What Our Athletes Say

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Zach is a rare talent in the world of strength and conditioning. Working with a cardio-focused, high-endurance sport like rowing, he mastered the challenge of building strength and muscle while preventing injury in athletes who spend years performing repetitive motion. His ability to create individualized programs for athletes of different genders, boat classes, and weight categories ensured that every person saw measurable improvements tailored to their unique needs. What sets Zach apart is his holistic approach. He emphasizes proper technique over shortcuts, helping athletes build strength safely and sustainably. His expertise in injury prevention and rehabilitation was critical in my return to sport after two hip surgeries, and his programs laid the foundation for long-term health and performance. Whether you're an athlete transitioning to life after sport or someone looking to stay strong and injury-free, Zach has the knowledge and experience to help you achieve your goals with confidence.

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During my time training with the Canadian National Rowing Team, I had the privilege of being coached by Zach. It was widely acknowledged within the team that his strength programming was one of the cornerstones of our training. In the year I worked with him, I made the most significant strength gains of my rowing career. In fact, there was a stretch of several months where I consistently hit personal bests across all our major compound lifts. Beyond strength, Zach's attention to detail and well-structured guidance helped me refine my form and significantly improve my power application on the water. What truly set him apart was his ability to listen to feedback and adjust the program to suit my individual needs, ensuring I was always training in the most effective and sustainable way possible.

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As a high-performance athlete, we're always striving for that extra 1%. For me, it was improving my strength, and it wasn't until I started working with Zach that I realized I could improve by 5-10%. Zach helped take me from a national team rower to an Olympic silver medalist. He's not only incredibly knowledgeable in strength and conditioning, but also highly adaptable. Always prioritizing the athlete, he creates tailored programs to ensure we reach our peak performance. I can't recommend anyone more highly than Zach.

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I cannot speak highly enough of our strength and conditioning coach, Zach. His deep knowledge of what it takes to be a high-performance athlete comes from both his extensive experience and his background as an athlete himself. Zach understands the nuances of training and was continuously developing innovative ways to help us progress. What I appreciated most about Zach was how he tailored the training to be specifically applicable to rowing. Every session was thoughtfully designed to enhance not only raw strength, but functional power and endurance, which translated directly to our performance on the water. Zach truly puts athletes first. He takes the time to understand your individual needs and goals, always looking out for your best interests, whether that means adjusting the workload or offering advice on recovery. He fosters an environment where communication is always open, and he genuinely listens. Above all, Zach made training fun. His positive attitude and engaging approach made each lifting session something I looked forward to. He's not only a great coach but also an amazing person to be around. I've learned so much from him and I'm incredibly grateful for his guidance throughout my Olympic journey.

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As a Canadian national athlete who has worked closely with Zach over the last 3 years, I can confidently say that he is a highly professional coach, with his primary focus on the athletes needs. Zach balanced the demand of building strength while maintaining overall excellence for the whole team. He took the time to see us as people and not just athletes, to listen and support us on a daily basis. When recovering from injury, Zach played a key role in my support team, ensuring I was able to resume sport in a healthy manner while also motivating me on my individual path. Zach was an incredible asset to our team and a key player in my individual and our team success. I will miss seeing him in our daily training environment but wish him well on his next endeavor.

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Working with Zach has been a game-changer for me—not just in the weight room but on the water as well. His incredible attention to detail and ability to break down movement patterns helped me make huge technical changes that directly improved my rowing performance and mitigated injuries. Every session was tailored not just to getting stronger, but to moving better, with a focus on efficiency and precision that translated seamlessly into my stroke. His knowledge, dedication, and coaching style made a massive impact on my training, and I'm so grateful for his role in my development as an athlete. On top of that, his contagious positive energy and enthusiasm for training make every session something to look forward to.

