Union Street Walking Bridge, Salem, Oregon
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Success Fitness Client Testimonials

Fitness Testimonial - Greg Bradstreet, Salem, Oregon

"My wife first got me to train with her at Success Fitness. The previous 3 years had been a pretty rough stretch for me. I lost 44lbs thanks to my wife and then my body started betraying me. I was getting wracking pain and one night my wife made me go to the hospital after I was shivering and apparently screaming in my sleep. My gallbladder had quit on me and I was scheduled for immediate surgery. The surgeon said she had to scoop it out like pudding; it had gone gangrenous. As a result I also ended up with sepsis. I had to go into the hospital every day for an hour for 6 weeks for IV administered antibiotics. I lost another bad 15lbs and was pretty weakened after that.

The following two years I had rotator cuff and cataract surgery as well as surgery for a detached retina. I was pretty laid up during all that time. I've been a pretty active guy my whole life, very involved with athletics, coached basketball and played basketball in my church league for years. Between playing with my grandkids, golf and basketball, being sedentary was never much of an option. But after being sick or injured so long I lost so much of my strength and felt myself getting softer and softer.

When I started at Success Fitness training was pretty basic. The warm -up and stretching I was doing always felt really good on my muscles since I was so tight. I was even relearning how to squat and how to do a pushup. Since those days I have gained a lot of strength. My lungs feel like they are finally coming around too. Most importantly I can play with my grandkids. In fact I went on a bike ride with my grandkids for two hours around Minto Brown Park and felt fine afterwards. No soreness the next day and I know it's because of all the things I do in the gym.

Getting my time in at Success Fitness has become a major priority for me. I always get in my morning training session, 6:30am sharp, before beginning the rest of my day. It's been a big difference maker in me getting to spend more time with my grandkids and certainly hasn't hurt getting my golf swing back to where it used to be!"

I was about to turn 40 and I felt like my life was no longer in my control. I was 40 lbs overweight, had 3 teenagers and my husband and I had just purchased a business. I had been a stay at home mom for 18 years and had lost track of who I was, and what I wanted. I chose not to go to my 20 year high school reunion because I was embarrassed by the way I looked and the lack of direction I felt. I desperately needed a change. After yo-yo dieting for years, I was finally able to lose some weight. But I needed help to lose the rest, and keep it off.

I knew I couldn't do it alone. I needed a personal trainer. Success Fitness was offering a free 3 week trial so I decided to give it a try. I was so impressed with how thorough the initial evaluation was. My trainer. Chris, was so knowledgeable about diet and exercise and how the body works. He custom tailored a routine for my specific needs and ability. I am not just talking about a list of exercises for me to do on my own. He took me step by step through each and every exercise, always watching to make sure I was doing it right and that it wasn't harming me. He is a pro at getting the maximum benefit from the workout he provides you with. Your workout is always changing to keep up with your abilities and fitness level.

I can't believe the transformation my body has undergone since I have been working with Chris. I lost a total of 40 lbs and 3 dress sizes. My body fat percentage keeps dropping as I gain more muscle. It is so exciting to see muscles I didn't know I had and to continually break personal goals and records each week. It is amazing how quickly my body has responded and I am so pleased with the results he is able to get out of just two days a week of training. I have total confidence that he knows what I am capable of and how to push me to the next level.

It is very exciting and I love going to work out. My husband and I started this journey together and it has brought us closer together. We enjoy working out together, and giving Chris a hard time! My kids have new respect for me and are not embarrassed to have me around. But the best part for me is my new found confidence. I feel stronger, more attractive and much more outgoing. I was excited to meet with my high school friends this summer. I was happy with the way I looked and had a great time. I also wore a bikini to the lake a few weekends ago. That is something I didn't even do in high school. My butt is higher and tighter than it ever was and I don't have flabby arms or a bulging stomach anymore. It feels great to be in shape and it motivates me to keep going. I am so thankful I found Success Fitness. I think Chris is awesome and I am so grateful for the gift he has given me. I feel like my best self now. And I can't wait to keep going!"

Fitness Testimonial - Lori Nokleby, Salem, Oregon

"I was walking on one of the treadmills in the gym wondering how much more bored I could possible get doing this for an hour. Little did I know that I was only minutes away from my life changing!  I looked up to see Chris Olmstead standing there as he said "Come on in . . . I want to show you some fun stuff to do for your cardio days!"

Chris showed me how to do kettle-bell swings, squats, and mountain-climbers and in no time I was feeling like I just ran the Boston Marathon.  It cut down my gym time and I never went back to the traditional cardio equipment again!

Soon after that, I started working with Chris on weight training sessions. I was having issues while doing even the simplest of routines.  Chris noticed that I have mobility and flexibility issues throughout my whole body right down to my toes!

