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.