Scott Smith, CSCS, Precision Nutrition Coach, Owner / Trainer
What are your personal training qualifications? Credentials? Experience?
I graduated from Truman State University, Cum Laude, with a B.S. in Exercise Science. I was a dual sport, scholarship-athlete while at TSU in both football and wrestling. I made the all-conference (All-MIAA) academic honor roll, graduating with honors (did I mention I graduated with honors?).
While in college, I worked as a physical therapy technician because my Exercise Science emphasis was in rehabilitation. Later, I cut my teeth in the fitness industry working for 24 Hour Fitness, first as a trainer and subsequently as the manager for the fitness department at the two largest locations in Kansas City.
Since then, I have started my own personal training business, BodySmith Personal Training, and picked up additional credentials, ISSA/NASM Certified Personal Trainer, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, and TRX Certified Fitness Instructor.
In all, I have over 13 years of experience in this field, with over 10,000 sessions under my belt.
Is there a story behind how fitness came to be such an important aspect of your life?
For me, its always been more about mental health than the physical. I have struggled with clinical depression, and even bouts of anxiety, on and off again since high school. I was lucky enough to find early on, that focusing on being the best version of myself in the weight room led to massive increases in self-confidence and self-esteem. Even more than that, the short term “high” from a good workout (in addition to all that boosted self-esteem stuff) has allowed me to get off all anti-depression meds. In short, working out makes me a very happy person!
Why did you get into personal training?
Personal training found me, not the other way around. I originally wanted to be a physical therapist. (Well, originally I really wanted to be a rock-star, but until then…) I got the job at 24 Hour Fitness to subsidize my Doctor of Physical Therapy program, but soon realized that the preventive (and pro-active) side of health and fitness was more fun and much more important (both locally and globally) to the future of our society. I also enjoyed working with clients who had ambitious goals and having the freedom to use both my creative and scientific brain to implement a wider variety of programs than I ever could have in the rehab setting.
How would you describe your personal training style and/or philosophy?
I take my job VERY seriously, so my style reflects that. Don’t get me wrong, we have a lot of fun during our workouts, but I never waiver in my commitment to be an attentive and educational coach. Your technique will be impeccable and you will learn a ton about why we do what we do in the gym.
My philosophy is to focus on increasing both mood and metabolism through exercise/diet, because everything else comes much easier when you’ve solved those two issues. The older we get, the bigger the challenge, so don’t wait to get started!
At the end of the day, the most important concept is consistency. And we can help solve that, initially, with accountability.
Do you have a specialty or anything that makes you unique?
My diverse skill set and experience is very hard to find in this industry. It’s not easy to carve out a career in fitness for 13 years, but I have done so through using my own personal experiences and commitment to constantly learning and improving to create a comprehensive and unique experience for our clients. My biggest asset is my ability to empathize with our clients because I’ve been through a lot!
What is your personal favorite exercise or workout?
I’m old school. I love muscle-split (chest day, leg day, etc.) high-volume training with the three power lifts as the backbone (deadlift, squat, bench press). Nothing beats a good muscle pump!
Is there anything you would like to tell a prospective client before they take the leap to sign up for workouts with you?
Don’t be scared! We don’t yell at clients like you see on TV (not often anyway!). With that said, please make sure you are truly ready to start making some difficult changes in your life because we will expect you to step outside of your comfort zone. I like to think we have found the “sweet spot” of making you feel safe, comfortable and excited to come to the gym, while also pushing you physically and mentally right up to the edge of your capabilities.
Kat Williams, YogaFit, Silver Sneakers, Nike Certified, Trainer
What are your personal training qualifications? Credentials? Experience?
I joined the BodySmith Training team in October 2015. I graduated in May 2014 with a Master’s degree in Higher Education with an emphasis in Sports Administration and Exercise Science from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).
I also competed as a full scholarship track and field student-athlete at UMKC, where I was team captain and achieved Summit League Academic All-American status. I gained years of experience working for the City of Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation and UMKC Swinney Recreation Center.
I have designed and implemented a variety of group exercise classes as a certified group instructor from youth to adult programs. I have a Silver Sneaker and YogaFit Certification. I also received an exclusive certification at Nike World headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon for the Applied performance enhancement coach training.
Is there a story behind how fitness came to be such an important aspect of your life?
I have always been involved with a variety of sports since a young age. Once I began my collegiate career as a scholarship track and field athlete, training and fitness became a HUGE part of my life. I started to become more aware of myself mentally, physically and emotionally.
Why did you get into personal training?
After college is where I started to figure out what I am passionate about. Many people would encourage me to look into coaching. I wasn’t to sure at the time if I wanted to become a coach but I did know that I wanted to motivate and help people become a better version of themselves.
Personal Training helps people transform their lives through expert coaching, ongoing support, and guided mentorship. I quickly realized that teaching fitness satisfied my craving for making a positive impact in peoples’ lives, which is why I continue to educate myself in various fitness degrees and certifications.
How would you describe your personal training style and/or philosophy?
I approach personal training by listening to my clients’ needs and what they want to accomplish, learning how they live, discovering what’s really important to them, and working together to create the right nutrition and exercise approach based on their goals and lifestyle.
