I am 57 years old and have been into bodybuilding and training since I was 40. While I was pleased with what I’d been able to accomplish on my own, on my 56th birthday I decided to give myself a present and see if under the guidance of a professional trainer I could take it to another level. Enter Rob. Over a couple of shakes at the protein bar we discussed what I’d been doing and where I hoped to go. He then proceeded—with much sensitivity, I must say—to dismantle my cherished training routines and put them back together again. Under his expert and very personal care I learned what I’d been doing wrong but also what I’d been doing right—Rob is huge on positive reinforcement. Anyway, in the first six weeks, I—or should I say, Rob—added almost half an inch on my arm measurement. A half inch increase would be impressive in any case, but when it is considered that not only am I certainly no kid (duh) but that I had already been pumping iron for over a decade and a half, to experience such progress so quickly is truly remarkable. Rob, if you ever move to London (your favorite city) I’m going to have to brush up on my cockney accent, cause there’s no way you’re going without me!

Not until I was diagnosed with cancer did I come to truly understand what the ‘personal’ in personal trainer was all about. At that point I had already been training with Rob for 14 months and was so happy with the way my body had transformed. And then this—one of Life’s horrible curveballs. After undergoing chemotherapy treatment, with truckloads of prayer and support from my family I thankfully went into remission. I truly believe that the hard training sessions I put in with Rob were largely responsible for my returning to good health. For several weeks before I felt strong enough to return to the gym Rob brought some dumbbells and ankle weights over and gave me a few mini-workouts in a cleared space on my living room floor. He continued to charge me the same rate I’d been paying to visit him at the gym, insisting that seeing me was on his way home anyway. When at last I did return to the gym there were days when I was not up to driving and he came and picked me up and took me home again. ‘Personal trainer’? All clients should know the true meaning of those two words. Thanks Rob, I’m yours for life. And I’m hoping it’s a long one.

After giving birth to my first child I was able to shed the weight I’d gained rather quickly. For some reason I had no such luck after little Rebecca came along. I dieted and dieted, and even did some training on my own, but nothing seemed to happen. And then Rob, a personal trainer, recommended to me by a gal I work with, showed up—took over, in fact, and glad I am for that! Rob introduced me not only to the concept of personal trainng, but taught me the ABCs of fitness, or should I say the CWDs: Cardio, Weights and Diet. Remove any of the three, Rob cautioned, and my progress would be impeded. With that in mind, we buckled down to work. I noticed on Rob’s profile that he stresses the importance of teamwork—I’m here to tell you that it couldn’t be more true. While Rob’s expertise has been the guiding light of our personal training sessions, he places enormous input on feedback—continually asking how I feel about a particular movement, or how my energy level is. Taking it step by step and day by day, I watched my figure regain the flexibility, tone, and curves I had known in my college days. My husband tells me I look better now than I did when I met him—what could be more inspiring then that? My butt in particular has really responded well—a thing I’ve always been very conscious of. We attack my glutes from every angle, and for that alone, David—my husband—wants to give Rob a medal. As I write this I am happily pregnant again, and plan on personal training with Rob three days a week right up until they wheel me into the delivery room. I wonder if they’ll let me take a pair of dumbbells in there? I bet Rob could arrange it—I put nothing past him. See you on Monday Rob!

I’ve had personal trainers before, up and down Lakeview, from one end of Boystown and Wrigleyville to the other, with varying results, but until I lucked upon Rob I was pretty much ignorant of the truth that a personal trainer could also be, and should be, a teacher as well. Rob takes the time to explain the nuts and bolts of every exercise I do, why it is effective and how to get the most from it. As an example, Rob isn’t satisfied to merely tell me that what we’re doing will work my triceps; he will explain if it’s for the medial head, the middle head, or the long head! Because I am happily retired and take lots of trips, I always make sure that the hotel I am booked into has exercise facilities. Because of Rob’s tutelage I can walk into any gym anywhere and be perfectly at home training on my own. Rob’s engaging manner, full of humor, not to mention his expertise on old movies, makes our workouts together a joy and a treasure for this old-timer. I’m not sure if I want to adopt Rob or ask him to go steady. Rob truly puts the personal in personal training.

At my very first meeting with Rob at his gym in Lakeview in Boystown, the first words out of my mouth, literally, were ‘There’s nothing wrong with me.’ That’s how skinny I was—6 feet tall and 120 pounds—on a good day! As an aspiring actor, I was losing roles because of my appearance. It’s now nine months later, and training under Rob’s guidance, I am 18 pounds heavier and have never felt so good about myself. And we’re not done yet. While I have no desire to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, I can hardly wait to get to the gym each day to see what Rob has up his sleeve next to help me sculpt my physique into something of which I once could only dream. This is what personal training is all about. Thanks Rob!