, safe, and non-threatening. The people who go there have a sense of family in a way I've never felt at a big box gym. I've never experienced a single moment of discomfort there. In my experience... Nate under-promises and over-delivers on results. He offers a wide range of services, including remote workouts, as well as nutrition plans. Most importantly, he follows up with me at exactly the level I need - always laid-back, never pushy, never bossy. He texts to see how I'm doing with exactly the right frequency. Often with personal trainers, I constantly feel their urgency to book the appointment because they need to keep their business going. I never fault them - it's a tough business to make money in - but the guilt was always in my mind, pushing me to book an appointment I couldn't afford... or just quit. With Nate, I've never once felt that he is in this just for the money. He really cares about his clients. When I told him I needed to take some time to get my finances back in order, he sent me all the information I would need to continue working out on my own - no pressure at all. You better believe that I'll be going back too!

I have been working with Nate for several years as a personal trainer. With his help and coaching…read moreI went from 315 lbs to 200 lbs and know I am on my way to getting down to to an even low r weight, through getting fit and meal planning. He has the knowledge and ablity to work with the elite athlete to the morbidly obese to help them find their inner fitness place.

I've been working with Ishmael for a few weeks and really loving it…read more The background to how I came to training with Ishmael involves some serious back pain... it started small, but grew more and more painful over time... going to the gym on my own was not helping or even making things worse. After my massage therapist and chiropractor got me walking upright again, I decided I needed some help getting back into the gym because I didn't want to risk injuring myself or having a setback. The training we've done so far has been stellar... not once has Ishmael pushed my back too far, although there were times when I was afraid he had. I'm feeling stronger already, more stable, and less and less afraid of my back having trouble. All of that would be enough, but Ishmael is also articulate, personable, and so cheerful and positive that I leave our meetings feeling so much better not just physically but mentally too. I always resisted the idea of working with a trainer, not the least of which is that it seems their secret goal is to make you look stupid in the gym doing all those weird trainer exercises... but Ishmael trains in a private gym, so everyone there is also with a trainer going through the same thing... AND it turns out all of those weirdo exercises have tremendously useful purposes. Now I know those folks with the trainers are the smart ones, no matter how lame they might look being put through the paces. I'm learning so much about my body and how to work with it that I'm left wondering what the heck I was ever thinking trying to hack it at the gym by myself! This training process is helping me meet my goals faster and safer. It's a no brainer!

I friggin' love this place!!!…read more I was referred to Ishmael by a friend and I decided to give him a call and have an initial meeting. He was extremely friendly AND super knowledgeable during the assessment that lasted about one hour. A week later I started my one on one sessions and besides the fact that I had a very intense workout, I was not disappointed at all. My goals were addressed very specifically as Ishmael is very detailed oriented. A couple of weeks later I decided to try the group classes on weekends and those turned out to be pretty amazing too. I brought friends on different opportunities and they all decided to come back. These weekend classes are sometimes taught by Will, who's a great trainer and pretty hilarious at the same time. I'm very satisfied with this place. It brought me back the motivation and extra push I was needing after working out on my own for many years. Thumbs up!

Phil is above and beyond anything I could have ever asked for in a personal trainer. The depth of…read morehis anatomical, physiological, and neurological knowledge allows him to pinpoint certain issues and imbalances with extreme accuracy and offer a wide array of practical solutions. He helped me with an imbalance in my shoulder, some immobility in my ankles, and even some issues I was having with my inner ear/eye gaze. My body has never been happier or felt more capable. The man is a genius and a genuine person. I really look forward to each session with him and wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone searching for a trainer.

If you want to learn to train properly, then you want to work out with Phil. I've been training…read morewith him for the past 6 or so months, and he's completely changed how I approach my workouts and think about fitness. His ability to translate his knowledge of how the human body and brain interact into tangible results regularly blows me away. It's hard to overstate how effective a trainer Phil is. I came to him after a lot of years of trying (and failing) to find ways to leverage my time in the gym to endurance activities like running and cycling. I learned to hate strength workouts because they didn't do anything for me. Phil's expertise and commitment to helping his clients has completely changed that. He brought me back to the fundamentals, and introduced concepts and techniques that were brand new to me. As a result, I've seen more improvement in the past 6 months in the things I care about than in the past several years combined. I couldn't recommend Phil more highly. Far and away the best trainer I've come across.

