Chris Mondragon, BS, ACE is the President and co-founder of Personally Fit Individualized Training Inc. Chris has over 30 years’ experience in the fitness industry. Since 1986 Chris has been a nationally recognized personal trainer using his extensive knowledge, experience and passion to empower his clients to achieve lifetime fitness and health goals. Chris’s reputation has allowed him to work closely with his client’s physicians and other health professionals to ensure his clients adhere to their medical prescriptions. Chris has been seen on WRAL TV5 News as their Fitness Guru. While founding Personally Fit Individualized Training, Chris was also the director of Glaxo Inc.’s Fitness and Wellness programs in the Research Triangle Park, NC for over 8 years.
Chris earned his BS in Recreation Resources Administration at North Carolina State University while on a full wrestling scholarship from 1980 - 1984. Chris was ACC Outstanding Wrestler, an All-American in 1983, and ACC Wrestling Champion in 1982, 1983 & 1984. He was also awarded the prestigious top 50 ACC Wrestlers at the 50th Anniversary of the ACC celebration.

My favorite client story

I have a lot of great stories. However, in the last 3 1/2 years I have worked with a client with cerebral palsy who has had some of the best rehab and therapy. And even with this she still needed arm crutches at times and she was not able to carry her children or play with them in the yard. Her physical activity was limited. As a new I put her on a progressive strength training program. This client has developed a new base line of physical ability and can play with her kids and is able to stand up straighter to such a degree that some of her other past coworkers didn't recognize her. In addition, a little more than a year ago she called me crying and said did something she has never done before. She walked into a grocery store and picked up a 35 lb. bag of dog food and put it on her shoulder and walked it to her car!

My favorite exercise

Squats - Back squats or goblet squats. Squats are a game changer for anybody who is deconditioned or a high level athlete. Squats will make your whole body stronger, build your metabolism, and work your cardiovascular system.

My favorite quote

"Balance your thoughts with action. If you spend too much time thinking about a thing you will never get it done." Bruce Lee

My training philosophy

When in doubt get stronger. Absolute strength is the master quality. Imagine a large glass and a small glass, like a shot glass. Absolute strength is the glass and every other quality (mobility, flexibility, cardio and all the other glorious rest) is the liquid. The bigger the glass the more liquid you can hold. If there is a truth in training it is this: the stronger you are the easier it is to achieve all your other goals.

My training experience

I worked in corporate fitness 1985-1992 and was fortunate enough to work with probably over a thousand different people. Also, in 1986 I started training individuals at gyms and their homes. In 1992 I left corporate fitness to become a full time trainer. And in 2002 my wife also got ACE certified and we opened our training studio where we train our clients. I still have two sets of couples that have been training with me since 1992. I am also a Precision Nutrition Level 1 certified coach. I maintain my ACE personal training certification. And I am Gold certified since 1990. I especially take great joy in helping people who have never made fitness part of their life become consistent exercisers