The Expert Behind the Method

Gail Bannister is a nationally recognized fitness professional, educator, Strength & Conditioning Coach, and recovery specialist with more than 20 years of experience working with the New York Jets NFL organization. She currently serves as a Flexibility, Soft Tissue & Muscle Activation Therapist, specializing in athlete recovery, mobility, flexibility, and performance.

Her background in strength and conditioning, combined with her extensive hands-on training, allows Gail to look beyond flexibility alone. She understands how the body needs to move, stabilize, recover, and perform, creating a more functional approach for professional and collegiate athletes, fitness clients, and everyday individuals.

In addition to her work in professional sports, Gail oversees seven Crunch Fitness locations throughout New York City, including Brooklyn and the Bronx, where she leads and develops fitness teams, instructors, and programming.

Her extensive education includes NASM, AFAA, Fascial Stretch Therapy (FST) Level 3, YogaFit 500-Hour, and STOTT PILATES®, along with advanced training in flexibility, mobility, soft-tissue techniques, muscle activation, and strength and conditioning. She is also a NASM and AFAA Continuing Education Provider.

Gail is the creator of The Bannister Method, her own accredited hands-on stretching and recovery certification, offering NASM and AFAA CEUs to fitness professionals looking to expand their knowledge and practical skills in assisted stretching, mobility, recovery, and functional movement.