"WE LIVE WHAT WE TEACH"

We are Super Bowl Champion, Gold Medal Winning and Award Winning Personal Trainers. We are very proud of our fitness and athletic accomplishments and we want you to be proud of yours too. We believe a personal trainer should lead by example inside and outside of the gym. We practice what we preach. With our background and experience, we have the blueprint for your success regardless of your fitness level or goals. We are all about YOU!

Dale "DB" Barr

I was a three sport athlete at one of the largest High Schools in Nebraska, and continued my love for sports throughout college. It was after college was over, while working in the finance industry, that I got stuck in the same rut most Americans find themselves in today. Long commutes, even longer work days, and any other number of excuses kept me away from the gym. I was always exhausted, at times depressed, suffered from constant migraines, and basically in the worst physical shape of my life. My wife, who brought me to Chicago in 2003, couldn't even recognize me. That's when I decided to make a change. In 2006, I quit my job and became a personal trainer. My first client was me. I cleaned up my diet, rededicated myself to my body, and after a few short months I had lost 15lbs and 10% body fat! Even today I consistently have more energy and haven't had a migraine since. I'm now a Certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE) with over 3 years and thousands of hours of experience. I've been lucky enough to work with the best trainers in the industry at the most exclusive gym in Chicago. At TWR I've had the opportunity to work with people of all ages and from all walks of life from high school, to college, to the corporate world, and beyond. It doesn’t matter if you’re sedentary, pre/post-pregnancy, or an elite athlete, I have the knowledge, experience and patience to help you get to where you want to go. If you want proof, all you have to do is ask my 2nd and 3rd clients ever, my wife (yikes!) and then my sister, who had just delivered her second child! Talk about pressure!! The only thing better than achieving my own personal goals is helping you achieve yours! Today, I'm in the best shape of my life. As a Trainer I think it's very important to not just talk the talk about fitness, but be able to walk the walk. Since my recommitment in 2006, I have been able to drop my body fat into single digits while continually gaining strength. Earlier this spring I had a personal best 250lb bench press. I've also trained for, and completed the Olympic Triathlon distance in under 3 hours, as well as, the 70.3 Half Ironman distance in just over 5 hours. Look for the DB3-Sport Training group I hope to start at TWR in 2010.

Matt Ulrich

Matt Ulrich joined the TWR team in 2007 because he wanted to teach people what he has always done best... TRAINING FOR SUCCESS!!!

Matt found himself back in Chicago after playing two exciting years in the National Football League. He is originally from the Windy City area, a product of Streamwood High School, where he earned a football scholarship to Northwestern University.

As a student athlete and history/education major at Northwestern, Matt was a three year starter on the offensive line earning the rank of team captain as a senior in 2004. He helped the team reach two bowl games and was a Big Ten Champion in 2000.

Through hard work and dedication in the gym on and off the field, he became a three time IRON CAT, an award bestowed only to athletes achieving the highest level of strength, speed, and overall conditioning. As top point earner, Matt was recognized as the best conditioned athlete at Northwestern University in 2003. This success snowballed in 2004 when Matt was acknowledged as a National Strength and Conditioning Association All-American and was voted to the Honorable Mention All-Big Ten team. Matt still currently owns many lifting records at Northwestern including:

• Bench Press 475lbs.
• Incline Press 425lbs.
• Squat 715lbs.
• Dumbbell Military 120's for 7 reps

After college Matt took his training to the next level. Working on his speed and footwork with former USA Olympic coaches in Cincinnati, Matt impressed NFL scouts with more than his strength. On his Pro Day, Matt showed his athleticism at 304 pounds by running a 5.05 40 Yard Dash, a 4.22 Pro Shuttle, a 6.76 3-Cone Drill, and a Vertical Jump of 32 inches. This success led to Matt landing a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts moments after the 2005 NFL Draft.

As a free agent, Matt earned his way on to the team beating out draft picks in both 2005 and 2006. He accrued two years on the active roster for the Colts and played in twelve games. In February of 2007, he reached the pinnacle of the football world as he acquired a championship ring and became a member of the World Champion, Super Bowl XLI Indianapolis Colts.

Since the fall of 2007, Matt's passion has been helping others achieve their fitness goals. He is a certified National Academy of Sports Medicine, Performance Enhancement Specialist, has developed a unique program called Winning Edge Athletics (specifically tailored to sports development), and has launched programs such as PURE STEEL, and has greatly contributed in the development of RankYourWorkout.com.

Ron Potocnik

Prior to becoming a personal trainer in 2001, Ron enjoyed a successful career as a sales manager for the nation's largest trade show contractor. His passion for personal fitness and athletics coupled with a strong desire to help others achieve their personal fitness goals lead him to leave a promising business career and become a personal trainer.

After graduating from Valparaiso University where he started at wide receiver for the VU football team, Ron trained and competed professionally for the Goldwin Track Club in Boulder, Colorado. While training with and competing with Olympic track and field athletes and coaches Ron posted a personal best 46.0 seconds in the 400 meters. In addition to Ron's athletic background, he also coached men's and women's track and field for Benedictine University.

Ron has also created and trademarked innovations in personal training such as 30 On 30 Off®, Fast Paced Lifting, Cardio With A Purpose, Unlimited Personal Training and Rank Your Workout. The message about Ron's training is spreading fast not only through Chicago but the entire country.

As a result of Ron's leadership in the personal training industry he has also been featured in several publications. The Chicago Tribune's popular newspaper The Red Eye highlighted Ron's expertise in October of 2007. Ron has been quoted several times for Chicago's own Windy City Magazine, now Competitor Sports. He was also featured in July 2009 edition for comeback athletes of the year. See Ron's blog at FunSherpa and what he has to say about his experience coming back to compete in the world of Masters Track and Field.

In 2009, Ron set out to compete in the world of Masters Track and Field. After just eight of months of training and racing, Ron is making a name for himself in a short amount of time. In 2009, Ron achieved many of the goals he set earlier in the year. In preparation for his season of championship competition Ron also raced against collegiate athletes in track meets all over the Midwest. Here are some of Ron’s highlights in 2009 for his 40-44 age group:

World Outdoor Championships Lahti, Finland: Gold Medal in 4x400 (missed World Record by 3 seconds and American Record by 1.5 seconds and second fastest American time since 1983), Silver Medal in 4x100m, 5th in the world at 100m, 9th in the world at 400m (set PRS for both 100m and 400m). USA Outdoor Championships Oshkosh, WI: Bronze Medal in 400m, 4th in the country at 100m, 5th in 200m (set PRs for all three and was only one of two athletes to compete and qualify for finals in 100m, 200m and 400m), Midwest Region Outdoor Championships Waukesha, WI: Gold Medal in 100m, Gold Medal in 200m and Gold Medal in 400m. USA Indoor Championships Washington D.C.: Silver Medal 400m, 4th in the country at 60m. Midwest Region Indoor Championships Kenosha, WI: Gold Medal 60m, Gold Medal 200m, Gold Medal 400m. Illinois Masters Championships Hillside, IL: Gold Medal 60m, Gold Medal 400m. Also achieved All-American Honors in the 100m, 200m and 400m.

Ron plans to compete again in 2010 and he has his goals set on American and World Records in the 400m and 4x400m relay.