Personal Training Testimonials

After almost two years away from tennis because of a hamstring avulsion injury and the mental trauma associated with it, I knew that the only way to return to competitive tennis, the way I knew it, would be through fitness. I knew that once I had made up my mind that I was going to return to the highest level, physical therapy and fitness would have to play a crucial part in me achieving my goals.
Being a division I tennis player at a top 5 program requires a great fitness level that can be achieved through a meticulous attention to detail. Not everybody is built the same. Every injury, especially those that could be career ending, demand a very specific regimen of exercises. James Shapiro came to me highly recommended by friends in the tennis community, and I can honestly say, without a doubt or equivocation, that he is responsible for the body I have today, and he is a vital part of the results I achieved in the past year at the ITF level as well as at the collegiate level with Wake Forest.
What I love about James is his positive attitude, his passion for helping people believe in themselves and achieve their goals whether in sports or in life. When an athlete spends so much time with a trainer, the work goes beyond the strictly physical part of healing. His ability to assess a person’s strength and weakness is uncanny, and communication skills are one of the kind. He is able to articulate the exercises in a way that one, I, could continue to do them even if I were 2000 miles from him. Above all, James is always available to talk or educate, either in person or via zoom… or a simple phone call. Having personal training sessions with James since 2021 has really enable me to regain the confidence I had lost after the injury. He has given me the ability and belief to compete knowing that my body will no longer give out on me and collapse after a strenuous effort.
I am forever grateful to him and look forward to what the future holds for me knowing that with James Shapiro, I couldn’t be in better hands.

I have been working out with James now for two summers and have made significant gains throughout that time. I’ve absorbed so much valuable knowledge during that time that has helped me grow as an athlete and excel in the gym. While putting on desired body weight, I have also improved upon my speed, power, and overall strength. As a competitive athlete, injury prevention is equally as important as making gains in the gym, and James has made that a priority. Each summer I surprise myself hitting new personal records in the weight room through James’ programming. It has directly translated into my sport helping me compete at a higher level day in and day out. Working with James has been one of the best decisions I’ve made as an athlete and the results speak for themself.

I had the privilege of working with James Shapiro, a key member of my team, as I rehabbed from an ACL Reconstruction & Meniscal Repair surgery. You will find no one better or more knowledgeable in sports related biomechanics than James. He explains in a clear way what is working, what isn’t working, the why and then the process on how we will fix it. He would stay in contact with me 24/7, prescribing me at home routines and tailoring his schedule to mine. It is rare to see someone so excited to go to work as James. Every day he greeted me with a smile and a handshake and it felt that each time I worked with him I was his absolute priority. His work and approach always kept me positive and excited the both of us with the challenges we faced and the progress we made together each session. The knowledge that he possesses is second to none in his field. I could not speak any higher of the work he has done with me, nor could I recommend him more highly. He brought me back from an all time low in my life, and set me back toward being stronger mentally and physically than ever before. I am forever grateful and indebted to him for the work, guidance and support from this amazing professional.

Before beginning personal training with James, I was in relatively good shape. However I was not happy with my athletic capabilities. My training goals and objectives were to increase my speed, power, and strength. I also wanted to firm up my glutes, legs, and define my core.

James’ knowledge of human anatomy and physiology is that for medical student. James truly cared for my success during every training session. It is rare to find a personal trainer that would take his own time to ensure their clients needs are met. I am a 5’1 woman who can now deadlift 230 lbs, squat 185 lbs, and leg press 500. I have incredible muscle definition, lighter feet, and a better vertical. I went from a size 4 to a size 0. I cannot believe what I have achieved in less than two months of training. “Thank you for forever changing my life.”

Being in the fitness and self-defense industry for over a decade, I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many types of individuals. So, when I decided to turn to another fitness professional for my own coaching needs at the age of 42, James Shapiro was the person on the top of my list. When I first met James I noticed he was also doing a lot of Private Zoom Personal Training Sessions and now I know why, he has clients all across the country that no matter where they are they still seek his personal training. His ability to effectively communicate techniques, coupled with his extensive knowledge of physiology made it seem effortless when he developed a personal program for me. However, what I find really impressive is that he believes in and actively pursues continuing education. As a person that works with people of all ages and abilities, I personally know and understand the importance of being up to date on the most current information in my field/industry. I have seen James implement new strategies in his program for me immediately after returning from seminars. After working personally with James and seeing the progression and results in myself, I felt confident in referring my students (both youth and adults) to him for personal training. It is awesome seeing my students’ performance levels as athletes increase under James’ training. I would absolutely continue to refer James to anyone looking to improve their fitness and/or health goals.