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The first thing Zach told me was that in order to achieve what I want, I must fully trust him. Then he wanted to know about me as a person, then my sport. To me that was so new because I've been fortunate enough to work with reputable trainers for prominent sport franchises across North America and I never had that type of introduction prior to working with a trainer. The way in which he constructs his programs is we are going to build a legitimate foundation before we build an exceptional athlete. He doesn't believe in skipping steps nor is he intimidated by who you are in your athletic career. He goes about his job with respect, desire and unbelievable passion. Moments have come about to where I feel he wants me to succeed more than myself. Which for an athlete is something many of us don't experience from our trainers. With Zach communication is imperative! The constant feedback is vital as it is essential not only to the overall relationship of athlete(s) and trainer but to how he can modify a particular exercise so that we maximize what it is we're trying to accomplish. Also a personal favourite quality about Zach he isn't afraid to change what he has already planned. Many trainers are set in their ways and feel they know everything and you're just an athlete. But that isn't the case with Zach. He is always open to fresh ideas and comprehends every athlete(s) are different regardless of the sport. With that said he builds the program specifically towards that individual athlete(s) not just the sport in which they play. Under his leadership I believe he's not only helped me physically but mentally as well. It's not just about the lifting weights, running, doing drills. He educates and prepares me on the human body so I comprehend why we're doing what we're doing with the correlation to my respective sport. He has an obsession with small details and will constantly remind you of them. Whether it's your foot position on a step up or the angle of your rib cage during a core exercise, he will say it every single time until we make a weakness a strength. The biggest thing for myself personally is his positive attitude! He is such a positive human being that you have no choice but to join him and become positive yourself.

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My name is James Philpott and I had the pleasure of training with Zach Kalthoff. Last off-season was a big one for me as I was coming out of Midget AA and was hoping to crack a tight AAA Buffaloes squad. Right from the start Zach was asking what our goals were for the upcoming year. Within the first week he had us on meal personalized plans to help us eat healthier and to gain the weight needed to reach the next level. Zach's attention to detail goes unmatched. He truly teaches you how to train in the best and safest way possible. One of his main worries is the long term health of his athletes. Zach always has athletes' health and goals in mind and puts his best effort forward to make sure that they are on the right path to achieve those goals in a way that is not harming to their bodies. I came into last Spring/Summer as a AA player hoping to play AAA. I have now completed one of my best seasons yet with the AAA Buffaloes and have committed to play Junior A in the BCHL and I strongly believe that Zach and his training have played a big role in this! I would highly recommend Zach and his program to any athlete that is serious about their sport and the push to make it to that next level.

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After I had my first session with Zach back in December of 2015 I knew that I was in for a very difficult offseason but that it would be well worth it. I was 2 and a half years removed from a dislocated knee which required surgery in which I had my PCL, LCL, lateral meniscus and hamstring tendon repaired. Even though I had been back on field for two years and was fresh off a season in which I started every game I still had some mental and physical limitations when it came to my knee. To add to that, I had been suffering from a left shoulder impingement that was causing me to have stingers and resulted in me losing a lot of strength. Zach's approach was far different from other people that I had worked with. He took time to identify what my limitations were and we attacked them from the start. Instead of being worried about strength numbers and doing traditional football player lifting he focused on quality of movement and doing things pain free. For my knee we focused on single leg strength and balance which helped me get over most of the mental hurdles that I had. I went from not feeling comfortable doing anything dynamic without wearing a knee brace to be able to do plyometric and agility drills without my brace in only a few months. The shoulder rehab might have been more remarkable given how much change was made in the short period of time we had together. In December my left arm had about 50% of the strength that my right arm did and almost any pressing movement caused pain. By April I was able to do everything again and was back to full strength. Now my training with Zach doesn't involve as much rehab as it did before but we still focus on functional movement, stability and training pain free. Going into my 6th year of professional football Zach finds a lot of different exercises to challenge me but also minimize risk of injury and prevent injuries in the future. I can honestly say that I haven't trained with someone who puts as much into his athletes as Zach and would recommend athletes of all ages and skill levels to train with Zach.

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Coming off of hip surgery December 23rd 2015 I never thought I would be ready for training camp that started mid-may. But somehow the power may be that Zach had me not only ready to go but in the best shape of my career. Definitely a love hate relationship as he knows how to push me just hard enough that I get a great lift in, but I don't have to beat the shit out of him after. Now the year is 2018 and I knew what I had to do after coming off of a season that wasn't my greatest. Back with Zach this off season and only two months in I could honestly make it through another training camp right now as is. But with two months left to go I feel like I will be in the best shape of my life, not only strong and fast but more mobile which is the most important part about being a professional athlete. Zach goes above and beyond what most trainers do, when something hurts or the body's not feeling right he won't tell you to skip that certain exercise, he will find a different more effective corrective exercise to accommodate my needs. Zach stresses strength through mobility and movement which is something that most football players forget about. Although most training days with Zach are gruelling, I know the payoff will be worth it. Zach is extremely dedicated to his athletes' success, he programs specifically to each individual athlete's needs, and is highly invested in all his athletes no matter the level, experience or age. If anyone ever asked me where they should train or who they should train with Zach is the only name I would put forward.

