Keeping You COMMITTED
ACSM-certified* fitness expert Will Hough has been a personal trainer for more than two decades. He owns WillFit® and works with clients in New York City and the mid Hudson Valley (Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester counties).
Will’s extensive experience enables him to determine where you should start with your fitness regime, and to make smart adjustments as you make progress, so that you stay on track to achieve your goals. He pays attention to your total fitness picture when tailoring your training regime. He takes into account your health issues or past injuries (if any), your current fitness level, your typical challenges with physical fitness, and other concerns you may have. Training with Will means working with someone who is patient and professional, astute and aware.
Will has helped individuals from various walks of life and ages get healthy — from teens and young adults to people in their 70s. He believes that no one is ever too young or too old to take control of their own fitness.
The will must be stronger than the skill.
— Muhammad Ali
Training Options
Will offers personalized training sessions for individuals at any level of fitness, in their homes or their preferred workout venue. Each session lasts an hour, and depending on its content, pricing ranges from $90* to $120 per hour.
(*This price applies only if you book Will for 10 sessions for a total of $900.)
Will’s also available to train small groups together (minimum 3 persons, starting at $30 each per hour)
Below are key components of what Will helps his clients with. As every person’s health and fitness levels are unique, talk to Will about how he can customize your training program for maximum results.
STRENGTH-BUILDING & CONDITIONING
Combines the use of free weights with body-weight exercises such as squats and lunges that also achieve muscle strength and tone. Note: Will Hough is also certified by the NSCA (National Strength & Conditioning Association).
FLEXIBILITY
Learn the right way to develop your body’s flexibility with proper stretching that benefits your muscles, tendons and ligaments. If you have previous injuries (e.g. with knees, ankles, hips), Will can help you set up a regime that helps you achieve flexibility while limiting negative impact.
WEIGHT LOSS
Maximize calorie-burning that helps you get back into shape. Plus help you keep the weight off over the long-term. Will can help you identify the types of exercises that help with your toughest problem areas.
CARDIO & ENDURANCE
Aerobic cardio-focused exercises designed to build heart and lung capacity. For clients who want to kick up their endurance, work-outs will be built around more challenging high-intensity interval exercises.
It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.
--Confucius
Testimonials
“I’ve trained with Will for over a decade, a testament to the quality of the training and motivation he provides. Whether I’m stepping up my fitness for an event, or working on flexibility and posture, or working around an injury, Will adapts the work-outs accordingly. As a former professional athlete, Will knows his sports science. Most importantly, though, you’ll enjoy your work-outs and the banter!“
— Cedric S (New York City)
“I started working with Will Hough in the summer of 2018. I had just moved to Beacon and was thrilled to find someone with his deep knowledge and background. I have an art school in NYC and understand that it can be challenging to find a teacher/mentor/trainer who is both skilled in what they do and what they know and be able to offer it in a way that fits each individual. This is Will!
He is a real motivator that understands the possibilities within each individual. He trains like a cougar with the heart of a lamb. He understands that the body needs to be looked at from how it moves in space in both length and muscularity. I am happy to have found him!”
— Diane Green (The Green Studio School, Beacon, NY)
“Will Hough was the answer to my prayers when I met him. I was a runner without muscle tone. I was overweight and out of shape, but I wanted to run a marathon and lose weight. We planned my training program on the spot. While speaking to him, I found out that he trained people of many levels. Previously, I was on a great running team who had the best training regiments, and I needed to catch up. He ran me through some simple exercises, increasing my difficulty each week. 30 days later, I was on my way to a healthy lifestyle.
In six months, I was running my marathon! Will motivated and trained me into the person I wanted to be.
Thank you Will.”
— Adria Crum (50s, New York City)
“I worked once a week with Will to improve my strength and overall fitness. During that time, he introduced me to new routines and exercises, was able to work around my knee injury and kept me engaged and motivated. Overall I achieved muscle definition and strength and had a great experience.”
