Published on:
5/11/2025

How Charlotte, 56-Year-Old CEO, Saw Results With 1x/Week

Charlotte trained frequently with circuit workouts and Pilates but saw limited progress. 1 structured full-body session weekly finally delivered real results.
Kasper Vinther Personal Trainer and Physiotherapist at Nordic Performance Training Copenhagen

Written by Kasper Vinther - Personal Trainer and Physiotherapist

Every transformation here is real — written by the client’s own coach.

These stories show how structured, consistent strength training works across different goals, ages, and starting points.

How Charlotte, a 56-year-old CEO, Finally Saw Real Results After Years of Varied Training

Charlotte was already training more than most when she walked into our private gym in Copenhagen at 56.
Circuit classes several times a week. Pilates. Group sessions. Running, golf, and tennis. She was active, engaged, and consistent — but she wasn’t seeing the progress she wanted.

Running caused hip and lower-back discomfort, her strength had plateaued, and although her calendar was full of training, it didn’t feel like real development.

When one of our clients recommended she try a our structured approach, Charlotte was skeptical.
“I had already had personal training before,” she explained. “I was active, doing all sorts of things — how would this be any different?”

After adding just one structured full-body session per week with us — while continuing her other activities — the results finally appeared: significant strength gains, visible muscle development, pain-free running, and better performance in everything she did.

Here’s how a very active 56-year-old discovered that strategic structure beats random variation — and that one focused hour a week can improve everything else.

Client Charlotte
Client
Charlotte, 56, CEO
Goal
Build real strength, become pain-free, and see measurable progress
Before
Very active with circuit training, Pilates, and varied workouts — but minimal results and running pain
Plan
1x Full Body (60 min/week) + continued varied activities
Duration
2 years
Results
97% attendance, Machine Chest Press 20kg → 45kg (+125%), Hamstring Curl 15kg → 30kg (+100%), Glute Bridge 60kg → 110kg (+83%), visible muscle tone, pain-free running, improved performance across all activities

Already Active — but Not Progressing

Charlotte’s story is different from most. She wasn’t sedentary. She didn’t avoid exercise. She trained a lot — multiple circuit classes a week, Pilates, various group workouts — and kept running despite hip and lower-back pain.

“I did everything,” Charlotte recalled. “Several workouts a week, tried different types of training, always active — but I didn’t see real progress. My strength stagnated. Running hurt.”

Her previous personal trainers approached training the way many do: with constant variation to “keep things exciting.” Every session brought new exercises, new formats, and new challenges.
“One week it was burpees, kettlebell swings, box jumps. The next week — completely different movements,” she said.
“I never knew if I was actually getting stronger at anything. There was no measurable progression, no training data — just new exercises all the time.”

At 56, Charlotte began to wonder whether all that variety was really building the kind of strength she needed for healthy aging — or simply wearing her down.

What Made the Difference

When Charlotte began training with us, we didn’t change her existing routine.
We simply added one structured strength session per week — with a clear plan, repetition, and systematic progression.

The approach:

  • 1x Full Body (60 minutes) weekly
  • The same exercises over longer periods
  • Progressive overload using our double-progression model
  • Expert coaching and precise technique adjustments
  • Measurable tracking of each session

The exercises:

  • Machine Chest Press – upper-body strength
  • Cable Pulldown – back and posture
  • Pendulum Squat – lower body
  • Lying Hamstring Curl – posterior chain
  • Glute Bridge – hips and glutes
  • Lateral Raise – shoulder health

“The first thing I noticed was that we didn’t keep changing the exercises,” said Charlotte. “We repeated the same movements but gradually increased the load. It felt intentional.”

She continued her other activities, but now had one fixed training anchor that provided structure and measurable progress.

The One Hour a Week — That Improved Everything

What surprised Charlotte most wasn’t just the strength she gained from that one session — it was how it improved everything else she did.

“That weekly session became the anchor for all my other training,” she explained. “I could still do everything I enjoy — Pilates, golf, tennis, running — but now I had a foundation of real strength that made everything easier.”

The effect:

  • Running: Hip and back pain disappeared. She could run pain-free for the first time in years.
  • Golf & tennis: More power, stability, and endurance.
  • Group classes: Movements that used to challenge her became noticeably easier.
  • Pilates: Better control, greater confidence in difficult positions.

“I’m stronger in everything I do now,” Charlotte said. “Not because I train more, but because I finally train with structure.”

