TESTIMONIALS
Laura
Running, hiking, and cross-country skiing are my favorite ways to stay active. The older I get, the more I recognize the importance of working on form, strength, and mobility in order to avoid injury. Left to my own devices I will NEVER work on those things, which is why I train with Chris. He helped me complete my second marathon (2016) and more recently I ran the Zion Half-Marathon (2022). Chris put together a running training plan that allowed me to substitute cross-country skiing for the long runs so I could take advantage of winter, and also programmed strength and mobility work-outs to improve my running form. I consistently notice that as long as I keep doing the prescribed work-outs my body feels better and I have fewer pains and twinges. The Zion course was overall uphill, and while it was challenging, I finished with a smile on my face and could tell that the training I had done had helped me up those hills.
Rosemary
As someone who sits and types all day, I've spent my life dealing with various chronic issues with my arms and back. I thought that this was just the way bodies worked - they broke down over time. A few years ago I started training with Chris, and it changed my life. Now, as I enter middle age, I can honestly say that I've never been stronger and more pain-free in my life! When I do get injured, I bounce back quicker because I've built up muscles and habits that stabilize me.
I was worried about hiring a personal trainer because of the stereotypes - I didn't want someone to yell at me and make me feel bad about myself. But Chris is a compassionate, thoughtful, understanding trainer who wants everyone to be able to do what they love. I owe Chris for the many projects I've been able to complete without pain. He's a game changer.
Pete and Kris N.
We have been training with Chris since 2013 and believe it has been the most meaningful change to our fitness and health.
Chris is knowledgeable, committed and inquisitive. He listens well to what we say our body parts are feeling each week but more importantly sees how our body is performing during exercise, always mindful of our technique. We like that Chris challenges us with new exercises activating all the muscles and the brain.
We never feel we are given a cookie cutter workout. Whether we do individual workouts or small group we feel we get Chris’ personal attention, which is tailored to the individual not the group.
We also appreciate Chris’ fun quiet style of training.
Allison
I started training with Chris after years of distance running, weightlifting and yoga. Despite my love of fitness and my regular workouts, I suffered from unstable, hypermobile joints, frequent sprains and strains, and almost-constant and often debilitating pain in my back and SI joint. Physical therapy and massage offered some relief, but nothing seemed to be able to get me back to my pre-injury fitness level. By focusing on improving my breath dynamics and slowly increasing my core strength and proprioception, Chris helped me to improve not only my workouts, but my resting posture and body awareness, increasing my joint stability.
When I first began training with Chris, I couldn't walk a quarter-mile without pain and struggled to stabilize my wobbly back and hips during single-leg deadlifts on a small kettlebell. Two years later, I deadlifted 200 pounds and ran a half-marathon. Recently, I've learned to handstand, gone ice hiking, and completed my first triathlon.
I feel proud and excited just being able to say those things, but if I'm honest, I think my biggest accomplishments are probably learning to rest, recover from injuries (yes, I still get them!), and listen to and appreciate what my body can do. I feel stronger and safer than I ever have, and though my wacky joints still leave me in a compromising position from time to time, I'm so very happy with where I've ended up. Just don't ask me to put my leg behind my head.
Dan
I retired in 2017 and decided to get fit for an active lifestyle. I had two goals at the start; return to distance running and get in better shape for alpine skiing.
In March of 2018 I set my sights on qualifying for the 2020 Boston Marathon giving me 18 months to train and qualify. Chris helped me set realistic goals to push myself but not over train. Along the way a couple of injuries threatened my training but Chris adapted my workouts and incorporated some video analysis that kept me engaged in constructive training while I healed. That September I completed the Erie Marathon and qualified for the 2019 Boston Marathon, a year ahead of my plan! Chris was a key part of that success.
Each autumn Chris focuses my training so I am ready for the ski slopes as soon as the lifts are running. With my foundation of training, I enjoy skiing at least 50 days a year including racing at Nashoba Valley and an annual trip to Jackson Hole.
Moving ahead I am looking forward to new challenges and will be relying on Chris to help me get ready.
Kris M.
Chris is the best thing that’s happened to my health and well-being—ever! As an aging (former) athlete who has experienced plenty of bodily wear and tear along the way, it turned out that his intelligent and comprehensive training is exactly what I've needed, exactly when I needed it most.
