You've been training for months, two or three times a week, but your body isn't really changing anymore. You increase the weights, swap a few exercises or try new programs without knowing if you're actually heading the right way. Or it's the opposite: you want to start strength training, but you don't know the machines, the movements, or what program to follow.
That's usually when people reach out to me. I've been a personal trainer in Montreal since 2016 and I coach you at MFitness, on the Plateau. My job isn't just to hand you a list of exercises. We start by looking at where you are, what's holding you back, and what actually needs work for you to progress.
Muscle-Building Coaching: For What Goals?
The two requests I get most often are building muscle mass and losing fat. But behind those two goals, the situations are rarely the same. Some start from zero, others come back after several years, and some already train regularly but have stopped progressing.
Building Muscle Mass
Some of my clients want to regain weight after losing it, while others mainly want to gain strength or restart physical progress that's stalled.
Getting back into a training rhythm, improving physical health, but also, and this might be your case, gaining muscle mass or strength.
That's why a muscle-gain program can't be the same for everyone.
Your current level, your sports background, your lifestyle and the time you can actually dedicate to training matter as much as your final goal.
Losing Fat and Building Muscle
David wanted to regain muscle mass, lose the weight he'd gained in recent years, and work on his abs. Dina wanted to get back to her ideal weight while building muscle.
In these often similar situations, the program has to be carefully optimized, it can't just be a random reproduction of a few exercises hoping the results will follow.
We do an assessment, a full analysis of your current level, your diet, your habits, and what you can realistically keep up over several weeks. Émilie Simard sums up this work well in her Google review: "Whether it's for weight loss or muscle gain, he's the person to see!!"
Getting Back Into Strength Training After a Break
After several months or years without training, the hardest part isn't necessarily finishing the first session. It's often finding a rhythm again and knowing how to come back without going too fast.
Eric, one of my 38-year-old clients, had for instance trained with me for three months before having to stop for a long stretch, and told me: "I've tried several times to get back into it since then but motivation is lacking. I also don't have access to the exercises anymore and I admit that after all this time, I've forgotten a bit of everything."
It's a common situation. The goal isn't to pick back up exactly the same weights or program you were doing months or years earlier, but to start from what you're capable of doing today and gradually rebuild something that will hold up over time.
Starting Strength Training as a Beginner
The word "strength training" can sound intimidating, but the reality is simple: it's exercises meant to build muscle mass. You don't know the machines, the programs, or the movements? That's exactly my role: I support you week after week to get lasting, visible results.
Not a beginner? Good. I have several clients who know they could train on their own, but mostly need structure, someone to push them.
I fix the lack of structure that keeps you from sticking to your training program. I challenge you and help you understand every exercise.
So you don't need to know how to train before hiring a coach: learning how is part of what I do.
How Does Muscle-Building Coaching Work?
The First Session and Assessment
I don't start a first session by putting a bar straight into your hands. We first take the time to talk about your experience, your goals, what you've already tried, and what you can do today.
I also ask about any pain or discomfort. If you mention a shoulder or a knee, for example, I try to understand how it started and which movements are still possible. I don't make a medical diagnosis: this assessment mainly tells me what we can work on and what's better avoided. If something is beyond my scope, I ask you to see a doctor before going further.
Building the Strength Training Program
Your program is personalized, built to measure, and takes your situation into account. It's not a generic template pulled off the internet. I factor in your level, your experience, your goal, and the pace at which we can progress without rushing.
The program isn't set in stone for months either, untouched. I insist on that: it has to evolve with your performance, the exercises you're getting better at, and the new goals we can set along the way.
Correcting Movements
A poorly executed movement doesn't get better just because you add weight. Every new exercise is first worked with an appropriate load to understand the movement and find the right positioning.
During your sets, I'm next to you watching what you're doing, correcting your position and adjusting the exercise when needed. The goal isn't just to finish the set, but to know what you're working and to be able to repeat the movement correctly.
Tracking Your Progress
Your coaching doesn't stop at the hours spent together at the gym. Your personal file includes your goals, your assessments and your program, which keeps a measurable record of your progress.
As you move forward, the program gets adjusted. An exercise can become too easy, a load can go up, or a goal can change. A program that worked very well in your first weeks has no reason to stay exactly the same months later.