My name is Drew Vieten, and I have been working with my trainer, James Shapiro, for last two summers now. I am currently a Division-I Hockey player at Niagara University. Working with James throughout my past couple of off seasons has helped me achieve many of my athletic goals. His dedication to the details of his training programs has allowed me to gain muscle and lose body fat while achieving the best body shape of my life. If it was not for James’s work, I would not have been able to achieve my goal of playing Division-I Hockey. I look forward to continuing to train with James and to prepare for my off-seasons.

I’ve been having personal training on and off 2 days a week for the past 2 years due to some health issues. One thing that has been constant is the progress with my strength training after I met James.

Figuring out the macro ratios and nutrition was always a bit tough, but thankfully James was able to provide guidance. I admire his work ethics and his commitment to the client. James is not focused on making clients not only “look good”, but on helping clients feel good, have the correct posture, strengthening the areas that their body needs, and helping them achieve their goals.

The personal training sessions with James have been excellent. I’ve worked with him for quite some time and during this time my strength and endurance increased significantly. I have seen visible improvement in my fitness from session to session. He has a deep and intelligent understanding of the human body which makes me trust him completely. He cares for his clients, has a great work ethic, and delivers results. He is versatile and every session with him is interesting and never boring. I had a lower back injury before I started working out with him and he was able to help me strengthen and condition as I was healing. I always leave my sessions with him feeling like I’ve made progress.

I had the pleasure of working with Coach James. He was part of our team and help develop strength and conditioning programs for our clients. His diverse knowledge of Exercise Science and movement helped our clients get stronger and move pain-free. His ability to help change the clients’ mindset to achieve attainable goals by understanding their needs and delivering their wants. Coach James also contributed to our digital marketing platform by helping us create online content. All-around great personality and an amazing coach!

After getting to know James both professionally and personally, I can honestly say James is one of the top trainers I have ever met. His commitment to adding value to his own life and those of others shows through how he conducts himself daily and how he treats other people. James has helped me grow as an aspiring personal trainer and has given me an example of the type of person I am working to become.

James provides the best personal training out there. He has great attention to detail & knowledge about equipments. James programs training and keeping things fresh which helps me to keep going. James explains the benefits of each exercise and nutrition tips…he does it all for us!

Within the first year training with James, my wife and I can already feel the difference in body strength and endurance.

He trained me for a Spartan race and we competed together making a memorable experience! Looking forward to many years of healthy training together with James. 

I started working with James because I had a great amount of shoulder pain for years. I had seen many doctors and chiropractors, acupuncture – everything. I have been working with James for over four years now and I feel better than I ever have. He provides a challenging personal training environment that helps me stay strong and healthy. Our virtual training sessions allow me to still see him after moving from coast-to-coast. His knowledge of anatomy and his ability to cater a program specifically to his clients is priceless.

I met up with James back in August 2016 and started on my fitness journey because I wanted to get into the best shape of my life. I started out slow with 30-minute personal training sessions and then progressed into hour training sessions that targeted my goals. James’ personal training pushed me to a new level every time I came and he went above and beyond with his attention to detail and making sure I had the best training session possible. Even though we don’t meet with regular scheduled training, he provides me with training programs so I can keep pushing through new barriers and never stop improving.

In a little over 5 months, I’ve lost 5 inches around my waist, an inch off my thighs and arms, 3.5 inches off my hips, dropped 6.5 points off BMI and dropped 14.3% body fat!

I have been taking personal training sessions and advice with James since 2018 after recovering from a running injury. James helped me lose weight and continuously get strong year after year. He also prepared me for the Berlin marathon in 2019. I can’t say enough great things about him, both personally and professionally. Not only does he make every workout fun, but he’s also patient in explaining proper techniques and thorough with checking my progress. I love the personalized attention experience I have gotten with him as my trainer.