Testimonials

Rebecca F.

Few decisions can be filed under “best decision ever”, and working with Darin Starr is one of those decisions. From day one he makes it very clear that whatever you need and whatever questions you have, that he is in your corner and you aren’t doing this alone.

I met with Darin at the end of May but didn’t begin training with him until August. The consultation was much different than what I imagined. He wasn’t trying to sell anything, he gave me solid ideas to begin working out and eating healthier. Then sent me off with instructions to call, e-mail, or text him with any question or concern I had. His want to motivate and help you succeed is apparent from the minute you meet him.

Darin raises the bar in all aspects of personal training. Not only does Darin have a wide array of exercises in his arsenal, he is very well versed in nutrition. He set me up with a solid, clearly laid out plan with numerous ideas for meals. How many calories I should be eating, what types of foods I should be eating, simple ideas to prepare those foods, alternatives to foods I don’t like, etc. As a full time student with a part time job, convenience is key. One of the great things about Darin is his understanding. He has never made me feel guilty, embarrassed or made me feel the need to lie about what I’ve eaten. After Thanksgiving he asked how I had been doing with my food choices. I was honest, and told him I had been eating out too much and not been making great choices. The first thing he said wasn’t, “well then we are wasting our time here”, or “do you really need to be eating that junk?”. It was “what can I do to help?”.

During our sessions, I have his complete attention. He makes it clear, you are his priority. If I say “hey, my arms are super sore from the last session”, he gives me a fist pound then takes me through some stretches to loosen them up. He encourages open communication; he asks on a regular basis “how was that?” and expects an honest answer. In my case that can range anywhere from “I don’t ever want to do that again”, to “I didn’t hate that”.

From August to present, our sessions have been varied. I’ve been working out with him anywhere from two to three times per week, and every session has included at least one new exercise or a new variation. Before Darin, I could have told you probably two basic exercises and preformed even less than that correctly. I have the knowledge base now, that if I wanted to I could continue this journey on my own. I know what I should be eating, exercises for specific muscle groups, how many sets/reps I should be doing and proper form for those exercises.

It makes a world of difference having a professional like Darin in your corner. There is no guessing game as to what you should be doing. If you’re looking for someone to help you reach your goals, even if you don’t know what exactly they may be, Darin Starr is THE best choice. I’ve lost weight, gained muscle, knowledge and confidence. You can’t and won’t find a more knowledgeable, personable, comical, and genuinely good hearted personal trainer within 500 miles, so stop looking and give him a call!

Vanessa F.

Darin Starr is hands down the best personal trainer in Asheville. You really won’t find anyone more committed to your success. When I first entertained the thought of a personal trainer, I was really concerned because I hadn’t done any kind of exercise for any serious period of time. I also had some back problems (I had scolosis and had harrington rods placed when I was 13) and going in to the consultation I didn’t even know if he could help me. I went in the consultation prepared for the worst, that whoever this guy was, he was going to belittle me for the way I was eating and lack of exercise in my life and I was prepared to listen to every sales pitch in the book. I got the complete opposite. He seemed to really care about what I had to say and not one time did I feel like he was selling me anything. We talked about my health history and past history with diets and exercising, and he gave me solid ideas on what to change, why I should change it and what the benefits would be all during the consultation.

My sessions are something I always look forward to. They’re very, very challenging but they’re also very rewarding and even fun. Darin has a way of balancing the fun with the necessary, but still making it enjoyable. He really works hard to make you feel like his only client. I really thought that working out with a complete stranger would be awkward or embarrassing, and it hasn’t ever been that way, even once. He has this uncontainable enthusiasm for what he does, that I honestly have never seen before. It’s also contagious. He makes you want to do the best you can, and you have a great time doing it. He’s very down to earth and it’s like he has a never ending stream of jokes and bad puns, that you still somehow laugh at even in the middle of doing squats. When I thought “personal trainer” I thought of the stereotypical man who had a timer, clipboard and bullhorn complete with the “you must suffer” attitude. Darin has, on numerous occasions, gotten down and done whatever he was asking me to do with me. He doesn’t yell if you don’t want him to, and as far as I know there isn’t a bullhorn in his bag of tricks. You will never find anyone more encouraging, either. During our sessions, he always makes a point to talk nutrition. I’ve never felt like I had to lie to him if I had gotten off track during the weekend and I’ve never felt like he was judging me for anything I’ve eaten. I’m a very picky eater and he’s been great about working with my food preferences while still encouraging me to try new things. He is always honest with you, and he wants honest feedback from you. If you don’t like something, he’s always willing to talk and make changes to the plan if necessary. He also is always mindful of my back and other various issues that sometimes even I forget about.

In working with Darin for 6 months, I’ve lost 55 pounds, gained muscle and the knowledge that when I do go to the gym on my own that I can exercise safely and effectively. I also know more of what to eat, when to eat and why I should eat certain things before certain types of workouts. Before working with him, when I went to the gym I was limited in what I could do by what machines were available. Now, the only limit I have is time and my endurance. I know what exercises to do together, what weights are appropriate and how to get the most of my time in the gym. Darin doesn’t strive to make lifetime clients. In fact, he does everything he can to make sure you know how to do things safely on your own. He also makes himself readily available outside of our regular sessions, for any questions that come up or even a “hey, I’m hungry and the only thing I have access to is a vending machine, what would be a good choice?” text. I’ve probably emailed the man 100 times in 6 months asking questions about nutrition and things to do in the gym. He has the patience of a saint, as well. He’s happy to write workouts for you to do on your own time, and they’re equally as challenging as the ones you do in sessions with him.

All of the above can be summed up in 3 words. Darin is awesome. You really won’t find anyone better. Seriously, give him a call and at least talk to him. The only thing you have to lose is maybe some unwanted pounds and a few bad habits

Pam A.

