BIG WIGS BEEF UP PHYSICAL TRAINER CATERS TO CORPORATE CLIENTELE.

Byline: Krystn Shrieve Staff Writer

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Physical trainer Brian Theiss, owner of American Built Bodies, recently created a fitness program specifically designed to meet the needs of his corporate clients.

``About 95 percent of our clientele are business professionals,'' said Theiss, a fitness trainer for 13 years. ``Years ago most of my clients were athletes. I had incredible results and soon their coaches began coming in. Then the corporations that sponsored these athletes and coaches began noticing my work and it just evolved. Now most of my clients are professionals.''

The corporate program begins with a consultation between the client and a fitness specialist. The center uses what's called a VO2 machine, which calculates the rate at which the client metabolizes fats and carbohydrates.

``There's absolutely no guesswork,'' Theiss said. ``We use this information to design a diet and fitness program specifically for that individual. Our No. 1 goal is to get them fit as quickly as we can so we can move on to helping them increase their circulation, their cardiovascular endurance and their core strength, which will improve their stability and mobility.''

The fitness plans are different for each person, but usually include different combinations of upper- and lower-body exercises, free weights and weight machines.

It all started when Theiss began noticing that many of his corporate clients were dealing with a high degree of stress due to hectic work schedules. The stress was leading to many physical problems such as lack of cardiovascular endurance, lack of circulation and the separation of muscle fibers, which caused slouching and other forms of poor posture. He also realized many of his clients are dependent on pain, heart, blood pressure or diabetes medication.

``Because stress is something that manifests itself in you physically, the only way to get it out is by working it out physically,'' Theiss said.

Theiss said he has seen amazing results with the corporate program. For example, he said the chief executive officer of a local bank has demonstrated a marked improvement in his cardiovascular efficiency and tripled his strength in various exercises. Another client, who owns a construction company, was getting sick for the same two-week period every year for 10 years. That client, Theiss said, estimated that he's saved between $15,000 and $20,000 in unmissed work since he's been going to the fitness center. Theiss said others have been able to go off their heart or diabetes medication.

``These people are CEOs and CFOs,'' Theiss said. ``They can't afford to get sick so we elevate their energy levels and they're able to get more done. They can work longer periods of time and have a lot less pent-up stress.''

Theiss is ranked one of the top three professional fitness trainers among the nation's 35,000 trainers registered with the International Sports Science Association. He was a competitive power lifter and a health and fitness expert for the Cincinnati Reds. He also has taught courses at Oxnard and Moorpark colleges. He is the health editor of Westlake Magazine and is always conducting seminars locally on issues of health and fitness.

Plans are in motion to change the name of the company to the Theiss Institute of Health and Fitness. In the next six to eight months Theiss hopes to swap locations with the cookie shop next door to his center so he can purchase the adjacent vacant space and expand his facility by 2,500 square feet.

American Built Bodies is in the Evergreen Center, 3677 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Brian Theiss, owner of American Built Bodies in Westlake Village, helps one of his clients, Bob Hamilton, CEO of Los Robles Bank in Thousand Oaks, on a lat machine.

(2) ``These people are CEO's and CFO's. They can't afford to get sick so we elevate their energy levels and they're able to get more done. They can work longer periods of time and have a lot less pent-up stress.''

- Brian Theiss

owner of American Built Bodies