James Fairfax

I found strength training with weights and machines boring. I needed that for overall health, but I worked with a trainer to provide instruction and discipline. James helped me find activities I enjoyed, like hitting the speed bag, slamming the medicine ball, and pushing the sled, so exercise felt like a game. I will do those things without supervision. But I still prefer working with James.

I’ve been training with James for about 3 years now and anyone who knows me, knows that working out is definitely not my favorite thing to do! That’s one of the reasons having James as my trainer has made such a difference. He pushes me to do things I know I would never do on my own, while always knowing just how far to challenge me. Over the past 3 years, I can really see the changes in my body composition, but even more importantly, I can feel how much stronger I’ve become. As a woman in my 50s, building strength and improving my body composition are especially important to me. He understands that and has helped me focus on becoming stronger. James is also just a genuinely great person to work with. He’s personable, encouraging, and always friendly. I can honestly say I have never seen him behave in any other manner. I’m so grateful for the progress I’ve made and for the consistency he has helped me maintain over the years. I would highly recommend James to anyone looking for a trainer to encourage and challenge them to be the best they can be.

I told my trainer my goals, and the next thing I knew, my mind and body began to change. The clothes became smaller in size. My body acquired a new shape and muscle. It’s amazing. People say don’t pay much attention to the scale. I don’t. I can see that my body is improving, and my mind is in a better mindset than before. I see improvement, which makes me want to continue exercising, and have a great time doing so. I highly recommend James to anyone who is serious about their fitness. You will see the progress, and the results.

I’ve been a member since 2014, and I wanted to comment on James’s services as a Personal Trainer and share the impact he has had on me.

My weight has yo-yo’d multiple times over the last 10 years, with the heaviest being 325 lbs. I set a goal 10 years ago to lose 100 lbs., and self-sabotage would set me back multiple times. I started training with a Personal Trainer in 2018, and had done well until the pandemic hit, and I regained all the weight I lost again.

When I started with him in 2024, I was over 300 lbs., starting at 309.8 lbs., and my A1C was dangerously high at 7.8. Over the course of 85 weeks from March 16, 2024, to November 1, 2025, he helped me reshape my life, providing guidance, mentorship, and helping me believe that I could do what I set out to do, which was lose 85 lbs. in 85 weeks, put on 8 lbs. of muscle, and complete my goal of losing overall 100 lbs. I haven’t been this weight since the early 1990s.

What sets James apart from other trainers is the genuine care and pride he takes—not just in what he does, but in the person that he trains and figures out a way to get the best out of his clients. I am doing things now that I never believed were possible, such as doing just about a full pull-up unassisted, doing dips unassisted, and leg-pressing over 900 lbs., which I’ve never done before.

He suggested books for me on sleep management and mental health, which I bought and read. He sent me texts from time to time regarding articles on mental, emotional, and physical health. He explained to me that the more muscle I have, the more I can regulate insulin and sugar, and most importantly, pushed me out of my comfort zone to get the most I’ve ever done physically.

I went from being diabetic to normalizing my A1C, without the use of medication, and my blood pressure and results are all back to a safe level.

The story continues in that in February of 2026, I had a medical emergency that led to losing significant blood, becoming anemic, and putting on 25 lbs. due to the inability to exercise.

Continuing my training with James, he set up a plan for me while I recovered and regained strength, and as of now, I’ve lost about 17 of the 25 I gained, bringing me back to my goal weight before the end of the year.

James is the one who got me over the finish line. I wouldn’t have done this without his guidance, help, and motivation. I can’t say enough good things about him. The weight lifted by this success goes far beyond physical health. It was mental and emotional as well.