Working out can be a literal pain. It may seem like you’ve tried everything – soloing it at a local family fitness center, throwing out all the junk food, sleuthing all the best cheats online to a slimmer waist line, maybe even tackling at-home workout routines for chronic pain – yet nothing’s worked.
Even beginning to workout can feel daunting. But getting fit and bettering your nutrition doesn’t have to be hard. It can even be fun! And you needn’t trump the struggles alone.
On this list are a number of personal trainers in Grand Rapids, eager to help clients feel like their best selves. Consider their certifications, specialties and approaches so can find the right trainer for you.
Give them a call and set up a consultation to get started on your 2019 fitness goals today.
Note: Trainers are listed alphabetically by last name. Order does not reflect ranking. Â
Deana Brownlow
- Where she works: Primarily at FitBarn, 1629 Buttrick Ave. SE, Ada, but she trains out of Traynor Gym, 6090 E. Fulton, Ada, too
- Contact her: 616-318-9973, deanabrownlow@gmail.com, fitbystrength.com
- Years training: 4 years
- Specialties: Strength training and nutrition
- Degree/Certification: ISSA certified, IDEA member, Precision Nutrition (PN)-1
- Favorite equipment/exercise: She’s an advocate of leg day.
- Costs: Call for details
- Approach: Deana meets clients where they are and guides them to where they want to go. “People are busy,” she says. “I want to help you get healthy and strong with effective 30-minute strength training sessions; as well as provide realistic nutrition advice and healthy supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps. This program is for you if you want to reduce fat/weight, gain confidence, get lean, improve strength and balance and/or address a specific health issue.”
Jackie Ehnis
- Where she works: PowerStrength Training Systems – two private coaching facilities: 919 Alpine Commerce Park NW, Grand Rapids; 5131 E. Paris Ave. SE, Kentwood
- Contact her: 616-805-4054, jackie@powerstrengthpro.com, powerstrengthpro.com/adultfitness
- Years training: 7 years
- Specialties: Her core clientele are “women and men, ages 30-60, who are trying to lose fat, get toned, move better, and increase their energy in a supportive” setting.
- Degree/Certification: M.S. in Public Health, ACE certified personal trainer and lifestyle coach
- Favorite equipment/exercise: Kettlebell movements
- Costs: $127-$299/month, dependent on group size and number of sessions
- Approach: “Our certified coaches will meet you where you’re at and design a plan that allows you to work toward results – regardless of age, injury history, or current fitness level,” she says. “We provide trial memberships for our new clients who want to try out our facility, and offer a variety of training options, including one-on-one personal training, small group training and large group classes. At PowerStrength, everyone knows one another by name and the results are enhanced by the positive, encouraging environment.”
Amanda Fisher
- Where she works: Owner and trainer at ANF Training, LLC; utilizes a location at 4581 Patterson Ave. SE, Kentwood for facility training; in-home training available for those who have limitations accessing the facility and is determined on a case-by-case basis
- Contact her: anf.training2015@gmail.com
- Years training: 9 years
- Specialties: “I work with a variety of clientele, from individuals just starting to workout up to retirees who are looking to maintain and/or improve their overall health, strength, flexibility, and/or nutrition,” she says. “I also work with individuals who are exiting physical rehab and want to continue their progress with a personal trainer.”
- Degree/Certification: B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation, NASM, and Precision Nutrition (PN)-1
- Favorite equipment/exercise: Deadlifts and pullups
- Costs: $45-$60/session, plus additional guidance dependent on the package purchased
- Approach: “I enjoy the study of human movement and learned quickly that improper alignment, muscle tightness, muscle compensation and more limit our bodies significantly and are at times not addressed during fitness training.” Amanda first works with clients to ensure proper movement, then focuses on healthful nutritional habits and strength training.
Tabitha Goldsmith
- Where she works: Online; offers full-program customization, video demonstration, and nutritional guidance
- Contact her: 616-916-1898, fitwithtab@gmail.com, fitwithtab.com
- Years training: 17 years
- Specialties: Pre- and post-natal, general health/strength training, and bodybuilding
- Degree/Certification: B.S. in Health Promotions and Rehabilitation
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “My personal favorites are large compound lifts that build strength overall: squat, deadlift, bench press, but I also love the basics like pushups and pullups.”
- Costs: Call for details
- Approach: “My personal training approach is always health first,” she says. “Over the years I’ve learned that a more realistic and sustainable plan will give the most consistent results. But I customize each program to meet the client’s availability. We can get results with almost any time allotment when nutrition is” a priority.
