testimonials
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Tim B.
Initially, I came to Justin to get help with an injured knee. I had been a weightlifter and runner through graduate school, but after an injury, nearly eighteen months of hit-and-miss physical therapy meant that my overall strength and conditioning level had atrophied. After Justin helped me bridge physical therapy to fully return to the activities I’d enjoyed, like running, hiking, and weightlifting, we decided to keep working together.
Since then, we’ve restarted with the basics and entirely rebuilt my body: improving my form, increasing my strength, protecting me against future injury, all the while keeping me motivated and focused through good times and bad.
Friends have remarked that I look like an entirely different person (in a good way!), and Justin’s guidance and steady leadership in the gym have translated outside the gym into increased confidence, a changed set of life priorities, and even a promotion at work. I can’t recommend him highly enough.
Lindsay C.
I’m a mother of two who is in the best shape, form, and health of my entire life. Honestly, I seem to be aging in reverse and people tell me all the time! I look good, feel great, and am empowered to make the right choices for my body and lifestyle.
I can deadlift 140% of my body weight, squat 100% of my body weight, and throw it around with the meatheads at the gym any day of the week. Talk about fun. To be clear: I have been very athletic my entire life. I swam every day during two pregnancies, and am incredibly active outside of my training sessions, danced seriously from the age of 2, etc.
If you’re looking for someone who will...
Learn everything about your fitness goals
Program a regimen around your actual lifestyle — not some made-up, fitness-obsessed expectation set by a lot of trainers
Design workouts and programs that are EVIDENCE-BASED — Justin doesn’t ask you to do anything that is ineffective. 100% of your time is well used.
…then boy, do I have a recommendation for you!
Tino M.
Working with Justin has been a true blessing. I met with him after years of trying to figure out how to treat my own physical ailments, and quickly learned he was just the person I needed to work with.
With the current state of the fitness industry, it's great to meet someone who follows the facts; you won't hear of any BS Instagram "get-fit-quick" nonsense from Justin. His workout plans are tailored to your needs, and he will quickly adapt the workout plan to accommodate any exercises that may cause discomfort.
After working with Justin for only 3 months, the majority of the pain in my shoulder, knee, and hip have all subsided. I'm now able to perform exercises I had to skip out on that had previously caused pain, and my confidence in the gym has skyrocketed as a result. Justin has been an absolute delight to work with and I can't wait to see what more I can accomplish with his help.
Andy A.
There are a lot of challenges Justin has help me with, but I’d say the most meaningful is helping me overcome several injuries – I injured my shoulder surfing several years ago and, despite a surgery, physical therapy, and work with other trainers, it just nagged me and wouldn’t heal up.
Justin identified the issue and built a plan to get me back to fighting fit, all while continuing to help me focus on overall health. Most importantly, though, he helped me understand the anatomy of the shoulder and (here’s the kicker) the compensation patterns built up over time that kept me from fully healing. Other trainers had helped me with routines, but Justin was the first to leverage real knowledge of movement and anatomy to figure out how to improve overall performance.
I would recommend Justin without hesitation because he continually demonstrates commitment to my success – he takes the time (often off the clock) to curate videos, information packets, and even personalized nutrition recommendations. He also has a deep (and long-lasting) passion for science and evidence, not trend-based diet and exercise. That, combined with his real, authentic desire to help people help themselves (and just being a fun guy to hang out with), makes him the best trainer I’ve ever worked with.
Nicholas B.
For the past 18 years I’ve had issues with my shoulder from years of competitive swimming combined with coaches that didn’t focus on technique or shoulder health. Justin has gotten my shoulder to a place where I don’t have pain and can lift heavy without having to worry about having a “bad shoulder.”
We identified the weak points and focused on exercises that engage the entire shoulder muscle group as well as the support system that needed to be strengthened. Combining this with yoga I was able to loosen up points of tension that caused movement to be restricted.
I would recommend Justin if you want a coach that has an encompassing understanding of how the physical body performs and who knows how to target specific programs to build overall strength and performance, and not just a vanity coach, then Justin is your guy!
