“John Watson is an outstanding professional in the world of strength and conditioning. His understanding of biomechanics exceeds any other Personal Trainer I have ever worked with. Coupled with his understanding of anatomy and more complex musculoskeletal conditions I trust him implicitly with my patients. He has a voracious appetite for education and is always reading recent research articles, reviewing texts, or screening videos in an effort to find new, innovative, cutting edge and most importantly safe techniques to train his clients. Train with John and you’ll see results!” – Shirley Breuer, MA, RPT, OCS, CSCS, CEAS – Physical Therapist
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend my professional wellness coach and personal trainer, John Watson, proprietor of Movement Training by Design. John has been an integral part of my wellness program, beginning in 2005 when I first met John to understand why I was having lateral knee discomfort after running. It was then that I learned about the iliotibial tract band and more. Fast forward nine years later, I have moved into the bodywork field, heavily inspired by John’s intelligence and passion for wellness.
John’s immense functional knowledge and interconnected movement perspective has empowered me to understand and FEEL by body when I move, and further, to take simple movements he has taught me to alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort. He has strengthened and conditioned by body as a whole without “heavy lifting” and increased my flexibility without “stretching”. His focused and versatile approach allows us to work together easily and openly, with constant feedback and motivation. His attention to detail astounds me (still to this day!) and ever more so inspires me to truly love my body, to empower it, and to move freely!
The most intangible impact John has had on my life is remold my personal view of “fitness”. Constantly bombarded with every day media of what “fitness and diet” should be, John softly challenges me to understand why I would want to “back flips…deadlift 200 lbs…eat low carb diets.. “, etc. My own realization through his training revealed to me that it is more important to move and feel well and free – and to be believe in my body to get there! I have YET to find a trainer and coach as intuitive, passionate, and intelligent as John. Even though I am several hundred miles away, I always find a way to see John when I come home!” – Maria Nguyen
“I decided to look for a movement specialist because I had a constant pain in my left glute that would not go away no matter what I did. I have always worked out and during the past few years even worked with a few different personal trainers at a very reputable club but the pain would not subside. When it started interfering with simple things like putting on a pair of pants or socks without having to lean against a wall or getting a night of uninterrupted sleep I knew I had to look for something different. I was already familiar with John because a friend of mine had recommended him to work with my daughter following a knee injury while playing college tennis. Since she had such success with him I decided to give it a try too and have been extremely pleased with the results. What separates John from other personal trainers is his ability to isolate movement patterns that lead to pain or discomfort and to create a program specifically designed to correct the patterns that are causing the problems. In addition his focus on proper technique is so far beyond anything I have experienced with other trainers and forces you to use your body parts correctly while performing the exercises. Since working out with him not only has the pain completely gone away but I am also building physical strength. I dead lift more now than I ever did before which I never thought possible and all without pain! I would definitely recommend John to anyone who wants to improve their physical well-being by working with a highly skilled trainer who is knowledgeable enough to actually understand the cause of the problem and what specific measures need to be taken to correct it.” – Debra Simmons 7/08/2013
“Like many older clients, while I thought I knew what solutions I was seeking, I really didn’t, because I don’t understand the body well enough. I thought it was about my back and the nerve damage sustained in my left leg as the result of nerve compression and surgery that occurred after damage had been done.
John, understanding a great deal more than I, initially put me through a bunch of ‘tests’ to determine what, in his judgment, was really going on and how he could help. He then embarked on a program that focused on flexibility, core strength, and eventually trying to achieve greater symmetry, balance and proper mechanics, so that I could A) move better and more properly and B) reduce the risk of any further damage.
The key, in my judgment, is anatomical knowledge and the willingness and ability to be very focused on the individual client. What really takes it to another level is very consistent monitoring of progress and having a plan which enables me to make consistent progress. Most professionals, in my experience, lack enough anatomical knowledge, do not keep really good records on what is happening, and do not have a real plan, which may be altered but nevertheless exists and is adhered to. John is all about ME, not what he wants to do, but what he thinks my body needs to make the progress it needs. And about symmetry, this is not standard routine stuff. He is very, very detailed in his knowledge of, attention to and treatment of specific body parts, and it will change in very subtle ways. And, for the right client, he is very motivating, because, the client can sense progress. The basic problem may not disappear, but the ability to reduce the problem, work around it, and improve overall well-being is there.
I haven’t experienced another professional, and I’ve worked with a bunch ( at 70 and with 3 back surgeries and several other orthopedic problems ), who can have this much impact over time. I am clearly much better off at 70 than I was several years ago when I started working with John. I would recommend him to any friend or potential client.” – Andy Baxter 5/06/2012
“John is my personal trainer. He comes to my home 3 times a week very early in the morning. I have been working with him for just over 2 years. I had several goals – improve my posture, address the pain in my lower back, and stay in shape. John is very knowledgeable in his field. He focuses on how I move, am I straight, is my posture good, is the weight on the right limb (hand, foot, etc.). Mostly we work on hip hinges in a variety of ways that help address all parts of my body – my hips, knees, glutes, shoulders, chest. He taught me the importance of stretching with a roller before every session. This stretching has significantly helped my back, legs, and shoulders.
My back pain is mostly gone. I did just have a lower back incident on my way to the airport for vacation. Extreme pain. I was able to text John and he immediately responded with suggestions on how to relieve the pain. It worked. I was able to tolerate the travel and the pain went away in a day. He has introduced me to other equipment that helps to keep me limber and pain free. I highly recommend John for dealing with pain. His focus on movement corrects the root of the problem – not just the symptom.” – Jeanne M.