Train.

Body through mind.

mind through body.

I still train like a college athlete, so my clients do also. Our training focuses on strength, power, speed, and function with the goal of building a lean body and a sharp central nervous system. Coming from different levels of athleticism - from never being an athlete to collegiate athletes - my clients learn how to train smart and sharp, with a motivated mental game. With a psychology background, the mental aspect of training becomes a driving force not only with motivation, but understanding the layers of you and finding what your fuel is.

WHAT WE DO:

Weight training = Strength. It is a staple in every program. Incorporating weights with big movement patterns builds a lean body, stronger joint and bone structures for optimal function and injury prevention. And let’s be honest, you look bad ass.

Interval training. Treadmill, rower, elliptical, skill mill, versa climber, aerodyne bike, outdoors - you name it, we do it. The goal is heart rate variability and to train in the max heart rate or ‘anaerobic’ zone, like athletes do. Think sprinter. Think lean body.

What about regular cardio? We tackle some of that through interval training, but cardiovascular endurance is not the primary goal. This can still be a part of your exercise routine, but it’s not something we focus on in the program.

Read more on training philosophy in 'geek' section.

Certifications:

• National Council of Strength and Fitness (NCSF) Certified
• Pre- and Post-Pregnancy Natal
• Trigger Point Therapy Training - Myofascial Release
• Kettlebell Level 1 Training
• ViPR Training - Vitality Performance and Reconditioning
• Progressive Bodyweight Training
• Animal Flow Level 1 Training

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While we out here, say the hustlas prayer
If the game shakes me or breaks me
I hope it makes me a better man
Take a better stand

-- biggie

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WORKING THE MENTal muscle.

As much as we train our bodies to be functional and look good, we should make the same investment in our mental health. What is mental health? It's the score keeper of your emotional output, your energy, your time.

I graduated with a Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling at NYU. The two year program taught psychoanalytic theoretical practice and dynamic ways of working with individuals and their mental health. I currently work with clients doing one on on individual 'therapy' or what I simply just call a conversation.

How does it relate to me and my physical training?

That is the question I love hearing. It's not directly related to training, training is just the vehicle of how you can learn about your mind. The mind gets left out in our goal set because we can't see it, it's not tangible. Through training, I start asking you how are you treating yourself outside of training? Are you getting in your own way? Are your thought processes productive or unproductive to your well-being? With a mental health background, I use it as a coaching technique with the larger goal of helping you get a better understanding of you, and what you really want, not only with physical training, but with your life and relationships.

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"When you lookin' at me, tell me what do you see?"

.."(I love myself)"

-Kendrick Lamar

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reach out to me.

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As long as i'm alive I keep my head up high

Because i'm strong in body, and smart in mind. --DMC

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'Geek out' - my philosophy

Fitness, food, and overall health bring a bazillion questions in terms of how to do it best. The constant of science is change, so we have to keep our hand on the pulse of it. Below are some common questions that float around regarding these three categories. All information below cited from NSCA-CSCS text and paraphrased.

FITNESS

-Why do I have to lift weights to lose weight? ok. let's reframe the question. it should be 'what is the most effective and efficient way I can lose body fat... not weight. ?' Lifting weights and doing more resistance training (putting more resistance on your joint structures) starts to put more strain and tension on your actual muscles which enables them to grow, granted proper nutrition and recovery. There are different ways of putting on muscle which I'll get into below but, put simply, there are three important reasons to lift weights:

1) more muscle on your body (think lean) means more calories burned at a resting state

2) more structure and support to joints; reduces injury

3) function function function; don't be that woman or man who picks their luggage up above their head and throws out their back

-but what about getting bulky? ok. i understand. lifting weights CAN actually make you get 'bulky' (for lack of a better term) BUT if you're smart about your nutrition, you can have much more control over that. You lift more weight and you eat like an NFL linebacker, you're going to get bulky. Be mindful with your food. 

Here's the science. Say you've never lifted weights above 15-20lb before and you go into the gym and start up a heavier weight lifting plan. Your central nervous system and muscles will start to adjust and the added tension you create will start to make the actin and myosin chains in your muscle fiber pull a little bit harder, which brings in more fluid and thus the food (energy) you have afterward gets pulled into that muscle to help put the building blocks back together, and then some. You put enough tension on your muscles you actually start to increase the diameter of your muscle fibers and start to create new ones! The way to build more muscle is to work at a level where you are lifting 65-75% of your one rep max, doing 8-12 reps give or take, multiplied by three to four sets. For example squats, instead of holding two fifteen pound dumbbells and doing 15-20 reps, try holding a 50-70lb and do a slow eight reps. More on nutrition in nutrition section.

