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.”

I take a probiotic every day, but not in pill or powder form. Instead, I get my daily dose from sauerkraut, a fermented vegetable packed with beneficial bacteria. It’s a staple in my “beast of a salad” and something I recommend eating regularly for optimal health. You can make your own sauerkraut if you’d like—Sally…

You should set your alarm not only to wake up in the morning but also to go to bed at night. Going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body clock, optimizing your energy levels, recovery from training, and overall health. Of course, life happens—you won’t always get…

The following is part of an interview that Maximum Fitness Magazine conducted with me many years ago. I was asked about the physical attributes and testing procedures necessary for success in four sports: Olympic weightlifting, martial arts, football, and running. This was my response: Speed is crucial for all sports. To increase speed, you must…

Listen in as I explain why training on an empty stomach can be detrimental and how to solve the problem. For a potent anti-catabolic and ergogenic effect, take my Peri-Workout Formula before training. Alternatively, consider using one of the formulas listed on pages 20-21 of Mass Explosion.

Maternal exercise during pregnancy offers numerous benefits: it can improve fitness, control weight gain and glucose levels, boost energy and mood, ease labor, enhance postpartum recovery, and even promote infant health—yet only about 15% of pregnant women actually engage in exercise (Blaize et al., 2015). Key Considerations for Training While Pregnant Pregnant women should avoid…

A growing body of evidence suggests that icing may not be the best approach for injury management. While it undoubtedly reduces pain, does it actually facilitate healing? Let’s take a look at what the research says: Why Ice Delays Recovery Dr. Mirkin on the drawbacks of icing Further Reading on the Topic: Take-Home Message It’s…

At the end of 2015, I introduced my new Brain & Brawn Formula. Subjective feedback has been great so far, and now I have some objective proof as well. My blood work just came in, and the results look good! Take a look: Date Feb. 26, 2016 April 22, 2016 Change Testosterone 20.2 22.9 +12%…

Thanks to contributions from Louie Simmons and Dave Tate, two coaches renowned for producing world-class strength athletes, the concept of accommodating resistance utilizing bands and chains has been popularized over the past two decades. Since an ascending strength curve exists on exercises like the squat and bench press, these tools accommodate strength by offering more…

Today, more training tools are available to personal trainers than ever before. How do you decide what equipment is best? It depends on the situation. Take resistance training, for example. As far as I’m concerned, free weights reign supreme. Whenever I’m asked about a particular machine, my response is always the same: Get yourself a…

Many people suffer from sleep-onset insomnia. It can be incredibly frustrating when you’re ready for bed, but sleep just won’t come. To help you drift off, you might try supplements like magnesium or phosphatidylserine, an Epsom salt bath, reading or journaling (with orange glasses on, of course), mind distraction activities, or various relaxation techniques. Chamomile…