Restoring the "Personal" in Personal Training

“If I could use only one word to describe what my personal training experience with Ben at North Star Fitness has given me, I would choose the word “confidence”. I have been training with Ben 2 times a week for just over 4 years. I’m 66 years old and have never had any serious health issues, but had been noticing more general aches, pains and weaknesses which, I assumed, were age related and something I just had to accept. What Ben has taught me is that I can build strength and endurance at any age and that the aches and pains can often be minimized and sometimes eliminated altogether. This, in turn, gives me the confidence to do more and feel better. Each session is different and never feels mundane or boring. I am always being challenged and at the same time respected. My questions are always answered to my satisfaction and I can honestly say that I come away from each session feeling stronger and more capable.”

“Signing up for personal training with Ben De Zwart was one of my better decisions. 4 Years ago I signed up for personal training with Ben De Zwart to help rehabilitate an injured shoulder. Ben’s program and coaching has helped me rebuild range of motion, while improving core strength and flexibility. Each session is challenging, fun and adapted to my needs. Ben shows me how to complete the exercise, coaches me through it, and gently challenges me to do more and try harder. He is knowledgeable about muscles and the body, and answers all my questions with patience and humour. With Ben’s help I have learned to breathe properly and focus, and gained the confidence to work through the program. I feel better and stronger. My shoulder is almost fully functional. I love these sessions and look forward to meeting up with Ben for a new challenge. Signing up for personal training with Ben De Zwart was the best decision I could have made to meet my goals, and a good investment in myself.“

“I started with Ben and North Star Fitness in 2021. At that time my goal was to lose weight and get into better shape, along with building muscle. As I was turning 50 soon, I wanted to shed some pounds I gained throughout my 40s. Over the past 2.5 years, I have lost significant weight (and kept it off) but more importantly I have gained muscle. My stamina in fitness, and life activities in general, has increased significantly. My biggest reservation about starting a fitness program was how I would look while I was training (not the most coordinated person). Ben was able to make me feel comfortable starting the program. He eased me into the program, helping me to increase my stamina and is willing to explain (and re-explain) different exercises. I am also the type of person who likes to know why I am doing things, and Ben is able to explain how certain exercises will change the way my body moves. Ben is also very proficient at explaining the role of food in my journey; starving does not work, rather eat more protein. My achievements with training over the past couple of years are: • Lose of weight and with that more self-esteem and confidence • Increased stamina during the workout and with other activities throughout the day • Increased patience by working slowly through the program • Thinking about what I am eating and how it works with my body.“