-what should i do for cardio if I want to lose weight? once again, lose body fat, not weight. high intensity interval training is what i recommend for body fat loss, if cardio is your thing. high intensity means you get into your 'red zone' heart rate (i.e. 80-90% of your max heart rate) about 6-10 times during your cardio/conditioning. 

i.e. treadmill running: 8 30-60 second intervals 9-13.0mph with 90 second walking recoveries. build up to it if that is too fast. running 10-30 miles a week will absolutely burn a ton of calories and with that, will burn some body fat. what you have to be aware of is if you're in a higher net calorie burn from all of the running and/or group fitness classes, you're body starts to use more fuels within your body, including the proteins that make up your muscle. 

NUTRITION

-how much should i be eating in order to get/stay lean? this is a tricky one and a TON of variables need to be factored in: genetics, hormones, sleep, stress levels, emotional well-being, exercise routine, etc. The biggest problems we have in the US is eating too much. Portions. We are oral creatures (take it however you want LOL). In addition to that if you are in a constant state of high stress or chronic stress that requires lots of travel and deadlines (many of us in NY and LA) then you need to work on finding a balanced state of mind FIRST - see a therapist or put some really positive, easy-minded people around you. If our emotional state is out of wack our eating is out of wack. Here are some ground rules:

1-eat whole foods; i.e. non-processed. think local chicken breast, fish, beef that isn't doused or grounded up with some other starches fats or additives. same with vegetables, breads, fruits. and yes you can eat bread.

2-plan bigger meals around more activity; post-training you should have a bigger meal to REFUEL; try handful of brown rice, salmon or white fish with decent size salad. if you're sitting all day at a desk, eat small snacks throughout your day or low-sugar juices.

3-don't think breakfast lunch dinner, think # of smaller meals. why are psychologically wired to think we need to have three big meals. start to shift that mindset and plan your meals based on #2

4-reset your body by restricting food for 10-12 hours (overnight); i.e. 8pm-8am no food just water (or coffee)

5-stop obsessing over calories and carbs. you're doing yourself more harm by stressing about it than actually zooming out and recognizing you need carbs to fuel part of your day.

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Welcome ladies and gentlemen

To the eighth wonder of the world!

The flow of the century, always timeless: HOV!

-- jay z

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What people are saying...

While traveling, 5:30am email:

1) used my band (long black socks worn lol)
2) good mornings
3) high knees
4) squat and jump 20 per set, 3 sets (last set done post planks and only done because writing 2 sets seemed lame!)
5) leg raises alternating 3 sets
6) planks (3 minutes no stop. You got me through last 30 seconds because was afraid to write 2 and a half minutes! True)

> Bizzz today so far
> Good email action with Germany
> Set up conf call with wz team and KD
> Workin on RM emails

Michael K, Juice Press CEO - August 2017

For the last 16 months, Rachel and I have engaged mostly in weight training. As a middle-aged dad, my goals are to maintain fitness as I age, increase strength for daily activity (e.g., playing with my kids), and enhance appearance. Working with Rachel, we have demonstrably achieved the first two, and I think we've achieved the third, as well. I am stronger; I feel better; I have more energy; and I my clothes fit better.

At my request, we focused on upper body and core strength for the first 10 months, with excellent results. Rachel's mix of weight lifting and body weight exercises kept me interested and engaged while increasing muscle mass and overall fitness. I have had a chronic shoulder issue for over 20 years, but the increase of muscle mass has made my shoulder feel brand new, relieving pain and increasing range of motion.

I had knee surgery in 2015, so I was reluctant to engage in lower body weighted exercises, including squats and deadlifts. After months of prodding from Rachel, I finally agreed to engage my lower body, and Rachel was absolutely right. My knee feels great, and I feel much stronger. Gone are the grunts when I get up. Plainly speaking, my main goal is to feel younger longer. Rachel has done that for me. I haven't felt this good since I was in my 20s.

Plus, I find Rachel a joy to be around. She's inspiring and fun.