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I have trained with Zach for the past 4 years and he is one of the most knowledgeable trainers I have ever had. He has been instrumental in me becoming the athlete I am today. After having off season hip surgery, Zach was a huge part of my rehab. He worked closely with my physiotherapist to ensure I had the best team to help me recover back to 100%. Zach understands when to push yourself after an injury and how far to safely push it. His knowledge for athletics is unparalleled. His attention to detail is second to none, focusing on areas that are crucial to not only your sport, but your position in the sport. If you disagree with something Zach says, he's more than willing to discuss why he tells you to do what he does, showing that there is a reason for everything he teaches. Zach helped me develop a diet plan to help me reach my weight and strength goal. Zach is always there to go above and beyond and is a huge reason I am the athlete I am today.

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Working with Zach this past summer was by far the most productive summer of training I've had for sure. His understanding of not only strength training but also mobility and nutrition helped me marvellously in achieving my offseason goals. Myself being a hockey player it was a nice change being able to have Zach and his hockey-specific mobility and strength regimen to help me take a very positive step towards bettering myself on and off the ice. Zach is a very positive and professional trainer and knows exactly how to get the most out of his athletes that are lucky enough to work with him. I appreciate everything that he's done for me and have nothing but positive to take from working with him.

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I have been training with Zach Kalthoff for 5 years now and have no doubt that I wouldn't be where I am today without his support and guidance in helping me become a better athlete. This is the first year I have trained with him with 1 on 1 sessions and in a matter of 8 weeks I have already went from 158 Lbs to 172 Lbs and every workout I have with him I have gotten a new personal best. Training with Zach is always the best part of my days—he's always smiling and brings a tremendous amount of positive energy day in and day out and he makes it fun to go to the gym. His programs are not one-size-fits-all—he takes the time to create a different program specifically designed for each and every athlete and what they need to focus on. To me that just goes to show how dedicated he is to helping his athletes achieve their goals. Before I started these 1 on 1 sessions I had a lot of muscular imbalances and joint issues like a clicking knee and ankle as well as a shifted scapula, but with Zach's oversight and cues on certain exercises, my knee clicking has completely gone away and my scapula are getting more aligned with each other. The rare trait about Zach that I believe separates him from all the other trainers I have had is that he wants you to succeed just as much or even more than you do. He keeps me in check and makes sure I'm on track every day to achieve our goals we set out prior to us starting training. There is nothing better than having that person who can push you to a whole other level that you never knew you had and I'm extremely excited to see what the future holds.

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Zach has been a fantastic asset to our sports science team. Personally I started to work with Zach at the beginning of January. The first day we met Zach we started working on basic fundamental movements. It was so surprising that a large majority of our team couldn't perform these tasks due to the lack of physical literacy skills they had developed in their youth years. He made everyone feel so welcomed and made it clear from day one that our training time is a time to learn and develop as a player. Zach always has in mind what is best for each specific athlete he is working with. Although we train in a team setting he is able to adapt the workout for someone with an injury, but still pushes that player to be the best that they can be. Zach also had individual player meetings with every member on our team. I really appreciated this because he wasn't just coming in giving us all the same generic program. He actually took the time to sit down with each player individually to talk to them about their past/current injuries, what our strengths and weaknesses are, and help us set goals for 6 months from when we started with him and for the start of preseason in August. He also talked to each of us about nutrition, our sleep patterns, and how we could improve in these areas. As a university athlete I really enjoyed that part because I find when school gets challenging my nutrition and sleep are the two aspects that take less priority, but now understanding the importance of them I try my best to ensure that I take care of my body to perform better not only as a soccer player but as a student as well. The programs that Zach designs for us again are individual and he focuses a lot on proper technique which is very important in injury prevention. The wellness of his athletes is always Zach's number one priority. The first day we worked with him he told everyone on our team to go and buy a foam roller, and every session we work with Zach we roll out our IT bands to prevent several different injuries. Before working with Zach our team was honestly afraid to get pushed too hard. He has fostered a competitive mindset within the players, wanting to improve every day and that we have to be the hardest working team in this off season if we want to see the results in the fall. I am now much more aware of areas I need to work on and I have a better understanding of my strengths using this to my advantage. There is always a method behind his madness—he makes sure that we understand why we are doing what we do or teaches us why we are doing it specifically to our sport. He also has created a warmup for our team that we follow before every practice, lift, and conditioning session to be sure that we are prepared for the session to follow. Zach holds our team to an accountability level that with due time will take our program to the next level. He truly wants the best for the athletic department and we are so lucky to have him be a part of our family right now. He is providing us with superb coaching, pushing us every session to be better than we were yesterday and is a critical member of our program. I have worked with many different strength and conditioning coaches in my life and Zach 100% is the most educated, qualified and knowledgeable coach out there. To push not only women's soccer, but all of Mount Royal University athletics to the next level, Zach is a critical piece of that puzzle.

