Whatever your size, shape, age, or athletic ability, strength training is for anyone, and it’s truly one of the nicest things you can do for yourself.

Being stronger makes daily activities feel better: picking up stuff, chasing kids around, enjoying a sport or recreational activity. Even working at a desk is easier when you’re stronger.

Strength training builds muscle mass and bone density, which is especially important if you are an older person, or plan to become one.

Lifting weights improves cardiovascular health, mood and cognition, posture, mobility, balance, joint health, sleep quality.

If losing fat is a goal, strength training plays a crucial role in doing so in a healthy and sustainable way.

Finally, strength training is one of the most time efficient forms of exercise, delivering all the life changing benefits mentioned above in as little as two short workouts per week.

A good trainer will:

—optimize your workout time

—teach you proper exercise technique

—create an exercise program that fits your goals, your body, your schedule, and your preferences

—ensure and track progress

—safely push and challenge you

—provide accountability and support

—prevent you from wasting time and money on gimmicks, scams, pseudoscience, etc.

—share skills and knowledge, so that eventually you might not need a trainer

We'll spend most of our time working on a selection of exercises that strengthen the body in a balanced and thorough manner. These will be customized for you, and will generally involve free weights, machines, and/or bodyweight. Our focus will be on establishing solid technique and gradually getting stronger and stronger over time.

Our sessions will not be like going to ‘boot camp’ and should never leave you feeling wrecked — soreness and massive fatigue are not indicators of an effective workout. That said, there will definitely be moments that demand your focus and determination, e.g., pushing yourself to lift a weight a few more times than last time.

Our sessions won’t be non-stop huffing and puffing. Cardio is important, but cardio and lifting are most effective when done separately.

I will:

--teach you how to warm up

--address mobility issues as necessary via stretching and corrective exercises

--provide a simple customized program of cardio exercise, supervised as needed

--provide guidance on life outside of the gym: nutrition, resting, fitting training into your busy life, etc.

--provide support and accountability

I love working with beginners, as well as anyone who could benefit from building a solid foundation of strength and fitness. This might include:

—people who have never exercised before

—people coming back to exercise after a long layoff

—people who have been going to the gym for a while, but who are unsatisfied with their progress, and are open to changing their approach

For logistical reasons, I can probably only take on clients on or near the Upper West Side, and who have access to a well equipped gym where independent personal trainers can work.

I’m currently offering a 12 week program called “Couch to Strong”, which offers a choice of training sessions twice or three times per week on non-consecutive days.

The cost for this program is based on a rate of $100 per session (which generally last 40-60 minutes), not including a possible travel charge depending on where we train. Occasional discounts may apply.

After 12 weeks, in addition to being much stronger, you will also be well on your way to becoming knowledgeable, skillful, and self-sufficient lifter, and it might make sense for us to meet less frequently.

Strength training twice a week will generate excellent progress for beginners.

Three lifting sessions per week (with at least one day off between workouts) will give around 20% faster progress and allow for a wider variety of exercises.

Lifting more than three times a week isn’t worthwhile for most beginners unless it’s a situation where their schedule only allows for very short workouts.

Send me a message.

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