Personally, I have nearly 20 years of experience in the fitness industry and am a former college instructor of Advanced Fitness and Nutrition Sciences at Bryan University.

Every Forge Coach or Dietitian is fully certified and licensed through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE) or the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA). Our Registered Dietitian is fully licensed as well (License Number: 86147642). You are in experienced and capable hands.

I would like to make a general comment: The proliferation of social media “trainers” and the incredibly terrible advice and baseless programs recklessly spewing from all corners of the internet have damaged the integrity of fitness and nutrition sciences. Many people have been duped into fads, gimmicks or tricks looking for a quick fix. Our cultural expectation for instant gratification and immediate results with little or no effort has been preyed upon by the industry as a whole. There is no quick fix or magic diet. Period. You actually do have to put in effort and make better health based decisions.

Many times, online trainers, coaches or nutritionists are not even certified by any nationally recognized institution. Sadly, many trainers have a single minded specialty and lack the agility in their programming to accommodate or address the needs of a broad population.

Simple. I believe that everyone is in a different place physically and psychologically and the body you see in a picture used for marketing is not yours. Comparing yourself to others should not be a prime motivation. I feel a person should compare themselves to themselves as that is the real measure! You have a unique genetic makeup, fitness level and sensitivity to exercise and your results are your own. I choose not to exploit my clients and perpetuate the fitness scams plaguing the internet and media.

However, if a client is excited about their results or want to share, I do encourage they share their success on  social media platforms!

Yes! Your coach will provide nutritional education and personalized meal planning depending on your program type. One thing that separates Forge form other online training options is we have a fully licensed and Registered Dietitian in-house.

If you have a Foundations program or Standard program, which do not include coaching calls or meal plans, you can request a add-on service by messaging your coach in the Forge app.

To be clear, any personal trainer that claims to be able to prescribe a detailed, clinically structured nutrition program as part of their services is working outside the personal trainer scope of practice. Unless of course, they are registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and are a Registered Dietitian (RD). Many states do not require a license or higher education to call oneself a “nutritionist” and this allows trainers to market diet and meal planning. We avoid this by having an RD on staff.

No problem! One of the outstanding benefits of working with Forge is our adaptability to your resources and lifestyle. I work with individuals that travel, have tight schedules or simply do not want to or can’t get to a commercial fitness center. While gym memberships are very helpful in adding verity to your program by way of providing a wide range of equipment options, it is not necessary to see a degree of fitness success. Each program is based on what you have available.  For clients with home gyms, I will build the program with all of your equipment in mind. I do encourage clients to make modest investments in resistance bands, stability balls or other apparatus that will add benefits to and accelerate reaching your potential.

Yes! We work with many couples, groups and businesses!

I can even custom create exclusive small groups or corporate challenges. Check out our Work Force Wellness Program.

Our goal is to have all new client programs built, loaded and reviewed within 1-3 days from enrollment. Sometimes, a new client has highly specific needs or conditions and that may take up to 2-4 days to nail down.

We prefer to get all clients motivated and fully engaged in their program as soon as possible!

Forge Online Personal Training is ideal for people that travel or take vacation. We can develop full bodyweight programs or build based on equipment you have available. The same accountability, workout tracking and coaching is all mobile and travels with you. Basically, your Forge coach will be there to guide and motivate even if you are out of the country or on the move.

Depending on the type of injury and the stage of healing, Your coach can create programs that limit or avoid stress to the affected site. We can also develop corrective exercise strategies to improve mobility, joint stabilization, connective tissue strength and flexibility.

However, no corrective exercise or post rehabilitation program delivered by any Forge coach is intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease or mechanical malalignment. Within our scope of practice, we will work with you to fine tune a progressive program that works to inhibit overactive musculature, stimulate under active muscle structures, activate biomechanical efficiency and integrate compound movements to enhance functionality.

I would hate to see you go!

But you may cancel your recurring dues 10 days before your billing date with written notice for immersive custom programs such as Standard, Complete and Premium.

Foundation programs or Sweatcoin partnership plans such as Bodyweight, Fat Loss and Strength may be canceled anytime without notice right in your Forge app settings.

