WHAT CLENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE PERSONAL TRAINER 

Read what clients have to say about the personal training, bodywork and mindfulness coaching services offered through Train Rugged. 

MOTIVATION FOR BODY & MIND

Rob’s knowledge of anatomy is unparalleled. This allows him to design trainings that minimize time commitment and maximize performance. Always willing to explain the rationale behind the movement, he motivates both the body and the mind!

Lauren

Doctorate Student, 30

A REWARDING EXPERIENCE

Training with Rob has been such a rewarding experience for me. Since working with him, I feel stronger and have better posture. Rob is extremely knowledgable about the kinetics of the body, and teaches simple movements I can do to improve myself.

Elissa

Local Artist, 33

PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION

Rob has a superb ability to explain, motivate, and continually personalize instruction while using time efficiently and well. He brings expertise in strength training, yoga, and anatomy, as well as contagious curiosity and zest for each day.

Martha

Univeristy Dean, 63

A NEW AWARENESS

Working with and learning from Rob has helped me to gain a new awareness of my physical, mental, and spiritual body. I now find myself frequently thinking about how I can improve my biomechanics, movement, and postural patterns in all areas of life from how I sit at my desk to how I walk up a hill. I am extremely grateful for Rob’s body enthusiasm and expertise and look forward to continue learning, growing, and evolving with his guidance.

Jennah

Trainer and Yoga Teacher, 28

SHARING, LEARNING & TEAM BUILDING

I have so enjoyed working, sharing, learning and team building with Rob. He has done the work, and it shows! Both in his knowledge of the body and his putting that into action with teaching.

Sally

Therapist, 53

CONFIDENCE-BUILDING FOR ATHLETES

As a former collegiate athlete, I loved working with Rob and truly appreciated his passion for learning and teaching. Rob was able to see me through some really challenging times and never gave up on finding different options that worked for me in all aspects of health and wellness. I typically find it very difficult to allow myself to fail and be vulnerable around others; Rob’s encouragement, consistency and ability to adapt really allowed me to build confidence in what I was trying to accomplish.

Jackie

University Softball Coach, 38

FUNCTIONAL FITNESS FOR ALL AGES

Rob is unlike any personal trainer I have ever encountered. He has incredible depth and breadth of understanding how the body functions. His diligent study (ongoing) and experience have given him a platform to create successful regimens specific to each client. As an active 70 year old, Rob has helped me reverse a decline in physical functioning. The results were quite evident in my recent travels to S.E. Asia and Indonesia where I climbed volcanoes and explored caves with extremely challenging and slippery surfaces.

Joseph

Horticulturist, 70

STRONGER & MORE BALANCED

I’ve worked with many wonderful, highly qualified trainers over the years and I can earnestly say that Rob outshines them all. His extensive knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesthetics and beyond, coupled with his intuitive, nuanced, and integrative approach enables Rob to help his clients develop functional strength, mobility and bodily integrity in a highly personalized fashion. This alone sets Rob above the rest, but his patience, attentiveness, adaptability, full-heartedness, passion, and presence puts Rob in a league of his own. Whether you sign up for a single session or become a regular, you’ll leave each session feeling stronger and more balanced in body & mind, empowered and motivated to treat your body with the care & attention it deserves, and incredibly grateful to Rob and yourself for time and money well spent. I guarantee it.

Lexi

Business Strategist, 36

PROGRESSIVE TRAINING FOR THE BODY & MIND

Rob teaches a personalized bio-mechanics based, progressive training plan that takes into account my whole body and past injuries I might have experienced. My tennis, yoga poses, and overall fitness have clearly improved as a result of my increased pliability, strength, stability, stamina, and balance. Rob begins his sessions through myofascial release exercises related to the day’s agenda and ends the class with an appropriate wind-down to relax the muscles that were used the most. I appreciate Rob’s clarity of focus and ability to give precise explanations. As a tennis player, pain-free movement is important to my success and enjoyment. Rob’s knowledge of biomechanics has helped me gain an awareness of how optimal movement requires a solid foundation, the appropriate kind of breathing, and safe, efficient employment of the correct muscles. Training with Rob has been a significant addition to my training and to the offerings at the Om Namo Center. I have really enjoyed this series and I highly recommend it to anyone who is committed to improving their health, fitness and movement plus, simultaneously desires to remain injury-free.