Russell, 44, Lawyer - Feb 2017

Rachel is a great trainer! She is very motivating, encouraging, and focused on helping me achieve my goals. I meet with Rachel twice a week, and I've noticed a huge change in my strength and tone, and in general feel way more connected to my physicality than I did before. I really like Rachel's training style: she focuses on heavier weights and more sets, yet less reps, and I can genuinely say that it has had WAY more of an impact than my years of trying higher reps with lighter weights. Despite the fact that I can lift practically twice as much as when I started with Rachel, I don't feel bulkier or bigger, I feel leaner and stronger. She is also super knowledgeable about nutrition and how your body burns energy throughout the day. Lastly, Rachel is a great person - sweet, funny, thoughtful - which makes training that much more enjoyable.

Jaime, 33, Warner Bros. Records - Jan 2017

I love training with Rachel. She's got a great vibe about her which drew me to begin training with her initially. I don't need the motivation as I have that already, but Rachel guides it and shows me what to do with it. I lift heavier than I ever thought I could, we talk about nutrition, sleep, everything that could possibly effect your workout and overall health. I also feel Rachel is invested in me - I am not just another client to train and move on after one hour, there is so much more to her as a trainer. Rachel is very refreshing, down-to-earth and fun. She knows her stuff, practices what she preaches and looks really terrific herself! So glad we found each other - thank you Rachel!

Christine, 45 - Jan 2017

I've been training with Rachel for a little over a year, and the strength-training regimen has really produced dramatic results. I am far stronger and feel better, and, for probably the first time, I don't mind going to the gym.

Albert, 47, Kasowitz Benson - Feb 2017

I was excited to work with Rachel knowing she has a gymnastics background.  I wanted my workouts to be more challenging so Rachel got a little more creative.  Over three months, I learned how to do Turkish Get-ups, single leg Romanian deadlifts, some Animal Flow, hang cleans, kneeling jump to box jumps, and several other core related moves (that burn like heck, but I loved every second).  My overall strength significantly improved, and I noticed this after week three.  I feel great and best of all, Rachel cracks me up every single time we work together.  Gotta have fun!  I highly recommend Rachel for anyone looking to get into great shape and enjoying their (intense but efficient) workouts at the same time.

Brandon, 27, Former Competitive Diver - February 2016

As a former professional soccer player and now a very mediocre weekend warrior basketball player, I’ve worked out with trainers and coaches around the country.  Rachel Mariotti stands out because she has an ability to push her clients, while making each session unique and fun.  She brings a great energy to our sessions, she inspires me to get more fit, and I love her “Let’s Do This” rallying cry!

Unlike many trainers who rely on a single approach, Rachel took the time to understand my fitness goals and injury concerns in order to build them into a personalized program.  I used to dread the 5:45AM alarm, but now I look forward to it.  I highly recommend Rachel to anyone looking to improve their physical well-being!

My training goals with Rachel were to lose body fat and get as fit as possible before an upcoming basketball camp.  In 3 months, my body fat percentage declined from 12% down to 10%.  Every week, I challenge Rachel to a “plank-off.”  She has won every one of them, but I’m closing the gap, and I feel strong and ready to do my best at the camp!

Dave, 42, Principal, Oak Point Partners - August 2015

Being a former gymnast, I immediately connected with Rachel.  My goal was to lean up a little and to get back to being conditioned.  Not only did I drop 2% body fat in a matter of 6 weeks, but I became much stronger and much more in tune with my body.  Rachel is always expressing where the movement should be felt and how to use your whole body for each exercise.  She made me value the relationship that my body has with fitness and also made me aware of the importance of recovery.  Oh and it doesn’t hurt that she makes jokes and keeps me laughing throughout our training.  I am now back to doing handstands and finally able to do a pull-up, which I haven’t done in years!

Grace, 26, Massey Quick & Co - August 2015

Rachel was the perfect balance of professional and personable in all training sessions.  Not only did she help me meet my 6 week fitness goals, but she also laid a framework for sustainable workouts.  Every session Rachel was enthusiastic and attentive to how I was performing.  She always provided a variety of exercises, so I was never bored.  I highly recommend booking a training with Rachel if you have specific fitness goals in mind or just want to improve your health.

