TEEN KUTZ

ob fisher
“The fitness business
found me,” rob Fisher
says of his career as a
personal trainer. “I was
an athlete in high school
and college, with a passion
for health and fitness.
I also had a
penchant for motivating
people. It all came together.”
Over the course
of 22 years, rob has given
fitness and nutrition lectures,
run a sports and
conditioning program for
one of the top day camps
on Long Island, as well as
becoming the personal training director of one of the
largest health clubs on the island. rob has worked with
athletes and celebrities as well as the general population.
Over all this time, his love for the job hasn’t diminished.
“It’s 68 hours a week of personal training. You
have to be into it.”
rob’s approach to training revolves around one
word: Change! “Change your resistance program,
change your diet, and change your cardio routine.” His
efforts are all about helping—and sometimes making—
the client succeed. “Prior to any training, I sit them
down for a one-on-one interview. I need to be informed
if there have been any past training failures, so we can
strategize to avoid any future ones. It’s like a business
plan. We set short- and long-term goals. We have to be
a solid team. If the client is not succeeding then I’m not
doing my job.”
rob’s motto is “No excuses, just results!” His versatile
training techniques work, and he can point to
about 350 pounds of solid proof. That’s how much
weight all his clients, together, lost in the last 18 months.
He has an excellent retention rate among his clients,
men and women ranging in age from teens to seniors.
Some of them have been with him for 12, even 15 years.
He’s now looking forward to achieving even more
success with the L.I.F.T. gym he’s starting in roslyn with
fellow trainers John Fernbacker and Mike Sharinn.
“We’ve all known each other since ’94. Some trainers are
in it for the short term, but we’re committed to our craft,
we’re results-oriented, and we’re great friends. Together
we have created an incredibly effective training environment
for clients from beginners to fitness enthusiasts,
with all the best tools at our fingertips.
“I’m tough on my clients,” rob admits, but the
whole point is to empower them. “every single person
who comes through L.I.F.T.’s doors expects results. Together
we will find the safest, most effective approach
to achieving their goals. Together we don’t just change
their bodies, we change their lives. A person has to believe
in change!”
rob fisher can be reached at (631) 332-0601
kAren siegel
Karen’s physical
training
started as a
p e r s o n a l
quest. She did
some cardio,
then lifted
weights, and
enjoyed it.
More importantly,
she saw
how it
changed her
body.
Karen is now
certified in personal
training,
weight room training, Pilates, the Body Bar,
and other methods. (She also holds a Master’s
in education). “What makes me unique is my
approach to training,” she explains. “I have a
very positive attitude and genuinely care
about my clients.” She customizes each session
and regimen after analyzing exactly what
the person needs. “everybody builds muscle
differently. I want to make them feel good
about themselves but to be realistic at the
same time. Learn to like yourself the way you
are and work on improving what you’ve got.
Don’t go around thinking you have to be
skinny. Healthy, happy, and toned is better.”
Another distinctive feature of Karen’s
training is the way she varies the routine. “I
like to keep them moving. It’s more fun to
move around.” She prefers circuit and interval
training, which alternate strength exercises
with endurance and aerobic methods. Karen
will combine leg and arm moves with the
bench press and lunges. “Then I might have
the person go off and do squats. We work on
the core a lot.”
Karen feels that having a trainer, along
with other benefits, can help people stick with
a fitness routine. “People who go on their own
might not stay with it. They might find it boring,
and it’s not always fun. With a trainer, you
have an appointment and a destination, and it
gets easier.” The relationship between client
and trainer can make all the difference. “I’ve
had people say to me, ‘You know, I really didn’t
feel like working out today, but I came just to
spend an hour with you.’ Having a trainer you
like is essential.
“Fitness is empowering,” Karen reminds
us. “It feels better to feel strong. And feeling
good can equal looking good.”
karen siegel can be reached at
(516) 835-0086
Fall 2008 IMAGE 39