TESTIMONIALS
Who can you trust?
Making claims is easy. Delivering is another thing. Here's what Matt's clients have to say.
Mats Sundin - 11 Time NHL All-Star
"Matt Nichol has the knowledge, the experience and the dedication not just to train, but to TEACH athletes how to reach way past their current level and to achieve their dreams of performance. I worked with Matt for 8 years and he helped me to achieve my dreams of performance. Thanks Matt!"
Mats' Stats:
1346 Career NHL Games
*Averaged more than a point/game for 20 yrs
1349 Career Points
*20th All-Time NHL Scorer
Most in Toronto Maple Leafs Franchise History
564 Regular season goals
*Most in Toronto Maple Leafs Franchise History
*First Swedish player to score 500 NHL Goals
*3rd All-Time highest scoring European Player
Most Regular Season Overtime Goals in NHL history
11 Time NHL All-Star
2008 Recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award
-3 Olympic Games
-Leading Scorer in 2002 Olympic Games
-Gold Medalist 2006
-3 World Championships
Gold Medalist - 1991, 1992, 1998
Silver Medalist -2003
Bronze Medalist - 1994, 2001
Mike Cammalleri - Montreal Canadians
"Matty's unique ability to effectively combine strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility training with nutritional and lifestyle coaching make him a world-class trainer. He has the ability to create the optimal program for each individual hockey player to bring them to their most elite playing level. Matty is the most efficient and productive trainer I have ever worked with."
Lee Stempniak - Pheonix Coyotes
"Matt Nichol has been an invaluable resource for me, not only by providing in-season workouts, but also providing insight into nutrition and supplementation to maximize my health throughout the season. When I met Matt I was immediately impressed by his vast knowledge of not only strength and conditioning, but also nutrition, rehabilitation techniques and overall health matters. He has a tremendous understanding of the rigors and demands of an NHL season. He would be a huge asset to anyone looking to improve their performance, whether it’s through individualized workouts, specific nutrition advice or a comprehensive rehab program. I believe that through Matt’s guidance, he can help any athlete maximize their potential. Matt will always be a trusted resource throughout my career and beyond."
Sandro DeAngelis
Calgary Stampeders
2008 CFL All-Star
2008 Grey Cup Champion
2008 Most Outstanding Canadian in the Grey Cup
I met Matt in 2006 after having surgery for a Sports Hernia. I was scared to death about my recovery, I thought to myself, "Will I be able to come back?" "Will I ever be the same player again?"
Matt quickly alleviated my fears because of his extensive re-hab knowledge. His re-hab techniques were on the "cutting edge" and not only did I come back...I came back stronger than ever!
I highly recommend Matt to anyone who is looking to get better - whether its re-habbing an injury or improving performance. Matt will have the best and most cutting edge answers for you and your needs.
You want the best? You got the best in Matt Nichol!
Heather Moyse - Canadian Olympic Bobsledder and National Rugby Player, MScOT
Not only is Matt the best trainer with whom I’ve ever had the pleasure of working, but he is an amazing person who truly cares about his clients! He does not believe in trying to fit a square peg in a round hole – what works for one person may not work for another. And with me, a generic approach would not have worked, so I’m lucky to have found him!
I didn’t actually start lifting weights until I joined the bobsleigh team in September ’05, and the following year I started to struggle with some nagging injuries. Fortunately, it was then that I was introduced to Matt and we started working together between my various tours. My primary goal at that time was rehab, as it continued to be as I broke my shoulder in a rugby game the following spring. However, I needed to continue to train within the context of two very physically-demanding sports, and traditional rehabilitation would not have cut it. I needed to be more than simply “pain-free”. I needed to be able to push a 400-lbs bobsleigh and tackle the biggest girl on the rugby field without hesitation. I needed to go from 6 seconds of power in bobsleigh to 80 minutes of endurance in rugby. Besides formulating an exciting, ever-changing, challenging, sport-specific training program for me, I was blown away by Matt’s talent at modifying exercises for my injuries to achieve the same purpose, without compromising the intensity required for my sports!
Matt has been a critical part of my successful return to World Cup bobsleigh and will continue to help me improve as an elite athlete. He is an amazing trainer and a genuine person, and I consider myself very lucky to have worked with him.