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Over the past two years Zach Kalthoff has had an enormous impact on the Mount Royal Men's Soccer program both on and off the field. Zach joined us with a knowledgeable sport background and experiences with one of the biggest schools in Canada Interuniversity Sport. Zach's continuous drive to continue learning and growing is a major key to why he is a great role model for all student athletes. Zach's attention to detail and commitment is second to none. The first day we met Zach he promised he would never be late and has stuck to his word, even during less than optimal driving conditions and 7am weight sessions. The attention Zach shows to form, technique and tempo while in the gym are all very crucial elements that are often ignored or have been failed to be taught by other coaches. Goal setting has had a tremendous impact on our team as a whole. Each winter we have had the opportunity to sit down with Zach for individual goal setting meetings and outline our individual needs, wants and plans for the off season. During our meetings we analyze our fitness testing scores and compare them to the rest of the team and other players. Zach creates customized programs for our players to achieve their goals during our lengthy off season. Another area that Zach has helped us make major changes is through diet. During our individual meetings Zach breaks down our diet, what we have been eating and what we need to be eating to add muscle, lose fat and perform at the highest level. Zach has been an extension of our head coach and has become more than just a strength and conditioning coach. Almost every day during the season Zach is out on the field with us running warm ups, cool downs, and even coaching the goalies with Jordan Santiago. Zach has shown an enormous amount of dedication to the guys and in return has earned everyone's respect and gratitude. During playoffs Zach even took a bus out to Vancouver on his own to be there with the team. These are just a few of the many things Zach does for us. As a team we feel that Zach has improved our program and culture in many ways that can't be measured or counted. Zach's attention to detail, his commitment, experience and his continued drive and motivation are all important reasons we believe Zach is the right strength and conditioning coach for MRU Athletics.

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Since Zach has joined our program as our trainer I have noticed a significant change in my ability as an athlete. Zach's effort day in, day out is second to none. His dedication to producing better athletes is something he prides himself with. Never have I seen him step foot in the gym or on the field without being positive, motivating, and caring. Since Zach has started with our program, he has set up multiple individual meetings for every player to go over goals on the field, in the weight room, and outside of school. With that he has created personalized programs with regards to weight training and nutrition. For myself, I have followed what he has given me, and I have not only met but exceeded my goals. There is no doubt that if I continue with Zach I will become fitter, faster, and stronger. When it comes to in the gym, Zach really shows his knowledge. His attention to detail is incredible. With every exercise he makes sure you are clear on what is expected with regards to form and technique. He pushes you to break out of your comfort zone and push past your limits which is something I have never had throughout my athletic career. For me personally, Zach has put in so much time and effort to ensure that I am injury free and strong enough to maintain my soccer career at an elite level even after my time at MRU is done. He is also emotionally invested in the team culture and puts in a significant amount of effort to make a positive impact. Zach puts his athletes first and develops a relationship with everyone. In the short time that Zach has been with our team he has become someone that I go to when I'm struggling with problems outside of my athletics and this is something that motivates me to work for him. With the addition of Zach and his extensive knowledge, attention to detail, and genuine care for the athletes, there is no doubt that every single team of the Mount Royal Cougars Program will benefit exponentially.