— Suzanne Sibler (50, New York City)
“Working with Will is the best! At 77 years of age, I was having a hard time with my knees and legs. Just a few sessions with Will gave me the confidence and capability to get back in the game!”
— Jimmy (77, Beacon, NY)
“Where there is a Will, there is a way! Will was the best trainer I ever had. I learned where my body could go, and moved away from traditional workouts — we did everything from sprints in the middle of Union Square Park to deep tissue stretching. It’s not training, it’s a way of life!”
— Robert Jain (50s, CEO, Millennium Partners, New York City)
“My doctor asked me to work with a trainer to see if someone could help me get more lung capacity out of my damaged lungs. Will not only helped my lungs work better, the doctor was thrilled by my lung function tests. I have worked with a lot of trainers— no one provides the personal attention and results Will does.”
— Ronna (60s, Beacon, NY)
“I’ve been working out on my own as well as taking group classes for years. After taking one lesson with Will, I felt muscles I never knew I had. His total attention to my keeping good form to prevent injury and making sure I was getting the most benefit from each exercise made me realize how important it is to have more than one session. Not only did time fly by, but the way Will stretched and massaged my muscles afterwards was heavenly!”
— Laurie Landon (60, New York City)
Will’s Story
Will Hough is a combat veteran, a competitive athlete, a top professional trainer, and a connoisseur of all things fast. A native of New York City, Will began his impressive fitness career in the United State Marine Corps and eventually trained with Navy Seal’s, Special Ops unit during his Military Tour. After leaving the military, Will studied physical education and began building a stellar training resume.
The competitive triathelete, duathelete, power lifter, and bodybuilder shared his strength and endurance expertise with clients at Chelsea Piers, New York Sports Club, and Burlington Capital Markets before starting his own training company, WillFit, in 1993. Since then Will has conditioned, toned, and increased both the speed and flexibility of socialites, executives, politicians, and even professional football players from the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Green Bay Packers.
Will believes whole-heartedly in pushing the body to its limits. In 2004, Will returned to his military roots and became a DOD security contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan. While protecting National Guard soldiers and training Kurds to use weapons, Will was hit by an IED and presumed dead. Despite his injuries, Will not only escaped from hostile territory, he managed to take out eleven insurgents and capture another sixteen.
Despite grim medical opinions, Will fully recovered in just two years, partial hearing loss and double vision the only remnants of his near death experience. More motivated, determined, and passionate than ever, the Ducati enthusiast and collector immediately returned to racing motorcycles, cars, and anything else with wheels! Will Hough is a shining example of the power of will, walking proof that with a strong heart and a committed mind the body can win. And he whole-heartedly shares his spirit of discipline, commitment and perseverance with everyone he trains and works with.
Will is an ACSM-certified trainer, and holds the following certifications as well: USA Triathlon Certified Coach Strength Training for the Triathlete (Certificate of Completion); Location Institute for Human Performance Boca Raton, Florida; Triathlon Training Program Design & Transition; NSCA Certificate of Continuing Education; Sports Performance Series Certificate of Completion.
FAQ
What does working with a Personal Trainer do for my fitness?
Some people find it easy to work out on their own. They’ve found a program that works for them, be it a sport they enjoy, or a particular routine at the gym that meets their goals.
Sometimes, however, you need a professional to figure out what’s not working for you, or what you may not be doing right. Or where you should begin, especially if you’ve not been exercising for a long time. A personal trainer - an experienced one - understands quickly your unique needs and knows how to tailor a fitness program that gets you results, incrementally, safely and with sustainable results. He should be able to calibrate your fitness program for changes in frequency, intensity etc., and for your incremental progress.
In short, experienced personal trainers are not just there to motivate you; they’re there to help you achieve results you can’t achieve on your own.
Also, anyone can count out sets to you as you work out, but a good personal trainer does so while paying attention to your form and progress. It takes experience to assess when and how to modify your plan as you make progress. And identify problem areas before you even begin training. Not many people can tell when their bodies (and minds) are conditioned enough and ready for the next level of training. An experienced personal trainer can.