Betty L.
My biggest challenge was to get fit again I commute 2 hours a day for work and had really lagged in a fitness routine that also suited my schedule to the point where I didn’t exercise regularly for 2 years. Working out with Justin weekly helped me reestablish a regular workout and build up some muscles!
I would absolutely recommend Justin! He is a great coach and partner, someone that you’d WANT to work out with, and he has a great scientific approach to fitness that I appreciate.
In addition, he really cares about establishing trusted relationships with his clients – working out with him is not transactional, as it can feel often time with other trainers and gyms in SF.
Oleg A.
Justin developed workouts that fit into my work/life schedule, and adjusted them as needed based on the number of days I have available to get to the gym. This helped me with both consistency and results.
Further, Justin fixed my form, and, as result, I no longer experience random shoulder and elbow pains that had persisted before I started working with him.
Finally, he modifies his intensity based on the client and week when training in person. Meaning, Justin works with you, as opposed to making you work his program. Overall, stellar experience.
George C.
I have been training with Justin for almost five years. For much of that time my wife Lisa and I were looking for a fitness routine we could do together. Our problem was solved when we started training jointly with Justin.
He has built workout routines that we can do side-by-side, and manages to give each of us the coaching and attention we need simultaneously. We have been doing a weekly couples’ session for more than two years now, and it’s one of the highlights of our week.
His programs constantly evolve to keep things fresh and incorporate the latest science, but always remain intuitive and easy to follow. He knows how to push and motivate each of us without ever taking the fun out of fitness.
Lisa C.
I was hesitant to start working out with Justin as I was very out of shape and I didn’t have any experience with strength training, I was afraid that there would be too much that I couldn’t do.
Justin met me right at my level of ability, he has been great at identifying my strengths and weaknesses and modifying exercises so that I could do them and then building bridges to get me where I want to be.
I cannot say enough great things about Justin as a trainer. He is reliable and easy to work with, is great at tailoring our routines to my needs, and he keeps every workout entertaining with his great sense of humor.
Andy B.
I originally started training with Justin to help with an ongoing back issue. Since then not only has my back issues been resolved but I have greatly increased my overall strength and fitness.
He has a broad knowledge of strength training and nutrition and is always willing to give helpful advice. His infectious positivity makes it very enjoyable to work out and you know that he has a passion for what he does.
My only complaint is that I didn’t find him earlier.
Mike S.
Justin helped me get back to (and even better than) normal activity and sports after I had reconstructive ACL knee surgery. Post surgery, he worked with my physical therapist on a collaborative rehab plan.
We covered strength, stability, and range of motion, eventually moving up to dynamic movement. I even came out of it squatting and deadlifting more than pre-injury.
I would absolutely recommend Justin. He takes the time to be a subject matter expert, so you’re getting services beyond just your time together. He freely shares information and works on a customized plan depending on your individual circumstances and goals.
Lorelei C.
After suffering an injury playing soccer, I underwent reconstructive ankle surgery in December 2013. Weeks on crutches and months in a boot left me with muscle imbalances, decreased mobility, and severely stunted my physical activities.
Working alongside my physical therapist, Justin helped rebuild my calf muscle, re-balance my hips to do squats (140lbs), cut 15 pounds over 16 weeks (125 to 110), and return to my regular activities stronger than I was before surgery.
I would definitely recommend Justin as a trainer. Year after year, together we’ve made real goals and, through thoughtfully tailored programs, achieved them.
Oliver W.
Justin helped me get in peak shape just in time for my wedding. I already worked out, but had never successfully lost weight in a controlled manner.
Justin helped me form a maintainable calorie deficit and built a great hypertrophy programme that could be done both in person and out of my garage gym that targeted more areas of muscle than I was previously hitting.
Would definitely recommend Justin if you’re looking for that nudge to push yourself to new levels of fitness!
Dean Z.
