Gunnar Peterson
Born
Houston, Texas
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Businessman, personal trainer, author, actor
SpouseJanet Crown (divorced)
Children3
FamilyLester Crown (former father-in-law)

Gunnar Peterson is an American personal trainer, author, businessman, and actor best known for his work with professional athletes and celebrities.[1][2][3] He is also a speaker, creator of major fitness programs, and developer of fitness equipment with a focus on functional training.[1][2][3] His known best students are Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Billy Dee Williams.[4]

Early life and education

As a child in Houston, Texas, Peterson struggled with his weight. At age 10, his mother enrolled him in Weight Watchers and began driving him to weekly meetings.[5] As he tells People Magazine, "At one meeting they announced I'd lost 5lbs., I celebrated by buying two ice-cream sandwiches." By college, Gunnar had gotten serious about fitness and started his career; People notes the extra weight is "now but a memory on his 9.5 percent body fat frame."[5][6][7]

He is a graduate of Duke University (class of 1985) in Durham, North Carolina with degrees in Physical Fitness, Psychology and Nutrition.[2][7] He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), a National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and is certified by the American Council on Exercise.[2][7]

Career

Fitness Expert and Personal Trainer

Peterson owns and operates a private training facility in Beverly Hills, California where he works out up to 9 clients per day. He told Sports Illustrated, "My main focus is function" - a reference to his emphasis on functional training modalities.[1] He is widely recognized for his expertise in functional training and his commitment to developing and implementing innovative fitness techniques. In 2022, Peterson became the Chief of Athletics for the functional fitness franchise F45, where he partnered with David Beckham to create the DB45 workout.[8]

As a personal trainer, Peterson does one-on-one sessions with workouts. This practice is tied to his emphasis on functional training.[1] He has worked with athletes from the NBA, NHL, NFL, USTA, professional boxing and various NCAA sports, as well as guided Film and television actors in preparing for roles.[7][9]

Gunnar Peterson works out up to nine clients a day at his Beverly Hills gym, and they're often a mix of pro athletes and movie stars. J-Lo says he's the best trainer she's ever had, Sly Stallone was so grateful for Peterson's help he cast the trainer in Rocky Balboa, and after Pete Sampras won the 2002 U.S. Open he gave Peterson a racquet signed THANKS FOR EXTENDING MY CAREER.

— Sports Illustrated[1]

Sports Illustrated has called him a "Fitness Guru" and "Trainer to the Stars".[1] Discovery Health features his diet and fitness tips.[10] Today/ MSNBC quotes excerpts from his book detailing how to shape up attitudes and bodies.[11] CNN quotes Gunnar's philosophy: "Get on a regular routine. Exercise should be a cornerstone of your life, like brushing your teeth. It's not even an option to blow it off."[12]

Author, videos and business products

Peterson released his first book, G-Force, in January 2005 (Regan Books). Outlined in the book are what Peterson calls the four "F-words" – Function, Foundation, Freedom and Focus.

He serves as an editor and writes a regular column for Muscle and Fitness magazine, is on the advisory board for Fitness magazine, and has been a contributing editor for Glamour magazine as well as a contributor for Clean Eating.[2]

Peterson is regularly featured in Allure, Elle, InStyle, In Touch Weekly, US Weekly, Men's Health, Women's Health, Self and other magazines. His television appearances include The Today Show, Fox & Friends, CNN, CNN Headline News, The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, Extra, shows for E! and VH1, and as a fitness expert on reality television shows.[2]

As developer of the "Core Secrets" workout, Gunnar created a series of 18 home fitness DVDs by the same name.[2]

Peterson teamed up with Molly Sims for the National PetFit Challenge and has created pet and pet owner videos with exercise programs for dogs and cats.[13]

Through his own fitness product development company, Outside Shot, Peterson created The Bottom Line, a body exercise machine, The RAC, an accessory that incorporates weighted upper body work with Spinning, and Hoop Hands, a basketball-specific resistance training aid.

In 2017, Peterson was hired as a celebrity trainer to promote telepresence fitness instruction offered by a Maryland-based company.[14]

Personal life

He is divorced from Janet Crown, daughter of billionaire Lester Crown[15] and granddaughter of Junius Myer Schine. The couple had three children.[15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 SI Players: Trainer to the Stars Archived 2010-09-23 at the Wayback Machine Sports Illustrated, 2005
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Profile Information from Gunnar Peterson’s official website
  3. 1 2 "[Fitness & Diet Secrets of the Stars" http://gunnarpeterson.com/press/theySay/fitnessRx_0407.pdf] Archived 2010-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, FitnessRx Magazine, April 2007
  4. ↑ @realbdw (August 24, 2019). "Clearly you can tell @TheRock and I share the same trainer" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. 1 2 ["Glamour Health and Fitness. Want J. Lo’s body? 14 Tips From Her Trainer, Gunnar Peterson", http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/shape-up/2008/12/want-j-los-body-14-tips-from-h.html] Glamour Magazine, December 2008
  6. ↑ "Top Gunnar: Fitness King Gunnar Peterson helped give Angelina her abs and McConaughey his McMuscles", http://gunnarpeterson.com/press/theySay/people.pdf Archived 2010-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, People Magazine, 2005
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Fit for Life: Gunnar Peterson ‘85", http://www.dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/050608/depmini-peterson.html, Duke Magazine, June 2008
  8. ↑ "'Just lift something': Khloe Kardashian trainer Gunnar Peterson's simple advice on the best way to get lean". British GQ. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "Gunnar Peterson: Year-Round Fitness - Don't Let Your Workout Become Routine", http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/Gunnar_Peterson122006.aspx, The 700 Club
  10. ↑ "Discovery Health – Diet and Fitness Center", http://health.discovery.com/centers/diet-fitness/personal-trainers/gunnar-peterson.html, Discovery Health
  11. ↑ J. Lo’s trainer reveals his secrets", https://www.today.com/news/j-lo-s-trainer-reveals-his-secrets-wbna6848488, MSNBC TODAY, February 2005
  12. ↑ " The celebrity trainer approach to a more perfect body", http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/09/20/celeb.trainers/index.html?eref=rss_health, CNN, 2007
  13. ↑ "Alliance for Healthier Pets - PetFit – Training with Gunnar Peterson", http://www.hillspet.com/Petfit/pfCommonDisplay.hjsp?asst=pfTrainingWithGunnarPeterson Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, Petfit, 2008
  14. ↑ McDaniels, Andrea K. (26 July 2017). "Columbia-based gymGO lets you work out with trainers via live, two-way streaming". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017.
  15. 1 2 Los Angeles Times: "Intruder in Beverly Hills home stabbed, arrested" by Carla Hall December 08, 2006
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