Molly

Math Professor, PhD, 69

A CHANGE OF HABIT

I was in chronic pain, emotionally and physically. An acupuncturist told me about a guy who approached training from a holistic perspective. I was an athlete as a kid, so I didn’t think there was much I didn’t know how to do at the gym. Boy was I wrong. Rob immediately joined me on my journey and shined light on areas of my body and life I wasn’t putting time into. I didn’t understand how to change my habits…he helped show me how to let go of what wasn’t serving me.

Chad

Orthopedic Sales, 44

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE

Before Rob I had been working with trainers doing traditional bodybuilding type exercises. Eventually this led to constant injuries and setbacks. Rob walked into my life and it was a breath of fresh air. He is a trainer, but more so an educator with a depth of knowledge unparalleled to anyone I’ve worked with. His awareness to the subtleties of my body  have helped me regain flexibility, balance, and whole-body strength. Additionally, he performs myofascial therapy to me once a week to help keep my muscles well circulated. Train with him and feel the difference.

Isaac

University Biomedical Provost, 65

I DON’T HURT ANYMORE

Rob came into my life at a time when I was facing surgeries, both in my knee and neck. After being advised by my bodyworker to seek guidance to avoid the going under the knife, he sent me to Rob. We clicked and it caused a shift in my life. He looks at your body and sees what isn’t doing its job. Every time we train he pumps life back into me through ‘workouts’, breath work, and general body awareness. Today my knee and neck issues have subsided significantly, and I’ve improved my energy levels and capacity to do physical work. I don’t hurt anymore. Without realizing it I’ve also become more coordinated and have improved in my balance. Rob’s approach exercises your brain and body!

Chris

Real Estate Developer and Archietct, 52

COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY & CHANGING BEHAVIORS

I’ve struggled with my body my whole life. I’ve been overweight, addicted to food, and allergic to physical activity. I came across one of Rob’s flyers, “Build Yourself,” it said. I called him up and was hooked from then on. He didn’t care that I was 74, he told me about how the body can change. He spoke about cognitive flexibility and about changing behaviors. We trained several times a week, breaking through mental and physical challenges together. He got me to lose the excess weight, educated me on cooking, and made it so I could go into old age upright and capable of functioning in my daily life. To this day we’re friends, and he still imparts mind-body wisdom on me. A remarkable young man, lightyears ahead of the rest.

Charles

Physicist and Neuroscientist, 74

INVALUABLE TRAINER & BODYWORKER

I’ve known Rob for many years, and he is invaluable, as a trainer and a bodyworker. Its rare to find a practitioner who can be a one-stop-shop for your body and health needs. He knows more about manual therapy than many physical therapists or chiropractors, and I see faster result working with him. No matter what I need that day, Rob understands the intricacies of the nervous system and caters towards where I am.

Forest

Local Artist and Singer, 61

VALUABLE EXPLANATIONS & UNDERSTANDING

I’ve been a massage therapist for over 20 years and have grown to know Rob through our time working together. I’ve been amazed at Rob’s innate ability to palpate, feel, and interact with my body. He doesn’t hesitate and goes after what he sees as necessary. Even more impressive is his ability to give concrete explanations of why he works in one area versus another. For being so young, Rob is talented with his eyes and hands.

Pablo

Massage Therapist, 52

VAST UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN BODY

Rob’s understanding of the whole picture is vast. He makes it his priority to help me feel more comfortable and capable in the world. When something doesn’t make sense, he slows training down and goes back to the foundations of human movement. Rob keeps me interested in my body and has taught me to appreciate all that goes into balancing it.

Marlene

LiCSW, 60

A DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN BIOMECHANICS

Rob possess a deep knowledge of human biomechanics and anatomy, and he has a unique approach to effectively apply his expertise to each client’s needs. My personal experience: I had herniated a disc (L5) injury many months before my first training session with Rob, but pain and limitations to normal function (e.g., walking) persisted from that old injury. Rob started working with me, focusing on training to compensate and correct the indirect effects from this injury. Over the course of the first 8 weekly sessions, my range of motion normalized and the pain emanating from the injured disc had effectively been mitigated (pre-Rob: 3 Advil 3 times per day to post-Rob: no Advil). I continue to experience improvements in endurance and strength and posture as training has continued. This is remarkable and testament to Rob’s approach, which also includes motivational and educational commentary throughout each session!

