Functional Personal Training

Wattage has had the pleasure of working with individuals who are training to serve in different branches of the U.S. government, including the military and Secret Service. By offering different personal training programs infused with natural movements and bodyweight manipulations, Wattage helps these clients adapt to real world situations and prepares them physically and mentally for a wide range of situations through functional training.

How Mark uses Functional Training with his Clients

Personal Trainer Mark Roberts coaches two clients, a U.S. Marine officer and a Secret Service agent. He explains how each training method is unique and dependent on the type of conditioning required.

Mark: One of my clients is an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran who is required to receive periodic battle certifications. He’s departing for Japan in January to participate in a two-week U.S. Marines exercise. I’m helping him get ready. We do functional workouts to keep him on his game. He doesn’t need to be the strongest and fittest guy on the street, but he does need to be among the most powerful. It’s not just about his capacity to lift 200 pounds, but how quickly he can move those 200 pounds.

"I chose to train with Mark as I knew I needed to continue to train not only hard, but smart.. As I get older my physical fitness is paramount and his regime ensures I stay ready for anything that may come my way."

—Jonathan, Marines

Functional Training That Works

Anyone can be strong and fit, but what we’re working towards is how he’s going to apply the training he does with me to real world situations. Can he lift and carry a buddy when he needs to? Can he jump, run or sprint to escape from a dangerous situation? We do a lot of natural movements—running, climbing, fighting, wrestling, and boxing—to prepare him for real time and real world situations. That way we can determine how he actually utilizes his strength. As testimony to his training, he recently took first place for a combat testing out of a field of several hundred competitors.

My other client is an active member of the Secret Service. His role is similar to that of a bodyguard so we do more physical altercation training. His role requires being fit, alert and able to sustain a lot of strength endurance. We pull and push things and add layers throughout the training not only to work him physically but also, mentally.

Secret Service Training

"Mark's focus on functional strength, mobility and speed has pushed me to my limits and beyond. Every training session with Mark incorporates exercises that have prepared me for real life scenarios where strength, speed, stamina and mental focus could mean the difference."

—Jason, Secret Service

I had him carry a sandbag on his shoulder to simulate an injured person and then added a stressful element—another bag (dangerous person) coming at him from a different direction. He had to defend himself from the second bag while maintaining his balance with the one on his shoulder. Adding new elements throughout these exercises helps him with his physical training as well as his thought process.

Although my clients train for different purposes, I incorporate natural movements that are useful and fun to do within the sessions. These exercises are meant to include elements related to how kids play. Kids run and jump and kick and climb. They push and pull things. All of those movements are engrained within children because they’re natural, and that’s what I’m trying to bring back to my clients. I prepare them for real world situations by reenacting movements you see all the time with kids and did yourself when you were a child.

Wattage's Experience

Some of Wattage’s personal trainers have also prepared clients for Navy SEAL and Special Forces training. We are equipped to prepare men and women in any branch of the military, Secret Service—you name it—for tryouts, physicals, and other exercises. Contact us to learn more. We’d love to work with you!