10 Personal Trainers to Look Out for in California

Holding yourself accountable for your fitness and health is crucial in today’s day and age. The ever-evolving fitness industry is constantly introducing new trends, strategies, and methods to improve our health, fitness, and wellness. According to Building Your Authority, finding the right trainer for you is incredibly important in such a saturated industry. So, they have compiled a list for people in the state of California to find the best trainers available.

These trainers are leaders in their industry, keeping up with all the latest trends in all aspects of healthy living. From in-person training, online training, meal planning, and body recovery; identifying true experts that stand out among the crowd can be difficult. To make things easier to navigate we have formulated this list:

1. Mike Ryan (@mike_ryan_celebritytrainer) known as the “muscle critic” is a world-renowned personal trainer who throughout his career has worked with professional athletes, celebrities including The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, fortune 500 CEOs, and everyone in between. Starting his fitness journey at the age of 12, now 55, Mike has been dedicated and training every day in between. With his motto being “hard work accomplishes all”, Mike trains at a high level of intensity and expects nothing less from anyone who wants to work with him. Mike specializes in bodybuilding and physique development by using weights and weight machines, though he is more than capable of training any type of client in any type of environment!

He first entered the fitness industry in 1990 and soon became the general manager of the world-famous Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California. Here is where Mike learned from the best in the fitness industry and fine-tuned his craft to become one of the best trainers in the world. During his time at Gold’s, he was able to host multiple training certifications and maintains a relationship with the IFBB to this day. To say the least, Mike’s resume speaks for itself. If you are interested in his services or just want to learn more, visit his Instagram @mike_ryan_celebritytrainer.

2. Daniel Hammaecher (@danielhammaecher), is a NESTA certified Biomechanics specialist, a NESTA certified MMA conditioning Coach and Men’s Physique pro athlete based in Los Angeles California, USA, who offers 1-on-1 training packages for every goal and every level of fitness. Daniel strongly believes that proper nutrition is 50 percent of the battle so he also provides personalized sports nutrition consultation — which is the next step in reaching goals for clients who want to take things more seriously. For those who are more advanced, he also offers contest preparation training, allowing clients to fully immerse themselves in all levels of fitness experiences. Born in France, Daniel is now a certified trainer in 3 different countries and came to the USA on a green card awarded to him for extraordinary abilities. These amazing abilities have led Daniel to be found on the cover of multiple health and fitness magazines including “Men’s Physique” and “Fitness Model” as well as being published in many major media outlets.

Daniel specializes in body transformation (fat loss – muscle gain), metabolic training (HIIT and contest preparation), and nutrition for all, making for a highly diverse skill set in what he brings to his clients. For more information on what Daniel can do for you click here.

3. Alex Jamal (@thetraineralex), owner of “Fitness Results Coach”, is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and strength and conditioning coach. Throughout his 16-year career in fitness, he has mastered his craft and continues to carve his path to perfection every day, constantly improving himself at every opportunity. Alex is highly educated in his field and has worked all around the world with clients of all ages ranging from as young as 6 all the way to 75 years old; this level of versatility being made possible due to his vast knowledge of the human body and nutrition. His hard work and incredible abilities were highlighted when he was named the IFBB California chairman, a position he holds to this day.

Nutrition is something that Alex takes very seriously and he preaches the importance of eating well to all of his clients. He is not your regular trainer, he believes that investing in your health via balanced exercise and eating habits is the best decision one can make in their life! Often stating, “health is wealth and I am a messenger, eat healthy and you will live pain-free”. Alex provides his services in an informative way, teaching his clients how to be healthy while educating them on why they need to do what they are doing. His services are available in person for those in the city of Los Angeles as well as online for people across the globe. To learn more about Alex’s offer, click here.

4. Stefan Rivera-Clack (@stefan_riveraclack) is a Natural IFBB Pro Bodybuilder born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. After graduating from The Ohio State University with a degree in Exercise Physiology, he decided to venture across the United States to start his own Personal Training business. After growing his business locally in Los Angeles, California, he expanded his business online giving him the opportunity to help individuals all around the world with their health and fitness goals. Using his social media platforms, he’s been able to inspire and motivate people all around the globe to achieve their best selves inside and outside of the gym.

Stefan offers multiple programs for both men and women, with the option to train at home or in a gym, and also creates meal plans for his clients. He has built over 20 different sample meal plans covering a variety of calorie ranges that you can follow, or simply use them as inspiration. Each meal plan comes with a shopping list and gives you the breakdown of how many calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fat it contains. For more information on what Stefan can do for you click here.

5. Jon Holsbach (@jonny_tsunamii_) is a NASM-CES, BSME, Olympic Weightlifting Coach, and NPC Classic Physique Competitor who offers one-on-one personal training services in San Francisco — providing an opportunity to enable as many people as possible to unlock their true potential. During his time in college, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Jon used these skills unconventionally and was able to take everything he learned and apply it directly to his training program. The combination of his knowledge in mechanical engineering and experience in fitness has not only given him a competitive edge but also has enabled him to develop a very unique and efficient training style.

His training style primarily utilizes corrective exercise and bodybuilding techniques to effectively fix postural issues, change body composition, improve athletic performance, and increase the overall quality of life. Jon’s training focuses on building full body awareness and developing under-active muscles in order for clients to do whatever they do to the best of their capabilities. Working with Jon will not only have you feeling better than ever but you will also be able to understand how your body moves, thanks to his education and training style. To learn more about his services click here.

