About John Paul

John Paul Catanzaro, BSc Kin, CSEP-CEP, CSEP-HPS, is a CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist and a CSEP High Performance Specialist with a Specialized Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private training facility in Richmond Hill, Ontario. In 1996, John Paul opened a personal training studio at his home in Toronto, Ontario. With vision and passion, the business quickly grew and the word got out: “If you want to get in shape, go see this guy!” Now located in Richmond Hill, Ontario, the business boasts a state-of-the-art training facility and a waiting list of clients. John Paul founded The Catanzaro Group in 2004 with divisions in fitness, nutrition, supplements, lifestyle, seminars, and publishing. In 2010, Catanzaro Supplements was introduced, a new line of nutritional supplements with the objective of providing high quality supplements in a convenient form at an affordable rate. Over the years, John Paul has appeared on television and has written articles for several publications, including American Academy of Health and Fitness (AAHF) Gamut eJournal, Bodybuilding.com, Bodybuilding Italia, canfitpro Magazine, Coaching One-On-One, Dolfzine, FitCommerce, Fitness Business Canada, Fitness Professional Online, Fitness Trainer, Flare, grrlAthlete.com, Intense Fitness, Men’s Health, Mercola.com, MuscleMag International, Olympian’s News, Personal Trainer Development Center, Personal Training on the Net, Planet Muscle, Quest For Advanced Condition, SelfGrowth.com, SpotMeBro.com, Testosterone (aka T-Mag.com and T-Nation.com), TheGymLifestyle.com and Wannabebig.com. His newsletters are informative and entertaining, and he has provided reviews for numerous publications, including the inaugural edition of Sport First Aid in Canada. John Paul has authored six books, The Elite Trainer (2011), Mass Explosion (2013), The Business of Personal Training (2014), The Warm-Up (2016), Lean and Mean (2017), and Invincible (2022), and has released two DVDs, Stretching for Strengthening (2003) and Warm-Up to Strength Training (2005), which have sold copies worldwide, featured in several magazines, and been endorsed by industry-leading experts. John Paul has also released four webinars, Strength Training Parameters and Program Design (2013), Body Composition Strategies (2013), The Business of Personal Training (2014), and Injury Prevention Strategies for Aging Athletes (2016), providing the latest cutting-edge information to fitness professionals. Throughout his career, John Paul has consulted for various corporations. He’s worked with law enforcement personnel and has contributed to the Toronto Police Service health and wellness program. John Paul has worked with bodybuilders, fitness models, athletes, and coaches ranging from amateur ranks to national-level caliber. John Paul is one of the premier trainers in Canada. Building a reputation for getting his clients in top shape quickly, his expertise has not gone unnoticed by other health practitioners who attend his private studio regularly for instruction. John Paul has attracted the attention of various fitness-related organizations seeking lectures and workshops. The list includes canfitpro, Certified Professional Trainers Network, Granite Club, Masters Swimming Canada, Ontario Kinesiology Association, Ontario Society for Health and Fitness, Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club, and more. Those who experience his presentations have dubbed him “the man with an encyclopedic mind.”

The hanging-band method sounds like church bells and feels like a “new religion” for many people! So, what kind of results can you get with this method? Take a look at A 15-Year-Old Making Progress in the Gym, and then check out the video below to see how many weighted chin-ups that same 15-year-old—now 16—cranked…

The isometronic training method is a powerful way to build muscle size and strength. Think of it as rack training—on steroids! Traditionally, it requires two sets of safety pins on each side of a power rack, allowing you to target the top, middle, and bottom third of a lift’s range. After completing a number of…

Here’s a post-workout shake recipe courtesy of my client, John. It contains: Believe it or not, taking some caffeine right after you train can speed up the delivery of nutrients into your system. I discuss this strategy in Carbs, Caffeine, and Training: A New Approach for Muscle Growth. If you’d like to learn more about…

IronMind implements are a great way to improve your grip. In the video below, I’m using a pinch-grip block, but there are many more tools you can explore: https://www.ironmind-store.com/Pinch-Grip-Tools/products/40/. There are two ways to incorporate these into your workout, depending on what phase of training you’re in: a) Extensive Phase: 3–4 sets of 4–6 reps,…

Check out this home gym—it belongs to a couple I train. They made a smart decision to purchase the equipment back in April, right after their gym shut down. Granted, it took a while for all the pieces to arrive, but now they’re fully set up. With the recent wave of gym closures, more and…

Everyone trains their upper and lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves—but neck training often gets neglected. That’s a mistake! Remember: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and your posterior chain is no exception. Eccentric Method A strong neck is important, and one of the best ways to build it is through…

Things get busy—and potentially stressful—when kids head back to school. I’ve got three kids (one in grade school, one in high school, and one in university), and my wife is a teacher. That means I need to keep my crew strong and resilient. In addition to a solid foundation of nutrition, exercise, and sleep, a…

Coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a ritual. Here’s a glimpse into how I start (and sometimes end) my day. ☀️ Morning Ritual My stovetop espresso blend includes: I absolutely love the aroma and taste of this combination! With my morning coffee, I also enjoy a small handful of nuts. Here’s a peek at the raw,…

The Single-Leg Cable Romanian Deadlift is a deceptive exercise. Judy makes it look easy in the video, but don’t be fooled—it’s much more challenging than it appears. This variation fires up your stabilizers from the foot all the way up to the hip and beyond. It doesn’t take much weight to get a solid training…

Research can provide golden insights for health and fitness professionals. Here are some recent findings to help you stay ahead of the curve: High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Memory in Older Adults 📚 Read the study Twelve weeks of high-intensity interval training performed three times per week leads to greater improvements in memory than moderate-intensity continuous…