Personal Training 101 | 15233 N. 87th ST STE 115 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 | (480) 614-0289
John Mandler’s fitness career began in 1982 as a fitness instructor in the Philadelphia area. As a high
school and college wrestler, he continued to work in various exercise facilities throughout the 1980’s
and, in 1988, he graduated from Villanova University with a BS in Biology and joined the pharmaceutical
industry. An avid mountain biker, Mandler moved to Scottsdale in 1990, worked as a fitness instructor
and enjoyed biking most of the area’s scenic and challenging trails while pursuing his MBA from Arizona
State University (’93). He continued to work in the field of pharmaceuticals and later in information
technology before devoting his efforts to the fitness industry full-time.
In 2002, he achieved his Certified Personal Trainer license from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and began training clients in a local gym with the idea of putting together a company focused specifically on personal training. Having spent years training himself and others in various gym facilities, it was clear to him that many well-intentioned, hard-working people were simply not getting much benefit from the time they were putting in at their gyms and in some cases were injuring themselves, often due to their own lack of understanding of exercise fundamentals and poor, if any, supervision from the gym staff.
It was Mandler’s vision to help people achieve their fitness goals in a safe, effective and efficient manner designed to keep the workout sessions fresh and fun and the overall experience enjoyable and valuable without the drudgery inherent in so many programs and facilities.
In 2002, he achieved his Certified Personal Trainer license from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and began training clients in a local gym with the idea of putting together a company focused specifically on personal training. Having spent years training himself and others in various gym facilities, it was clear to him that many well-intentioned, hard-working people were simply not getting much benefit from the time they were putting in at their gyms and in some cases were injuring themselves, often due to their own lack of understanding of exercise fundamentals and poor, if any, supervision from the gym staff.
It was Mandler’s vision to help people achieve their fitness goals in a safe, effective and efficient manner designed to keep the workout sessions fresh and fun and the overall experience enjoyable and valuable without the drudgery inherent in so many programs and facilities.
While it was important that the studio be attractive and well equipped, Mandler was well aware that the
client experience really starts and ends with the personal trainers. “I have interviewed close to a
hundred trainers since I started putting our staff together” says Mandler. “It’s important to me that our
trainers have strong credentials, backgrounds and skill sets, act professionally at all times, are
attentive, personable and genuinely care about helping people. Our trainers are true fitness
professionals that are passionate about fitness. There’s an intrinsic reward in seeing clients achieve
their goals. All of our trainers feel this way.”
The Personal Training 101™ trainers’ academic credentials include bachelor’s degrees in exercise science, kinesiology and the life sciences. Every trainer holds and maintains through continuing education a certification from at least one of the following esteemed fitness organizations: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), NSCA (National Sports and Conditioning Association) and ACE (American Council on Exercise). Those certifications include basic CPT (Certified Personal Trainer), and PES (Performance Enhancement Specialist). Their athletic backgrounds include basketball, martial arts, football, marathon running, golf, tennis, lacrosse and soccer, to name a few. They are required to broaden and deepen their knowledge base above and beyond the demands of their certifications.
The Personal Training 101™ trainers’ academic credentials include bachelor’s degrees in exercise science, kinesiology and the life sciences. Every trainer holds and maintains through continuing education a certification from at least one of the following esteemed fitness organizations: NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), NSCA (National Sports and Conditioning Association) and ACE (American Council on Exercise). Those certifications include basic CPT (Certified Personal Trainer), and PES (Performance Enhancement Specialist). Their athletic backgrounds include basketball, martial arts, football, marathon running, golf, tennis, lacrosse and soccer, to name a few. They are required to broaden and deepen their knowledge base above and beyond the demands of their certifications.
