Maybe he’s the guy who yells at you at Barry’s Bootcamp, maybe he’s your personal trainer, or maybe you know him as the always-smiling fitness star on Instagram, but those impressions just scratch the surface of Christopher (Chris) Wiese.

Born and raised in Dallas, this trainer and Barry’s Bootcamp teacher has trained people full time for five years and worked with Barry’s since its opening. Wiese partially credits his energy to Celsius energy drinks and his music.

“My energy really comes from being passionate in what I do to help people,” Wiese explained.

Not only does Wiese help his clients reach their physical goals, but he sees the results as going much further than their bodies.

He hopes that training with him and taking his classes can “prove to [clients that] they can achieve more than what they thought,” Wiese said.

Keeping the Barry’s attendees and his personal training clients motivated is no easy task. Wiese adjusts his methods based on his audience but relies on his authority, praise, and humor to keep clients encouraged.

“Chris’ classes keep you motivated the whole time no matter how you feel when you walk in,” Dallas Adams, an avid Barry’s Bootcamp attendee, said.

His no-nonsense approach combined with his passionate humor has made him a top trainer at Barry’s and a go-to for personal training. His classes fill days in advance.

“You are always on spot as a motivator inside and outside the studio because people are looking up to you as their leader through the tough parts of the workout and their best friend when the objective is complete,” Wiese said.

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For Wiese, training is not just a job, but a life-long passion, and it shows. He has been a self-proclaimed fitness junky his whole life and turned to athletics and theater at a young age as a reprise from his learning difficulties.

“I was strong in athletics and theater; those pursuits are what drove me at a young age to become a personal trainer & Group Fitness instructor,” Wiese said.

His theater skills come through as unexpected assets as he sets the stage for his classes with the right lights and atmosphere to motivate. He is known for teaching the class to the beat of the music. Training is personal, and while that keeps the job fun, it also can be emotionally taxing.

“The energy levels of instructing go from extreme highs to lows all day long. I have built a strong team behind myself to allow communication, so I can process my thoughts and actions. Let’s just say therapy is amazing,” Wiese said.

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Therapy is not just part of his reprise, but part of his job. With body image and physical ability being such personal issues, clients often feel close enough to Wiese to rely on him for emotional boosts and even non-workout related issues.

“As a trainer, you always play the ‘therapist’ role by helping people lift their self-esteem and overcome personal issues,” Wiese said.

What does the future hold for Dallas’s energizer bunny? Ideally becoming a traveling curriculum trainer with Barry’s Bootcamp and becoming a mentor to the younger versions of himself, including his daughter.

“Training has allowed me to have the opportunity be around the top coaches, which have turned into my mentors,” Wiese said. “Those mentors have directed me where I am today.”