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.”

By Mary Catanzaro Let’s be honest—most of us enjoy a good slice of pizza every now and then. But what we don’t enjoy is the sluggish, bloated feeling that often follows after indulging in all those carbs. If you’re looking for a delicious low-carb alternative, give this “meatza” recipe a try. It satisfies that pizza…

Back in 2012, I introduced a controversial—but far more effective—approach to treating soft-tissue injuries. The acronym? METH, which stands for: At the time, the gold standard was RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Everyone was icing injuries, assuming it would reduce swelling and promote healing. But here’s the truth: ice may delay recovery by slowing blood…

A review of Butcher Balm, a powerful transdermal formula combining BPC-157 and TB-500 for localized healing and pain relief—no injections required.

If you’ve struggled to feel your rear delts working—or to fill in that rear delt gap—this variation of the bent-over lateral raise could be the solution. Instead of dumbbells, I’m using two 5-pound weight plates (though dumbbells work too). Here’s the key: You don’t need a lot of weight—in fact, most people go too heavy…

Can’t Do a Chin-Up? Neither Could Leo… But That’s About to Change. Leo started training with me back in September. Our initial focus was body composition—shed fat, lay the foundation. Now that he’s lean enough, it’s time to build muscle, and few exercises rival the chin-up for upper-body strength and development. This morning, we tested…

Research shows that undulatory, or wave-like, periodization is highly effective. Alternating between periods of higher intensity (intensive phases) and periods of higher volume (extensive phases) can yield excellent training results. Of course, your nutrition should also reflect these fluctuations—fewer carbs are required during intensive phases, while more carbs are beneficial during extensive phases. That’s great,…

For years we’ve been told to avoid behind-the-neck pulldowns and pull-ups. And for good reason — they place a tremendous amount of stress on the shoulders when you’re lifting a heavy load with the humeri abducted and in a position of maximum external rotation. It’s a problem waiting to happen. Besides, it’s not a natural…

Not long ago, a couple in their mid-fifties came to see me for help with their health. Both were overweight, both were on a laundry list of medications… and both were sick of being sick! Their New Year’s resolution? Get healthy and get off the drugs. That’s what brought them through my door. Step 1:…

What motivates you during a workout? When you’re about to get under a bar stacked with 45s that can staple you to the ground at any second, what do you think of? Everyone has their own motivational triggers. Here are some powerful strategies to fire you up before a big lift. Go Animal Mode I’m…

If you’re looking to build serious forearm strength and size, it’s time to step beyond the usual dumbbell and barbell wrist curls. Here are two unique cable variations—one using a high pulley and the other a low pulley—that will torch your forearm flexors like never before. High-Pulley Wrist Curl: Isolation at Its Best The high-pulley…