Rich

Cellular Biologist, PhD, 60

TRULY EXTRAORDINARY KNOWLEDGE & TALENT

I’ve worked with excellent trainers in the past, but Rob’s depth of knowledge and his talent for this work are truly extraordinary. He quickly gains an understanding of what your strengths and vulnerabilities are and designs workouts that are effective but never boring, because he varies the exercises each time. He seems to figure out almost instantly where a problem area is and then modify an exercise to accommodate it and eventually help to solve it. I have osteoarthritis in one hip, which was only slightly helped by physical therapy. Rob knows his anatomy, and was able to figure out exactly what muscles to strengthen. My hip is now stronger and has better range of motion, and I am almost pain free. In fact I feel stronger in general and have better balance and coordination since working with Rob. Rob clearly loves what he does, and his enthusiasm and energy are infectious; so he pushes you to do more than you may think you can do, and you will actually enjoy the hard work.

Deborah

MD, 63

A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF MOVEMENT

The ultimate test for any trainer is how do you feel and how well can you move after working out. Rob has opened up a whole new world of movement for me. After the first three months of working with him, I literally was rediscovering how I felt when I was 20 years younger. He has also tailored my program to improving my golf game and has made a noticeable impact on how I perform but also on how I approach the mental game. Rob takes a holistic approach to your overall well being. He’s hyper-focused on every detail of a movement and knows just how far to push you. Most importantly, he’s easy to be with and keeps me positive and motivated.

Phil Johnson, 61

TRAINING TAILORED TO MY NEEDS

I have been training with Rob for the past 9 months on a weekly basis. I suffer from chronic neck and shoulder issues which can be exacerbated with exercise. I needed a workout that would provide strength training and conditioning without triggering a cycle of pain/tension/spasm. Rob’s workouts are tailored to suit this purpose and have provided me the opportunity to work out on a regular basis and enjoy the sporting activities that I love.

Mary Ann Drinkwater

MD, 58

I’M STRONGER & MORE IN BALANCE

I thought I knew exactly what I wanted when I first started working with Rob. He listened to me carefully, designed a program that met those goals—and added his own ideas and emphasis. I now spend much more time lengthening my muscles, breathing, and combining exercises than I had ever thought to try. The result: I’m stronger, my balance is better—and my joints don’t keep me awake at night. Also, I did 4-5 mile hikes recently at 11,000 elevation without aches, something I could not have done prior to his training. I’ve lost almost fifteen pounds in a year simply by implementing and doing what he has suggested. Rob’s work is a big part of my thinking about future health.

Andrew W.

PhD, 52

THERE’S NO ONE AS PRECISE & CARING

Rob is one of the most unusual teachers I’ve ever met—in the realm of exercise and elsewhere. For many years, I’ve taken classes in Pilates, gyrotonics, body building, dancer’s stretch, yoga, body conditioning of every stripe, and more. I’ve never experienced anyone quite as precise and caring as Rob. Sessions begin with a genuinely warm greeting and deep respect for each client’s abilities. Exercises seem startlingly simple at first, but he pays attention to the position of every inch of your body so you’re building strength without realizing it. At the club where Rob is my trainer, you mention his name and others nod knowingly. You don’t have to brag that your trainer is remarkably accomplished and gifted at what he does. Everyone knows.

Sarah, 70

EXPERIENCED & EMPATHETIC

Rob changed my life. His comprehensive, experienced and empathetic approach to working with me to improve my physical health was amazing. He changed my body for the better and in the process benefitted my psychological, emotional and spiritual health.

Kathy Abbott, 60

I FEEL TRANSPORTED…

Rob has a strong sense of how the body works and how to make all the parts function in concert. He pushes me in a way that does not require Herculean effort but demands intense concentration, focus and full body exertion. After a session I feel transported, taller, more graceful, and lighter on my feet thanks to Rob’s very measured and stabilizing pace.

Martha W., 81

A DEFINITE STRENGTHENING

I look forward to session with you, and always feel challenged, supported during the sessions, and energized afterwards. I hadn’t realized the many muscles or movements that I’d been overlooking in my other workout. I noticed a definite strengthening.

Lisa H., 45

OUTSIDE-OF-THE-BOX TRAINING THAT WORKS

Rob is an excellent trainer. He understands the body like no other. When traditional PT did not work for my shoulder, Rob took the time to understand what was actually needed. Viewing the body as a whole rather than trying to correct an individual body part, Rob could think outside the box to help heal my shoulder pain. He is an extremely thoughtful and talented practitioner, not to mention, a kind and engaging human being.

Rivka Simmons

LiCSW, 52

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU ACHIEVE FITNESS WITHOUT PAIN?

Ready to take the first step towards improving the way you feel and function? Take advantage of my offer for a free consultation. I offer personal training, sports massage and bodywork services in Santa Barbara, CA. Through a holistic approach to physical fitness and whole-body wellness, I can help you be your best self.

virtual personal trainer santa barbara ca