Jeff Adams
"Within
three weeks, I was hitting new personal bests in the gym, and saw
my new strength translating into speed when I was doing distance work
or intervals in my racing chair."
Jeff Adams - Read
More
Andre Talbot
Without the knowledge and expertise of Matt Nichol as my personal
trainer I would not have had the pleasure of playing in and winning,
the 2004 Grey Cup Championship. His ability to adjust to my needs
as an athlete allowed me to make a full recovery from an injury plagued
2003 season and to finally achieve my potential, not missing any time
due to injury this year and being able to lead the team in receiving
yardage the last two games of the season . His professional attitude
and passion for his clients is contagious and has contributed to my
development as a professional athlete. You will definitely find yourself
"preaching the word of Matt" (as I like to put it), once
he has passed on his knowledge to you. His programs are innovative,
progressive and eventually give the client a better understanding
of their body and what it means to be healthy. Thanks Matt, I could
not have done it with out you!
Randy Chevrier
Working
with Matt Nichol has brought me to new heights as an athlete. Matt's
personalized expertise has enabled me to continue building upon my
athletic strengths. More importantly though, he has helped me to attack
my weaknesses and build upon the areas which I previously shyed away
from.
As a professional athlete, there is no better a person to work with than Matt. He helped me to push my in-season and off-season workouts to new thresholds. Now, I no longer just maintain my off-season gains, but I have begun building and reaching new training peaks during the football season.
I used to need training partners in order to complete workouts with the proper motivation. Matt's personalized style is an awesome motivator. I feel the workouts he designs for me are just that - FOR ME! I can workout on my own without having to rely on a partner for motivation. He is always available for advice and I have never felt like "just another client!" Matt has helped me push my athleticism to a new level.
Doreen Bonnell
When
I first met Matt I was your typical middle aged woman, out of shape
(well actually I was obese I looked like a beach ball with a head
and two little feet sticking out the bottom) and to top it off - miserable.
I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without stopping to catch my
breath and I hated myself with a passion. To my surprise and pleasure
we clicked as trainer and client. Matt could have easily looked at
me and thought "here comes another one who is just going to go
through the motions. She will hang in for a few weeks, get sick of
it all and move on." Not so my friends. Matt treated me with
the same respect he gave to his athletes and when he found out how
dedicated I was he trained me like one of them. He pushed me to my
limits and beyond. I learned things about myself I never ever new.
Just gaining confidence and renewing my self esteem was a gift in
itself. With Matt's help I not only changed physically, but mentally
as well, which lead to a 360 degree change in my life. He trained
me for two marathons, two bodybuilding competitions and now I have
found my niche in powerlifting. I also got rid of some very negative
baggage.
That
was over five years ago and to this day I still get excited about
how I feel and look. Just to be able to move and breathe with ease
is an incredible feeling, not mention the awesome clothes I can now
wear.
One last thing. Age does not matter!!! If there is something you want in this life be it the chance to get healthy enough to get down on the floor and play with your grandchildren or run a marathon, go for it. Don't let age hold you back, life is too short for "I regret" or "I should have." You can do anything you want, whether you are 22 or 92. This I learned from Matt.
Thanks Matt. You are still "The Best"
Catherine Capek - Ms. Fitness Canada
Matt
Nichol trained me in 1998 in preparation for the Ms. Fitness Canada
title. I won the event, but not alone. Matt's passion and dedication
to my training was always consistent. He drove me to excel beyond
my own expectations and supported me during times I thought I wouldn't
make it. His positive attitude and his ability to focus on achieving
set goals never wavered, nor did his belief in me to succeed. His
training approach was always progressive; new techniques applied or
new exercises to challenge me, keeping the energy high.
Matt is truly a unique specialist in his field. His ability to train elite athletes comes not only from his extensive knowledge base but also his understanding of how to teach and connect with the athlete. To bring out the very best in you is what he strives for. He helped bring out the best in me and for that I am very grateful…Thanks Matt!!
Mike Labinjo
I
was very lucky to find Matt Nichol during my third year of high school
(1997) and we have been training together ever since. Matt was always
looking for new innovative techniques and always challenged me to
work on my weaknesses and turn them into strengths. When training
with Matt, I also had access to the top nutritionists, coaches and
therapists in North America who were friends of his. This type of
situation can give an athlete a real edge in their training, no matter
what the level.