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I've known Zach for at least 6 years and throughout that time I have had other fitness coaches and he is by far one of the best (if not the best) fitness trainer I have had. Zach is a very experienced fitness trainer by having a Kinesiology degree and working in the sports industry for many years. He worked with one of the best fitness groups in Calgary called Vergie Speed, which I was a part of for a long time. Being a part of this fitness group helped me be at my best performance throughout my soccer career. Zach is a great fitness coach because not only is he very knowledgeable about the human body but also is also very personable with his clients. For example, if a player were to have an injury he would tailor the fitness program specifically to the player's needs. Although Zach has played varsity soccer at University of British Columbia, he is very knowledgeable about many other sports such as basketball, hockey and volleyball. He has trained many of these kinds of athletes and he understands the needs of different sports. Overall, Zach would be a perfect fit in the Cougars community as he possesses the knowledge and the right personality to fit the Cougar environment. Zach will help all teams reach their goals and will help each player develop stronger physically and mentally. Zach will deliver results that are wanted and help our Cougar community do great things. #GoCougars

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After I received news I tore my ACL and LCL in the summer of 2017 I was devastated, however after my multiple meetings with Zach I know I am in safe hands. With his educational background he is incredibly knowledgeable and eager to continuously learn and grow with his teams, which I think is important when choosing a strength and conditioning (S&C) coach. He has taken our Mount Royal Men's Soccer Team to the next level with our personal goals for bettering ourselves both on and off the field. Personally, I have seen my nutrition, strength, power and recovery improve drastically due to the work Zach has put in for us. Alex and I received specialized strength programs pre-surgery that has been instrumental in our recovery times for playing. From personal experience with many S&C coaches over the years, I can say that Zachary Kalthoff is by far the best I have ever had because of his attention to detail and determination to help each athlete reach their individual goals. With the Cougars decision to hire one S&C coach across all 8 teams, I can only see Zach being the best fit for the role.

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I have personally had the pleasure of knowing Zach Kalthoff for the last five years, which turned out to be my most successful years both on and off the ice. Working with Zach is unlike any training experience I had previously had. The exercises are more specific, and programs were specifically designed for my needs as a hockey player, ensuring that I was getting the advantage over competition and was achieving my potential. I started training with Zach when I was playing Minor Midget AAA hockey and was seeking to elevate my game to make it to the next level. After our work in the off-season, I was able to have an incredible year and received several invites to Major Junior and Junior A teams. Skip ahead two years later, and two years more of having the best workout plans in place for my needs, and I am playing Major Midget AAA for the same Calgary Buffaloes organization. I had the year of my life, making the Macs Midget Tournament All-Star Team and winning goaltender of the year for the Buffaloes. This was all after being crushed and the last one cut the year before. Me and Zach had some work to do both physically and mentally. Zach taught me multiple ways to stay positive and keep the end goal in mind. Working through the tough things in life isn't easy, and it was amazing being able to have someone there to help guide me back onto the right track. At this point it wasn't a trainer-client relationship, and I considered Zach to be one of my good friends, and someone I greatly looked up to. Zach has always been there for me as a friend and I can recall many times where he was the first person I would call when something was happening. This trainer/friend/athlete/client relationship is something special and easily creates a better training environment for any athlete, resulting in better and faster results. Zach takes the time to get to know his clients because he truly wants the best for them and cares about giving them the tools to be the best they can. I am now in my freshman year of school at Grand Canyon University and was lucky enough to receive a scholarship to play hockey for them. I owe a ton of my success to Zach for all the extra he put into me and our relationship. He is the first person I would recommend as a trainer and know that he is the best option for any athlete looking to gain an edge up on the competition in their respected sport.

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I have had the privilege of having Zach as a strength and conditioning coach for various points of my soccer career. During these different times, the training we did was always very specific to not only me as a soccer player but as a developing athlete. I have worked with many other strength and conditioning coaches, and the one thing that makes Zach stand out is that he treats players as individuals and understands that we are all different and need to work on different things. Other strength and conditioning coaches I have had fail to understand the differences between not only individual athletes, but also the appropriate training for different sports. Zach's ability to understand the needs of individual athletes and differences in each sport makes him the best strength and conditioning coach I have ever had. My team, the Mount Royal University Women's Soccer Team has had the privilege of working with Zach since the start of January, and we have already seen improvements in our game play. The training he does with us is vital to the development of the team and has been an important step in the success of the program. We are continually pushed in training and are expected to learn and work hard from each session. Zach not only gives us drills to do, he perfects our form and teaches us why we do the specific training we are and how it is important to our gameplay. He has given me the knowledge to be able to make corrections when I am training by myself so that I can prevent injuries and perfect my form. I think that Zach has been an amazing influence on our team and I hope to be able to continue to train with him in the future. He has truly helped improve the soccer program and is continually pushing us to be the best we can be. I have seen my biggest improvements when working with Zach and I think all of Mount Royal Athletics would benefit from having him as their strength and conditioning coach.

