“I have been working with Johnny for almost 5 years now.  Johnny uses his vast knowledge of fitness and nutrition to custom design programs to the individual needs of his clients. I am very happy with the knowledge and flexibility in training methods he brings to my workouts.

I considered myself reasonably fit already but I had never added strength training to my workouts prior to his training sessions. I was pleasantly surprised at the results .  I look at him as being a key factor in my on-going good health and positive mindset.”

“I started personal training with Johnny after ankle surgery.  As a competitive triathlete, I knew I was going to have a hard time going without my running, biking, and swimming.  Johnny modified exercises as I was in a cast and boot for a few months and helped me return to my activities as quickly as possible.  I realized the personal training was making a difference in my overall strength which will help minimize injury and keep me active at a high level – not to mention it feels good to be strong!  Johnny has great balance in knowing when to push and when not to push in terms of helping you get to the next level of fitness.  One of the reasons I go to personal training is because I wouldn’t do a lot of these exercises on my own.  But I will do them, try hard, and get proficient at most of them, with Johnny’s encouragement.  We all need help on our various goals, and I’m thankful to have Johnny helping me reach my fitness goals.  I think personal training with Johnny is a smart investment and highly recommend it – what’s more important than your health and feeling good?  I’m working on making time for yoga…”

I’ve worked with John for many years.  I’ve been to his studio, he’s been to our house. I’ve even had him to the office to train my staff.  His unique blend of knowledge (anatomy, physiology, yoga, etc.) and compassion makes each class special and keeps me looking forward to the next one.  He seems to have an infinite elasticity in his ability to modify classes.  He can range from an easy vinyasa flow, through Ashtanga, to circuit workouts that will leave you gasping.

If you are considering a personal trainer, I can’t recommend John highly enough.

Getting our busy family together can be a challenge in itself, yet we love to gather for
yoga each week with John. John has the ability to customize each session to meet our
needs. He has patiently introduced the art of yoga to my two sons and daughters, while
challenging my husband and me in the same session. It is evident that John is passionate
about health and nutrition and he loves to share this information. He not only teaches us
how to exercise, but also how to improve our dietary habits, lower stress and live overall
healthier lives. John’s expertise, enthusiasm and pleasant demeanor have made him a
delight to work with. We not only have a great friend in John, but a top-notch lifestyle
coach. Our whole family is grateful for John.

John O’Connor is a great teacher and we should know — we’ve been working out in a variety of gyms and studios, together and apart, for over thirty years. Johnny practices what he preaches, and leads by example.  He sets the bar high, but helps you reach it, and helps you work your edge.  He is calm and centered, so you focus on your own workout.  We keep coming back for more!  And we are in good company.  Put us down as fans.

Seven years ago I started my training with Johnny and as of 2010 I added yoga to my other work with him.
Unlike other instructors known to me, Johnny has extensive knowledge in human anatomy, comparable to any physician or physical therapist.
Johnny changed my life in two ways over the years. Physically I am much stronger and more flexible. Mentally I feel much more positive and resilient.
I have always believed that I was fortunate to have discovered him and to have worked with him. Looking forward to many more years under his instruction.

Classes with John (Johnny) have deepened my yoga practice – brought piece of mind, resolve and improved flexibility in a stiff shoulder and broken wrist. The results are far greater than imagined. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. (Buddhist proverb)

Shanti

John O’ Connor has been my personal trainer since September 2007. I feel that I am in much better physical shape since I started working out with John. Prior to working out with John I had knee pains when I went skiing or when I walked on high heel shoes. Prior to working out with John, I always ended up hurting my back if I went to the gym to work out. John helped me build muscle strength gradually and I feel I am stronger overall. I no longer experience back pain or knee pain after such activities. John is not only a great personal trainer but he is a great friend and a nice human being. He is also extremely knowledgeable of the human anatomy and can often point you to the source of your problems when you describe a pain. He doesn’t pretend to be a doctor but most of the time when it comes to pain, his recommendations for a course of action are just as good as any doctor. I also have taken Yoga classes with John. He has the same philosophy for training a person whether it is with yoga or overall fitness. He starts very slow and gradually builds on your strength. I love taking yoga classes with John because at the end I feel that I am in a total state of relaxation.

John got me started in yoga about two years ago, after several years of personal training with him.
He has the rare combination of ability to teach the proper positioning of the body for every move, and the patience to work with each student regardless of capability.

Though I have since moved out of the Fairfax area, John’s continued encouragement motivated me to continue to practice yoga at another studio.
I was pleasantly surprised that what John had taught me in a short period of time placed me well above other beginners.

Whether you are an experienced or beginning student of yoga, John is the perfect instructor.  Beyond his significant capability in teaching, John is a terrific person.

In Johnny’s yoga classes, I always know that I will be encouraged and challenged. As a student in his class, I love that I have license to go as far as I can go in my practice – he creates no ceiling on what’s possible.  His quiet enthusiasm for yoga and for encouraging his students to rise to their potential is evident.