Matt and I trained every summer between each of the seasons while
I was at Michigan State. Matt knew the game of football inside out
and he knew how to train me for my position. The one on one training
specific to me and my position was a major reason for my successes
at Michigan State.
Matt
Nichol has played a big part in my athletic career and will continue
to do so in the future as I make the transition from N.C.A.A.
to the N.F.L. Thanks Matt!
Mike Labinjo N.F.L. Pro-Day Combine Results
Height: 6’1
Weight: 252lbs
Bodyfat %: 10% (reduced from 16.5% post-season)
40yrd Dash: 4.54 (electric)
Vertical Jump: 40”
Broad Jump: 10’10”
Bench Press: 225lbs x 26 reps
60yrd shuttle: 11.5 seconds
3-Cone Drill: 6.8 seconds
Read this article about Mike's progress with the Eagles.
Michelle Conway - Canadian Olympian, NCAA Division 1 Gymnast (UCLA, IOWA)
Matt
is very knowledgeable and uses many different techniques to reach
the goals that are set by both trainer and athlete/client. Training
with Matt was hard work but it was alot of fun too. There was lots
of sweat, and pain but there was always laughter in the gym and out
on the track and those laughs were what kept me going on the hard
days! He showed me that I can do just about anything that I put my
mind to, helping me to set goals that were attainable and then setting
new ones once the first were accomplished. Matt is a hard worker,
a great trainer and always has his client's best interests in mind
and I thank him for helping me reach my goals in his programs and
in my everyday life.
Jamie Aszmies - Case Study
Matt's take: Jamie Aszmies sought out my help in
order to design a corrective exercise program for him to help him
rehabilitate a serious knee injury. While competing in the Canadian
Strongman Championships Jamie tore both of his patellar tendons performing
the "Farmers Walk". His primary goal was to be able to walk
up and down stair pain free and to be able to play with his two beautiful
young children pain free. He wanted to return to Strongman competition
but did not know if this would be possible again.
The difference between my view on corrective exercise versus the traditional
physiotherapy approach is shaped by the fact that the majority of
my clients are professional athletes and depend on their bodies for
their livelihood. For my clients, simply getting out of pain is not
good enough, I need to be able to restore them to proper function
and return them to the levels of strength, speed and power they enjoyed
before their injuries occurred. While it has been said that "Time
Heals All Wounds", I don't have that luxury. My clients are looking
for immediate results and I do everything I can to deliver. My approach
is not just for professional athletes but for anyone who is serious
about their health and performance and does not want to accept the
long down time and mediocre results of traditional rehabilitation
routes.
What
Jamie had to say before working with Matt: My left knee doesn;'t
fully lock out which makes it want to give out more than the right
and is a bit smaller in mass because of this. Going down
stairs and anytime my knees are out in front of me and bent more than
10 to 15 degrees it really makes me nervous as they just want to give
way and I feel like I am going to fall. As you can see, my strength
and power have really suffered. I can't do any plyometrics, or balance
exercises and I am afraid to even try my strongman events.
What Jamie had to say after working with Matt: After
finishing the program you sent me I have improved ALOT!
I went back to my regular deads, heavy squats, etc., and banged out
personal bests in everything and better than before
my injury, I also got 6 reps with 1400lbs on the leg press. Today
I went and tried some strongman. I took to the sled quite rapidly.
I can do supersets with the sled now with 2 lengths with a plate,
2 lengths with 2 plates and finally 2 hard lengths with 3 plates.(sled
weighs about 20-25lbs). I have been doing this twice a week for the
last 4 weeks with the exception of this past week. The hip flexor
was perfect today. I also am back doing the log lift and have already
worked up to a max of 300 lbs. I am also able to get down and pick
up a few of my lighter atlas stones, which would have been impossible
two months ago. My flexibility is great. In the gym, I just added
some dumbbell lunges since I couldn't do them before. Just balancing
on one leg was tough one month ago and now I am able to do stand on
one leg and do shoulder presses pretty strictly with 50 to 60 lb dumbbells.
Ball crunches also worked instantly but are way to easy now. I thank
you and greatly appreciate everything you have done for me, helping
me with my training routine and advice.