The Value of Expertise at 56

Charlotte especially appreciated the expertise and clarity that structured coaching provided.

“Kasper is without question the most competent trainer I’ve ever had,” said Charlotte. “He explains the science behind what we’re doing, corrects my technique immediately, and answers every question clearly.”

After years of random circuit training — always wondering whether she was doing things right or making progress — Charlotte finally had complete clarity:

  • Precise exercises that build strength for longevity
  • How to progress safely without injury
  • What proper technique actually feels like
  • Objective tracking that shows measurable results

“I finally understand what I’m doing and why,” she reflected. “That clarity gives me confidence that I’m building long-term health — not just burning calories randomly.”

The environment also mattered: “Top-class facilities, the best equipment, always spotless — and great music,” Charlotte noted.

Charlotte’s Transformation

After two years of 1x weekly full-body training (while keeping all her other activities):

Strength:

  • Machine Chest Press: 20 kg → 45 kg (+125%)
  • Lying Hamstring Curl: 15 kg → 30 kg (+100%)
  • Glute Bridge: 60 kg → 110 kg (+83%)
  • Visible muscle development

Pain-free:

  • Hip and lower-back pain resolved
  • Running pain-free for the first time in years
  • No limitations in sports or daily life

Performance:

  • Stronger across all activities
  • More power in golf and tennis
  • More confidence in advanced Pilates positions
  • Overall physical competence increased

Efficiency:

  • Only 60 minutes of structured training weekly
  • Continued all other varied activities (circuit, Pilates, golf, tennis, running)
  • Better results than years of random training

Identity shift:

  • From “training a lot” → “training smart”
  • From variation without direction → structure with purpose
  • From a calendar full of workouts → a training plan full of progress
“I trained constantly with circuit classes and Pilates but didn’t see real results. Adding just one structured strength session per week gave me more progress than years of varied training.” — Charlotte

Why 1 Structured Session Changes Everything

Charlotte’s story shows that you don’t need to structure all your workouts. You can keep the variety of activities you love — but just one focused, progressive strength session each week can create the foundation that improves everything else.

Variation feels exciting, but without systematic progression — repeating and gradually increasing load — the body never gets a lasting stimulus to adapt.

“As personal trainers, we know the hardest part isn’t coming up with new exercises,” her trainer explained. “It’s sticking to the plan long enough for it to work. That’s where results come from.”

Kasper Vinther
By Kasper
Personal Trainer, Authorized Physiotherapist & Co-Founder of Nordic Performance Training
Charlotte represents a common pattern among active adults: doing lots of varied training but seeing minimal results, because variation prevents systematic progression.
When Charlotte started with me, I didn’t remove her circuit classes, Pilates, or other sports. I simply added one structured and measurable strength session per week — the missing piece her varied training lacked: progression, coaching, and clear tracking.
Her weekly 60-minute full-body program used the same core lifts every week, with gradual load increases and technical refinement. That structure built the strength foundation that improved every other activity she did.
Her hip and lower-back pain didn’t disappear from stretching, manual therapy, ice baths, or mobility drills — it disappeared through genuine strength development.
Key insight: You can keep all the training variety you want, but having just one structured session that builds week after week creates adaptations that random variation simply can’t.
At 56, Charlotte proves that systematic strength development doesn’t require giving up the activities you love. Sometimes, it just takes a small dose of focused training.

Ready for strength training that improves everything you do?

Charlotte trained hard for years without real results. After one structured session per week, she finally gained the strength, energy, and progress she had been missing.

If you’re already active but not seeing the progress you want, you might not need more training — just better structure.

Book your free start-up conversation at our private training studio in Copenhagen and experience how just one focused session per week can elevate everything you do.

Kasper Vinther Personal Trainer and Physiotherapist at Nordic Performance Training Copenhagen

Hi, I’m Kasper

Personal Trainer, authorized Physiotherapist & Co-Founder of Nordic Performance Training

I’ve worked as a personal trainer for over 12 years and as a physiotherapist for over 10 years — and co-founded Nordic Performance Training with Lucas 8 years ago to give clients a professional and structured way to train. Since then, I’ve helped hundreds of people build strength, stay consistent, and feel better through evidence-based methods that actually work. 

Along the way, I’ve completed advanced certifications, mentored under leading experts, and I’ve taught many trainers and physiotherapists internationally.

On this page, I share real client stories — so you can see what structured, consistent training looks like in practice.

All client stories feature real people and real results.
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