By Tana Gaudi
Chris Geier, my personal trainer for the morning, greets me with a friendly smile and a handshake. He’s everything I was looking for in a personal trainer-professional, knowledgeable, personable, and fun.
Chris spent an hour accessing my fitness level, asking questions about any injuries or pain, and doing a series of stretches, lunges, rollers and posture exercises to identify any areas of concern.
A wealth of information, he can tell by the way one knee turns out ever so slightly that it’s overcompensating for a problem in another area. We talked about a previous ankle injury, some current foot problems and their impact on the rest of my body. We discussed a protocol of posture and strengthening exercises to tackle the shoulder pain I experience from slouching in my cube.
Chris believes in the triangle approach to establishing a fitness routine, where the most time initially is spent on gaining stability (lengthening, stretching, and removing any blockages), then on building strength, and finally, at the tip of the triangle, power exercises. Chris’ unique approach, emphasizing strength and stability, helps clients build upon a solid foundation, reducing compensation and the possibility of injury.
My dormant muscles were very appreciative, fearing they would be jarred into an awakening that would leave me feeling like I’d been hit by a truck and not wanting to come back. (I’m ashamed to admit that I’d forgotten what the inside of a gym looks like). Knowing how “unconditioned” I was, my brain fed me scenes from the first week of The Biggest Loser, where participants were gasping, puking and falling off treadmills in exhaustion while a trainer screams at them. This picture was enough of a deterrent to prevent me from even starting a fitness routine.
Thankfully, Chris tailors his coaching style to the needs and wants of his clients. We only worked to the point where I was mildly uncomfortable, at my pace and my level of ability. Moving onto the weights, he continually checked in with me, adjusting the workout to my needs and fitness level so it was lighthearted and enjoyable. Who knew a workout could be fun? Afterwards, I felt a greater range of flexibility and a renewed commitment to get my body working efficiently.
As a competitive athlete in a wide-range of sports, Chris compliments his training skills by also offering hypnosis to those clients who are interested in working through subconscious barriers to align the mind and the body. Trained and certified through the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, he helps people align their subconscious mind with their intended goals through the power of suggestion. Whether it’s helping a professional athlete to achieve a peak performance state, or guiding someone towards their weight-loss and fitness goals, it’s clear that Chris is not only great at what he does, but that he loves helping his clients reach their goals while having fun in the process!
Christopher Geier on BetterYou
One Comment on "Strong and Stable with Christopher Geier"
My training with Chris saved me from an ACL surgery. The doctors told me it was surgery or never play hockey or any sport again. In 12 months I was pain free, strong and playing hockey again. Two years later I came back to Chris with Tendonitis so bad in my right elbow I could not shave. Again, a few months later I was 95% better and strong as ever. I highly recommend Chris as a rehab trainer.