Testimonials

“I had worked out off and on for most of my adult life with acceptable results. However, after a few years of decreased activity I noticed the pounds going on, my energy level was falling and body fat going up. In the Fall of 2010 I finally decided something needed to change and began looking for a Personal Trainer. After careful research, I found Brian Maher of Philly Personal Training. I was impressed with Brian’s education, certification and approach. I have been working out with Brian twice a week since. This is one of the best decisions I have ever made!

In a few short months I lost 20 pounds and reduced my body fat by more than 5%. Then, with Brian’s coaching and running plans I ran the Broad Street Run, a Half Marathon and the Philadelphia Marathon within the first year of training with him. It had been 20 years since I had run on a regular basis and never competed in a race longer than a 5K. Running a marathon had been in the back of mind for about 20 years but I am sure it would not have happened if I had not started training with Brian.

Brian is extremely knowledgeable about fitness, nutrition and motivation. We regularly talk about goals and set new goals as achievements are made. His routine evaluations are helpful not only to track progress and measure results but to refine goals. We have worked out together for more than a year now and I don’t think two workouts have ever been exactly the same! He is great at adding new exercises and changing routines to ensure your fitness goals are met and to keep you focused, motivated and interested during every session. He often has a new “surprise” for me that is fun and challenging. He continues to push me to new levels!

Brian understands that good health and fitness doesn’t happen in a couple of sessions a week and he provides you with the tools you need to make the changes in your daily life. Whether that be a meal plan; or nutritional counseling; or a running/walking plan; or an exercise routine to do “solo”; or motivational tips to keep you focused on your goal. Brian has easily adapted workout routines and nutritional information as my goals changed. I look forward to my training sessions with Brian – it’s the best part of my week! During our training sessions I work harder and smarter than I ever could have by myself.

I am in the best physical shape of my life thanks to Brian!”

“I have worked with many trainers over the years, but nobody else helped me reach the level of fitness that I achieved from training with Brian.   When we first began my program, I had three goals – lose weight, increase strength and improve endurance.  With Brian’s guidance, I not only met my original targets but exceeded them in numbers far beyond my expectations.

In six months, I dropped 48 pounds – 20% of my body weight, 15 pounds below my original goal and almost 7 inches from around my waist.  My strength tripled on nearly every exercise we measured.   Most incredible to me was that I went from run/walking a 5K in almost 40 minutes to my new personal best 5K run of 24:36 (I was never a runner before I met Brian).

Brian is not only a trainer, but also a coach.  In addition to the two mornings a week we worked out together, he encouraged me to change my life habits so I could not only achieve my goals with him, but keep those high standards when I trained on my own.  My nutrition improved and my “solo” workouts continued to strengthen even when I wasn’t in a formal training session.  I would recommend Brian to anyone looking for fast, effective and long-lasting results.”

“In May of 2010, my father had major heart surgery which pushed me to take a look at my personal risks and the action I needed to take to reduce those risks. In June, I made the decision to begin a fitness program with an individual who was highly educated as a Personal Fitness Trainer. The education was very important to me as I wanted someone who could ensure my safety regarding how much I should do and how fast when exercising. I was very fortunate to have found that in Brian Maher of Philly Personal Training. Prior to working with Brian I lost 9 pounds and went from a size 12 to 10 by changing my eating habits but I could not get my weight down any further and my cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar numbers were still high. Brian put me on a meal plan and an exercise regimen that brought my high cholesterol, blood pressure and sugar down to normal ranges within 5 months. My doctor is now looking at taking me off of my blood pressure medicine which is a goal I never thought I would achieve. In addition, I lost 30 pounds during that 5 months and went from a size 10 to a size 0. I feel better than I have felt in 12 years and confident that I can maintain my weight and health numbers due to the education and confidence I have gained during my tenure with Brian. In addition, due to being in this program I am getting reduced rates on my health insurance at work.

