Maxx, 29 Years Old

While recovering from a major collarbone surgery and subsequent period of physical inactivity, I was in the market for a coach that could help me re-gain strength and lay the groundwork for a healthy recovery. During the initial consultation with Arttu, I realized that my health goals were far too limited. Leaving this consultation, I was inspired to start my new wellness journey.

Arttu developed a program that was both individualized and comprehensive. Nothing was generic about Arttu’s exercise prescriptions. Based on our initial visit and my newly redeveloped goals, the plan was crafted with an immense attention to detail. Although Arttu contains a wealth of knowledge surrounding physiology and kinesiology, the lessons most beneficial lie outside of the gym walls. Nutrition, recovery, sleep, and general well-being are often neglected in order to achieve workout goals.

Arttu teaches that when these elements are aligned and in-tune, workout goals are easier to reach. Greater longevity, physical resilience and mental acuity can be achieved by improving these outside elements and Arttu provides a roadmap to help you get there. In our 2 years together, my max deadlift has nearly doubled, my lean mass has increased, my body fat percentage has decreased, but the metric most treasured can’t be measured. I feel great!

Arttu has redefined what health looks like to me and that has paid dividends already. More importantly, he has shifted my outlook and equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to be self-sufficient in the future. He presents complex information in a palatable and actionable way. I’d recommend Arttu to anyone, from fitness newcomers to competitive athletes that need an edge to be great.

Jillian, 28 Years Old

I came to Arttu with 5-6 years of experience in Crossfit group classes. I was looking to restore hormonal balance after a long history of restrictive dieting and to build some foundational strength that I felt was lacking despite the number of years I participated in group fitness.

We immediately dove into my lifestyle behaviors and my history with food and exercise. He listened to my story and honored my experiences. I noticed how he really took our conversation and what he discovered in my assessment into account when prescribing my individualized program.

Over the past two years, Arttu has helped me regain hormonal balance and take control of my health. We addressed all aspects of hormonal health including movement, nutrition, sleep, stress, and even lab work. Because of Arttu, for the first time in 5+ years, I have a normal, natural menstrual cycle!

Arttu has helped me shift my perspective on health and fitness to one of longevity, enjoyment, and balance. He’s inspired feelings of strength and confidence that go far beyond the gym. His programming truly evolved with me as I grew and as my goals changed. Not only did he address my movement, but we also unpacked potential barriers to having great energy, focus, and recovery throughout the day. He even guided me towards identifying and realizing my career as a professional fitness coach. I would highly recommend Arttu!

Ryan, 29 Years Old

Being a gamer has been known as the opposite of being an athlete, at least from a stereotypical viewpoint. However, due to the understanding I’ve developed of movement, taking care of my body, recovery, and prioritizing mobility in the gym to compensate for long hours of sitting and gaming, my world has been changed by the perspective gained under Arttu’s training.

Take into consideration food. Gamers are seen as processed food grazers that disregard their physical wellbeing. That stereotype has a grain of truth to it, in that gamers often don’t see themselves as needing healthy foods to sustain their long hours of gaming. Arttu has taught me that having a healthy nutrition plan with a well-designed exercise regiment has made me a better gamer, and given me the sustained mental acuity to perform as a livestream entertainer with constant high energy. He even helped me prepare for a 24 hour stream, explaining the costs of sacrificing sleep in such a way and developing strategies for food to sustain me all 24 hours, plus how to course-correct my body’s natural rhythm after such a sleep deficit.

While I wouldn’t recommend a 24 hour stream (it takes quite a toll!) I am grateful to have had Arttu’s guidance on how to recover from such a feat, and encourage all gamers to take seriously the food they eat and how physical exercise can make them a better gamer.

Ashkon, 33 Years Old

Years of competitive sports have left me with a series of injuries that have never completely healed. Recently, after a stressful cross-country move, I re-aggravated an old back injury. This is when I decided it was time to be more proactive, I found Arttu and signed up for my first consultation.

I’ve been working with Arttu for almost exactly 3 years now and have seen some great results. In this time we have been able to address the back pain I have had for years – all while making it feel like I am actually training and not just at physical therapy. For the first time in a long time I can pick things up from the floor without worrying about blowing out my back! I am ready and excited to tackle other lingering issues that have been bothering me. 