When I first connected with Justin, I was in a fitness rut. Post-pandemic, I'd already worked with two local trainers without seeing real progress in my weight, health, or motivation. Enter Justin, who immediately stood out during our initial hour-long session. His energy, expertise, and genuine commitment gave me the confidence that he’d help me tackle my goals: shedding the extra Covid weight, toning up, building muscle, improving flexibility, and, oh yeah, getting wedding-ready—all while juggling a busy 9-to-5 design career, a thriving studio art practice, and two adorable (and very energetic) babies at home.
Justin isn’t just a trainer—he’s a *guru*. His encyclopedic knowledge of the body, nutrition, pain management, and injury recovery is next-level. Plus, his knack for making fitness fun—thanks to our shared love of superheroes, comics, and movies—adds a spark to every session. But don’t let the laughs fool you: Justin is laser-focused on results. Every single workout is carefully designed to move me closer to my goals.
The solution? Justin crafted a progressive, tailored workout plan that balanced upper, lower, and full-body workouts while incorporating smart dietary and wellness tweaks. Accountability was key, and Justin kept me on track with just the right mix of encouragement and expertise. The results? I lost 20 pounds, gained muscle mass and definition, and did it all naturally and safely—no shortcuts or gimmicks.
Would I recommend Justin? A million times, YES. He’s a personal training *sensei*. Grounded, focused, and genuinely fun to be around, he makes every session something to look forward to. If you’re ready to transform your health, body, and mindset, Justin is your guy. Hands down, the best decision I made for my fitness journey!
Aashish L.
I have been working with Justin since 2022, and the impact he has had on my health and lifestyle has been nothing short of transformative. Over the past few years, I’ve lost 70lbs of body fat while simultaneously gaining significant lean muscle—a result I truly couldn’t have achieved without his expert guidance.
What sets Justin apart is his rigorous, evidence-based approach to fitness. He is deeply committed to staying current with the latest peer-reviewed scientific literature on hypertrophy and metabolic health. Rather than relying on passing trends, he utilizes a foundation of proven physiological principles to guide his clients. You can feel confident that every movement and habit he recommends is backed by solid data.
Beyond the science, Justin is an incredible coach. As a shy beginner, I was initially intimidated by the idea of strength training, but Justin provided the perfect balance of encouragement and accountability. He has a unique ability to meet you where you are, making the gym feel like a place of growth rather than a place of judgment.
He emphasizes a truly holistic approach, balancing training goals with real-life sustainability. We didn't just focus on short-term changes; we focused on building the lifelong habits and consistency necessary for long-term health. Working with Justin is the best investment I’ve made in myself, and I am incredibly grateful to have him in my corner!!
Won L.
While Justin’s approach is mostly based on the population science, he is deeply aware of individual variations, not only in terms of physiological differences but also in terms of personal priorities, time management, motivation, etc. In particular, he has made me aware and appreciate the importance of the compound exercises for building muscles, yet more importantly, losing fat around my belly (which has been a primary concern for a decade or so).
He has debunked the myths around the cardiovascular exercises such as running and its effectiveness in losing fat - I used to run miles and miles on a weekly basis in an effort to shed excess fat around my mid section. With this awareness and practice, I was able to achieve a close to optimal combination of weight training and running for my regular exercises. In addition, Justin’s nutritional knowledge has more accurately pinpointed on my ideal dietary compositions, along with each exercise regimen. Perhaps most importantly, Justin has immensely contributed to the formation of my new habit in even healthier and even more conscious eating on a regular basis.
Each teacher and student relationship is unique and it needs to be tailored to that particular relationship. Justin would be a great mentor to the students who are willing to listen to all background science with a curious mind and how that understanding will help design your own practice routines more effectively. He sets himself apart from all other alleged trainers or coach because first of all, he is genuinely interested in you achieving your goals and his science based knowledge and experience, coupled with his methodical approach, will get you there both most efficiently and effectively. He will record all your exercise routines (for example, not missing one single day over the course off two year son training with him). He keeps the data and uses them effectively to monitor and tailor the routines whenever needed.