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Zach has been an amazing strength and conditioning coach for our team. He is extremely experienced and qualified. Zach makes our conditioning program not only sport specific, but also individualized for each athlete. He has taken the time to get to each and every one of us through meetings and practices. Zach spends so much time developing programs that will help benefit us as individuals and also as a team. He is extremely knowledgeable not only when it comes to strength and conditioning, but also on the subjects of nutrition and injury prevention. Zach has improved our team's work ethic, fitness, agility, strength, speed and endurance and with Zach I think that our team can really accomplish a lot this coming season. We started working with him at the beginning of January, and have already seen many improvements. Zach ensures that we all understand how and why we are doing things. I find this very helpful, because he relates everything that we are doing back to our sport and makes sure that we understand how the movements we do can be translated to a game. Zach sets the standards on what he expects each athlete to achieve which is also super helpful. Since Zach knows where our strength and conditioning levels should be for university level female athletes, we can compare where we are now to where we need to be come pre-season. Zach pushes us to improve with every practice and wants to make us the best that we can be. He makes sure that we are always pushing our limits and continually learning and growing as athletes. I think that Zach is exactly what our team and program need and we are extremely fortunate that he is working with us. I have had a lot of different strength and conditioning coaches in the past, and Zach is the most experienced, knowledgeable and qualified coach I have had. I really appreciate all that he does for our team, and I think that we are so lucky to have him at MRU! Another aspect of Zach's training that I think is super important is that he puts a huge emphasis on injury prevention. Zach has gotten to know all of our past injuries and places a lot of importance on prevention and recovery. Zach is very focused on helping us develop our athletic skills, but even more he is concerned with keeping us healthy and avoiding injuries. I am super thankful that we have Zach and I truly believe that he will help our team and the MRU program succeed. I think that Zach is exactly what MRU needs to succeed in athletics and we are so fortunate to have him work with us.

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Zach Kalthoff is one of the most dedicated and motivational trainers I have ever been with. I have trained with Zach for the past 3 years and have noticed a drastic improvement on not only my physical strength but also my day to day health. Zach continually pushed myself to become a better athlete and individual in each and every one of our sessions. Zach is a very sociable and easy to talk to, which is what made training with Zach so much fun. As a hockey player, injuries were also a factor while working out. What I have noticed with Zach is that he is so properly educated on his lifting and techniques that I was able to prevent many injuries other athletes would have experienced during training and was able to learn from what he had to say. I strongly recommend choosing Zach Kalthoff if you want to improve yourself as an athlete.

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I have had the pleasure of being trained by Zach for the last 6 years and he has made my training experience both thoroughly enjoyable and extremely effective. It's rare to find someone that can motivate you every day of the week no matter how you feel, and Zach does precisely that. His high attention to detail combined with his extensive knowledge means you are getting the most out of your training. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Zach and highly recommend anyone to train with him.

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I've trained with Zach as my strength coach for two consecutive summers now. I came in originally having weaknesses with my quickness and foot speed. Thanks to Zach's coaching and corrective program, tailored specifically for me, I would now consider those former weaknesses as strengths. These corrections have in turn increased my mobility on the ice, making my skating my greatest strength. However, Zach's greatest influence on me has not just been his ability to coach, but rather his ability to teach. Telling me or the other members of our workout group the reason for doing something, rather than just having us do it, has given us all a better understanding on how to actually exercise properly and effectively to get the best results. Armed with Zach's teachings and guidance, my workouts will be much more effective going forward.