When I began working with Mike at Kineticore Fitness, I was afraid to run outside. I also had…read morereally shoddy form with regards to weight lifting, and zero knowledge on how best to get my body to a healthy state. Three years later, I'm the healthiest I've ever been. I'm working out at a healthy, sustainable rate. I know how to listen to my body. I run outside -- actually, as a three-time Olympic-distance triathlete, I do a lot more than just run. And I enjoy it! Kineticore is to blame. Mike is a smart, compassionate, friendly trainer who guides his clients based on their needs and is very good about helping us maximize our time and efforts. His approach is holistic and realistic, one step at a time to conquer the big goals. If my 2010 self met my 2013 self, he'd be like, what? A miracle! And I'd say: No, just a lot of hard work and great leadership from Kineticore. (Now go grab a TRX.) I've now left Austin (so my weekly slots are open -- somebody grab 'em!) but I'm still in touch with Mike all the time about moving my healthy lifestyle forward. He's a great resource on healthy eating, healthy living, and of course, workouts. I think the best compliment I can pay Mike and Kineticore Fitness is that this whole amazing transformation has felt totally natural, like this active physical self has been a part of me this whole time, and Mike helped me tap into it. That's what makes him special -- not just personalized, but PERSONAL. With Kineticore, I found out what I wanted from myself and, with Mike's help, learned how to get it.

They have a different approach. it is very good. Double, results with one visit. New PT technology,…read moregreat classes. Always, played and I am getting back to playing every sport I can. At least 10 to 12. I have been an athlete, all my life and an outdoor person. I am Frankenstein's, latest creation and or a unicorn most Doctors aren't willing to work on or have a clue how. I'm a healthy, I was injured from head to toe in a limo-car, work accident. They have helped me get Muscles moving that were not. I've seen all ages. They take Medicare, have a special, Fridays for people that can't normally afford to come. Atrophy happens, quick, building muscle back is hard, longer. They have trainers working with athletes that are currently competing in boxing, soccer, track, bodybuilding, you name it...... Inspirational! It's a "very Zen" location. The people & staff, are always smiling . See for yourself Tell them "Marnie sent you"

Have been having back pain, I was recommended Neufit. Called this morning to attempt to make an…read moreappointment but Deborah on the phone was extremely rude. Will be going somewhere else now.

While possibly helpful to some, Ashley adheres to one, and one only, method of her nutrition…read moretraining. For $50 a week of this, I was given a shopping list of foods I could eat. Then, I was given a one day meal plan to follow and told to enter everything I ate into My Fitness Pal. Not sure how this one day meal plan was customized to me; that was not clear. Curious. At the end of the week, she sent me comments on what I ate. Once I was reprimanded for eating the 2oz of almonds that were in my one day meal plan. Well, why were they in my "customized" one day meal plan to begin with? Curious. I received no substantive comments unless you count cliche cheerleader prompts. And the majority of the food-related comments were exactly what My Fitness Pal, a free app, already told me. Perhaps this approach works for some. But it doesn't for me which is what I wrote to her about. Instead of coming up with something customized to me, she refused to adapt the plan and just sent me more cliched lines like, "How much do you want this?", "I'm your friend." , and "trust me." Lastly, I paid $390 is advance, and was not informed there is no refund policy. After receiving 1.5 weeks of her nutrition and 1 group class, all calculated at her non-package rate of $50 a week for nutrition and $30 for one group session. That comes to $130 in services I received. Now, she refuses to refund the rest of my money, citing this post-hoc refund policy. Curious.

The best in Austin! Ashley truly cares and provides a perfect place to achieve my goals. I have…read moreasked so many questions, and has always had clear, and complete answers to all of them. She has helped me with meal planning, given me encouragement when I needed it, and has made it a fun life change, into health and loving my body. You have added so much value to how I live, through being such a great motivator, trainer, teacher, and coach.

Josue Madrid is simply the best trainer I've ever had... and I've had quite a few…read more He is a great motivator. I have trouble getting up in the morning to workout, but I always make it knowing J's motivation will be there. The motivation rocks through the hour workout, pushing you to new levels. He knows fitness. Josue knows working out, how to push you and keep you safe at the same time. He adjusts to your needs/abilities - Over some months, we've customized a resistance/cardio workout to help me lose my gut, but put on muscle... and it's working, I'm lifting about 50% more than I was 4 months ago (still have a ways to go on the gut). He cares. He's flexible - We've tried several different types of workouts, and he's willing to change/tailor workouts to what you like, what you need, and what you can do. He comes to ME! We're all busy, and it's great to know that Josue takes the time to train you when and where you want. He's RELIABLE - he shows up every time and on time... He's a damn nice guy... except when he makes you do 50 kettle bell swings at 7am, otherwise a nice guy. Highly recommended.