Scott Hamilton
- Where he works: Lead educator, instructor, and personal trainer at Allegro Coaching, 1422 Robinson Road SE, Suite 201, Grand Rapids
- Contact him: 616-451-9000, scott@allegrocoaching.com, allegrocoaching.com
- Years training: 7 years
- Specialties: Coaching those new to fitness, weight loss and strength training
- Degree/Certification: NASM-CPT, CPR/AED, Pre/Post Natal, U.S. Rowing Coach, Trigger Point
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “Dancing, technique based. It’s one of the most difficult movement skills I have ever studied. It has taught me the importance of mindfulness while strength training and doing cardio.”
- Costs: Vary
- Approach: Scott acknowledges the importance of “meeting people where they are,” and approaches “every session as an educator and teammate with honesty and empathy.”
Cody Hovey
- Where he works: Owner and personal trainer at Next Level Personal Training, 801 Monroe Ave. NW, Grand Rapids
- Contact him: 616-238-7711, nextlevelgrandrapi.wixsite.com/nextlevel
- Years training: 9 years
- Specialties: Lifestyle coaching and customized workouts; Cody has worked with professional athletes to retirees
- Degree/Certification: NASM certified, CPR/AED
- Favorite equipment/exercise: cable machine
- Costs: Call for details
- Approach: “I am very passionate and love to see my clients achieve their goals at the fastest rate possible!” It helps that Cody considers personal training “the best, most rewarding career. I love every minute of it.”
Nick Klein
- Where he works: Owner and trainer at Body by Choice Personal Training, 4070 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids
- Contact him: 616-259-9064, klein1nt@gmail.com, bodybychoicetraining.com
- Years training: 13 years and 30,000-plus hours of personal training sessions
- Specialties: Correcting structural imbalances, instilling self-management strategies, and teaching sustainable health and performance
- Degree/Certification: B.S. in Health Fitness in Preventative and Rehabilitative Programs, PICP-CPT
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “Free weights will always result in the biggest bang
for your buck.” - Costs: Call for details
- Approach: Nick teaches “clients to cultivate the gift of life through personalized fitness and care.” He’s a strong believer that anyone with the right fitness plan can improve their health.
Abbey Luebke
- Where she works: Hurricane Fitness, LLC, a private studio located at 950 28th St. SE, Suite E, Grand Rapids; also offers in-home visits and online programs
- Contact her: 616-240-7101, hurricanefitness.byabbey@gmail.com
- Years training: 4 years
- Specialties: She does all forms of personal training but is especially prevalent in functional training, which “applies to the simple things we do in everyday life, whether it be lifting a box, getting out of bed, or cleaning. Functional training allows the client to build basic strength and aerobic capacity to do basic life activities especially as they get older.”
- Degree/Certification: B.S. in Exercise Science
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “Heavy dumbbells are my equipment favorites because I feel extremely strong when I chest press, and no one expects a 5’1″ female to lift that kind of weight.”
- Costs: Approximately $1/minute, but varies based on clients’ income level
- Approach: “Above all, I am empathetic to my clients’ needs and experiences,” she says. “I won’t push beyond someone’s limits but will definitely push them to perform at their best.”
Debbie Martilotta
- Where she works: Owner and trainer at DBM Strength Training Studio, 6809 Cascade Road SE, Suite A, Grand Rapids
- Contact her: 616-901-6247, www.dbmstrengthtrain.com
- Years training: 8 years
- Specialties: High intensity and full-body strength training with weights; metabolic conditioning
- Degree/Certification: Certified Personal Trainer
- Favorite equipment/exercise: Walking lunge with sandbag, squat press with dumbbells, pullups and dips
- Costs: $30/30-minute private/semi-private session; $10/30-minute class, twice a week; packages available
- Approach: Debbie emphasizes that weight loss should not be the only goal. “In addition to strength training, I focus on clean-eating and provide dietary guidance. I believe in getting to know the client: what makes them tick, what they fear, what brought them to me, and what they hope to achieve.”
Kym Matthews
- Where she works: Her home studio in Jenison, though she makes the occasional visit to her clients’ homes
- Contact her: 616-485-5448, kym.fusefitness@gmail.com, kymmatthews.com
- Years training: 26 years
- Specialties: Nutrition and outdoor fitness
- Degree/Certification: NASM-CPT, ACE CSCS, ACE group fitness, and PN specialist, YogaFit certified
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “My favorite exercise equipment is simply the outdoors, but I love the TRX and the BOSU (balance ball) as well.”
