A longtime personal fitness enthusiast, Cody Parker is a Managing Partner and senior trainer. He works with a variety of clients whose fitness goals and needs cover the fitness spectrum.

Cody's evolution into becoming a certified fitness trainer began about seven years ago. "I've always been a 'sporty' person and kept up with my fitness level. In high school, I was the skinny guy who couldn't add a pound of muscle to save my life. I started working with a trainer who showed me proper form and different techniques to achieve my goals. It wasn't long before I noticed serious results. In college, I kept up a daily training regimen and started taking sport science classes to provide an academic background. I also started working with the athletic coaches and started training many of our athletes. Working out and training became a lifestyle and I was doing some sort of physical activity - either in or outside of the gym - everyday. My senior year I took up recreational distance and cross-country running to supplement my cardio workouts. That's been a hobby of mine ever since."

After graduating from college, Cody imagined that he would continue his fitness-oriented lifestyle; but he started spending more time in a government office building and less time taking care of his body. "One day I sat down and took an inventory of my life and remembered that I was happiest when working out and helping other people realize their fitness goals. When I got home that evening, I started researching personal trainer certification programs and made the commitment to make this my profession."

The career and lifestyle change is one that Cody is glad he embraced. He got back into a daily workout routine and started taking courses through the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers. After earning his certification two years ago, he began training clients at LifeStages. "It was a natural fit and I truly am doing my dream job. There are many different types of people with different fitness goals. It's never the same thing two days in a row and I like that challenge."

Many of Cody's clients are new-comers to the gym and have very specific fitness goals. Some want to loose weight, get in shape, and tighten and tone their bodies while others are looking to increase mobility and flexibility, or to strengthen a certain area of their bodies - such as their lower back to alleviate pain.

Cody also works with athletes looking to improve areas in their specified sport. "It's amazing how many athletes out there focus on only one muscle group and don't train the body as a whole. That puts them at a competitive disadvantage and - in some extreme cases - can lead to injury on the playing field. You have to train the body as a machine and incorporate effective resistance training with real-life exercises to really notice an increase in your skill and agility."

Cody is currently working on his advanced personal training certification. In his spare time, he's conditioning himself to compete in the New York City Urbanathlon in September 2007. His goal is to place within the top ten in his age bracket.