I began working out with Chris just after I’d had both hip and knee joint replacements, at a point where I was a little bit lost about how best to proceed. Picking up where orthopedic surgery and physical therapy left off, Chris assessed my strengths and weaknesses, pinpointed my ingrained compensatory habits, and acknowledged my areas that needed attention. From there he devised a whole-body training program that we’ve been working from and adjusting as needed, ever since.
There was never a “one size fits all” dimension to the workouts Chris has developed for me. Instead, he immediately set me on a personalized course to improve my mobility, to get out of my old habits, and to practice new and better ways to breathe and focus and engage my muscles. Every training session, from the very beginning, has provided me with new discoveries about what this engine of mine can do, with a bit of fine tuning and continued work.
Over the past few months, I’ve been especially grateful to have Chris available via Skype, while the doors to the gym have been closed. These sessions have given us a chance to really do the (counterintuitively) hard work of backing up and taking baby steps, concentrating on the micro-mechanics of how I stride and when I tend to unconsciously resort to old habits.
Since March, I’ve biking 35 miles every Sunday and walking an average of over 6 miles a day, all pain-free. I could not have done that without Chris’s life-altering attention and encouragement.
Carrie
Chris trains as much with his mind as he does with his body, and he encourages his clients to do the same. I was lucky to have joined his small group training class at The Training Room back in January 2018. A type 1 diabetic, I need to use my brain whenever I exercise. I have to train smart because not doing so can end up with catastrophic results.
Finding my way to Chris was incredibly beneficial. I learned a tremendous amount from his vast knowledge of exercise and physiology, not to mention his devotion to helping clients move safely and focus on the breath. Our dialog began immediately--we were constantly sharing information--me about my personal experiences with diabetes and he with his efforts to help translate what I encountered with my body into the language he has spent years perfecting as a trainer. This information exchange continued until I decided to move to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to pursue a career in the Outdoor Industry--ironic--as I began training at the Training Room to “ski faster and hike with less knee pain.”
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Chris was integral in helping me achieve both, as I summited my 48th 4000 foot peak in New Hampshire this past August on my 40th birthday, and will begin teaching ski school at Bretton Woods Ski Resort next month! I could not have done either of these things without the strength and stamina, both physical and mental, that Chris helped me develop. He’s simply the best, and training with him is one of the things I miss the most about the city.
Sarah
I can't recommend Chris enough. His dedication and passion for coaching comes through every single training session. It's obvious he takes his own continuous learning seriously, often incorporating new ideas and approaches. He puts his abundant knowledge of anatomy (and the importance of breathing!) to use in his clear explanations and the fine-tuning adjustments he makes to various exercises - which make all the difference. As a client, he helped me regain core strength following pregnancy and I no longer get recurrent upper back pain. Simply put, my body just feels good following the workouts Chris designs.
Betsy
I started working with Chris six years ago. I had chronic lower back pain for over 10 years. I tried everything from a chiropractor, spine specialist to physical therapy. All temporary relieved the pain, but flare ups would continue when I would exercise or when I was on my feet for long periods of time. Maren at TR recommended I start working with Chris. And to this day, I am incredibly grateful we connected.
Within a matter of a few sessions, Chris was able to evaluate my body and come up with a game plan. He clearly explained his evaluation and the things we would be working on to improve over time.
Today, not only is my back in much better shape, but my body overall is stronger than it has ever been. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Chris. As a former college athlete and devote exercise enthusiast, I have come across many trainers in the industry, and none compare to him. On top of all of this, he is a wonderful individual with an incredible heart and passion to help others.
Sharman
I am an active 54 year old who wants to stay active as long as possible, but I found that old injuries and new twinges seemed to be limiting my abilities to fully participate in all the things I enjoy. Working with Chris has not only significantly improved the way my body feels and functions, but I feel it is helping me build a strong foundation for the coming years with real improvements in strength, flexibility, posture, comfort and endurance.
Sean
I have been training with Chris for a little over 3 years. His style of coaching along with his understanding of my goals has brought me to my highest level of fitness.
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Thanks to his meticulous coaching style, I have been able to accomplish many strength and movement milestones--all without injury or setbacks!
