Tommy Armenta Certified Personal Trainer San Francisco.

AREAS OF SPECIALTY. 

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Tommy’s BIO.

He/Him/His

“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.”
— Robert Tew

At the heart of Tommy Armenta's approach is a simple but powerful belief: that no two people are the same, and no two programs should be either. Every path he builds is designed around who you are, where you're starting from, and exactly where you want to go.

A San Francisco native and certified personal trainer since 2001, Tommy has spent more than 25 years helping people move better, get stronger, and discover what they're actually capable of. No two clients are the same, and that's exactly how Tommy likes it. His roster runs from first-timers who have never touched a weight, regardless of age or background, to those fighting back from serious pre or post-injury setbacks, to his personal favorites: the seasoned, committed individuals who are ready to leave everything on the floor and take their fitness to the absolute highest level. Every single one gets the same thing, a coach who meets them where they are, demands more than they thought possible, and builds a program that delivers.

Tommy's process begins the way all meaningful change does: with listening. He identifies your aspirations first, then follows with comprehensive postural, strength, and lifestyle assessments to surface any impediments, physical or otherwise, standing between you and your goals. From there, he designs individualized corrective exercise programs tailored to each client's specific goals and the areas that need the most focus, built around Volume and Intensity phases across the Neural-Metabolic Continuum, a globally informed framework drawn from the teachings of KILO Strength Society's Stephane Cazeault and renowned Eastern European and German strength coaches.

Tommy has also gone where most trainers haven't: deep into neuroscience. P-DTR has been a game changer in his approach to strength training. Using muscle testing to confirm muscles are firing correctly, Tommy then locates the precise receptors needed to activate them, and clients feel immediate, undeniable shifts in strength and balance right there on the floor. Any speed bump gets solved in real time, so nothing slows the session down. For many clients, that first session is nothing short of a revelation.

Sessions with Tommy are also just flat-out fun. His energy is contagious, his spirit competitive and adventurous, and his commitment to tracking your progress every step of the way is absolute.

Outside the gym, Tommy is a dedicated dad, passionate photographer, and adventure-driven traveler. A born-and-raised Mission District native, armed forces veteran, and die-hard San Francisco sport fan, he shares his life with his daughter Naya and his son Nikko, a soon-to-be senior at UCLA.

EDUCATION.

  • KILO Strength Society | Fat Loss Intensive, Hypertrophy Intensive, Advanced Strategies to Program Design Camp Level 1 & 2, Primeight Camp, Sports Performance Seminar, Program Design Online Level 1 & 2, PAAB Seminar, Periodization Course, Specialty Technique Seminar, Optimizing Strength Ratios Course, 1 on 1 Mentorship Course (Mentor: Stephane Cazeault), Level 3 KILO Coach

  • Proprioceptive Deep Tendon Reflex | Basic and Intermediate. Mentor: Dr. Jose Palomar

  • CHEK Institute | CHEK Integrated Movement Science Level 3, CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coaching Level 2

  • EXOS | Phase 1, Arizona. Mentor: Mark Verstegen

  • Institute of Human Performance | Mentorship I, Boca Raton, FL: Juan Carlos Santana

TESTIMONIALS. 

 

Prior to working closely with Tommy, I rarely strength trained, finding it - and the gym lifestyle - intimidating. Tommy put together a program that met me where I was. Each session has challenged me, but has never been so out of reach that it defeated me. As a result, I left feeling proud of what I accomplished and motivated to return. I've seen the physical results/benefits of consistent training sessions, but the real impact has been the mental health benefits. I see strength training now as a practice that contributes positively to my mental well-being. Tommy coached, encouraged, pushed, believed-in, and created a program I could achieve.

— Shannon M
New Mom and newly turned gym lover

 

I was in a serious car wreck about a year ago that left me with massive injuries. I'm missing a 5" chunk from my pelvis, which is held together by about seven plates, and have about 3 feet of Frankenstein scars covering my torso from about 6 major internal surgeries. The accident created a ton of trauma. Besides the physical side, my girlfriend and best friend were killed in the accident. I've spent the last year seeing the best trauma surgeons, orthopedics, physical therapists, and psychiatrists. I felt lucky to be alive, able to walk, and for the most part function "normally", but was still a far cry from where I was before the accident. I was in the gym constantly, sleeping and eating right, but I just could not get my strength and mobility back. My doctors told me I was "cured" and "as good as I was going to get", but I knew something deeper was off kilter. I saw Tommy, I'll admit, pretty reluctantly- I'd been discouraged from seeing experts with no real results and was sick of wasting my time and theirs. That first session with Tommy was absolutely mind-blowing. He basically confirmed that the whole left side of my body was not working properly due to some neurological dysfunction cause by the the huge scars on my body. This was scary, but also validating. Then, Tommy did his P-DTR thing and brought it all back in 60 minutes. It felt like I stepped back into my old body. Everything was in balance again and the weird aches and pains that had been creeping in were totally gone. It was absolutely incredible and to be honest pretty emotional. Anyone who cares at all about their body should be getting this work. Without it you're missing a huge piece of the picture. As far as I'm concerned Tommy is the best. He is a miracle worker.
— James
Survivor

 

I have followed athletic pursuits for a long time. This includes running consistently for the past 15 years, competing in triathlons and ironman races and numerous ultra-distance running events. I have an active lifestyle, and am in the food business so I have a good understanding and discipline around nutrition. I've looked for years for a trainer and have seen dozens of "professionals", never feeling like I was getting someone who really knew their stuff, until I met Tommy. Tommy has worked his butt off to live his approach. He has an insatiable thirst for knowledge that has pushed him to learn more and more from the very best. From Paul Check to Athlete's Performance and even learning martial arts to better his understanding of training for MMA. Tommy is encyclopedic in his understanding of full body mechanics. This training is about correcting all your imbalances, total core power and getting your body to recruit evenly in all you do and move like a machine. Life changing I tell you. This guy is the real deal.
— Stephen G
 Happy Dad and Entrepreneur

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