September 5, 2011, the day that changed my life and Personal Trainer, Darin Starr was the one person that would guide me along my journey. I was interested in seeking a trainer the year before but the time was not right. A year later I revisited the idea, searched online, and came across Darin Starr’s site FiveStarrFitness.com. I read all the material about three times and watched his online videos. It was like Darin was talking right to me, hitting on all the areas in my life that needed changing from the diet, food preparation and workouts. I immediately emailed him my interest and within a half an hour I received a response.

A Weight Watchers member since 2007, I had lost 25 pounds up until this point and knew I needed something extra. I needed someone to help guide and push me outside my comfort zone in both nutrition and an exercise program, someone to be accountable to, and someone that would be supportive and knowledgeable in my journey. This I found in Darin Starr during our first meeting and he has been guiding me for 15 months, and still going.

Darin provides a personalized plan of action which includes varied workouts of interval training, cardio and weightlifting, and a personal meal plan. For me simple food swaps, eating salads, and changing to a six meal a day plan to keep the metabolism up have made all the difference. I now work out three times a week and Love powerlifting. (Lift the weights ladies!) I even won a Biggest Loser contest at work with Darin’s guidance losing 21.8 pounds in eight weeks keeping to my meal plans and upping the exercise regimens. At my one year mark I had lost 40 pounds and four clothes sizes! Including Weight Watchers
that is a total of 65 pounds, yes!

Knowledge, you bet! Right at my one year anniversary I had to have shoulder surgery for arthritis on the clavicle area (not an injury mind you). Darin added exercises for the shoulder and back areas to strengthen the area before my surgery date. Surgery went well and during recovery he adjusted my workouts to protect the area and we concentrated on other areas instead, legs, abs, etc. Physical Therapy went well and the therapist was impressed with Darin’s knowledge and what we accomplished prior to surgery. Darin would add an exercise back into the program only after I would ask the therapist’s approval which enhanced the recovery. Two months later I was released from physical
therapy ahead of schedule to continue my home therapy, and we continued strengthening exercises in the gym. Three months later I am back to almost full strength, lifting again and released from my doctors care. Now I can resume a complete program to continue losing weight.

Thanks Darin! It’s a pleasure to come into my weekly sessions excited to do my workouts with the guidance and support you have given me. You lift me up when I am weary, help me meet challenges (even ones I ask for- and rein me in when needed), and I so enjoy the camaraderie at the gym. Your attentiveness to answer questions at any time and keep in touch with your clients through various media is an awesome bonus to your program.

I am so thankful I found Darin at that important moment in my life when I made a decision to change. It only took me 55 years to get to that point and now I know it is never too late to start changing one’s life.  It has been an enlightening 15 month journey and the ride is not over. He has taught me much about the drive and determination I have within, what I can do when I don’t set limits upon myself, and that I can make a difference by the actions I take concerning my health and well-being. So if you are looking for a personal trainer in Asheville, NC or for On-Line Training, give Darin Starr of FiveStarrFitness.com a good look, he’s Awesome! Did I mention he has a great personality to go with that awesomeness?

Dick & Mibs (early 60′s)

What does it feel like to:

Be stronger than you were in your fourties

Have all the stamina you need to d what you want

Laugh when someone says “do you want help out with that?”

Live with so much less knee and back pain

Have a renewed view of life and the future

Understand more about our general health

Get on the floor and “rough-house” with your grandchildren

We know what this feels like everyday — thanks Darin!

Sandra H.

I have enjoyed working with Darin more than any other personal trainer I’ve known. Not only is he reassuredly knowledgeable and professional, he’s a blast to work out with!! I was steadily on my way to my goal when he had to move to another state but at least he got me into some better habits that help me realize I will still make that goal. I couldn’t recommend a better trainer!

Liz

I recently had a great personal trainer, until he moved to North Carolina! Darin Starr worked with my 51 year old body  for six months and caused tone and muscle to occur in places that have not known strength in years! I miss him terribly and hope he returns to Oregon soon!

Kyle I.

I’ve worked with several personal trainers, but Darin was far and away the best.  Not only does he have a great working knowledge of diet and exercise, but he has a very contagious enthusiasm that is guaranteed to keep you excited about your fitness goals.  Darin readily made himself available outside of the set session hours.  Whenever I had a question, I could e-mail Darin and get thorough response back fairly quickly.  His commitment and expertise made my sessions an overwhelmingly positive experience.

Sara W.

With Darin’s knowledge and coaching, I have been able to lose 20% body fat and gained 21.5 pounds of muscle. I was frustrated seeing almost no loss on the scales until I realized my pant size was dropping (I was used to watching my progress dieting only by watching the scale). In fact, the scale only dropped about 10 pounds in the 9 months but I dropped from a size 8 to a size 2!!! Darin prepared a clean, metabolism-boosting food plan and resistance/cardio training plan that met my individual needs so I can continue this healthy lifestyle longterm.

I’m now lean and tight not “skinny fat” like alot of people get when just dieting to lose pounds on the scale. I plan on competing in local bodybuilding  in the next several months and will continue to lose fat and build even a little more muscle. I haven’t been this small since highschool and this healthy since, well, ever! Darin got me in the gym and over my fear of using free weights or resistance machines that were so intimidating. I have no hesitation working out by myself because I understand how to use proper form to prevent injuries and get the most benefit out of my workouts. Darin created alternative workouts that I can do in my living room for those times when life gets in the way of the gym.

I was afraid that lifelong yo-yo dieting would make it impossible for me to transform my body but Darin’s customized training and food plan worked wonders for me and I now have a new body and lifestyle to keep me healthy and confident forever!