Today we’d like to introduce you to John Hanrahan.
Hi John, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
PrivateTraining was built from a lifelong commitment to performance, resilience, and helping people become stronger at every stage of life.
My background began in competitive athletics as a Penn State wrestler, where I learned early that discipline, consistency, and proper training create long-term results. After college, my career took an unexpected turn into international modeling and travel, but fitness remained my anchor. Over time, I returned fully to training—working with elite athletes, celebrities, and everyday individuals who wanted to move better, recover faster, and stay strong as they aged.
In 1999, I founded PrivateTraining to offer something different from traditional gyms: expert-led, purpose-driven training rooted in sports science, experience, and individualized care. Over the years, the business evolved into what is now the Private Training Lab—a performance and recovery-focused environment offering personal training, small-group training, SoftWave therapy, bioDensity osteogenic loading, and mobility work.
Today, PrivateTraining serves a wide range of clients—from competitive athletes to adults 50+ focused on longevity, bone health, and pain-free living. The mission has stayed the same from day one: no shortcuts, no gimmicks—just intelligent training, proven methods, and real results built over time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely not been a smooth road—and that’s been one of the greatest teachers.
Building a long-term, independent training business means navigating constant change: economic downturns, industry trends that favor shortcuts over substance, and educating people on why expert, individualized training matters more than quick fixes. Staying committed to high standards—while refusing to water down the work—has always been a challenge.
There were also periods of personal adversity that tested my resilience and focus. Those experiences reinforced the importance of structure, accountability, and showing up consistently—principles that now define how I train clients and run my business.
More recently, evolving the business beyond traditional personal training into a performance and recovery-based model required significant investment, patience, and trust in proven methods before the market fully understood them. But overcoming those challenges ultimately strengthened the foundation of PrivateTraining and clarified its mission.
Every obstacle sharpened the vision: build something honest, effective, and sustainable—and help people do the same with their health.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Private Training Lab / PrivateTraining.com is a performance-based training and recovery studio built on expertise, experience, and long-term results—not trends or quick fixes.
We specialize in one-on-one personal training, small-group training, and advanced recovery services, including SoftWave therapy, bioDensity osteogenic loading for bone health, and mobility-focused work such as Active Isolated Stretching. Our clients range from competitive athletes to adults 50+ who want to stay strong, pain-free, and independent as they age.
What sets us apart is the depth of coaching and individualized attention. Every program is designed and led by a highly credentialed strength and conditioning specialist with decades of hands-on experience working with elite athletes, professionals, and everyday individuals. There are no generic workouts—everything is intentional, progressive, and rooted in proven science.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the trust we’ve built over time. PrivateTraining has never chased volume or fads. Instead, we’ve focused on integrity, consistency, and helping people achieve results that last. I want readers to know that this is a place where experience matters, training is personal, and the goal is not just fitness—but lifelong strength and health.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I don’t view myself as a reckless risk-taker, but I do believe in taking calculated risks when they align with long-term values and purpose.
Some of the biggest risks I’ve taken were walking away from established paths to bet on myself—transitioning careers, starting an independent training business, and committing to high standards in an industry that often rewards shortcuts. Building PrivateTraining meant choosing quality over scale, depth over trends, and patience over quick wins. That choice carried financial and professional uncertainty early on, but it also allowed the business to grow with integrity.
I’ve also learned that the greater risk is not acting—staying in situations that don’t align with who you are or where you’re meant to go. Over time, experience has taught me to respect risk, prepare for it, and move forward deliberately rather than impulsively.
Today, I think about risk the same way I think about training: progress comes from challenge, but only when it’s applied intelligently. When risk is paired with discipline, accountability, and experience, it becomes a tool for growth rather than something to fear.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.privatetraining.com
- Instagram: https: https://www.instagram.com/john.han.ra.han
- Facebook: Https://www.facebook.com/privatetraining-com
- Twitter: Https://x.com/privatetraining
- Youtube: Https://youtube.com/johnhanrahan
- Other: Http://johnhanrahan.com
