I have been competing for 20 years and also prep athletes and train people of all walks of life for a living, but still seek out professional guidance when I am unsure of certain things!! This year I planned to do 2 shows 2 weeks apart ( San Diego TOC, and USAs) but was unsure when or if to cut my water. I had been following Allen Cress on Facebook and his posts were always very informative and he looked like he practiced what he preached (which to me is very important),so I sent him a message and some pics asking him what to do!! Allen said he would be willing to take over my prep from there which was exactly 5 weeks out from USA! He said I needed to improve my conditioning and that he could help!! I hired him on the spot and it was one of the best decisions I made this year!! I got into the best condition I had ever been period, and I’m not gonna say it was easy, but it was nothing drastic that I couldn’t handle. Allen keeps it simple and makes slight changes based on bio feedback and it works for me!!  I Knick named him “THE WIZ” cause he created Magic with my transformation!!

I have been working with Allen Cress for over 6 months now and I can honestly say that he has exceeded my expectations. He has gone over and beyond what one would expect from an online fitness coach. His honest, yet sincere feedback kept me focused and motivated throughout contest preparation. I have used several online coaches and was always afraid to be completely open during check in sessions. However, Allen made it easy to remain honest with my progress. His meal plans and workout regiments are individually crafted for each client so I never felt like I received a cookie cutter diet! He knows the science behind training so I knew I was in good hands. If I had questions or concerns, Allen was quick to respond! I have never received such exceptional customer service! I never spent hours on the treadmill or felt deprived during contest prep. The weight dropped off while I gained strength in the gym almost weekly! I was amazed with how fast my physique transformed.  Allen helped me win first and overall in my first NPC bikini competition. Allen even made it out to North Americans to be there throughout my first Championships experience. Allen and his wife, Nicole Cress, work together to ensure that all Maximum Performance Training athletes are well prepared for each competition. Nicole also went the extra mile to ensure my stage presence was perfect before each show which made it that much easier to step on stage with full confidence.

In my opinion part of being successful in anything you do requires surrounding your self with those that are willing to mentor, share information, and encourage you to be all you can. As a seasoned professional I have had several coaches. However, it was not until I found Allen that I truly believed I found someone who was actually interested in helping ME and not just giving standard information to 100 different clients without regard for their individuality. While he has extensive knowledge in exercise science and science based nutrition and his clear commitment to safe contest prep principles are substantial factor in my assessment of his EXCELLENCE it is his HUMILITY that what will keep me as a client for the future.  The Humility I found and value in Allen as a coach is his willingness to share information, listen to my concerns and thoughts and encourage but not make decision that are mine to make while still being extremely respectful. WOW! This is a quality in a coach I needed. I have never been one to just do what someone says, I want to know WHY and I want to play an active role in discussing my improvement season or contest prep. Thus is the coaching style I found with Allen which I am truly grateful for. So if you are looking for a coach that has educational background, real in the trenches experience, and will treat you like the valuable client YOU ARE then Allen is coach for you.

When I started competing my contest prep followed the fitness ‘norm’ of carb, water, and sodium depletion along with long cardio sessions and overtraining. This worked well for one show then everything went downhill from there. I started losing muscle, getting depressed, and wanted to get away from the whole fitness industry. After researching different ways to prepare for a show from guys like Allen I did a 180 degree turn with my contest prep. By doing this it allowed me come into a show looking full, healthy, and earn my IFBB Pro Card. After this is when I contacted Allen for help getting me to my best. Even though I only had 5 weeks away from my first IFBB Pro Show Allen took the challenge and helped me win my pro debut at the IFBB Sacramento Pro. I saw what he did with me in a short 5 weeks and can’t wait to see what he can do when given months. His knowledge and experience is far and beyond what I expected. I’m very excited to see how far we can go! Thanks again!!