Meet The Face Behind Matt K Training
I’m Matt Kostek, the proud owner of Matt K Training.
I look forward to sharing my story. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know me better.
In the Beginning
As far back as I can remember, I instinctively took a holistic approach to health and physical performance. I always wanted to be strong, fit, and able to perform well in sports. I knew that just lifting weights wouldn’t be enough, I also had to pay attention to other aspects of my health. So, upon graduating high school, I attended Springfield College (a school that has encouraged a holistic approach to health for 100+ years) where I studied exercise science.
Since then, I’ve spent most of my career working within the health and fitness domain, building up over twenty years of experience as a Trainer and Coach. In 2002, I entered graduate school at the University of Connecticut. Ten years later I had earned an MS (Health Promotion) then a Ph.D. (Kinesiology), along with several years of experience teaching college level nutrition and exercise science courses as well as conducting and publishing exercise science research.
Matt K Training
Even though I’d earned a wide variety of experience and skills, I could not find a suitable, fulfilling professional position that allowed me to continue to grow, as well and fully realize my unique mix of skills and experience. I decided the best way create that scenario would be to design the position myself, as a business owner. Now, with my “solopreneurship”, Matt K Training, I serve others better by capitalizing on my deep well of skills and experience while continuing to grow.
Since starting my personal training and nutritionist services three years ago, I’ve had to evolve rapidly due to COVID-19. During the pandemic, I began to offer online sessions, which has allowed my services to expand significantly. Currently, people interested in exercise and/or nutrition coaching can now opt for in-person sessions, remote sessions, or a combination of the two to meet their needs.
My Approach
Getting back to the holistic model, I remind folks that to truly succeed, all three “pillars”, need to be strong. What and how we eat, (or nourish our bodies), move (exercise, as well as overall physical activity), and recover (both as the day goes on, and the quality of our sleep) are intertwined. When achieving health and/or performance-related goals, we need to eat, move, and recover well.
When starting with a new client, I make sure we first build a quality vision. Having the outcome in mind allows for more effective, strategic, and realistic goals. If the goal isn’t serving the outcome, why set it? Goals are then achieved through appropriate and consistent practice and refinement of daily actions. This is how all my exercise prescriptions, as well as nutrition programming are structured, starting from the outcome and working backwards to where the client is now. For more on how you can set effective goals, check this out.
In addition, I provide my clients with honest feedback, and prudence towards new developments in the field, especially those that offer immediate and/or profound results. In the health and human performance, we are all bound by the principle of individuality, in that every person will respond differently to the same treatment and/or program. Said differently, one size doesn’t fit all. Though, being strategic and consistent with daily actions, having faith in the system, and giving permission to enjoy things (rather than punish ourselves) remains the best approach to achieving lasting change.
I believe my approach, along with my unique mix of skills and experience, sets me apart from other Coaches in this field. As a result, I’ve had several clients achieve wild success in the past year, reaching the targets we set together. This includes weight loss-related goals but also performance goals such as smashing a previous running pace or returning to an activity they haven’t done is years (or thought they never could). You can read about some of them here. I find it rewarding to share these successes. I find rewards in the daily actions as well, for me, I gain positive energy and satisfaction after a single successful session with a client.
When Not Working
When I’m not putting clients through their paces, I enjoy indoor activities such as playing strategy board games (like this one and this one) and reading science fiction literature (One of my current favorites: Peter Hamilton). Yeah, I know, where do those come from? I think those activities are great way to occupy my mind with something different for a while, allowing, what I like to call an “active” recharge. I also enjoy strumming my guitar, finding creative ways to eat oatmeal, among other foods, and being a good dad to my seven-year-old. By the way, I love oatmeal and I’ll eat it plain, however, being a staple in my diet, it needs some variety.
I also enjoy more active pursuits. I regularly go hiking, backpacking, and camping. Yes, even in the winter. One thing I miss is rock climbing. For years rock climbing was a regular, more of an automatic, activity in my life. It fell away during grad school; I intend to get it back to some degree (no pun intended). After a two-year COVID hiatus, I started playing baseball in a competitive adult league, and I’m looking forward to the season ahead. My enjoyment of these activities reminds me how important it is, not only to remain active but to eat and recover well too. I am bound to the same principles as those I serve, best way to achieve success in health and physical performance? Find and practice ways to eat, move, and recover well, so that you can continue enjoying the activities and experiences you love.
That is what I hope to do for you.
I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things which matter to me and how they influence the way I do business.
If you or someone you know could benefit from my expertise as a personal trainer and nutritionist in Northampton, MA, I invite you to contact me. Please visit my website at www.mattktraining.com.
Sincerely,
Matt