Physique

Dave and Physique have changed my life! I’ve also sent every friend I can convince to try it. Dave is a trainer, but also offers nutritional counseling and physical-​therapy-​type services. He’s not a PT but is much better than any PT I’ve ever been to. He has saved both myself and my husband from major surgery. He also taught me how to eat so that I no longer crave sweets and have completely transformed my diet. My weight is under control for the first time in 20 years. He’s really a holistic lifestyle trainer who gets the body into shape by addressing all the factors (injuries, diet, stress, sleep, exercise habits). Physique is also a mellow, pleasant, private space in the Union Square area. I couldn’t recommend more highly.

Let me start by saying that it’s only been a few weeks and already I am feeling 90% better than I was before I walked into the door at Physique.
I’ve strength trained at gyms for many years and am currently training for a half marathon. I woke up a month ago with so much pain in my lower back that I couldn’t even bend down to tie my shoes. I must have tweaked something when I was doing a leg workout the day before so I took some ibuprofen and hoped for the best. Things got worse and the pain was radiating from my side and hip. After a few nights of tossing in my sleep with excruciating pain, I paid a visit to Physique. I want to go for something more non-​invasive before I had a doctor dose me with medicine had heard some success stories. It was a great idea. After meeting with David and having him assess me, it was concluded that I was «all jacked up». His words! And he was right. After a series of strength tests it was clear that my problems in my lower back/​hip area were coming from problems in other areas in my body. I was holding my breath to manage the lack of control in my movement. My calves were getting over — worked causing an under-​use of muscles surrounding my mid-​section and pelvis. All this was causing my whole alignment to get out of whack. I have heard that when it comes to the body, everything is connected, but I never realized how much. David worked on a few knots out and relaxed the calve muscle. Then I did a series of stretches that he taught me and within a few days, the pain was 50% less. It got better and better and it has now been 3 weeks. We still have work to do but I know I made the right decision. I’ve been to chiropractors and they alleviate pain and align me correctly, but without the proper strength training and stretches, my body has inevitably gone back out of place.
I told David that I wanted to be pain free. He simply said «yeah, that would be good» Physique is better than «good» This place is excellent. I highly recommend.

I was in bad shape. I thought I would require cervical and lower back surgery. I was at my wits end. I’ve tried conventional Therapy’s for years with modest relief and success. Then I was referred over to Physique and met with Dave and his staff. After being evaluated we began slowly working on how to correct and heal my body. They achieved this by being able to not work directly with my disabilities but by working on other parts of my body to help stimulate and align and slowly strengthen my cervical and lumbar spine areas. After years of not being able to ski without pain I was able to go skiing two days in a row without pain. I owe it all to the training and skill level that I received from Physique that I have been able to regain control of my life again. I still have a lot of work to do but after getting these results I am excited to continue my education of learning how my body works in order to get healthier. I could not have done this without their expertise.

One year ago this month, I made the decision to make some positive changes in my life… to invest some time and money in myself. After finding David online, I went for a consultation. I had NO idea I would/​could look and feel as great as I do today — thanks to David and me! I met with David in his studio, not your typical noisy gym atmosphere, it was a pleasant surprise. He asked me some questions about my eating, sleeping, exercise, stress levels… etc…some not so comfy questions, but things I needed to consider before beginning to work on the new me. I asked David to give me some suggestions of where he thought I should start… so I decided to sign up and work on my eating habits. After a short 5 months of ‘healing’ my stomach by eliminating certain foods, I slowly started introducing other foods into my diet. I also started stretching and resistance training with David. I feel like a million bucks. I know that size and weight does not matter, but seems to make a statement when explaining my transformation to others. When I met David, I wore a size 12 and weighed 172lbs (I am 5’6) I am now a size 6 and I weigh 155. (I am still 5’6…lol) I live a better life. I eat lots of root veggies and eat organic when I can. Coconut oil has been a huge plus/​must in my ‘new’ life.
So, a short recap of what David helped me achieve:
a better sleep pattern, smaller clothes, I work out regularly, sexy muscle tone, I have removed all crap foods from my apt, I have shared my knowledge of eating right and the importance of regular exercise with others, so much sometimes I think I may be part of the David Patane Cult (not a bad thing!), I don’t use a microwave, I try to stay away from all plastics, I drink more water, I make smart choices when eating out, my knees and joints thank me every day for taking my gelatin/​collagen every day for the past 12 months, my hair and nails grow and look healthier (because they are!) People ask me what products I use on my face, and I say the shine and healthy look is from living healthy.
David may be a miracle worker. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t talk about David or share a David tip.
My life has been changed forever — thank you David, I couldn’t have done it with you.

It has been 10 months since I began and I have seen RESULTS!
There were a number of goals that I had for the new year: get more energy; lose weight; and live a more balanced life. Yes, I’ve taken classes, tried trainers, but I was looking for a holistic approach to just being «in shape.» When I saw the NY Times article that referred to Physique, I wanted to see if I got something different. It is. It’s fitness, nutrition, and more. They are like your personalized well being advisor. Of course, I should have known I would get something different. When I walked in the place, it felt more like an oasis of zen than a gym — including no gym smell.
Dave was able to evaluate my overall fitness level, nutritional issues, and lifestyle. He then put me on the path to success by ensuring that I was doing the right things and directing me to the right resources — whether it was a Dr to look at my shoulder (because of his persistence, it was therapy not surgery), his advice for nutrition (blood sugar stabilization) or doing the right exercises. This was truly a Herculean effort due to the frenetic pace of life I lead — he understood that, worked with it, and got me through. What was even better is that I didn’t leave sweaty, which meant that I could go out after the workout without redoing my hair. (Shhh…results without breaking a sweat.)
Friends even didn’t recognize me when I was home for the holidays — and at the same price as many trainers but with an exclusive feel and holistic approach — Physique is a keeper!