Prior to working with Brian, I would workout by myself but never pushed myself as I was scared due to my age and being out of shape. Brian monitored my heart rate, the reaction of my muscles to exercises and gradually built my stamina and strength and before I knew it, I was doing more than I ever thought I would achieve. I am not a person who is disciplined to exercise, working with Brian has helped me achieve goals far beyond any expectations I ever had for myself. This experience has changed my life as I have energy, sleep better, feel and look younger and have achieved a fitness level I never thought I would ever achieve. I am more motivated than ever to maintain the health I am feeling.”

“I do not have the discipline to exercise on my own, so I have tried personal trainers before without any success. Some demanded too much from me so I was almost fainting in the middle of the workout; some others did not really care so I lost interest. The workouts that I do with Brian are exciting and demanding enough to keep me engaged, yet not so demanding that I feel like they surpass my abilities. With one weekly meeting I have gained strength, firmness and definition. And he keeps adapting the exercises to what I can do, so it feels like I’m really accomplishing something. I really think that he is a great trainer.”

“I have always been a person concerned about my weight and diet, and would try any means necessary to lose that extra 5 lbs. I used the gym about 6 times a week, and attempted almost every diet advertised. About 2 months ago, I decided I needed a personal trainer to assist in achieving my goals as I knew I hit a plateau. I researched a few different gyms and people, and Brian’s background seemed to have the expertise I was looking for. I couldn’t be happier with my selection! Between the weekly sessions and customized diet, I have seen results that I have been striving to achieve for the past 2 years. The sessions are challenging, but there is no better feeling than knowing how much muscle you are gaining, and seeing how different your clothes fit. The best part, I am eating MORE, losing weight and cutting down the number of days I spend in the gym to about 3 or 4! Not only does Brian provide new and challenging exercises, he takes the time to explain what my body is experiencing as far as weight loss, and the reflection on the scale. I was always hesitant to weigh myself and take measurements, but I am looking forward to my 2 month check-in. I have had a great experience with Brian, and would definitely recommend him as a personal trainer.”

“I purchased the 10-session package with Brian and have had a phenomenal experience so far. Having never worked out seriously before, Brian has provided a great balance between pushing me to my limits and offering the support I needed when I just wanted to stop. Brian’s prices are very reasonable, especially considering the wealth of knowledge he brings not only to workout sessions, but also in helping craft nutritional programs. Based on my experience so far I would definitely recommend Brian to anyone looking for a reasonably priced way to get fast results!”

“When I first came to Brian, I had a goal of running an 8k. With Brian’s help, I reached that goal faster than I had thought and I’m currently training for a half marathon!”

“I have just completed my first 10-session package and got another 10-session commitment with Brian. My first 10-session work-out program was a challenging one which got me in shape already. Brian combined my half-marathon training with his work-out program perfectly. You can tell right away he knows what he’s doing  and is serious about getting you back on track when you need motivation.”

“Brian’s calm and confident approach as a personal trainer enabled my wife and I to make significant gains – reversing years of inactivity and putting us on a firm path of sustainable and productive exercise.  Always assured, never frenetic, Brian created workouts that my wife and I could take on together, that supported our mutual goals, and that educated us about how to approach health and fitness in our “middle” years.”

“Once my son was 8 months old I decided it was time to get serious about losing my baby weight.   I needed an exercise regimen that I could do at home using only the small amount of weights I already owned.  Brian created a series of workouts for me that I could pick from depending on whether I had 20 minutes or 50 minutes that day;  exactly the kind of flexibility a parent needs.  Each workout targeted a variety of muscles and got my heart rate pumping.   After our first workout together I was completely exhausted and sore since it had been such a long time since I’d exercised.  But with each subsequent workout I could feel my body slowly coming back.  By our last training session together, I was noticably stronger and had the lung capacity to breath through the tough parts.  In addition to the training, Brian and I discussed motivation techniques, nutrition, healthy eating habits, and tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  With Brian’s help I not only reached my pre-pregnancy weight but am even a few pounds less.  He got me back on track to a healthier body and mind.”

