Gunnar Peterson
Encyclopedia
Gunnar Peterson is a Swedish American
personal trainer
and physical fitness
expert, known for his work with professional athletes and celebrities. Also a popular author, speaker, creator of major fitness programs, and developer of fitness equipment, he is recognized globally for his expertise in functional training
and his 20 years of experience in the fitness industry.
, Peterson struggled with his weight
. At age 10, his mother enrolled him in Weight Watchers
and began driving him to weekly meetings. As he tells People Magazine, "At one meeting they announced I'd lost 5lbs., I celebrated by buying two ice-cream sandwiches." By college, Gunnar had gotten serious about fitness and started his career; People notes the extra weight is "now but a memory on his 9.5 percent body fat frame."
modalities.
As a personal trainer, Gunnar is known for training clients in one-on-one sessions with workouts. This practice is tied to his emphasis on functional training
.
Sports Illustrated has called him a “Fitness Guru” and “Trainer to the Stars”. Discovery Health features his diet and fitness tips. Today/ MSNBC quotes excerpts from his book detailing how to shape up attitudes and bodies. CNN quotes Gunnar’s philosophy: "Get on a regular routine. Exercise should be a cornerstone of your life, like brushing your teeth. It's not even an option to blow it off."
The pet and pet owner exercise videos include options for dogs and cats and include both traditional exercises, some new exercises altogether.
magazine as well as a contributor for Clean Eating.
Gunnar is also regularly featured in Allure
, Elle
, InStyle, In Touch Weekly
, US Weekly
, Men's Health
, Women's Health
, Self
and other magazines. His television appearances include The Today Show
, Fox & Friends
, CNN
, CNN Headline News
, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
, Extra
, shows for E!
and VH1
, and as a fitness expert on reality television
shows.
(class of 1985) in Durham, North Carolina
with degrees in Physical Fitness
, Psychology
and Nutrition
.
He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and is certified by the American Council on Exercise
.
and various NCAA sports. Many film
and television
celebrities have also sought Gunnar's guidance in preparing for roles.
, The RAC, an accessory that incorporates weighted upper body work with Spinning
, and Hoop Hands, a basketball
-specific resistance training
aid
. Gunnar owns and operates a private gym
in Beverly Hills, CA
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
personal trainer
Personal trainer
A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability to clients. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments...
and physical fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
expert, known for his work with professional athletes and celebrities. Also a popular author, speaker, creator of major fitness programs, and developer of fitness equipment, he is recognized globally for his expertise in functional training
Functional training
Functional training is a classification of exercise which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life.-Origins:Functional training has its origins in rehabilitation. Physical therapists often use this approach to retrain patients with movement disorders...
and his 20 years of experience in the fitness industry.
Early life
As a child in Houston, TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Peterson struggled with his weight
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
. At age 10, his mother enrolled him in Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is an international company that offers various dieting products and services to assist weight loss and maintenance. Founded in 1963 by Brooklyn homemaker Jean Nidetch, it operates in about 30 countries around the world, generally under names that are local translations of “Weight...
and began driving him to weekly meetings. As he tells People Magazine, "At one meeting they announced I'd lost 5lbs., I celebrated by buying two ice-cream sandwiches." By college, Gunnar had gotten serious about fitness and started his career; People notes the extra weight is "now but a memory on his 9.5 percent body fat frame."
Fitness Expert and Personal Trainer
Peterson owns and operates a private training facility in Beverly Hills, California where he works out up to 9 clients per day. He tells Sports Illustrated, “My main focus is function” - a reference to his emphasis on functional trainingFunctional training
Functional training is a classification of exercise which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life.-Origins:Functional training has its origins in rehabilitation. Physical therapists often use this approach to retrain patients with movement disorders...
modalities.
As a personal trainer, Gunnar is known for training clients in one-on-one sessions with workouts. This practice is tied to his emphasis on functional training
Functional training
Functional training is a classification of exercise which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life.-Origins:Functional training has its origins in rehabilitation. Physical therapists often use this approach to retrain patients with movement disorders...
.
Sports Illustrated has called him a “Fitness Guru” and “Trainer to the Stars”. Discovery Health features his diet and fitness tips. Today/ MSNBC quotes excerpts from his book detailing how to shape up attitudes and bodies. CNN quotes Gunnar’s philosophy: "Get on a regular routine. Exercise should be a cornerstone of your life, like brushing your teeth. It's not even an option to blow it off."
Fitness Philosophy
Peterson is frequently called upon to give advice in popular television, print and online forums and often serves as a keynote speaker at national conferences.Gunnar’s "Core Secrets"
As developer of the “Core Secrets” workout, Gunnar created a popular series of 18 home fitness DVDs by the same name.Reduce and Renew, Stronger by Design, and Ready to Go
Gunnar has also created a series of three programs 1) “Reduce and Renew,” which was designed to support a weight loss program; 2) Stronger by Design,” created to strengthen and build muscle mass; and 3) “Ready to Go,” a routine for developing greater energy and stamina. Peterson has also created a series of 70 exercises.The Alliance for Healthier Pets
Gunnar's fitness efforts extend beyond the gym to reach pets. Gunnar put together some activities for a video series for cat and dog owners. Gunnar also teamed up with Molly Sims for the National PetFit Challenge.The pet and pet owner exercise videos include options for dogs and cats and include both traditional exercises, some new exercises altogether.
