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.”

Detoxifying the Liver JP: What type of prescription do you use to detoxify the liver? Dr. S: In my office, I have access to IV administration, which I would use if a patient has a severe liver condition such as hepatitis. However, for a simple detox, there are a few key steps: The Timing of…

Evaluating Hormone Levels: The Best Diagnostic Methods JP: Can you briefly describe the diagnostic methods you use to evaluate hormones? Dr. S: There are three primary methods: urine, saliva, and blood. If I have a choice, I prefer urine testing because it provides a breakdown of hormone metabolites over a 24-hour period. Blood testing, on…

DHEA: Effects and Best Practices JP: Many people are taking DHEA these days. Is it true that after a month of DHEA use, it will increase estrogen levels in males and testosterone levels in females? Dr. S: That’s true, though the effect depends on the dosage and the individual. You don’t want to start the…

I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Eric Serrano three times. Here’s the second set of interviews I did with him. Enjoy! Overtraining and Stress JP: How do you detect if someone is overtraining, and is there a way to gauge if stress is the main culprit? Dr. S: When it comes to overtraining, you’ve…

Most people associate the hack squat with a sled machine, but this exercise was originally performed with a barbell. Named after old-time strongman and champion wrestler George “The Russian Lion” Hackenschmidt, the movement resembles a deadlift more than a squat. However, unlike a deadlift, the hack squat primarily targets the quadriceps rather than the posterior…

I know, you’ve heard it before: “You can build muscle and lose fat, and all it takes is 20 minutes a week!” There’s probably an infomercial airing right now making the same claim. But the program I’m about to reveal actually delivers. Here it is—don’t blink because it’ll go by fast… Loading parameters: 1 set,…

Legendary bodybuilders like Tom Platz and Robby Robinson built their incredible physiques by lifting heavy for high reps. That was one of the secrets to success back in the day—select a heavy weight and keep lifting it rep after rep until you absolutely can’t lift it anymore. As the Iron Guru, Vince Gironda, once said:…

When I was working on my first book, I had no idea what to name it. To get expert advice, I consulted with a top marketing and advertising specialist, and his response was simple: Let the market decide the title for you. So, that’s exactly what I did! After reviewing the manuscript, analyzing similar books…

As I put this plan into action, I quickly realized that some workouts stretched beyond 90 minutes, with one even hitting the 2-hour mark. To prevent excessive muscle breakdown, I supplemented with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and glutamine, which significantly reduced post-workout soreness. To support recovery and muscle growth, I increased my calories, mainly through…

In early August 2010, my wife and I took the kids to the cottage for a week. Just before the trip, I put my How to Get Lean in One Week plan into action, intentionally overtraining for six straight days to induce a supercompensation effect. The idea was simple: push my body hard, then let…