I have worked with several other trainers over the past fifteen years, and Johnny is the absolute best. Johnny’s knowledge, energy, and personality reinforce the fact that he should be YOUR personal trainer.

I have been training with Johnny since January 2008.  Johnny truly cares about his clients and their workouts. I really appreciate his attention to detail. He has been great in teaching me the proper way of exercising, he understands my limitations, and is helping me to achieve my goals in a fun and positive manner.  Johnny has also motivated and inspired me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Overall, my core strength, my flexibility, and my desire to head to the gym have all improved greatly.

Choosing the right trainer can make all the difference in the world. It can mean the difference between success and failure. With Johnny you definitely get success. I look forward to every session and I highly recommend him as your personal trainer. “Thank you for the encouragement! I never thought I was capable of working so hard.

JOHNNY  IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!  I’ve been exercising for the past 23 years and Johnny’s class is the only class that I continued to attend for the past 3 years.  He keeps you wanting to come back because you feel so great when the class is over.   Johnny  knows how to “fix” your problems by explaining and teaching you  how to adapt to your situation.  He makes the class fun and shares his knowledge in nutrition,  exercise procedures, and you very quickly learn repetition.  His continual encouragement makes him very personable as he strives to make you the best person you can be.     He’s a 10++++.

Johnny has a gift for teaching students when to push harder to find their edge and when to back off and avoid injury. In this approach he helps his students safely find hidden strength and ability. This applies not only to physical strength but also in a belief in yourself that comes from realizing the benefits of consistent steady practice.

“I attended Johnny’s classes at Oak Marr and wanted to personalize and intensify my training. The result is that I am more energetic, keep setting new fitness goals for myself and am making it a part of who I am, not just something I have to do because I am over 50.  Johnny has a way of making training fun, encouraging and challenging me in ways I can’t do on my own. In addition to general overall well being, my most immediate result was the elimination of my lower back pain. That continues to be a gratifying by product of my working out with Johnny. I highly recommend his classes and personal training to anyone who is interested in making the investment in themselves, their fitness and overall health.”

“I have been training with John O’Connor since I was in high school and he has completely transformed not only my body but my way of life. He has inspired me to actually become a yoga instructor and now I am in the process of becoming certified at my home university. I have always been interested in fitness but through John’s constant support, and knowledge, I have grown tremendously. John is not only a close friend to our family now, but remains a role model for me in the fitness and yoga world.”

“Consistent practice with John has been instrumental in helping me to build bone density and core strength. Perhaps even more important than strength and flexibility, John has helped me to develop a focused, mindful appreciation of the connection between body and spirit.  I always look forward to the peace of yoga practice. “

“After attending Johnny’s yoga classes for over 2 years it became obvious why time and effort spent with him is worthwhile… Results. I have been a fitness trainer now for more than 15 years and immediately recognized his knowledge in all aspects of fitness and health. His coaching/teaching methodology is successful because of his openness to all levels of students, experience in the industry, personality and professionalism.”

“When I started training with Johnny, I had been living for a year with a messed up shoulder – a freak fall which led to four torn rotator cuff tendons, surgery that managed to repair three of them, and rehab therapy that had essentially taken me as far as they thought possible, i.e., about 30 %. I was quite resigned to continuing somewhere near that level.

Johnny’s focus on core strengthening, rather than working only on my shoulder, was very effective, and his selfless approach to both his work and his life  is infectious: you start to believe that you can reach further. I  responded very well to his encouragement – let’s see how far we can take this – and he uses a studied approach to tailor your regimen to what he thinks will work, adding variations and loads to keep it both interesting and challenging. Also, 60 minutes is 60 minutes; you get undivided attention.

There are still things I cannot do, and will probably never be able to, but the overall improvements have been dramatic, because we have been able to teach my shoulder muscles to do new things. So maybe not 100%, but at least 75, which is still more than double where I started

Thanks, Johnny!”

“I’ve had the opportunity of practicing Yoga under Johnny’s guidance. Johnny has helped me tremendously in deepening my practice. From strength and flexibility I’ve noticed great improvements in my body. Given Johnny’s broad background, I have gained great fitness and body health perspective through his guidance. Johnny himself is a great inspiration as he holds a solid yet humble Yoga practice. I am thankful to have the opportunity to practice with Johnny”

“I have had chronic back and shoulder pain for 20 years.  Since working with John 1-2x per week, I have not had any pain – can’t be a coincidence!….Thanks John.”

John is a fantastic personal trainer. I look forward to every work out. In addition to looking better than I ever have, I now count John among my good friends. He inspires me to live in smart and healthy ways.

John O’ Connor worked for several years as a yoga instructor at my center. He re-introduced me and several of my massage therapy clients to yoga. We were a group of beginners that he quickly brought to an intermediate level with his structure and encouragement. His classes were fun and challenging, and we all became limber and relaxed. I have also worked with John as my personal trainer. Working out with John is like working out with your best friend; he will encourage you and push you just the right amount. If you are looking for a great trainer or yoga instructor who will offer you strength, flexibility and balance you don’t need to look any further.