In fact, thanks to Jeff Eckhouse, owner of Mobile Fitness (mobilefitnessmaine.com), you can have a personal trainer meet you at your house, your workplace, the beach — wherever it’s most convenient for you.
Mobile Fitness is the business Eckhouse, 33, launched in February after sensing a need for trainers that travel, and apparently his instincts were on the mark. Just three months in, his schedule is booked, and home visits make up more than 80% of his appointments. He meets a few clients at their workplaces, and on a warm day last week he met with one at Payson Park for an outdoor workout. For folks who prefer a gym-like atmosphere, Eckhouse also rents studio space on Free Street, but the majority of his appointments take him on the road, and Eckhouse clearly enjoys making the trips.
“I go to work and I get to play,” he says with a smile. A lifelong athlete — from gymnastics, wrestling and pole-vaulting early on to biking, running, adventure racing and Telemark skiing now — it’s clear that health and wellness have always been priorities for Eckhouse.
Prior to launching Mobile Fitness, he managed the personal training departments at Planet Fitness in Portland and Westbrook for about three years. Before that he was the education director at the Maine Conservation School at Bryant Pond. For him, the two fields — personal wellness and conservation — go hand in hand as both are essential to having a high quality of life.
Additionally, Eckhouse enjoys the social aspect of his job. “My clients are people I care about,” he says, adding that “a lot of personal training is about the personal relationship you build.” As a testament to that philosophy, some of his current clients have been with him for more than three years now, and he expects to establish more such long-term relationships through his work.
While having a personal trainer may seem like a luxury to some, it’s actually quite affordable. Eckhouse works with individuals as well as groups (all of his prices are on his website), and one of the benefits of employing a personal trainer is being able to improve the efficiency and overall effectiveness of a workout, which can help busy clients save time. “Every four weeks, your body adapts to whatever stress you put on it,” Eckhouse says, which is why it’s important to know how to switch up your exercise routine “in order to keep progressing and not plateau.” Having a personal trainer also provides clients with someone to be accountable to as well as “the motivation to push harder, and to push in the right way,” so as to improve ability while avoiding injury.
Eckhouse works with people from all walks of life, customizing workouts to suit each individual client’s personal needs and goals. His current clients range in age from a 14-year-old athlete to a 96-year-old man who enlisted Eckhouse because lately he “hadn’t been feeling as strong as he used to.” Eckhouse, who has certification as a Senior Population Specialist, particularly enjoys working with older clients because they are motivated to meet with him and they see improvements very quickly. “I can start working with a senior today, and three weeks from now that person is feeling better.” While athletes may notice a difference in their running times or the speed of their backhands, seniors often experience meaningful changes in their overall mobility and range of motion. “It makes a huge difference in their lives.”
In addition to his senior certification, Eckhouse has a B.S. in exercise science, is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and will soon be sitting for his certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also a licensed EMT.
Currently, Mobile Fitness has one other trainer on staff, but Eckhouse is hoping to hire on another full-time trainer soon. He’s looking for someone who holds a degree in exercise science or sports medicine as well as rigorous certifications, such as those offered through the NASM and NSCA, because he wants to make sure that Mobile Fitness employs the “most qualified professionals available.”
It is of equal importance to Eckhouse, however, that the trainers he employs be friendly and approachable.
“Training needs to be fun in order to be a success,” he says. Meeting for a workout at the beach seems like a good start.
— Belinda Ray