Keep in mind, Forge is not a gimmick or quick fix and I expect all clients to see results. You must resolve to patiently and persistently execute each and every workout with the mindset of absolute success. One of the challenging situations to work through with clients is their tendency to deceive themselves about how much effort they truly put into a workout, nutrition or general fitness lifestyle. I seek to avoid that and we will work with each client to motivate and guide them to the very best of our ability.

NOTE: if you purchase a stand alone meal plan, your service is NOT reoccurring and you will not be billed monthly and need not cancel as all meal plans are a one time purchase.

Please see our full Terms & Conditions here.

I firmly believe antiquated marketing tricks and old school hooks like “money back guarantees” only serve to attract people flip-flopping from one exercise or diet fad to another without the commitment level to be successful in a fitness lifestyle habit change.

Each Forge coach is committed to revolutionizing the quality of online fitness services and exceed expectations. So before you enroll in a Forge program, ask yourself the questions below and if you can answer “yes” to them all, then Forge Online Personal Training may be ideal for you:

· Am I sick and tired of exercise fad, crash diets or fitness gimmicks?
· Am I committed to completing my workouts each week and tracking my results?
· Do I want to be able to have direct communication with my trainer?
· Do I want clear and easy to understand workout plans based on my needs?
· Do I want to have a professional trainer assisting me with motivation and accountability?

Please see our full Terms & Conditions here.

I have always felt free trials to be a flimsy platform for launching a sustainable fitness lifestyle. In my experience, folks looking for “free” or “trials” are not quite ready to really make a lifestyle change. Frankly, a free trial erodes the value of the customized nature of each Forge program along with the expertise and experience of myself and my coaching team. Even our Foundations programs, which are remarkably affordable are managed by a real Personal Trainer. Forge is not a “static” app that just generates template workouts or disallows communication with a professional. There is a live human interacting with all clients in every program, even the Foundations options. That is costly for us to maintain and has remarkable value in a saturated market of automation. I built Forge from scratch to promote long-term behavior change, strong relationships and results.

Plus, There are plenty of online, Instagram and YouTube “trainers” that give away all sorts of free templates and content as hooks to buy their canned programs.

Yes. You may change the level of your Forge program. Simply message your coach through the Forge mobile app and they can assist you.

Ah! One question every trainer receives from new clients is “how long will it take for me to see results.” Trainers or fitness scams that promise results in ridiculous time frames are misleading and have greatly altered reasonable expectation. In addition, this has created a culture of fitness failure and fosters a sense of hopelessness. I suggest most folks stay off the scale and not measure yourself by standards outside of your own unique physiology, genetic makeup and current condition. I like to measure based on composition change, fat loss, muscle development and strength increases…the stuff that maters!

Bottom line: results depend on several factors including genetic disposition, physiological adaptation to prescribed exercises, effort applied to each workout, consistency, proper caloric ratio and intake, nutritional quality and variety. As a general example, if your goal is body fat loss, a male can safely lose approximately 1.5-2.0lbs per week and females 1.0-1.5lbs. This means a healthy female may lose up to 4-6 pounds of pure body fat every 4 weeks. Notice we say “body fat” and not “weight” because muscle is 500% more dense than fat making your total body weight increase while your waist size decreases. For more information, contact us or check out the Forge blog.

Yes, Forge coaches will work with athletes or figure competitors. We have a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) for athletes and a certified Physique and Figure Training Specialist (PFTS) available to work with you on higher level programming. However, I generally limit the nutritional programming for all groups to retain integrity in our true scope of practice.

Absolutely! I would be delighted to speak with you and personally answer any questions about our programs, services or fitness philosophy. Simply submit a call request using the neat little teal envelope icon in the lower right corner. Please include your name and phone number and I will reach out to you within 24 hours or less.

Yes! In fact, I highly encourage all of my clients to be active on our social media platforms and their own. Feel free to share your journey, workouts, meals and results. We believe community is a key component to sustainable fitness lifestyles and do our best to foster a sense of connection. #forgept

Also, there is a client only group forum where you can connect with my clients all over the world right in the mobile app!