Ever since transitioning from the very regimented training programs of college sports, I’ve struggled with remaining engaged in an active lifestyle. My attitude towards my fitness journey has improved significantly. Arttu has helped me start to rebuild my fitness foundation that I will rely on for this new chapter of my life.

Casber, 28 Years Old

When I came to Arttu two years ago, I was looking for more structure around my approach to fitness . Although I had two separate gym memberships at the time — one close to work and one close to home -- I was training with neither purpose nor consistency. In other words, I didn’t truly understand why I was going to the gym, so it’s easy to find excuses for not going. I also have a very demanding job so time is of essence.

During our initial consultative conversations, the first thing Coach Arttu told me was not how many times I needed to train a week or how much cardio I needed to do. It is consistency: regardless of my goals, Arttu made sure we built a sustainable process around it. He also took the time to understand what I was trying to achieve (eg. “Why do you want to deadlift 300lbs?) and gave me a lot of clarity. I immediately knew I found the right fit.

Since I started training with Arttu, I’ve been able to make training a fundamental part of my daily life. There were times back in college when I spent more time training, but I’ve achieved more with less time: feel better and lift more. Arttu doesn’t just make training plans; he also invests in the growth of me as we navigate the ups and downs of my fitness journey. There were times when I failed to show up on time or cut my workout short, and Arttu always tries to proactively communicate and more importantly, go one layer deeper and understand why I was having issues.

Most importantly, Arttu is a good human, who I could trust to always have my best interest. He knows fitness & nutrition inside out, works hard and trusts the process, qualities of a great coach. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone.

David, 41 Years Old

Trusting Arttu to be objective, honest, and caring has been one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my health. I cannot recommend him strongly enough.

I was never a very active person, barely able to run a mile. When I signed up for a 13 mile Spartan obstacle race with some friends, I knew I’d need help. I met Arttu with 10 months to prepare for the race and three simple goals: be able to finish the race, be able to help my friends, and finish better-than-last among my friends.

I did that race and crushed every one of my goals, plus completing more obstacles than I’d ever imagined possible, while having lots of fun with my friends. In the 2.5 years since then I’ve done over a dozen more races while Arttu taught me all kinds of movements -- whole body, specialized isolation, injury prevention, and specific rehab -- all with nutrition and lifestyle advice to support my goals.

When first getting to know each other I took the leap to trust him completely -- to evaluate my body composition and mechanics, make a realistic plan, and take my feedback along the way. It was a little frustrating at first as Arttu literally made sure I could walk before I tried to run. But, since I was trusting him, and the process he built, I kept at it. The initial nutrition components were simple: just keep track. No restrictions, no macros, just observing.

Training progress was very sustainable: I never felt burned out, I always wanted more. Arttu was able to temper my desire to push with realism to help me stay healthy. Best of all, he was teaching me from his vast background at every step. Arttu doesn’t just teach how to do specific exercises, but why I was doing them and how they were going to help me reach my goals.

Nutrition progress was similarly sustainable. Arttu took the needs of my individual body, my family and lifestyle, and my habits & tastes into account. Arttu didn’t prescribe meal plans, he taught me how to listen to my body and use food to fuel it while maintaining my health. When I had questions he was always there to truly listen and answer “why” first, and then “how”.

Tim, 62 Years Old

When I turned 60, I wanted help to improve my strength, flexibility, aerobic fitness and overall health. Although I had been an athlete in high school, I had not spent any significant time in a gym since then. I’ve had the very good fortune to work with Arttu consistently over the past year and have become a devoted fan. He has been a fantastic trainer and coach for me. He looks at where I’m at in my own journey and designs training that’s appropriate for my goals and current level of skill.

I particularly appreciate that Arttu focuses on progress over the long run rather than driving for short-term, more superficial results. This has enabled me to make significant improvements in my health and fitness without hurting myself or burning out. He gives me just the right degree of support and challenge to keep things interesting. 

Additionally, Arttu is an encyclopedia of physiology and nutrition knowledge. He provides lots of useful information about food, sleep, how my body responds to stress, and how best to adjust my behaviors in order to improve the quality of my life.

I wholeheartedly recommend Arttu to anyone who is searching for a knowledgeable trainer and coach who really looks at where you are and creates a personalized program that addresses your specific goals.