Sport Specific Training Testimonials

“From out of shape Dad to a world classl powerlifter”

In December of 1999 I decided to make a “New Millenium” resolution.. ..to finally get in shape. I was at least 25 pounds overweight at 226 pounds, my body fat percentage was just under 30%, my blood cholesterol level was very high (6.80), my self esteem was very low, my clothes didn’t fit well anymore and I was constantly tired and burned out. I had lifted weights, on and off since I was 16 years old (for about 16 years), and thought I knew what I was doing! So I dusted off my Phoenix Fitness membership card, and in the first week of January 2000, I headed for the gym….this time I was going to stick with it! I worked out on my own for about a month, with a little guidance from Murray. He gave me pointers, suggestions, helped me put together a program that would help me achieve my goals and would occasionally help me with some exercises.
I really liked the help and soon realizedthat I didn’t know as much as I thought. OK, that’s it! Time to get really serious. So I signed up for ten personal training sessions with Murray. After the first couple of sessions I thought I was going to die, but, I was finally beginning to see some progress. I began to learn the subtleties of weight training, I learned that the way I used to lift was not the best way for me and for my body type.
Murray taught me to take the “ego” out of lifting….”it’s not about pushing pounds….it’s about intensity and form” he said, two words that had been foreign to my workouts in the past. “The body follows the mind”, “feel the muscle”, “you have to make it a priority” are all things he would continually say to me. He also said it was about balance, the right foods at the right time, in the right quantities, getting enough sleep, doing cardio work and working out with weights more that once a week. I was finally starting to “GET IT”. I made it through the first ten sessionsa nd immediately signedu p for ten more. The weight slowly started to come off and I could see my body shape changing. My friends and family were also starting to notice, so

I kept at it! By the end of the year I was down to 2l0 pounds and my
body fat percentage was down to 24%. When I started my goal was to get to 210 pounds.. I DID IT! Now lets go for 200, a weight I hadn’t seen in ten years, and a year before had thought impossible. So, with Murray’s guidance we started to increase the intensity (always stressing
form and intensity) and I was headed for 200! One day in April of 2001 the scale hit 199 . . . .I
was blown away…..I had done it! Now it was time to re-evaluate my goals.

Lets go for 185 and 15 % body fat….numbers I had once reserved for “athletes” and had convinced myself that I
would look terrible at 185 pounds.Today I weigh in at 195 pounds, my body fat percentage has dropped under 15% and my blood
cholesterol has dropped by 3l%. I have not felt better in years, my waist size has gone down by 3.5 inches, I am full of energy and rarely get “burned out”, and I am getting compliments from people in the gym that I don’t even know! Now I can see 185 on the horizon.
Without the expertise, motivation, guidance and nutritional counselling of a personal trainer I would haven ever stuck with it so long and would have never achieved these goals…..they would
have just been dreams.

Andy Childs
Phoenix Fitness member since 1993
Andy Childs at The World Championships 2007

“I went from knee surgery to a tackling machine”

When returning to train with Murray for my second summer I was excited but nervous. I was coming off a serious knee injury, a torn meniscus, which required surgery and myself being on crutches for 7 weeks. The following months after I was off the crutches were spent in physiotherapy and attempting to regain an active lifestyle. By the time my first session with Murray came around my knee was still not at 100% and my overall health and fitness level were at a low. My training with Murray would go from April 16 to August 17, four times a week.

With Murray’s expertise and motivation I was quickly back at 100% and looking for more. My training consisted of intense cross-fit workouts using everything from gymnastic rings to tractor tires. These workouts produced immediate results in improving strength, cardiovascular conditioning, and fat loss. These were by far the best all around workouts I have ever participated in. On top of the cross-fit workouts Murray used a combination of one-rep max and high endurance lifts to improve my strength and explosiveness. Murray’s knowledge does not stop at weight lifting and training. He also instructed and monitored my daily nutrition and supplementation, as well as my sleeping patterns. With the combination of all these things my results by the end of the summer were dramatic. I was able to lift weights that at the start of the sessions I would have thought would be impossible for myself.

This is a look at some of my gains from the start of the summer to the end:

Start – End

Bench Press 7@225 – 22@225

Squat 6@225 – 10@315

Clean 7@185 – 10@265

What impressed me was that although I put on 20 pounds during the training I did not have to sacrifice any speed or agility. In fact, it had improved along with my strength. At the start of the summer when I had asked Murray if I would have to trade being fast for being strong he simply replied, “Why can’t you be both?” When I left that summer for training camp I was in the best all around shape that I had ever been in. My knee injury had been forgotten and I was confident that I could physically match up with almost anyone on the field.

As much as I would like to take the credit for this, most of it must go to Murray. He is an exceptional trainer with a gift for motivation. You would be hard pressed to find a trainer with such a wide range of knowledge. For me to be in the shape I wanted it took an overall lifestyle change, Murray was able to instruct me in every aspect of this transition.

Tag Russell

Linebacker, University of Guelph

Crazy Vertical

I have always loved playing sports and I have always been a competitor. As a football, basketball, volleyball player, I know how crucial vertical jumping ability is.  I felt like I had hit a plateau in my workouts and training routines and I just could not get my vertical jump any higher. I tried workouts from magazines, dozens of websites, jumping shoes and weights and even asked trainers in my gym. In about a year, I could only get about 1 inch added to my vertical.

Then I found a program that was remarkably different from the ones I had tried or read about before. Ori’s vertical jumping program combines unique exercises and workouts that were continually challenging me and helping me improve. I added 8 inches to my vertical in about half the time it took me to add one inch using other workouts. Not only did my vertical increase, but also, my abilities in basketball, volleyball and football dramatically improved. Ori helped me reach the next level towards becoming a superior athlete. I always thought that my height and size would limit me in sports that are dominated by giants. I can honestly say that adding height to my vertical has helped level the playing field. I am confident and in great shape and I had so much fun doing it! I would recommend Ori and his program to anyone who wants to see improvement in their vertical, strength, agility, flexibility, speed, and overall confidence.

Colin Oczkowski

Professional lacrosse

I have been an athlete my whole life, and as a professional lacrosse player I am always trying to find new workouts to improve my game. With all the demands of my schedule it’s hard to find time to train. During the winter months I play in the NLL for the Edmonton Rush and during the Summer I play in BC. This gives me a few months off a year to come home and relax.

During the season I have personal trainers that are provided by the team, but when I come home it’s up to me to stay in top shape. This is why I called Ori, I have known him for years through the Hamilton sports community and heard great things about his sports specific training. I have been training with Ori now on my off seasons for about 3 years. His workouts were focused a lot on core and leg strength which really helped my speed and vertical.

After training with Ori I would come back to training camp ahead of the game which really helped my confidence on the turf. Every year my stats get better and better and I owe it all to my trainers before, during, and after the lacrosse season. With Ori’s workouts I have increased my vertical tremendously and I have scored more goals in the air then ever before. I would definitely recommend Ori to any athlete who is trying to take their game to the next level.