A Teenager's Fitness Story

Posted by Matt Barber on September 19th, 2022.

When I met Constantine in December 2018, he had just begun his freshman year of high school. At age 14, he was already one of the most personable and engaging individuals I had ever come across. He was eager to begin a strength training program and he wanted to lose some weight. On his initial assessment, he performed six pushups. His body fat was 30% and his weight was 205 pounds. Based on his positive nature, I knew he would be successful in his quest to reach his fitness goals.

Constantine made consistent progress throughout the first several months of his program. He was enjoying his sessions so much he and his parents decided to increase his training from two sessions per week to three. This continued through the COVID-19 pandemic, as he trained with me virtually from his home. Upgrading to three days per week enabled us to add calisthenics to his program, complimenting the existing strength training component. These changes, along with his commitment to good nutritional habits, accelerated his weight loss efforts. His progress has been remarkable. His weight has dropped from 205 to 185 and his body fat has plummeted from 30% to 18%. He can now rattle off 20 pushups with ease!

As Constantine heads off to college this fall, I have no doubt he will be every bit as successful in his studies as he has been in his training program. It has been a pleasure watching him develop in so many ways these last 3 1/2 years. As my own sons approach high school, I would feel fortunate if they mature as well as Constantine has. I’ll miss our sessions together!