This week’s interview comes from a Hollywood-based personal trainer whose clients include celebrities, professional athletes, and everyday people. Gunnar Peterson is known for his focus on functional training and achieving long term results.
Gunnar Peterson is known for his focus on functional training and achieving long term results.
He has been featured in different magazines and other media such as Muscle & Fitness, Men’s Health, CNN, Fox News, and more.
Tell our community about the Gunnar Challenge and how it’s designed to help people looking great in just 8 weeks.
It’s an online challenge that provides a NEW workout every day as well a motivational “verbal vitamin.”
There is a detailed meal plan and we have a food data base with over 100, 000 food items listed and broken down so that even finicky eaters can make it work.
Finally, there is an online community with ongoing forums so that as a Challenger you are never alone! It’s pretty cool!
How/why did you become an expert in functional training? Is there a reason why you prefer this style of training?
I prefer training that serves not only your health and aesthetic goals but also something that serves you in your everyday life.
Something that helps you FUNCTION better. That’s a broad spectrum and must be treated one workout at a time but that’s what makes it PERSONAL training.
How did you establish yourself in the professional media and sports industry?
I keep working at it in the gym and after hours. I watch fitness DVDs, attend seminars and trade shows, as well as read as much as I can get my eyes on.
Over time, it becomes obvious who’s in this as a job versus who’s in this as a career.
In your 20+ years of experience in the fitness industry, how have you seen this industry change over time?
I’ve seen fitness fads come and go, fitness fools come and go, and fitness equipment come and go. I’ve seen mergers, takeovers, bankruptcies, and hybrids in the fitness industry.
I’ve seen sales reps rise and fall, strength coaches go from inconsequential to essential, and apartment complexes go from using a spare unit with an old treadmill and an AbRoller as their ‘gym’ to having fully equipped state of the art facilities.
I’ve seen chrome and neon gyms morph into CrossFit gyms. I’ve seen strength be in. I’ve seen thin be in. Start up diets and countdown diets.
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I’ve seen life coaches, wellness coaches, Integrated Health Coaches, and personal trainer flavors of the month as well as a handful that makes the cut year in and year out. Not to mention every supplement and diet fad come and go and come back again!
I think it would be easier for me to answer what I have NOT seen change versus what I have seen change!
What would you say is the most important factor in functional training?
Keeping it moving and maximizing the angles using all 3 planes of motion. Don’t be afraid to use weight in the gym, that’s what will help you outside the gym!
A big thank you to Gunnar from Exercise.com for providing this interview to us and our readers! For more information on Gunnar Peterson, visit his website and YouTube channel and follow him on Twitter and Facebook!
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