- Costs: $70/one-on-one training, $40/person partner training, $30/person group training
- Approach: Kym’s motto is train the brain “and the body will follow.” Her goal is to teach clients mental and fitness strategies so when it’s time to hit the gym, they’re not relying on willpower alone.
Seth Meade
- Where he works: SNAP Fitness Watermark, 5500 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids
- Contact him: seth@snapgrandrapids.com, snapfitness.com
- Years training: 7 years
- Specialties: Corrective exercise, performance and strength training, circuit and balance training
- Degree/Certification: NASM-CPT, performance enhancement specialist (NASM)
- Favorite equipment/exercise: It’s a tossup “between jump squats and dumbbell shoulder press.”
- Costs: Vary
- Approach: “Everyone’s different, so you have to be able to adapt to the client’s needs/ability. I like to make it about them, have fun and let them know they’re not alone” in their struggles to better their health.
Brian Murray
- Where he works: Owner of Motive Training, 435 La Grave Ave. SE, Suite 104, Grand Rapids
- Contact him: info@motivetraininggr.com
- Years training: 9 years
- Specialties: Nutrition coaching, strength training and bodybuilding
- Degree/Certification: ACE and YogaFit certified
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “The deadlift and all its variations. The deadlift (hip hinge) is difficult to master, but it has the most bang for its buck once you do.”
- Costs: Call for details
- Approach: “Long-term change is about chipping away at your goals day-by-day,” he says. “It’s about having a laser-like focus on what matters most in the moment. That’s where coaches like me come in. We help fine-tune a client’s daily commitments, hold them accountable to their goals, and provide guidance and support along the way. Ultimately, I am here to inspire change.”
Connie Prins
- Where she works: Primarily Visser YMCA, 475 Lake Michigan Dr. NW, Grand Rapids. Also works as a private personal trainer
- Contact her: 616-432-7385 or 616-855-9622
- Years training: 9 years
- Specialties: Back/spinal issues, chronic conditions, and weight management
- Degree/Certification: ACE certified personal trainer and health coach; ICF Life Coach; also certified meditation and Tai Chi instructor, and diabetes prevention facilitator through The National Kidney Foundation
- Favorite equipment/exercise: Pushups “are the best for overall muscle engagement,” but she favors standing cable exercises for legs, too. “They require you to strongly recruit your core while maintaining form and posture.”
- Costs: Call for details
- Approach: She’s an ideal choice for those with back issues and chronic pain because she identifies with these challenges. “After years of severe spinal nerve and muscle pain from scoliosis, I received cortisone and intense physical therapy. I continued with a trainer at the YMCA. The pain completely resolved, and I got into the best shape of my life. … Realizing that ‘fitness as medicine’ was the cure I’d needed, I became a personal trainer and health coach,” she says. “I have learned to appropriate cardio, (and I) am a weight lifting and yoga/stretching devotee.”
Ray Shonk
- Where he works: Owner and personal trainer at the private gym Quest Fitness, 4316 Division Ave. S, Kentwood; has been known to make house calls and offers online training
- Contact him: 616-425-1344, raymond.shonk@gmail.com, questfitnessgym.com
- Years training: Personal training: 7 years; martial arts: 13 years
- Specialties: MMA conditioning, senior fitness, sports performance, weight loss, and his personal favorite – calisthenics
- Degree/Certification: NASM-CPT, NASM-MMACS, NASM-PES, MMACS, PCC instructor, Tai Chi and Qigong Association instructor, Senior Fitness Specialist, Weight Loss Specialist
- Favorite equipment/exercise: “The human body. (It’s) all you need to get fit.”
- Costs: $20-$25/30-minute session, $30-$40/hour session
- Approach: “Everyone has different fitness needs, likes and dislikes, so each program is custom made for each client to best help them achieve their goals.”
Emily Zug
- Where she works: Owner and trainer at Zug Elite Training, 349 N. Water St., Portland; facility offers group training, yoga, PiYo, bootcamp, Metafit, Kettleball AMPD, and online training available upon request
- Contact her: 916-759-1345, zugelitetraining@gmail.com, zugelitetraining.com
- Years training: 12 years
- Specialties: Group training, TRX, PiYo, Kettlebell AMPD, fitness nutrition, and youth exercise
- Degree/Certification: B.S. in Child Development and Family Community Services; NASM certified
- Favorite equipment/exercise: TRX and burpees
- Costs: $12/drop-in; class passes and memberships available
Approach: “Anyone can get in the best shape of their life – you just have to put in the effort!”
This pos was originally published in 2017 and is updated regularly.Â
