Personal Training Services

By Paul Youldon

Early in my career I worked with the late Russ Kisby, who was the heart and soul behind ParticipACTION. He helped make ParticipACTION one of the most recognized brands in social marketing. At the time, we worked together on a campaign called Fitness: The Facts designed for employees in the workplace. Many years later, I found myself working with Russ as I led an evaluation study of ParticipACTION and its programs. The reach, appeal and impact of  ParticipACTION was remarkable among Canadians and health professionals.

Years later, a key notion of physical activity was spawn and became known as “Active Living.” While complex and controversial, “Active Living” was a way to describe a new approach to physical activity. Active living was defined in 1992 as: “a way of life in which physical activity is valued and is integrated into daily living.” Made in Canada, it came from discussions among social activists, academics and fitness zealots in order to reframe our thinking about exercise. We needed to move away from feeling guilty about not exercising to a position of nurturing support,  recognizing people for their unique needs and contexts.

The Youldon Group’s approach to Personal Training is grounded in these principles. It also embodies self-respect, self responsibility, and social support to create a personal agenda that suits one’s needs and situation.

We offer Personal training that respects your needs, your past, and your desired future.

We have worked with recreational bodybuilders, Junior national volleyball players, female marathon runners, ringette teams, individual ringette players striving for the regional all-star teams, seniors wanting to re-gain their sense of confidence, balance, range of motion, and zest for daily life.

We take a humanistic client centred approach:

  1. Discovery Meeting: get acquainted and learn what you want and what will help you best achieve your goals and ideas.
  2. Taking the first step: doing some practical, yet science-based, fitness assessments to see your status, and to talk about what it all means and how to use this insight in your program.
  3. Designing what works: creating a well-rounded program that addresses your situation, needs and interests. We help you to make it YOUR PROGRAM.
  4. Building momentum: we workout with you, offering motivation, guidance and immediate feedback, so that you develop great focus, technique, and ideas to further adapt your program.

I welcome my clients from Carleton Universityto visit these pages, and get tips to keep you going. After you review your personal program and do a few workouts, you may want more. Consider the following resources…

If you want to pursue… Check this out…
Instructor led group exercise classes Click here to see a list of classes offered at Carleton University, where I have led different classes for many years.
More strength training exercises to use in my program. Click here to visit a public site that offers some of the best science-based, yet practical fitness training advice on the web.
Getting energized for daily physical activity. Click here to visit the ParticipACTION site. (it is not just for 60 year olds Swedes, but Canadians too).
Eating guidelines for athletes. Click here to visit the Coaching Association of Canada, which outlines great advice – based on good science  – for coaches and athletes.

Here is a short bio of my background in Personal Training and Fitness:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology, University of Waterloo
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Toronto.
  • Co-author, Strength Fitness for Fitness Leaders, Fitness Ontario Leadership Program, Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Recreation.
  • Chair of the National Fitness Leadership Advisory Committee (Federal, Provincial organizations, including the YMCA and YWCA), producing national certification standards for fitness leaders.
  • Director of multiple Corporate Fitness Programs (Calgary and Toronto), responsible for the purchasing and facility design of strength training equipment.
  • Personal Trainer, Carleton University for many years, and Head Coach of Elite Ringette teams, responsible for design and leadership of athlete training.

The following resources are for personal training clients of the Youldon Group.  We created these practical, science-based handouts based on common requests from past clients. Enjoy…

Contact us today, and get your fitness program underway!!