About Archetype Personal Training
My philosophy is about balance in all things. Helping people gain strength, mobility and be pain-free so that they can do the things they love in this life is what I strive to accomplish. I am a mobile trainer - going to client homes, parks, corporate settings or training at my home base in Rocklin, CA.
American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified trainer Cert.# T49398 - since 1999
Muscle Balance and Function Development (MBF) Level III - since 2004
CPR certified - since 1999
American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified trainer Cert.# T49398 - since 1999
Muscle Balance and Function Development (MBF) Level III - since 2004
CPR certified - since 1999
My Story
My second job I ever did was man the front desk of a small gym in a small town near Hendersonville, NC back in 1994. As part of my duties, I was tasked with showing new members the different machines in the gym and how to properly use them, so I was trained to do that from the resident personal trainers. Alas, my very first introduction to strength training was from a bunch of hardcore body builders! It was super interesting learning about how to engage the different muscle groups, and how a simple flick of the wrist could dramatically change a movement. I was fascinated.
I decided this was going to be my path - I moved to San Diego, CA and got my personal training certification through the American Council on Exercise. My first trainer position in San Diego was at a gym in a primo spot right on Mission Beach. But who could afford to be members there? Only older people! I soon noticed that despite using textbook proper form, people would frequently develop aches and pains....something wasn't quite right. Some would come in with many different injuries or ailments, so that very few traditional exercises were left for them to do! Trying to work around those things made me feel like their exercise routine had to be so narrow that it was pretty ineffectual for building fitness!
I was lucky to know a fellow trainer who was a mixed martial artist. As we were comparing client notes one day, he showed me an exercise he had learned from a book about pain and postural alignment. BINGO. The stars had aligned! And now, so would my clients joints! This was the answer! Help people learn how to use their muscles in a manner that promoted balance around each joint would alleviate aches and pains and ward off future "overuse" injuries! For the next several years, I took courses in and practiced a little known modality called Muscle Balance and Function Development. The learning curve was steep. BUT the relief I felt being able to provide clients with alternatives rather than their prescribed, "if it hurts, don't do it" recommendations was profound.
I worked with these new tools in the gym and in two different chiropractic offices and dealt with many different scenarios. I also used it with my healthy clientele to instill good movement habits before they got into pain, and in the chiropractic offices to help restore movement balance from traumatic and overuse injuries, and for those looking for the next level of exercise after physical therapy. Now, here in NorCal, my favorite clients are those that are already in pain and who have already lost movement. Pain and stiffness are good motivators. Both are also very measurable indicators of improvement! And that is what both my clients and I like to see!
I decided this was going to be my path - I moved to San Diego, CA and got my personal training certification through the American Council on Exercise. My first trainer position in San Diego was at a gym in a primo spot right on Mission Beach. But who could afford to be members there? Only older people! I soon noticed that despite using textbook proper form, people would frequently develop aches and pains....something wasn't quite right. Some would come in with many different injuries or ailments, so that very few traditional exercises were left for them to do! Trying to work around those things made me feel like their exercise routine had to be so narrow that it was pretty ineffectual for building fitness!
I was lucky to know a fellow trainer who was a mixed martial artist. As we were comparing client notes one day, he showed me an exercise he had learned from a book about pain and postural alignment. BINGO. The stars had aligned! And now, so would my clients joints! This was the answer! Help people learn how to use their muscles in a manner that promoted balance around each joint would alleviate aches and pains and ward off future "overuse" injuries! For the next several years, I took courses in and practiced a little known modality called Muscle Balance and Function Development. The learning curve was steep. BUT the relief I felt being able to provide clients with alternatives rather than their prescribed, "if it hurts, don't do it" recommendations was profound.
I worked with these new tools in the gym and in two different chiropractic offices and dealt with many different scenarios. I also used it with my healthy clientele to instill good movement habits before they got into pain, and in the chiropractic offices to help restore movement balance from traumatic and overuse injuries, and for those looking for the next level of exercise after physical therapy. Now, here in NorCal, my favorite clients are those that are already in pain and who have already lost movement. Pain and stiffness are good motivators. Both are also very measurable indicators of improvement! And that is what both my clients and I like to see!