Testimonials

ANDREA POWELL, Actress

“I turned to the Sons of Strength when I had a short time to prepare for a very important photo shoot, followed by public appearances during New York Fashion Week.  Needless to say, as an ‘actress-of-a-certain-age,’ I needed a program that would not only get me camera-ready quickly and allow me to confidently step out in sample-size dresses, but also keep me injury-free and motivated.  And of course, it needed to work with my crazy schedule. The Sons of Strength delivered and then some!  Not only was I honed and ready when the cameras rolled and clicked, but my overall fitness and energy level have improved greatly.  The workouts are easy to understand, don’t require any special equipment, and pack a lot of punch into just a little time. The results have also lasted long past when I needed them to, giving me confidence that I’ll always be ready for the next appearance.  I recommend the Sons of Strength with all my pumping heart.  I’m hooked for life.” 

L2, Recording Artists

“As Recording Artists it is imperative that we are in great physical condition. Whether it’s preparing for a Music Video, Photo Shoot, or Concert, Eric and Ryan always have the right formula to get us looking and feeling our best! They cater specifically to our needs each session and even give us workout routines for when we are traveling. Through training with the Sons of Strength, we are more comfortable in our bodies, more confident, and have more stamina when performing. Eric and Ryan have great energy and always makes our workouts fun and entertaining. Before training with them, we used to view working out as a chore but now we thoroughly enjoy it and look forward to our sessions every week!”

STEPHANE SMARTH, Muay Thai Champion

“Working with Ryan and Eric Johnson of Sons of Strength has been the single biggest contribution to my success in the ring.  I have been training and competing in Muay Thai for a little over 4 years now and since bringing on SOS in my corner as my official strength and dieting coach I have been able to take my talents to a whole new level.  As an athlete who’s played many sports growing up I’ve always been in pretty good shape and moved pretty well, but not as well as I should have.

These guys have done everything from breaking down basic body movements to fixing my squats and everything in between; Rehabbing a dislocated shoulder, adding mobility to my ankles, which had no flexibility due to breaks and wear and tear, getting me physically stronger, conditioned, working on breathing techniques to breathe properly (which helped me dramatically in my last victory), dieting tips, fight camp diets and cutting weight (dropping 20-25lbs for weigh ins and gaining 90-95% of it back by fight night).  We’ve worked on a lot of corrective work, they’ve preached the importance and benefits of foam rolling and doing proper pre-workout warm ups, monitoring my heart rate, how to train smarter and not harder, which has actually got me through 4 fight camps with minimal injuries.
Since 2012 I can honestly say Ryan and Eric are the biggest reasons why I have been so successful in the ring.  These guys know their stuff; they’re always learning and genuinely care about the people they train. Thank you guys for being so passionate about what you do.”

MARCUS SURIN, MMA Fighter and Champion

“During my most recent training camp for my MMA fight I had the pleasure of training with Eric and Ryan of the Sons of Strength. As a former Division 1 athlete, I like to believe that I have a pretty sound knowledge with getting myself physically for competition; but the Sons of Strength had me at my best. From the very first day I felt the difference of working with the Sons of Strength. By specifically focusing on my flexibility and recovery, I was able to undoubtedly peak the week of my fight. As I transition to the next phase of my development I look forward in continuing to work with them for upcoming fights.”

JOSH LEHRER, Photographer

“I started working with Eric shortly after a very serious surfing accident. My orthopedic surgeon believed I would never have full range of motion again. Eric refused to accept that. Two sessions a week and two years later, I have full range of motion and am completely out of pain. I am stronger than I’ve ever been in my life and not for nothin’ – I look AMAZING.”

SUZANNE HYLENSKI, Broadway Performer

“As a dancer in a Broadway show, it is essential that I maintain a strong and conditioned body. Eric has been wonderful to work with. Not only does he have a supportive and understanding nature, he listens, respects my needs and has helped me work through many injuries and reach my goals. I continually look forward to each session knowing he will help me reach my personal best.”

GREG ZOLMAN, Former NFL Quarterback

“Ryan Johnson has been my personal trainer for over a year now.  Ryan is a truly excellent trainer.  The results I have achieved to date are largely due to Ryan’s perfect combination of diverse training methods, individualized exercise programs and challenging yet achievable goal setting.  Ryan has done an excellent job of tailoring my workouts to help meet both my goals on the golf course and overall level of fitness.    Ryan’s professionalism, extensive knowledge and enthusiastic commitment to his work and ultimately his clients, provides the perfect scenario for success and sets foundations for a healthier lifestyle.  I look forward to working with Ryan for many years to come.”

TIM G.

“In a highly competitive field, Eric stands out as a top-notch trainer.   He is extremely knowledgeable and committed. Eric has devoted himself to studying exercise physiology and training techniques.   He also trains very seriously on his own. He talks the talk and walks the walk.  He is a true professional.   Because of his educational background and continuous learning, Eric is very versatile.  He has an almost unlimited repertoire of exercises and styles.   A great motivator, Eric works with clients to achieve their concrete and specific goals.  He crafts detailed and unique programs for his clients so that they can work-out effectively on their own.   He makes constant adjustments to the programs to maximize results and respond to client needs.   I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to start a serious training regimen for any sport, general fitness or rehabilitation.   He takes his job very seriously but he is also an engaging and humorous guy. Overall, training with Eric has been a great experience.   I am certain my fitness level is significantly higher because of his skill and his devotion to the field of athletic performance.”

ANDREW N.

“I hop all over the nation for work.  I emailed the Sons of Strength (SoS) about training in NYC, and mentioned how I’m dedicated enough to fly my protein 3000 miles each way every week.  They responded with “You can’t teach passion!”.
Passion – I think that’s a good word to describe SoS.  Not the only word, by any means. There’s other words that can be used, important words: integrity, professionalism, and dedication, to name a few.  But I think passion contains all those other words, and more besides, so I’ll use passion.
SoS are passionate: passionate about training, passionate about life, and passionate about making their clients better.  SoS walks the walk, talks the talk, and, perhaps most importantly in an industry awash with charlatans, reads the literature.  Eric and Ryan are either in the gym working out, in the gym helping clients, or in the gym reading Brad Schoenfeld’s latest study on hypertrophy.  In fact, one time I think I caught them sleeping in the gym…
That passion pays off with their clients.  My bench had been stalled at the same weight for months.  When I started with SoS, they immediately saw my weak areas and set about fixing them.  A few weeks later, my bench had increased by 10%.
If you want to get Stronger, then you need to work with a Son of Strength.”

F.H.

“Ryan and Eric’s program has been the most effective and fun program I’ve ever attempted. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot, lost fat, and gained strength. I recommend it to anyone looking to get into better shape.”

 

DANIEL FONT

“As a Fitocracy member, I came across Eric & Ryan’s new program “Constructing the Champion,” and as I was looking to shake up my training for an upcoming national stick fighting tournament, I figured I’d try it out.  I am happy I did.  Eric and Ryan put together a comprehensive nutrition and training program, and were there along the way with support and encouragement with virtual meetings and motivational reminders.  Even when I injured myself during my training, they were quick with excellent recommendations for local PTs and suggestions to modify the program to help get me back in the game.  Long story short, while I was not able to finish the program as prescribed because of the injury, the first two months gave me an excellent base of conditioning that carried me through three brutal matches and winning the national title.  Having done online training programs in the past, I highly recommend these guys and can say without a doubt that the experience and training program was top notch.”