I strongly encourage client and trainer communication! Phone/Video calls should be a scheduled appointment based on the Forge service plan you choose. I strive to deliver the highest level of service and this is why I personally accept only a limited number of clients (overflow goes to other Forge coaches) and why phone or video chats must be scheduled in advance. One of the primary advantages to working with Forge is the ability to instant message your trainer right from the mobile app 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All Forge coaches reply super quick as well!

Please see our Contact page to book an appointment.

Information about a Michael S. Parker and Forge Fitness and Nutrition Coaching, available to members of the media for promotional use.

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IN LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT I SHALL BE COMMITTED TO:

• Ensuring daily operations and customer engagement meet at minimum, my company’s principal values and code of ethics.

• Proper training and development of all staff to maximize operational ability and enhance the customer experience.

• Reviewing and implementing industry innovations that improve my ability to deliver safe, quality products and services in a positive environment to customers and clients.

• Guiding the behavior of staff and develop operational practices to preserve a positive wellness image in my community.

• Setting an example of a professional, integrous and results-oriented fitness operator to promote the retention of each customer or client while meeting business objectives.

My ethical and moral principles dictate I must focus on honest and professional organizational development and guide the decision-making process. I believe true professionals and notable leaders are expected to live by example and adapt to industry or market indicators. Development and training of staff where my values are shared and embraced is to ensure excellent execution of operation protocol and customer engagement. Community image and customer perception of the organization quality, value and price must be in line with these values and I am the liaison for each. I am responsible for creating, adapting or implementing the enhancements necessary to accomplish the above objectives.

IN CLIENT AND CUSTOMER SERVICES I SHALL BE COMMITTED TO:

• Delivering a safe and truthful environment for the well-being and enjoyment of customers and clients.

• Engaging each customer or client in a positive and professional manner without exception.

• Behaving in a courteous and knowledgeable manner to ensure the comfort and retention of customers or clients.

• Responding to customer requests promptly and accurately while working toward a reasonable resolution that satisfies the customer.

• Maintaining open communication with others I may be professionally associated regarding challenges, issues or suggestions to improve operational effectiveness and customer experience.

Without exception, customer service and safety are the top priority of any remarkable fitness professional. I must provide a safe, positive and courteous environment. I am expected to be knowledgeable about any programming, products, pricing or services offered. I must communicate with partners, clients and customers to foster a culture that provides open dialogue based on the above principles.

IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SALES I SHALL BE COMMITTED TO:

• Maintaining integrity in all monetary transactions, service descriptions or any other business dealing.

• Thoroughly and honestly describing service offerings or programs to customers or clients.

• Maintaining accurate and detailed record keeping thus providing effective operations.

• Protecting privacy along with any financial information collected from customers or clients.

• Maintaining a professional and courteous image when engaged in external and internal business development activities.

I am expected to provide a transparent sales environment to ease the tension and earn the trust of prospective customers or clients. Honesty, integrity and core industry knowledge are fundamental in developing and enrolling customers in the appropriate program. My customers will be pleasantly surprised by the low pressure and high-value method of my approach to earning business. Retention of clients starts with a thorough and honest sales process as it is the first impression of me and my operation.

IN FITNESS AND WELLNESS OFFERINGS I SHALL BE COMMITTED TO:

• Accurately and honestly describing services, expectations and program timelines to customers or clients.

• Designing and implementing fitness programs based on scientific rationale with the client’s current condition and ultimate goal in mind.

• Engaging and instructing others safely and responsibly to avoid client injury or discomfort.

• Accurate and complete record-keeping in accordance to all local, state and federal laws or the expectations of my clients.

• Maintaining a current nationally recognized personal training certification at all times while endlessly adding to my education and credentials.

I understand the investment of time and other resources clients make and I must exceed their expectations. I am expected to base all program design on a client’s current condition level and goal, thus avoiding injury and delivering results. I must and shall maintain all nationally accredited certifications to provide maximum quality and value for clients. I must earn and then cultivate the trust of my customer and by delivering consistency and results I will achieve this objective.