Education & Certifications
- Certified Functional Aging Specialist
- CPR/AED Certified
- Lifelong educator with extensive experience in teaching, mentoring, and encouraging others
From YPB Client to YPB Coach
Maureen Charleston’s journey at Your Personal Best Training Studio began not as a coach, but as a client.
As a lifelong educator, Maureen had spent much of her career helping others learn, grow, and discover what they were capable of. Eventually, she realized she needed to make her own strength and health a priority, too.
Part of her motivation was deeply personal. Maureen wanted to remain strong enough to help care for her mother and active enough to keep up with her three grandsons. She began training at YPB and discovered something she hadn’t expected: she genuinely enjoyed strength training.
Like many people beginning a new fitness journey, Maureen didn’t arrive feeling completely confident. There were moments of self-doubt and plenty of things she wasn’t sure she could do. But with encouragement, consistency, and the support of the people around her, she became stronger—not only physically, but in her belief in herself.
Eventually, her experience as a YPB member led to another unexpected chapter: becoming a Certified Functional Aging Specialist herself.
Today, Maureen gets to provide others with the same kind of encouragement that helped her along the way.
Celebrating the Moment You Don’t Need the Modification
Maureen especially enjoys noticing the small changes that clients sometimes overlook.
Maybe someone picks up a heavier weight than they could a few months ago. Maybe an exercise that once felt intimidating suddenly feels manageable. Or perhaps a client realizes that a modification they have relied upon is no longer necessary.
One of Maureen’s favorite examples is seeing someone who once needed to perform a burpee using a bench discover that they’re now strong and confident enough to perform it from the floor.
Those moments matter to her.
They’re visible reminders that progress doesn’t always arrive as one big accomplishment. Sometimes it quietly shows up when you realize you can do something today that you couldn’t do before.
For Maureen, helping someone recognize those victories is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching.
An Educator at Heart
Maureen’s background in education naturally influences the way she coaches. She understands that people learn differently, progress differently, and sometimes need a little encouragement before they’re willing to try something new.
She brings patience, warmth, and a teacher’s eye to the studio—watching closely, meeting clients where they are, and encouraging them to take the next step when they’re ready.
And because Maureen began at YPB as a client herself, she understands what it feels like to be unsure of your abilities.
She also knows how good it feels when that begins to change.
Outside the Studio
Away from YPB, Maureen is an enthusiastic crafter—earning her unofficial title of “Queen of Crafting.” She enjoys creating wind chimes, fiber art, wreaths, scrapbooks, and art journals, along with reading and participating in book clubs.
Most importantly, she treasures time with her family, including her three grandsons, who continue to give her plenty of reasons to stay strong and active.
At Your Personal Best Training Studio, Maureen is passionate about helping adults over 50 discover that getting stronger doesn’t require starting out strong or confident. It simply requires being willing to begin, keep showing up, and recognize progress along the way.
Because sometimes one of the best feelings in fitness is realizing:
“I don’t need the modification anymore.”