I have now been working with Chris for a year and a half and have learned so much about proper exercise form and technique. I am stronger than I could ever imagine; my mobility and flexibility are coming back, and, yes . . . even my toes are more flexible!

I am especially pleased to be able to share this part .. .Recently I went to the gym for my weekly routine update and was walking across the room when I saw Chris with a big smile on his face and his hands went flying up in the air as he exclaimed "YOU are now moving like a NORMAL person should move!"

Chris Olmstead really loves being a personal trainer, or fitness coaching as he likes to call it... and he thrives on helping people excel at becoming stronger and healthier."

Fitness Testimonial - Katy Canales, Salem, OR

"I have been working out with Chris for a little over 6 months and I can see a huge difference. It has been a long time since I have felt this good about the way my body looks. I have only lost 5 pounds, but I have gained muscle mass. I don't feel self-conscious in my swimsuit now and the cellulite on my legs is almost gone. I am working on my six pack as well, even though the girl I workout with already has it. She is just a better eater than me.

Chris is very motivating and fun to be around. He has given me great advice. It has not been much of a sacrifice either. I love going to the gym. I only go 3 days a week but the results have been amazing. Chris not only shows you how to work out, but also how to eat and change your lifestyle. He is a great guy and really knows his stuff."

Fitness Testimonial - Barbara Jenkins, Salem, OR

"I was presented with an opportunity to climb Mt. Rainier that would take place later that spring, only allowing me approximately three months to get in shape. I was fit, but I knew the climb would be more physically demanding than anything I had done so far. I had time and location restraints in addition to a previous knee injury that were my biggest hurdles in preparing myself for this endeavor.

I decided to talk to Chris Olmstead and discussed my goals with him, emphasizing the need for building strength, minimizing weight and extending my endurance. Taking my knowledge of the sport and his knowledge for training athletes, Chris came up with the programs. We worked out a training schedule that was both flexible and realistic for my hectic life. I trained for one hour, three days a week, for three months with Chris. Throughout this time Chris was not only motivational and very fun to work with but he seemed to take my aspiration to heart. I was thrilled as I watched my physique change.

When I completed my training with Chris I was 10 pounds lighter, I was lifting a good amount of weight, my upper body strength went through the roof and as a bonus, I never looked better in a swim suit! I climbed Rainier a week later. The climb itself was still challenging, but I could have never made it to the summit if I hadn't trained with Chris.  I would recommend Chris because he is a fabulous trainer and even though he is not involved in the sport of climbing he came up with a program that not only met my needs, but exceeded them."

Fitness Testimonial - Barbara Castleman, Salem, Oregon

" I was someone who has never been athletic, but with chronic back troubles, I really wanted to improve my physical condition, but mostly wanted to learn HOW TO exercise without hurting myself. That was always what would happen when I'd exercise, because I was trying to follow general exercise programs, and didn't really know what I was doing in relationship to my own specific limitations and muscle/spine problems. When I went to Chris at Success Fitness, I found him to be patient, kind, fun and sincere, but most importantly, he paid careful attention to the things I needed to do in order to improve and not hurt myself further.

Well, it worked wonderfully well, and the thing I'm most grateful for is learning how to bend correctly. I was hurting my back CONSTANTLY from the simple act of bending totally wrong.  Chris drilled into my head the proper way to bend and it has been like a complete miracle and has reduced my trips to the chiropractor significantly! 

Through having a personal trainer who is aware of my individual body quirks, I learned a lot about moving my specific body correctly, which is simply invaluable information.  I highly recommend that anyone wanting to improve their physical well-being, should learn how to exercise correctly with a good personal fitness professional like Chris Olmsted at Success Fitness."

Fitness Testimonial - Chris Rands, Salem OR

"Before I started training with Chris, I was in a really bad position in life. I was getting into trouble, and making poor decisions. As a result, my health was in really bad condition. At 5'10" I only weighed 115 pounds at one point, I was out of shape, and I had no muscle or strength. I knew this needed to change. My goals when I started training was to put weight back on, and gain a lot of muscle and strength.

What was holding me back from doing it on my own was a lack of confidence, and a lack of knowledge. I didn't believe I could do it on my own, and being as small as I was, I was kind of intimidated to go into the weight room. I also didn't know what exercises to do, or the proper way to do them. I also needed help with my diet.

I was lucky enough to be able to train with Chris for 6 or 7 months and I noticed several results over that time. Most notably were my gains. My weight was up 50 pounds, and I actually had muscles! I am much happier with my body and the way I look, I have far more confidence now then ever before, and in general I'm much happier about everything. I have a new group of friends in the weight room and they help keep me on the straight and narrow.

I would recommend this to anybody who's looking to get in shape. It helps to work with someone who can get you going in the right direction.