Why I Opened an OsteoStrong (After Years as a Strength Coach)

I spent years as a competitive powerlifter. I got my ACSM certification. I trained people. I knew the science of strength inside and out.

And honestly? I got tired of being one of hundreds of personal trainers in the Seattle area.

Not because the work wasn't rewarding—it was. But because I kept running into the same wall: I wanted to make a real, measurable difference in people's lives, and the traditional personal training model made that harder than it should be.

The Problem With "Get Fit"

Here's the thing about personal training: most of it is built around vague goals. "Get in shape." "Lose weight." "Feel better." Those aren't bad goals, but they're hard to measure and easy to abandon.

People would work with me for a few months, see some progress, then life would get busy. They'd cancel sessions, fall off the routine, and eventually disappear. The ones who stuck around often plateaued because, let's be honest, there's only so much optimization you can do with conventional training.

I wasn't failing them. The model was.

Then I Found Osteogenic Loading

When I first learned about osteogenic loading, my powerlifter brain lit up.

The science made sense: bones respond to force magnitude, not duration. High-intensity, brief loading triggers adaptation. Everything I knew about strength training pointed to this being legit—it was just applied to skeletal strength instead of muscular strength.

But what really got me was the measurability.

DEXA scans don't lie. You either improved your bone density or you didn't. There's no "I feel stronger" ambiguity. There's no "the scale says the same but I think I look different." It's objective data, tracked over time, showing real physiological change.

For someone who spent years trying to help people see results, that was huge.

10 Minutes, Once a Week—And It Actually Works

The other thing that appealed to me: the efficiency.

Most people don't have time for a trainer three days a week. Life gets in the way. Work, kids, travel, illness—there's always something. The traditional model requires a level of commitment that most people can't sustain.

OsteoStrong sessions are about 10 minutes, once a week. That's it.

No workout clothes. No shower after. No rearranging your whole schedule. You come in, do four exercises, and leave. The loading stimulus is delivered, and your body does the rest over the following days.

For busy people—which is basically everyone—this is sustainable in a way that personal training often isn't.

Making a Difference (For Real This Time)

What I love about running OsteoStrong Mercer Island is that I get to watch people's numbers actually change.

A member comes in with osteoporosis, worried about fractures, maybe already on medication they don't love. A year later, their DEXA shows improvement. Their doctor is surprised. They're stronger, more confident, less afraid of falling.

That's not "I feel better." That's measurable physiological improvement.

Most of our members don't want to take the drugs you see advertised on TV—and for good reason. If you've done the research, you know what I mean. Several members who were taking those medications when they started are no longer taking them. I've had members avoid surgeries. I've had members in their 70s and 80s get stronger than they've been in decades. And I can prove it with data.

After years in the fitness industry, that kind of impact is what I was always looking for.

The Culture We've Built

The other thing I'm proud of: we're not a gym. We're not intimidating. We're not full of mirrors and loud music and people showing off.

Our members are mostly older adults dealing with real health concerns. They're not here to get six-pack abs. They're here because they want to stay independent, stay active, and not break a hip.

The vibe is supportive, low-key, and focused on results. We know everyone's name. We track everyone's progress. We celebrate improvements, even small ones.

It's the kind of place I always wanted to create—I just didn't know it until I found OsteoStrong.

Not For Everyone (And That's Okay)

Look, osteogenic loading isn't magic. It's not a replacement for general fitness. If you want to run a marathon or build visible muscle or lose 50 pounds, you'll need more than what we offer.

But if your goal is skeletal strength—if you're dealing with osteoporosis, osteopenia, or just want to build bone density as you age—this is the most efficient, evidence-based approach I've found in 20+ years in the strength world.

That's why I opened an OsteoStrong. Not to be another trainer. To actually move the needle.