Testimonials

Received March 30, 2014  

"I've had the pleasure of working with Garrett for the past two years. We started training together at Personal Training Institute in Rye Brook. Garrett helped me reach a goal on the leg press. He believed I could press 300 pounds, I thought I'd like and want to, but that's a lot of weight. Well, Garrett was right I did it, and more! I pressed 330! I believe I reached that goal he made for me because of Garrett's inspiration and belief in me.

Each Monday I looked forward to hearing about the races he entered, the tournaments he participated in, his snowboarding and surfing.

Soon we were talking about Crossfit and how he was at Crossfit Stamford, and I should give it a try. February 2013 I started training with him at CFS.  His enthusiasm was contagious! I found myself wanted to make bigger goals for myself. Garrett makes reaching a goal look easy. He leads by example! He works hard, plays hard and works out hard. He truly cares about his clients goals and well being.

There were times when Garrett believed I could push harder and go further.  He believed in me, so I believed in me! It takes a special person to help you see that you can push yourself further than you thought possible!

A few examples, I wanted to flip a tire, not only did I flip a tire, but I did it many times! What a feeling! The next time we met I was pumped to flip it again, instead he had me push his car, then do 15 box jumps! I completed three sets of that! The next week we flipped the tire again, again and again!

 As a mom of three teenage boys, I want them to know I can( and they can) do anything they set their minds to. It's very empowering!

Each week our workouts were tough, challenging both for the body and mind. I learned how to clean, squat with weighted bar, do pull ups, double unders,etc. all the while telling my kids with pride.

Any one who trains with Garrett is given a GIFT, he is truly one of a kind. Caring, supportive, patient, inspiring, motivating, hardworking and most of all a great friend! I continue to challenge myself with new goals daily because of my training with him. I can hear Garrett in the back of my head telling me I can do it! How amazing is that! I am Garrett's biggest fan!

I took a short break from Crossfit for personal reasons, but I look forward to when I can get back. My new goal is to climb those ropes!

Much success Garrett, always!

Missy"

-Missy, mother of three athletic boys, who no longer has any problem keeping up

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Received April 4, 2014 
  

"I have been working with Garrett at CFS for the past year and my results have been remarkable.  I always considered myself to be pretty active and enjoyed trying different types of exercise but always became bored very quickly.  I could never seem to meet my fitness goals and hated going to the gym.  After starting crossfit, my entire attitude has changed and I actually started to look forward to my work outs!  Every workout incorporates both strength training and cardio and each workout is different from the previous one.  After a year of crossfit, I still have not done 2 workouts that are the same.  By always changing up our workout routine, Garrett has kept our workouts fun and exciting.

Although I was never considered overweight, I have lost 15 pounds while still gaining muscle tone since beginning my training with Garrett.  Garrett is the perfect combination of tough and encouraging.  He doesn’t let me get away with cheating myself out of putting my all into a workout and he pushes me to do things I never imagined my body could do.  I love how all of my workouts are tailored to meet my goals and my needs.

Not only is Garrett a great coach, but also a great friend.  When I decided to sign up for a Spartan Race, he not only supported me but also signed up with me so he can push me through the whole way.  Last fall, I competed in a Paleo challenge hosted by CFS.  Garrett encouraged me throughout the entire challenge, giving me even more challenging workouts and always offering advice about nutrition, stretching and recovery days. I won the challenge and I couldn’t have done it without Garrett.

Since beginning my training, I have never felt stronger or healthier. And thanks to Garrett, I have had an excellent excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe to fit my new body!"

-Danielle Marino

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Received April 8, 2014

"Up until January 2014 my experiences training with Garrett had been limited to occasional running and group Crossfit classes at CFS which mainly consisted of general programming. The advice he offered on technique and skills during class was always helpful and accurate, but I never truly appreciated his knowledge and dedication to his athletes until I found myself in need of specialized workouts.

In January, I broke my wrist snowboarding. Sitting in the emergency room, the first thing I thought of was that I wouldn’t be able to do Crossfit. Most people would think this was crazy since there are so many other things I probably should have been worried about. But, Garrett knew exactly how I felt, and assured me that we would figure it out. Less than a week after surgery, I was back at CFS on a specialized workout plan that Garrett was able to put together.  Although he had no previous experience with this type of injury, he wrote my workouts, asked for feedback, and was able to keep me in shape and able to jump back into my normal routine. He kept the workouts varied and intense despite the limitations I had, which is when I really saw firsthand the talent and dedication he had for coaching.

I did a lot of research over the 2+ months that I was unable to use my arm, and there was surprisingly very little information on workouts or scaled versions of movements for athletes with injures. There were a number of exercises suggested to me by other coaches and Crossfit athletes, however, Garrett’s WODs actually kept my intensity level and motivation up, something that I would never have been able to accomplish on my own.  The thing that helped the most was that the workouts he wrote didn’t make me feel “injured” or like less of an athlete. While the workouts had to be tailored to fit my needs (which left out a lot of standard movements), they were always just as hard, if not harder, than the workouts everyone else was doing in class. He understood that I still wanted my normal routine and intensity, and we were able to work together to accomplish this.

Like any good trainer, Garrett has helped get people in better shape, get stronger, and be able to reach their fitness goals. The thing that sets Garrett apart from other “good trainers” is the level of creativity and personalization he adds to each workout. He often says that he doesn’t write workouts that he either hasn’t tried out, or wouldn’t do himself. I think this is a rare quality that sets him apart.

There aren’t many people who would send you one-armed workouts while on vacation in Mexico, but I was lucky enough to have Garrett :)"

-Erica Waltz