Author
Gunnar Peterson released his first book, G-Force, in January 2005 (Regan Books). Outlined in the book are what Peterson calls the four "F-words" – Function, Foundation, Freedom and Focus.Other Writing Projects
Gunnar also serves as an editor and writes a regular column for Muscle and Fitness magazine, is on the advisory board for Fitness magazine, and has been a contributing editor for GlamourGlamour (magazine)
Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
magazine as well as a contributor for Clean Eating.
Gunnar is also regularly featured in Allure
Allure (magazine)
Allure is the leading U.S. women’s beauty magazine, published monthly by Condé Nast in New York City. It was founded in 1991 by editor in chief Linda Wells, who has been at the helm of the magazine ever since. From its inception, the magazine has been widely recognized for its intelligent,...
, Elle
Elle (magazine)
Elle is a worldwide magazine of French origin that focuses on women's fashion, beauty, health, and entertainment. Elle is also the world's largest fashion magazine. It was founded by Pierre Lazareff and his wife Hélène Gordon in 1945. The title, in French, means "she".-History:Elle was founded in...
, InStyle, In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly
In Touch Weekly is an American celebrity gossip magazine. The magazine is focused on celebrity news, fashion, beauty, relationships and lifestyle, and is geared towards a younger readership, billing itself as "fast and fun", along with making claims about their lower cover price on their front...
, US Weekly
Us Weekly
Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
, Men's Health
Men's Health (magazine)
Men's Health , published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, is the world’s largest men’s magazine brand, with 44 editions around the world. It is also the best-selling men's magazine on U.S. newsstands. It covers fitness, nutrition, sexuality, lifestyle and other aspects of...
, Women's Health
Women's Health (magazine)
Women's Health, published by Rodale in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, is a magazine focusing on health, nutrition, fitness, sex, and lifestyle. It's published 10 times a year in the United States and has a circulation of 1.5 million readers...
, Self
Self (magazine)
Self magazine is an American magazine for women that specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty and happiness. Published by Condé Nast Publications 12 times a year, it has a circulation of 1,486,992 and a total audience of 5,541,000 readers, according to its corporate media kit. The...
and other magazines. His television appearances include The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
, Fox & Friends
Fox & Friends
Fox & Friends is an American morning television show on the Fox News Channel.-History:The show begins at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time with the latest Fox News Live headlines and analyzes the news of the morning...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, CNN Headline News
CNN Headline News
HLN, formerly known as CNN Headline News and CNN2, is a cable television news channel based in the United States and a spinoff of the cable news television channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005, the channel has increasingly aired long-form...
, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch
The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch was a talk show on CNBC hosted by Donny Deutsch. The show offered success stories that outlined a "roadmap to the American Dream." Every weeknight at 10pm, Donny Deutsch, the CEO of advertising and media business Deutsch Inc., introduced the audience to successful...
, Extra
Extra (TV series)
Extra is an American entertainment television news program covering events and celebrities which debuted on September 5, 1994 in syndication. It is produced at Victory Studios in Glendale, California by Telepictures Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television Distribution...
, shows for E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
, and as a fitness expert on reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
shows.
Education
Gunnar Peterson is a graduate of Duke UniversityDuke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
(class of 1985) in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
with degrees in Physical Fitness
Physical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
, Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and Nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
.
He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and is certified by the American Council on Exercise
American Council on Exercise
The American Council on Exercise is a nonprofit fitness certification and education provider.Established in 1985, ACE now operates as a full-service entity with a staff of more than 40...
.
Clientele
Peterson is well known for his work with athletes from the NBA, NHL, NFL, USTA, professional boxingProfessional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
and various NCAA sports. Many film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
celebrities have also sought Gunnar's guidance in preparing for roles.
Business Ventures
Through his own fitness product development company, Outside Shot, Gunnar has created The Bottom Line, a total body exercise machineExercise machine
An exercise machine is any machine used for physical exercise. These range from simple spring-like devices to computerized electromechanical rides to recirculating-stream swimming pools...
, The RAC, an accessory that incorporates weighted upper body work with Spinning
Indoor cycling
Indoor cycling, as an organized activity, is a form of exercise with classes focusing on endurance, strength, intervals, high intensity and recovery, that involve using a special stationary exercise bicycle with a weighted flywheel in a classroom setting.- History :Group indoor cycling was...
, and Hoop Hands, a basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
-specific resistance training
Resistance training
Resistance training has two different meanings. A broader meaning that refers to any training that uses a resistance to the force of muscular contraction , and elastic or hydraulic resistance, which refers to a specific type of strength training that uses elastic or hydraulic tension to provide...
aid
Aid
In international relations, aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country....
. Gunnar owns and operates a private gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
in Beverly Hills, CA
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
External links
- Official site
- Official blog at Muscle and Fitness