September 2024

Trainee: Tristan Davis

Training Goals: 

Training Goal (Sep 2023 thru May 2024): Prep for upcoming rafting trip (upper body strength, core strength, body weight management).

Training Goal (Jun 2024 thru Dec 2024): Focus on upper body muscle growth, overall aesthetics, core strength, lean muscle mass, fat loss.

Training Dates: September 28, 2023 to present

Training Facility: EOS Fitness (Chandler), The Gym (Mesa)

"When I first started training with Pep, I had been training almost continuously for over 10 years, but had gotten out of working out for the past 9 months after my last trainer quit. I was frustrated that I’d gone through so many trainers and had seen so few results. I was in OK shape, but had to deal with every past trainer’s instruction, lessons, and techniques that often conflicted with each other. It was maddening and confusing. I had little hope that I could find a trainer that could teach and justify the training specific to my needs – someone that “made sense” when developing a plan. Heck…past trainers never really had a “plan” …and often asked me when I attended a session, “So, what do you want to work on today?”

Enter Pep. From Day 1, it was a completely different experience. He spent the entire first session asking questions: What were my expectations? What were specific goals? What were my eating habits? How committed was I to following a specific regimen? What was happening in my Life that impacts how I care for myself? Empathy in a trainer was a new concept for me.

Pep made it clear from the outset: everyone has a different background and goals, and those two impact each other. No single training plan applied to everyone – they were as unique as our fingerprints. He committed to creating a training plan specific to me that helped me get back into the gym, back to running, back to a healthy diet, and back to not just physical, but also mental health. At the same time, he asked for my own commitment to succeed. Most importantly, he spent the time answering my questions and was committed to teaching me– not just telling me what to do. No other trainer has ever done it better.

Within days, he had put a plan together, and we were on our way. Of course, there were unexpected turns and injuries along the way – and one of Pep’s best abilities is to immediately adapt a plan to fit the specific scenario, whether that was modifying a specific exercise or completely reworking the plan. With Pep’s broad knowledge of health, fitness, physiology, anatomy, and nutrition, he has the rare ability to shift on a dime. And on the rare occasions where he was not sure what the next best step was, he immediately dove into the research and networked with experts to come up with a revised plan. Knowing when you need more information and being able to find that information is a key to Pep’s training philosophy.

After meeting my initial goals, Pep helped me set new goals – and with that came more analysis, ideas, techniques, exercises, refined diet, etc. And more work. But that’s the key to Pep’s success: teaching that work is good, and he can make us see it from the beginning, all the while giving us the capacity to change our life and lifestyle. Never in my Life before Pep have I ever enjoyed going to the gym. Now, I even go when I’m bored. And no matter when, Pep is right there with me – whether via text at any hour or in person. Encouraging, teaching, and training. 

Pep goes over and above to ensure the best for his clients. Not only is he always available for answering questions via text, but his plan uses an online app for easy tracking of goals, workout plans, and exercises; he even uses videos of himself executing the exercises so there is no question how it is done properly when he is not there with you. Add to that the simplicity of his online scheduling capability, training with Pep is a breeze logistically. And don’t be surprised if he just up and messages you to see how you are doing; it’s just the way he is and demonstrates his concern for his clients’ success.

In the end, I not only achieved my goals, but I learned how and why along the way. I can’t recommend Pep highly enough. In the truest sense, Personal Training is Pep’s First, Best Destiny; he was born for it."

- Tristan D. 

"New to the personal training business, I was putting in a-lot of time with clients and noticed  my own training start to decline, I was dealing with some hip and shoulder pain and just felt I was going through the motions in the gym. 

So I contacted Pep Casterline. He’s an absolute professional, from his intake and assessment procedure to his well thought out exercise selection and progressions. 

My program was updated and ready to go every Monday morning, with notes from our weekly check-in call. 

Tweaks were made to my lifts to ensure efficient technique which made a world of difference, my pain went down and my strength went up. 

Working with pep not only made me feel, look and perform better but he also helped make me a better coach. 

Give this man a call for anything you need and he’ll help to change your life."

- Sal Z.