Do you have a specialty or anything that makes you unique?
I am a professional bikini athlete within the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB). I became a professional after only competing for a year as an amateur in the National Physique Committee (NPC). I have finished in the top five of my professional class while competing in several major cities.
What is your personal favorite exercise or workout?
Being a former sprinter and field events jumper, I love performing explosive strength training movements, such as plyometrics, squats, step ups, lunges, sprints and agility drills. They are fundamental to building power.
Is there anything you would like to tell a prospective client before they take the leap to sign up for workouts with you?
Deep down you know exactly what you are capable of. There’s even moments where you get a glimpse of all the potential you have. You can get there! You just have to be willing to sacrifice the habits, things, and situations that are standing in the way of your success.
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David Rodriguez, CPT, CES, WLS, GPT
What are your personal training qualifications? Credentials? Experience?
I graduated from WellSpring School of Allied Health with my NASM CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) and CES (Corrective Exercise Specialist). Since then, I have also acquired NASM’s WLS (Weight Loss Specialist) and GPT (Group Personal Training Specialist). I achieved my first personal training job with the City of Overland Park working in their community centers and eventually moved on to 24 Hour Fitness and Planet Fitness. I am very thankful for the experience and knowledge gained from my previous jobs and I’m excited to be part of the BodySmith team!
Is there a story behind how fitness came to be such an important aspect of your life?
Fitness really became crucial for me when I was in middle school and found out I had sports induced asthma. Like most people, I had no experience being in a gym and certainly had no clue on where to even begin. That’s when I joined a gym, eventually hired a personal trainer, and my love for fitness began.
Why did you get into personal training?
I decided to get into personal training due to hiring a trainer when I was in high school (Scott Smith). After seeing results and becoming stronger than I imagined; it was then that I fell in love with fitness and knew I wanted to make this my career path.
How would you describe your personal training style and/or philosophy?
When you train with me, know that I’m going to be attentive and make sure proper form is being used. Our bodies are a machine with each part working together; if one part is off, it affects every other part of our body. I really take the time to get to know my clients and their needs so we can achieve results and most importantly make this a lifestyle.
Do you have a specialty or anything that makes you unique?
I am a runner and completed my first full marathon (Garmin marathon) last year! As someone that struggled with asthma for most of my life, that is a huge accomplishment!
What is your personal favorite exercise or workout?
I’m a cardio guy and love doing circuit style workouts and HIIT. Anything to keep the heart rate up!
Is there anything you would like to tell a prospective client before they take the leap to sign up for workouts with you?
First and foremost, this is your life and I’m here to help you be successful! I have been in your shoes with taking the steps necessary to start this journey and let me tell you; YOU CAN DO IT! I am very much a trainer that sees my client as my teammate and I can’t be successful unless you are. I am extremely committed to ensuring my clients goals become a reality! I believe in you!
Andrew Turner, CSCS, USA Olympic Weightlifting
What are your personal training qualifications? Credentials? Experience?
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Leisure Management with a concentration on health and fitness from Eastern Connecticut State University. I am a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as well as a level one sports performance coach through USA Weightlifting. My experience includes working with individuals of all ages, specifically ages 8-22 for sports performance related goals and ages 22-80+ for general population related goals.
Is there a story behind how fitness came to be such an important aspect of your life?
My father introduced weight training to me when I was younger and I continued this into college. Upon enrolling in college and no longer participating in sports as a did my entire life prior, I became very interested in how to stay active and live a healthy lifestyle. Along with that continued interest in weight lifting, my degree led me on this journey.
Why did you get into personal training?
I got into personal training to educate individuals on how to live a healthy lifestyle. This is something anyone is capable of doing and I enjoy helping getting it started.
How would you describe your personal training style and/or philosophy?
In regards to general fitness training, I believe that everyone should put an effort into doing something active everyday. With that being a very broad statement, I try to educate individuals to plan ahead and create those opportunities each day. Think about your day in advance and how you can fit exercise in. For weight training, I incorporate a lot of corrective exercises to improve posture, mobility, and decrease imbalances. This is a total body approach to increase muscle mass and decrease fat mass while recovering properly from each training session.
Do you have a specialty or anything that makes you unique?
What makes me unique is the amount of different types of individuals I have worked with over the years. The list is long which makes me prepared to take on any type of client regardless of their goals. I will also never put someone through a workout that I haven’t personally done myself. There won’t be any made up exercises on the spot, etc… I will adapt to your needs professionally.
What is your personal favorite exercise or workout?
I really enjoy running and weight lifting as my forms of exercise. Olympic lifts like the clean & jerk and the snatch are two of my favorites.
Is there anything you would like to tell a prospective client before they take the leap to sign up for workouts with you?
I would say that taking the step forward and committing to a program with a personal trainer is a huge step by itself. However, it is an excellent commitment to helping better yourself for whatever the goal(s) may be. If you are nervous about getting started, just know that everything is progressional and I would take each session one day at a time adapting the workouts and program to your skill level – there is no minimum requirement.
What are your personal training qualifications? Credentials? Experience?