Chris Verdi

At the age of 36, I was introduced to MAT® at an Idea Conference for trainers in New York City. I met one of the teachers from MAT® and he did a demo on me. By my walk home that night, my left hip started to drop and I wasn’t as crooked. At that moment I experience some relief, but more importantly, I had hope for the first time since I was a young man.

Learning MAT® was one of the most challenging experiences of my life. It took so much time, energy, money, and failure. MAT® especially taught me to be able to look at myself in order to become the MAT® Master Specialist that I am today. When I finally got to experience MAT®Rx on a weekly basis with another Specialist nearby starting this last October, I finally felt the power behind the benefits of weekly sessions. I was finally getting taken care of like I had taken care of hundreds of clients I have seen over the years. This modality has allowed my muscular system to function as a unit, helped me reverse symptoms from Celiac Disease, and helped me gain over 10 pounds of muscle since starting in October. I now look in the mirror and see the body I had as a young man. Furthermore, in last week’s session, I touched my toes. I hadn’t done that since before my surgical fusion. I just experienced what it feels like to have full flexion of my trunk. When you lose your ability to perform movements that most people take for granted every day and you gain it back after years of not having them, it makes you feel whole again. My doctor after my surgery informed me that I would never be able to flex forward again. Despite his prediction, I got my trunk flexion back at the age of 48! MAT® has taught me continually to learn and question how to approach the human body and more importantly, my body.

There are no guarantees in life. I have always been one to take risks because without risk there is no reward. That is why I am an athlete, an actor, and willing to build a business from the ground up when I was one of the only people in New Jersey practicing MAT® in March of 2007. I started by seeing clients in my house, then moved into an office in downtown Asbury Park, New Jersey. After the recession, I moved into a small office downtown and finally built up enough clientele that I was able to move into a larger location in Allenhurst, New Jersey where I could have some exercise equipment as well as practice MAT®. After I got invited to take the MAT®Rx course, my education from MAT® brought myself and clients to a whole new level in physical strength and recovery. I so value the education and continued education that I have received with MAT® because I am constantly learning and becoming a more skilled MAT® Specialist. I built my business by myself with the education and knowledge that I received from Greg Roskopf and I am so extremely grateful to him and the organization.

The surgery took away my dreams to become an actor and to be able to function on a normal level without pain. The pain had gotten so constant and so severe that mentally I couldn’t take it anymore. I was losing my desire to keep living as well as being able to make a living. Greg Roskopf gave me my life back!! If it wasn’t for his bravery and determination to help people get back to a normal way of living, I would not be here and wouldn’t be making a wonderful living practicing MAT®.

Sincerely and in gratitude

Christopher Verdi

BA, ACSM-CPT, NSCA-CPT, MAT-MCS