A personal trainer can also help you prepare for a particular sporting event, or playing a specific sport. Let’s say you want to run a marathon, but you haven’t run in years, or not much at all during your lifetime. I can help you get into shape to run your first marathon, while ensuring that you don’t get hurt, and that you learn how to stay in condition for running more of them.
A good personal trainer is also someone you have rapport with. The “fit” (no pun intended!) is important as there is coaching involved, and people’s personalities must align for effective communication. I tend to build rapport with my clients very quickly, and don’t believe in being a task-master even as I will hold you accountable to your program. I don’t see working with my clients as a “teacher-pupil” situation, but a team effort. It’s important that we stay focused on why you’ve hired me - to get your fitter, healthier and in the end, just happier with how you feel, and how you look. I feel I’ve done my job well when you finally take control of your own fitness and health, and start to enjoy it and benefit from it.
I’ve never worked with a personal trainer before. Should I sign up for a few lessons first, and then decide later whether I need more?
There’s no hard-and-fast rule to how many sessions you need when you start to work with a personal trainer.
To see the results you want, however, means training for a minimum period of time — I recommend that you start with 10 lessons, preferably twice a week for five weeks. Once you get to your target fitness level, you can continue on your own.
Some clients also choose to work with me for a period of time, continue on their own, and then return once or twice a year for a short period to make adjustments in their workouts as their bodies or lifestyles change. If, for example, you decide you want to take on a new sport or complete an event, you may need a higher level of fitness to do so. In which case, I’d be happy to work with you again to help you get there.
Do I need to be a member of a gym in order to train with you?
You don’t have to be a gym member for me to train with you. I can work with you at your home with equipment such as free weights, exercise balls, skipping rope, resistance bands. The one thing we do need is sufficient space to do so. Most fitness goals are achievable with very basic equipment, provided the workouts are tailored with an understanding of how to use specific equipment for specific outcomes. If you prefer to exercise at home, without the distractions or costs of a gym, we can do that too.In some cases, however, you may need the heavier equipment that’s available at a gym. It comes down to what you need at each stage of training.
Is there a basic meal plan I can adopt to improve results? Do you also tailor meal plans for quick weight loss or muscle build-up?
You should not make drastic changes to your diet or meals unless you’ve consulted a dietician and/or nutritionist or spoken to your doctor about what’s appropriate. I never recommend drastic weight loss by any means. Exercise and diet for weight loss or strengthening or just boosting your overall fitness is all about calibrating. It’s about fine-tuning changes in diet and exercise as your body responds to the personal training I do with you. That said, I do recommend that when you’re starting out,you should eat in a way that maximizes the benefits of the personal training I do with you. Take a look at the sample meal plan I use with several clients:
I have health challenges such as arthritis and I may even need surgery in the near future. Can you help me get healthy and fit again?
I’m not a physician or medically trained in any way.I am, however, ACSM*-certified and understand the impact of injuries and health challenges on a person’s overall fitness. My many years of experience as a personal trainer, plus working and consulting with doctors and physical therapists, have enabled me to work with clients with all sorts of health challenges.
It’s possible to develop a training program that boosts the strength and flexibility of the other parts of your body while avoiding too much stress on the part that has been injured or is experiencing difficulty or has been operated on. Techniques using equipment such as balance boards and low resistance bands can also be very helpful in getting you in shape without too much stress on your vulnerable areas. Incorporating free weights on an incremental basis too can help. The key is to gauge, as you progress, how much you should do, and that comes with watching your progress and communicating clearly between us.
But first - and this is very important — you should consult with your doctors and medical advisers on how much exercise you should take on, and how frequently. I am happy to speak to your doctor (with your permission) before we begin your training if you wish.
And I highly recommend exercise for anyone suffering from arthritis and stiffness - it helps to keep inflammation at bay, removing tension and stress on your joints and easing muscle strain.
(*American College of Sports Medicine).