“Before training with Brian I could barely walk/jog for 3 minutes straight and now he has me going for 40 minute runs.  He understands that working out is not the only component of reaching your goals.  Compared to the other trainers in the area, Brian has unrivaled professionalism and can help people achieve different goals.  Other people I came across were all about body building and not really geared toward my goals.  He takes time to make sure you meet your nutritional and activity goals.  One thing I like is that you are always able to reach him whether it is by calling, text, or email.  I like how he also embraces technology as well with his website and interactive meal plan website.  He basically gives you what to eat for every meal and snack and then it compiles into a grocery list at the end so you know what to buy.  The newsletters he sends are also very helpful. I enjoy his flexibility with scheduling workouts and drive to keep pushing you farther.  People I haven’t seen in a while keep on telling me that I lost weight which feels great!  I can only thank Brian for that!  It is great to have a personal trainer because he makes sure you are using the proper weight, form, and technique.  He knows how to make the most out of the time you allot to workout.”

“I have always been an athletic person and used the gym regularly, but before my wedding I needed an extra push to get fit. Brian’s personal training sessions were excellent – they pushed me just enough to get the results I wanted. I lost 6 pounds to get to my goal weight and have built lean muscle all over my body. It really is true that weight training as a woman does not make you larger, but really tones you and helps you lose weight faster. Brian has a great demeaner which makes it easy to work with him! He always built the work outs especially for me and changes them up each time so the sessions never seem boring. I have had a great experience with Brian, and would definitely recommend him as a personal trainer and train with him again in the future.‎”

“When I began to train with Brian I was extremely out of shape. I was trying to lose 40 pounds and improve my overall health. In less than 3 months, I lost 20 pounds, began to build muscle and felt better than I had in years. It was great working with Brian, he was encouraging during my sessions and helped keep me focused on my goals.”

I have been working with Brian for a year now and am very satisfied with the results.  A year ago, I set myself a goal to improve both on my cardio fitness as well as my anaerobic (weight lifting) fitness.  Both of the goals where achieved under the guidance of Brian. Brian is an expert in fitness training and was very friendly and approachable with any question I had (even over weekends, by email!).  If you’re looking for a personal trainer — I highly recommend Brian Maher.

For the past ten years, I’ve kept myself in pretty good cardiovascular shape by running at least five miles almost every day. During this time, I never weight trained and thus neglected my upper body and abdomen. Last summer, I had more free time and made the decision to finally get serious about being in better shape. I made the commitment to get a personal trainer. After a bit of googling, I met Brian and have been working with him for the past 13 months. Under Brian’s supervision, I’ve completely changed my upper body. I’ve gradually put on over 10 pounds of muscle, reduced my body fat, increased my running speed, altered my eating habits and generally have more energy.

My transformation was rather straightforward – I just met with Brian twice a week and followed his instructions. It’s that simple. I haven’t done any weight training on my own. Brian designed my training towards my goals, using only the weight training equipment in my apartment building. No two sessions have been the same and thus I’ve never been bored. It seems that every week or two I continue to advance in most exercises, in terms of weight, repetitions or both. I’ve more than tripled or quadrupled the weight I can lift in every exercise (and that’s not an exaggeration). We’re well on the way to my ultimate goal – a six pack. I’m still not sure it’s possible but I’m convinced my only way of getting there is with Brian’s help. So, it’s safe to say that if you’re looking for a positive change in your physical conditioning, I recommend contacting Brian.

“Brian is by far the best personal trainer I have ever worked with. Given my track record with inconsistent workouts, I needed someone extremely knowledgeable, motivated yet encouraging who could push me to my limit.

Over the last few months, no two workouts have been the same! He appropriately varies the intensity of each exercise so that it working out is challenging yet fun. I love not knowing what comes next. I wear a heart rate monitor and regularly burn between 500 and 700 calories per workout. I cannot believe how fast noticeable changes are occuring. I have lost pounds, inches with more energy and stamina than I could ever imagine.

Brian is a true professional who truly cares about helping me achieve my goals. I will always appreciate the extra emails, text messages, newsletters and calls that remind me the genuine character he possesses.

There is still a long way to go to achieve my weight loss and fitness goals, but am confident that I with Brian’s help I will meet AND even surpass them in no time. Thanks to him, for the first time in a long time I am looking forward to Spring! “