Michelle, 25, Georgetown University Law Center - July 2015

My son signed up for the NYC 2015 Half Marathon in March and he encouraged me to sign up as well.  Because this was my first half marathon, I knew I wanted to seek training in order to get stronger and avoid injury.  Rachel has a strong running background, having run over 10 half marathons, the NYC Marathon and she also ran in college, so I knew she had a good idea of training when it comes to running.  She gave me both a strength training program – which we did together in the gym – as well as a running program which I followed outside of the gym.  Over a 10 week period, I slowly increased my long runs each week from 3 miles to 10 miles and had recovery time toward the end so I was well-rested for race day.  The strength training was balanced well with the running routine, as we built up a nice foundation of squats, dead lifts, core work and short cardio intervals and increased the intensity over time.  I really enjoyed the training and I ended up running the race in 1 hour and 52 minutes, which was well under my 2 hour goal!

Edward, 53, Deloitte - June 2015

When I first joined Equinox, My wedding was three months away and I knew I wanted a trainer so I could look and feel great in my dress (beyond what was possible from just cardio, classes and proper diet).  As soon as I met Rachel, I knew she would be great to work with.  My goals were to tone up my arms, core, legs, and abs.  We jumped right into on our first session, with a mixture of strength training and cardio intervals.  After 3 weeks, I saw more definition in my arms, my core was significantly stronger and my posture was more upright.  

A month in, just as I was seeing serious results, I fell and broke my arm. Rachel was entirely understanding and supportive through the process. She was flexible and accommodating. Now the cast is off, and I'm back at it with Rachel. She has worked around my arm issue, and she has had me doing safe, effective workouts, which worked with my doctors' orders. 

Each time I meet with Rachel, there is always an added element to our training to keep me on edge and keep me sweating. Plus she is fun to be around, and I look forward to our sessions.  I had friends telling me at my bachelorette party that I was slender yet toned – it felt really good to know that! Even my fiance says Rachel knows how to make my body look its best. I'm going to feel great as I walk down the aisle.

Liz, 29, Bloomberg - May 2015

There are good trainers and great ones and I believe Rachel is a great trainer. Rachel genuinely cares for the well-being of her trainees. She is knowledgeable, accessible, responsive, punctual, and very friendly.  When I joined Equinox, my goal was to lose weight.  Since I started training with Rachel, I went from 204lb to 192lb in a matter of 6 weeks.  My body fat % also dropped from 31.7% to 27.2%, where I gained a significant amount of muscle mass.   Rachel took her time to teach me good form, whether it was pull-ups, dead lifts, push-ups, goblet squats, etc.  My experience was an extremely positive and energetic experience – if you know Rachel, she is always right there with you counting each set and in between sets she is cheering you on, clapping, or dancing.  Outside of training, Rachel sent me detailed outlines of exercises – sets, reps, and weight – in order to keep everything progressing and on track. Rachel is responsive to my questions, and is always communicating via email or text with about her plans for our next meeting.  For a long time, I haven't felt as good as I do now and much of it has to do with the outstanding work Rachel has done.

Brian, 45, Deloitte - June 2015

Rachel helped me develop a stronger upper body and better posture.  I sit all day at work and my shoulders tend to hunch over – I wanted to develop better posture.  I did not prioritize exercise into my busy weeks but Rachel figured out a way to fit me in her schedule and encouraged me to do different workouts in between our sessions.  Within the first two weeks of training, I felt a big difference in my arms and back and could feel my posture getting better.  By week six, I went from lifting 5lb dumbbells to 12.5lb, which I found it hard to believe.  It was such a fun training experience and she has such great energy, always making me push myself but also smiling and laughing.  I became addicted to working out and I thank Rachel for that!

Name not disclosed, F29, Pimco - June 2015

Since I sit all day at work, I wanted to move more mindfully, with more creativity and challenge.  Rachel always keeps our training sessions interesting - from using the TRX, to ViPR, to different balancing techniques.  She gives specific cues for breathing and what parts of my body I should be contracting with certain movements.  I've definitely learned to be more aware of my body, and mindful of exercising in general.  My preference of working out centers more around yoga and slower movements and Rachel brilliantly tailors my program around that, always with her unique style/twist.  We do all sorts of yoga moves, single leg balances, head stands, and even a little bit of plyometrics.  She's good at understanding how far I can push myself and we always work just on the edge of that.  She's also incredibly thoughtful and integrates emotional and social health into our time together, which I love!

M. Steinberg, 23 - August 2015

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