Est. in 2000.The Prentiss Story
Training was in Ben's blood from the start — family lore has it that as a baby he was on the floor of the original Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, California, at a time when it was the center of the body building and power lifting world. His path into coaching was shaped by Charles Poliquin, one of the most influential strength coaches of his generation. Ben interned under Poliquin and spent summers in Colorado working with professional athletes before returning east with a clear sense of what he wanted to build.
Bodytuning in darien (2000)On January 1, 2000, he opened Bodytuning in Darien, Connecticut — in a converted brick building that had been, at various points, a gas station and an Arthur Murray dance studio. The space was small and packed with as much equipment as it could hold, and in those early years athletes trained one at a time. Jason Arnott, Ryan Shannon, and Martin St. Louis were among the first professionals through the door, and word spread.
bodytuning grows (2010)As the summers got busier, the facility got creative. When NHL players returned for the off-season, training spilled out into the parking lot. Sleds and strongman equipment lived in a temporary POD container. One summer Ben paid the landlord extra rent to use the shed next door for a couple of additional machines. On rainy days, the parking lot wasn't an option — everyone crowded back inside and made it work. Ben organized group training weeks in Tampa and on Cape Cod that became a defining part of those early years and the community that was forming.
PHP moves to stamford (2016 - present)In 2016 the operation moved to a larger facility in Stamford, and the space and equipment have continued to grow and evolve ever since. What exists today is one of the best equipped private training environments in the world, built deliberately over more than two decades with an emphasis on staying ahead of what athletes actually need.
During the team's first two seasons, Ben and the Prentiss coaching staff served as the performance team for the PWHL New York Sirens, contributing to the growth of professional women's hockey from the ground up.
shoulder check showcase (2023)In 2023, Prentiss helped launch the Shoulder Check Showcase — an annual charity hockey game honoring the memory of Hayden Thorsen, a young athlete who trained here and was loved by everyone who knew him. The game has grown every year, drawing more than 20 NHL and PWHL players and a sold-out crowd each summer, united around a simple message: reach out, check in, make contact.
the Team
The coaches and staff who make
Prentiss what it is every day.General Manager
Brian Elser
Kevin Coyle
Zach Schrock
Joe DeVito
Brian Paris
Spencer Manchuck
Kyle Smith
Evan Titus
Coaches
Ashley Christie M.S.
Operations
& Nutrition
CHAMPIONS we've trainedMartin St. Louis
Stanley Cup
Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, Lady Byng Trophy, Stanley Cup
Jason Arnott
Brad Richards
Stanley Cup
Ryan Shannon
Stanley Cup
Conn Smythe Trophy, Stanley Cup, Jennings Trophy
Jonathan Quick
Adam Fox
Norris Trophy
2025 First-Team All Pro Defensive End (NFL)
Max Pacioretty
Mark Teixeira
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Zach Allen
2015 All-Star (MLB)
London Olympics 2012 (Heptathlon)
Jessica Zelinka
Athens Olympics 2004 (400m hurdles)
Yvonne Harrison
US World Team Skeleton
Megan Henry
Work with Us
Prentiss has developed coaches and interns who have gone on to roles in private performance, university strength and conditioning, and professional sport.
We take the development of our coaches as seriously as the development of our athletes. If you're looking to grow in a demanding, high-level environment, we'd like to hear from you.