If you are looking for a great personal trainer, with a great attitude on life and all things…read morehealthy, then Josue is the trainer for you. His workouts combine cardio, strength, stretching, and most importantly tons of tips on proper form. He's great at keeping you focused on your goals to get fit, by tracking your measurements and giving you nice texts before the weekend to remind you to stay healthy (because we all know its easy to slip up on the weekends!) His prices are so much less than what you would expect to pay for the level of service and attention that you are given. And the fact that he comes to you is the best part. Have to stay late at the office? He can meet you there. Want to work out in a park one day? Done. I am so much fitter, happier and healthier today and I know its because Josue helped me get there. You will not regret hiring him.

This review is going to be very Wordy-McWordy so make yourself comfortable. If you have neither the…read moretime nor the inclination to read it all, feel free to scroll down to the end/#5. (Apologies in advance for any bad grammar/excessive use of exclamation points.) Stephen was my "vacation" for 2017. What that says about me I just do not know. I knew that resistance/strength training would help with some health issues and was at a point where I wanted to move beyond by 3-lb hand weights. So, the third time I drove by Hyde Park Gym, I stopped and walked in to ask about a few sessions with a Personal Trainer. Stephen was there/up/whatever. (I am not sure if "serendipitous" is the right word...but I digress.) First the cons, or rather, the con (the singular is deliberate): if they are important to you, take measurements at either the first or second session. We did not do this. Every now and then, I think, "Hmmmmmmm, maybe I should have at least measured my waist at the start." But then that moment passes. All I do know is clothing has become loose and I am spending more time shopping the sales getting replacements. Just saying. Now the pros: 1. Stephen is a professional. He states upfront in the initial meeting his approach to training a client, He asks for input as to what the client's goals are at the time and about any physical concerns. He is clear in his policies re payment, cancellations and/or rescheduling appointments. I very much appreciated this practical, no-nonsense approach. 2. Stephen is encouraging, patient and flexible. I essentially started very close to zero in terms of physical ability. Both knees are severely impacted by arthritis; I have a "touch" of arthritis in both hips and, as it later turned out, a badly healed frozen shoulder. I am morbidly obese. I have Type 2 Diabetes. When I started working with Stephen I could walk about an hour - a VERY uncomfortable and awkward hour. My knees would frequently buckle. I feared falling or worse, not being able to get myself up off the ground/floor if I did fall. Since working with Stephen, my shoulder flexibility has improved. I have lost a few pounds (would LOVE to say, "I've lost ALL the excess weight!" but I do love my food). My glucose numbers are routinely in the no-to pre-diabetes ranges for about 24-36 hours after a workout (a VERY good thing!). During my walks, my knees rarely buckle when I pick up the pace or step on/off the curbs. Stephen taught me how to get up off the ground safely so that when I have fallen (of course I've fallen...what did you expect?!) I practically bounce back up...all by myself. With all of the above issues, it would have been easy for Stephen to create a workout that just made me sweat and resulted in few actual improvements in strength and balance. Instead he starts with his expectations (Super Sets shout out here!!), sees how I handle a given exercise or workout and goes from there. He tweaks the movements to allow for my physical limitations AND more importantly, helps me get stronger and improve. Stephen's enthusiasm for his work is contagious and inspires me to at least try. His workouts for me are an excellent balance of challenging and do-able. 3. Stephen is willing to ask for input or help when needed. My frozen shoulder? Was all sorts of ugliness a few weeks ago. Stephen recommended a couple of sessions with Jennifer Chu, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and strength coach. After our sessions, he tweaked my workouts to incorporate Dr. Chu's recommendations. Again, an excellent balance of challenging and do-able. 4. Stephen is inspiring. I look at him and see all that he has accomplished - personally and professionally - and it is efff'g amazing and motivating! The few times I have wanted to shorten a workout I ask myself if that is what Stephen would do (And hey, maybe he would; after all, we all have those days.); then find myself doing the full workout. He is living proof that making the effort is worth any temporary discomfort. About five weeks into our sessions together, Hyde Park Gym had their annual Push/Pull. I stopped by to see an incredible group of people - Stephen included - do some AMAZING things with barbells and very large weights. At one point during his break, Stephen asked me if I wanted to try it next time and I responded, "Absolutely...NOT!!" A few months later and he has me deadlifting. The bench press is next on my list of things to do. Push/Pull 2018 is the goal. 5. Stephen is an excellent Personal Trainer! Treat yourself or someone you love to working with him. Definitely work the investment!!

We started training with Stephen about two months ago, and he's really kicked our progress in gear,…read morehelping us set ambitious but realistic new goals. Our workout programs focus on the core powerlifting exercises (bench, deadlift, squat) with plenty of accessory exercises for each lift. Stephen's been great about designing a smart progression in our exercises and responding to our feedback. Our one-on-one workouts with him are great, as well -- Stephen's got a wealth of knowledge and is a great coach on form. We're really happy to be training with him!