Michael J. Sokol is the founder and president of One-on-One Fitness Personal Training Service, Inc., with current locations in Chicago, IL and Scottsdale, AZ. Future corporate-owned locations are planned in Los Angeles, Aspen and Miami, and franchised locations are planned across America.
Prior to starting One-on-One Fitness, Michael spent more than three years as a tax attorney for Arthur Andersen in Chicago. Despite his busy and demanding career as a lawyer, Michael discovered how to eat right and get himself into amazing shape and stay that way no matter how busy he became. After determining that his real passion was in the fitness industry, Michael left the practice of law to teach other extremely busy professionals how to get and stay in shape, despite their demanding schedules. Michael’s experience enables him to develop exercise programs for his busy clients that improve their overall appearance, increase their energy levels, maximize their results, and enhance their overall sense of well-being.
With more than twenty years of fitness and nutrition experience, Michael has been nationally certified as a personal trainer and awarded a nutrition specialty recognition certificate through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Michael was twice-named “one of the 100 best personal trainers in America” in the December 2004 & December 2005 issues of Men’s Journal magazine. And, Michael was listed as one of the 5 best personal trainers by the Chicago Tribune Red Eye (12/10/04), the Chicago Sun Times (11/28/04) and WGN Channel 9 News Chicago (11/30/04). Further, Michael was nominated for the ACE Personal Trainer of the Year Award for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. Michael is also a “trainer of trainers” as he has authored a study aid for individuals preparing to become certified personal trainers. To date, Michael has achieved a 100% success rate with clients who have completed his programs.
Michael has authored and delivered fitness and nutrition lectures to several large Chicago law firms, Chicago’s LaRabidia hospital and General Dynamics in Phoenix. Further, he has also authored and delivered a lecture entitled, Marketing Your Business on a Shoestring BudgetÓ,
One-on-One Fitness has trained male and female clients from ages 18 to 68 with varying goals including fat and weight loss, toning, muscle gain, stress reduction and management, flexibility, sport-specific athletic training, body building and general health. One-on-One’s clients include doctors, lawyers, accountants, business owners, politicians, entrepreneurs, models, actors, hairdressers, teachers, housewives, corporate executives, chefs, sales people and stockbrokers.
Michael has appeared in, written articles for, been interviewed by, and/or been featured in numerous national and local publications as well as TV and radio shows including: Shape Magazine, Men’s Journal magazine, Oxygen magazine, Weight Watchers magazine, Best Life magazine, Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, Crain’s Chicago magazine, WGN Channel 9 Chicago, KMYL AM 1190 radio Phoenix, Chicago Social magazine, Chicago Reader, Windy City Sports magazine, Today’s Chicago Woman, Chicago Free Press, Windy City Times, East Valley Tribune, New City Chicago, New Times Phoenix, Jewish News Phoenix, Colorado Springs Health and fitness.com, Healthcare Times, PerformInk, Near North News, and www.Labrada.com newsletters. Finally, Michael annually donates personal training sessions to charities including Aidscare, The AIDS foundation, The American Heart Association, American Lung Association, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Horizons Community Services, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, World Children’s Relief, and Today’s Chicago Women Foundation.
Michael holds a business degree from the University of Michigan School of Business Administration and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. Michael is a member of the Illinois and Wisconsin state bars and is an Illinois licensed Real Estate Broker. Finally, Michael is a trained actor and has performed in several plays and industrial films.