The Food Plan
You can train seriously and still struggle to build muscle if your diet doesn't follow. When needed, coaching can therefore also include a food plan built around your body type and your goals.
Muscle-Building for Beginners: Can You Start From Zero?
Yes. Several people I train had never used a strength-training machine or followed a program before their first session. That's not a problem, and there's nothing you need to know before coming in.
The first session is exactly there to determine your starting level. Movements are then learned progressively before adding more weight. The goal is for you to understand what you're doing instead of just repeating an exercise because it's on a sheet.
Muscle-Building Coach at the Gym in Montreal
Where Do Sessions Take Place?
Sessions take place at MFitness, 4200 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, on the Plateau in Montreal. The gym membership isn't included in the coaching rate and has to be taken directly with MFitness. I'd rather mention that upfront, since it's a question that comes up regularly.
How Does a Gym Session Work?
A private session lasts one hour. We can use the free weights, guided machines and cardio equipment available in the gym.
During that hour, I stay with you to show the exercises, watch how they're executed, and adjust them based on what I see. What's in a session depends on your program and your progress, not on an identical workout repeated with every client.
How Much Does a Muscle-Building Coach Cost in Montreal?
A private one-hour session costs $50. The program and its progression are included in the coaching. The MFitness membership, on the other hand, is paid separately, directly to the gym.
If you want to know whether this coaching fits your goal, you can explain your situation directly through the form at the bottom of this page.
Let's talk about your goalWhy Hire a Muscle-Building Coach?
Learning the Movements Correctly
When you're starting out, the problem isn't always a lack of motivation. You might want to train but not know what to do once you're in front of the machines.
Part of coaching is teaching you to execute exercises correctly and understand what you're doing. The goal is obviously for your sessions with me to be effective, but also for you to gradually feel more comfortable training on your own.
Having a Program That Fits
Two people who want to build muscle don't necessarily need the same training. Age, level, experience, physical ability and personal constraints completely change how I build a program.
Breaking Out of a Plateau
You can be consistent and still stop progressing. One of my clients had already been training for a year, two to three times a week, for about 45 minutes each time. Yet his results had stalled. When we talked about it, he told me that despite years of practice, he had gaps in good strength-training habits and that his movements were mostly copied from what he saw at the gym.
In that case, simply doing more sessions isn't necessarily the answer. You have to look at the exercises used, the loads, the progression, how the movements are executed, and recovery, to understand what's actually holding things back.
Becoming Independent
The goal isn't for you to depend on a coach your whole life to know what to do at the gym. A lot of the people I train actually want to understand training so they can gradually become more independent.
You'll get training that's effective, professional, friendly, motivating, flexible, punctual and safe. As a bonus, you'll learn something new at every session, whether it's technique, nutrition or anatomy.
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What Our Clients Say
Frequently Asked Questions About Muscle-Building Coaching
How many sessions per week?
The plan I usually suggest is two sessions a week. Some people, though, come in only once and do their other workouts on their own, following the program I build for them. The right pace mostly depends on your level, your goal, and the time you can actually dedicate to training.
How much does a muscle-building coach cost?
A private one-hour session costs $50. The program is included in the coaching. The MFitness membership, on the other hand, has to be paid separately, directly to the gym.
Can you build muscle with two sessions?
That's the goal: helping you increase your muscle mass. The first two sessions set the tone for what follows, but that's obviously not enough on its own. Strength training takes several weeks of practice to get lasting results.
Can you start as a beginner?
Yes. Several people I train had never set foot in a gym before their first session. We start by determining your level, then movements are learned progressively before increasing the load.
Is the program included?
Yes. Building the program and adjusting it over time are included in the price of coaching. The program is adjusted as you progress.
Is the food plan included?
When your goal requires it, coaching can include a food plan built around your body type and your needs. It can then evolve alongside your training.
Start Your Muscle-Building Coaching in Montreal
You don't need to know your ideal program before reaching out. You can simply tell me where you're at today, how long you've been training, and what you'd like to change: build mass, lose weight, get back into it after a long break, or simply learn to train better.
The form at the bottom of this page lets you share your name, email, phone number and goal. I'll then call you to talk it through before the first session. You can also reach me directly at (438) 813-0117.