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Zach has been an incredible asset to Mount Royal Women's Soccer this off season. We have already improved so much in our conditioning, strength, agility, and mindset. His attention to individual needs, detailed technique, and injury prevention are something that I've never had to this extent with any other fitness coach. After working with Zach for only a few months, my fitness testing numbers improved greatly. Before working with Zach, I felt as though I was in a rut and wasn't making any progress with my fitness, but with his help I have finally been able to see results. His knowledge, training, and expertise is evident in every exercise we do. He always makes sure we understand why we are doing the drills and exercises that we are doing, and how they will help us in our performance. His nutritional instruction outside of the gym has also helped to improve our individual and team performances. Zach develops a multitude of well-rounded athletes both inside and outside of the gym. I am confident that Zach will help not only MRU Women's Soccer, but every team at Mount Royal, to reach their performance goals.

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Zach has been a huge help to our team this winter season. He gives us great soccer specific workouts and helps push us to the next level. He also helps our team be accountable and has us doing exercises for prevention of injury that I would not normally be doing without him. It would benefit our team to have Zach back next year.

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Zach is everything you look for in a trainer, he's understanding, flexible as well as understanding what an athlete goes through mentally and physically. He is very sport specific for whichever sport you are training for. He's extremely dedicated to his clients as he designs and organizes workout plans in order to get you to the next level or wherever you have set your goals!

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Zach was the S&C lead during the two years that I've been rowing at the national training centre, and I couldn't have asked for a more kind, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic coach in the weight room. Though his expertise in programming and technical coaching was always apparent and valuable, what really stood out to me was how thoughtful, conscientious, and collaborative Zach was in any situation. Even when there were 20+ athletes lifting at a time—and usually everyone asked him at least one question during the workout—he took the time to really listen to each person and find a solution for them that day, whether it was adapting the program for an injury, adjusting the exercise to better address a mobility issue, or making sure we had the proper form to push our limits. He was always eager to learn more about rowing, discuss my specific goals and weaknesses, and individualize my training plan to help me address them; I would not be where I am now without his dedication and patience. He showed this commitment and care to every individual, and yet at the same time he was able to keep the team environment structured, organized, and a lot of fun! With Zach as my coach I always looked forward to weights, and knew that he truly cared and was there to help no matter what.

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Zach Kalthoff embodies high performance strength and conditioning with his extensive expertise, vast knowledge and experience working with professional athletes. He creates a welcoming learning environment that not only targets key fundamental movements but also produces results. I have gained both muscular strength and knowledge working with Zach and especially appreciate his ability to help program for the big picture/end goal. Zach has been a key contributor to my rowing success over the past few years and I am extremely grateful to have worked with such an amazing and inspiring strength coach.

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I had the pleasure of working with Zach as my strength coach as an athlete for Rowing Canada, and I can't recommend him highly enough. From day one, he was incredibly welcoming, making sure I felt comfortable and supported in every session. His creativity with exercises kept training both effective and engaging, always finding new ways to challenge me while keeping things fun. With his background in soccer he was able to use his expertise and make the Rowing Canada athletes more agile and more athletic — which trust me is a difficult feat! Beyond his expertise, what stood out the most was how much he genuinely cared—not just about my performance, but also about my well-being. He took the time to check in, adjust workouts when needed, and always made sure I was progressing safely. Thanks to his guidance, I've grown stronger and more confident in my rowing and injury prevention. To me Zach is the definition of high performance and he takes that into each aspect of his life. If you're looking for a coach who is knowledgeable, supportive, and truly invested in your success, Zach is the one!

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Zach brings enthusiasm and professionalism to every session he leads. He seamlessly manages many athletes in dynamic environments, integrating creativity in his programming to meet individual needs. His training has had a lasting impact on my performance, and I highly recommend him to any high performance program looking to optimize results.

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I began training with Zach five years ago, first on a weekly basis with my team, and continued on with more personal training to further enhance my performance as a player. Zach not only developed, but primed the skills that are integral to my game. He incorporated agility, strength, and extensive cardio into each session, always ensuring they consisted of new drills and exercises to keep the training effective. He challenges and pushes you to your limits. Zach has a very positive and motivational approach to training which creates a fun and competitive atmosphere. Over the past few years Zach has also provided nutritional advice to further enhance my athletic performance, along with the knowledge of common training principles that I carry forward. Zach genuinely cares about his athletes and wishes to see each succeed. Due to University commitments, I am no longer playing soccer, and therefore no longer training with Zach. However, he still continues to check in periodically with me, and ask how my current training regimen is going, continuing to provide assistance if need be.