6. Adrian Ceja (@officialadrianceja) is a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, fitness influencer, founder of Adrian Ceja Coaching LLC, and creator of the Ceja Method. Through his one-on-one and online coaching programs, Adrian has coached and helped transform countless lives in the past 10 years. When it comes to physical and mental wellbeing, he is a true icon and inspiration.

Adrian is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the International Sports Sciences Association. Following a decade of transforming people’s lives, he decided to focus on a more specific type of clientele. Being aware of the health problems that many professionals face, Adrian recently geared towards helping busy professional people. Adrian is currently working on a 10-week online fitness program focused on helping this group of people that also includes a meal program set to be released this fall. In this program, he shares his expertise and extensive knowledge using scientifically proven methods. This online program is also inspired by his 3-phase coaching system called the Ceja Method, which aims to simplify a sustainable approach to health and fitness. To learn more about Adrian Ceja you can visit his site atofficialadrianceja.com or to take advantage of his free 30-Day “get fit” program, click here.

7. Brandon Low (@teamlowfit) is a personal trainer, fitness coach, motivator, and founder of Team Low Fitness LLC, who specializes in offering a habitual, mental and physical change towards a healthier, fitter, and sustainable lifestyle. Passionate about helping people reach their true potential, working with Brandon allows people to facilitate fat loss, muscle hypertrophy, sport-specific training, mobility, and reach all their fitness goals in a consistent and efficient manner.

Brandon is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a BS in Kinesiology Exercise Science with an emphasis in Strength and Conditioning. He specializes in strength and conditioning, fat loss, and muscle hypertrophy. Through his refined fitness training programming, Brandon helps people live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and transition into the best version of themselves. For 6.5 years, he has helped many people achieve their fitness goals and live life to the fullest. The collaborative outlook and approach he takes with his clients to be part of a thriving and supportive community that works together as a team and encourages one another while enjoying the journey is something unique. To learn more about how Brandon can help you in your fitness journey, click HERE.

8. Natalie McCright (@mf_coach_nat) is a personal trainer, nutrition specialist, and founder of McCright Fitness LLC. Natalie specializes in offering an approachable long-term lifestyle change that empowers women to live their best life through strength training, a positive mindset, and consistent balanced nutrition. Natalie doesn’t believe in quick fixes or any “magic pill”; she believes consistency, accountability, and compassion towards yourself and your journey are everything you need to find lasting results.

Natalie is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, while also having her Certificate III in Fitness and Certificate IV in Fitness in Australia. She focuses on females and the general population who are looking to get stronger and make permanent lifestyle changes. Through her refined workout programming, Natalie helps people get stronger, lose fat, and learn how to keep it off by developing healthy daily habits towards training and nutrition while finding an overall healthy balanced lifestyle. For 4 years, she has helped hundreds of people achieve their fitness goals and live the way they want to live. Change is never easy but with the help of Natalie, you don’t have to make these changes alone. To learn more about how Natalie and her team can help you, click here.

9. Olivia Cimet (@oliviasanfranfit), a NASM qualified personal trainer and health & nutrition coach, is the founder of Olivia Cimet Fitness. She specializes in holistic weight loss & health coaching, and pre/postnatal training. She supports women who need help achieving their optimal health and fitness goals, before and after pregnancy. Olivia offers a diverse set of programs to her clients. These options include custom individual training, tailored training plans, nutrition guidance, and pre/postnatal training. Olivia’s programs can be found on her fitness app that members have access to.

While most trainers may need client testimonials to display the results of their programs, Olivia is living proof of her program’s success. Having gone through a 70+ pound weight loss journey herself, as well as her own pre and post-pregnancy journey, Olivia can personally accompany her clients through the trials and tribulations of her programs.

Working with Olivia is more than just a fitness routine, it incorporates wellness, self-care, building healthy relationships with food and so much more. Olivia goes above and beyond to build relationships with her clients to achieve their goals whether it be to enhance their physique, mental health, strength, confidence, reduce inflammation and even improve their sleep. She helps clients build mindsets that will keep them driven and accountable in their fitness journey, all starting with self-care. She also just launched a new 90-day fit and healthy transformation program that can be done from anywhere. From the gym to your very own living room, she has you covered. To learn more about Olivia’s programs click here.

10. Lauren Griffith (@bodybylauren) is an ACE CPT, Aerobics and Fitness Association of America Group Fitness Instructor, Yoga Alliance Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, and the lead trainer for 200 Hour Yoga Training in San Diego. She has been a fitness professional for over 24 years and strives to help others achieve their goals through her fun, yet challenging workouts. This expertise in her field has contributed to her being featured on multiple fitness segments on Fox 5 News San Diego, as well as becoming an ambassador for ToeSox, an influencer for ChefV, nanoGreens, and alumni ambassador of Lululemon Athletica.

Not a one-trip pony, Lauren offers a variety of programs for all types of clients such as her 12-Week transformation program, one-on-one coaching, high-energy fitness classes, corporate wellness, and instructor training programs. Lauren also specializes in leading instructor workshops for Yoga, Barre, and Sculpt. To learn more about Lauren and what she can do for you click here.