Harry Hanson has known from an young age that motivation is the secret to staying fit. When he was just three years old, he was hit by an ice cream truck. "I spent the next six months in a body cast," he remembers, "and I had to retrain my body to move all over again. That experience really stuck with me – it taught me that there is almost nothing the body cannot do if the mind wills it."

This early lesson undoubtedly set the tone for Harry’s career in fitness, which has been defined by his distinctive brand of motivation and compassion. After graduating from Chicago Western Illinois University, Hanson first started out first as a competitive power lifter. Before long, however, he realized that he had a talent for training and motivating others.

He established the first Hanson Fitness studio at age 24 in New York City. As word of his talents spread, he was able to open additional studios, as well as appear on television programs like ABC’s The View and CBS’s Entertainment Tonight in order to promote the Hanson Fitness system of health and fitness. Following the release of his best-selling exercise manual, Get Your Rear In Gear (Harper Collins), Harry also gained recognition for sculpting some the world’s most famous butts! From models Tyra Banks, Linda Evangelista and Naomi Campbell, to Hollywood stars Demi Moore, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, to the professional athletes of the NY Rangers and public figures like Bill Clinton, Harry Hanson has attracted a long list of high-profile clientele.

Today, Harry Hanson is hailed as one of New York City’s most sought-after fitness gurus. He lives in New York City with his wife, Susan, their two children. When he’s not training clients, spending time with his family, or consulting with AAPT students, Harry travels extensively, lecturing at hospitals and colleges across the country on topics related to health and fitness.

why AAPT was founded
Hanson founded AAPT because he saw an urgent need for change in the fitness industry which has zero regulation and, up until now, limited options for education.

Often gym-related injuries are the result of negligent or uninformed personal training practices and Harry was hard-pressed to find qualified personal trainers to join his select team at Hanson Fitness. Finally, when his 9-year-old son was able to get certified online as a Personal Trainer, he knew that something needed to be done. And so, in the fall of 2006, the American Academy of Personal Training opened its doors. It is currently the only accredited program for personal trainers in the US, recognized by the Council on Occupational Education as a school that meets the highest standard of quality in career and technical education.

The founding mission: to Raise the Bar on the educational standards and competency levels that define what it means to be a Certified Personal Trainer.