“I think the trainers at AXIS are exceptional,” says Rocky P., who began training at AXIS in 1998.

“I train with Naomi Talbot twice a week, and she’s always positive,fun, and ready to help me take on any new fitness goals I may have.”

Though at one time her goal was to bench press her body weight (yes, she did it!), her current objective is to stay fit so that she can keep up with her children. She and her husband exercise regularly, and focus on healthy eating at home.

“As you get older, it’s increasingly important to stay fit,” she says. “For me, working out at AXIS twice a week keeps me disciplined and on track. Having appointments forces me to make the time, instead of making excuses.”

Melissa B. works out with two trainers, Mary Tullis and Courtnie Steeves. A familiar face around the facility, she started training in 1999 at the encouragement of several friends and family
members.

“At the time I was getting bored with group classes, mostly because I felt they were too routine and not tailored for my needs. I wanted an individualized experience, especially with respect to strength training. AXIS was so close to my house, I thought, why not try it?”

During the eight years she’s been at AXIS, Melissa has worked with several different trainers, and she considers the variety one of the primary reasons her exercise program has remained fresh and exciting. “Every trainer has a unique approach, educational background and something new to teach you. You can’t get bored when you are always trying new things,” she says.

Melissa currently works out three days a week with her two trainers. “It’s a team effort,” she says. “Mary encourages me to do things that I haven’t tried before, like testing my endurance. She’s got great positive energy and is full of surprises--I love getting to know her. She pushes me, and I like that. When I think that I can’t do something and then discover that I can, it is a real boost!”

“With Courtnie, I focus on strength training using the machines and on getting a good stretch beginning and end-- I like getting to do that because I can use machines that I don’t have at home. Courtnie is very knowledgeable, and she is an amazing stretcher.”

Through her workouts, Melissa aims to stay fit and maintain a high level of energy for her kids, her career as a commercial interior designer and volunteer work in the community. Her life is pretty hectic, and she appreciates that her trainers plan her workouts so that she doesn’t have to.

“Coming to AXIS is a big stress reducer for me,” she explains. “I like being able to walk in and hand myself over to my trainers. I just put my mind in ‘neutral,’ let them tell me what to do, and I can trust that I will feel less stressed and recharged when my workout is over.”