I trust Nathen implicitly: his knowledgeability around health and fitness allows him to tailor exercises, as well as to provide nutritional and lifestyle guidance, which meet my specific needs. As a badly aging former punk rocker I can match you shot for shot but I don't understand ANYTHING about fitness: not the way my muscles work, not appropriate or safe ways to work out, ...honestly, sometimes not even the names of body parts--yeah, so that gluteus whatever is a funny word, but where does it actually live under this skin? Plus, I'm stupid out of shape from my desk job.
Nathen patiently guides me through exercises: I can't over-highlight his patience, his unflappable cheer, and his almost innate teaching/coaching ability. He alters group exercises in order to build my technique and teach me proper form--while still providing workouts that leave me redfaced and sweaty (just not broken). He encourages me to build healthy daily routines and provides information on supplements, nutrition, and vitamins; helps troubleshoot specific ailments; identifies and helps me work to correct misalignments. As well as slowly becoming stronger I also find myself sleeping better and feeling more cheerful as a result of taking classes from Nathen. I eat more vegetables, have almost completely stopped smoking, and am a bit less inclined toward crazy overindulgences: all also side-effects of the morning workout routine.
I live in San Francisco, a 20-minute walk from my work, but BART to Oakland each morning to train with Nathen. I did try a number of classes and gyms in my neighborhood; Nathen is such a solidly good teacher that after experimenting for a while it just made sense to build a little Oakland time into my morning habit. I'm super glad that I did. read more