The Show Up Fitness Podcast

From NFL Punter to Elite Personal Trainer w/ Jake Schum

• Chris Hitchko, CEO Show Up Fitness • Season 3 • Episode 245

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Jake's IG: Jake_Schum

Ever wonder what happens when a professional athlete's career ends? Jake Schum's remarkable journey from NFL punter to elite fitness coach offers a masterclass in resilience and reinvention.

Jake takes us through his winding path to professional football—starting with soccer, transitioning to football, walking on at University at Buffalo, and eventually earning spots with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers. The rarity of NFL punting positions (just 32 in the world) meant constant competition and uncertainty, but Jake's unwavering determination kept him pushing forward: "I'm going to make it one way or another. I'm just going to keep knocking at the door."

What truly sets Jake's story apart is how he transformed his athletic experience into coaching expertise. Unlike many trainers who start with certifications, Jake built his foundation through practical experience and mentorship, including training at the legendary Westside Barbell with Louie Simmons. Those experiences shaped his coaching philosophy: "I've seen plenty of people book smart that don't know what the heck they're doing in the gym." 

Now operating from a fully-equipped garage gym in Buffalo, Jake applies the conjugate training system to clients ranging from competitive athletes to everyday fitness enthusiasts. His approach combines functional strength with mobility and flexibility—skills he needed as a punter who "was literally pretty much doing a split in the air." Even Buffalo's notorious winters don't stop his dedicated clients from showing up.

As a father, Jake has redefined the "dad bod" standard, maintaining his impressive physique while balancing family responsibilities. His practical advice for aspiring trainers emphasizes consistency, authenticity, and proactive client development: "You have to put in the work. You can't just wait for people to come to you."

Follow Jake on Instagram @jake_schum or visit gridironga

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Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Show Up Fitness Podcast, where great personal trainers are made. We are changing the fitness industry one qualified trainer at a time, with our in-person and online personal training certification. If you want to become an elite personal trainer, head on over to showupfitnesscom. Also, make sure to check out my book how to Become a Successful Personal Trainer. Don't forget to subscribe, rate and review. Have a great day and keep showing up. Howdy everybody. Welcome back to the Show Fitness Podcast. Today we have a big hunk with a big leg, Mr Jake. How are we doing today? From NFL punter to kicking ass in Buffalo, training and helping people? Thank you for taking the time, sir.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, thank you for having me. It's good to be here. I know we've been trying to hop on here for a long time, so finally made it happen.

Speaker 1:

So I'm a big college football fan and I'm looking down right here at the max prediction for 2025. Buffalo is supposed to be number one, Not bad.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I know, that's what we say every year. This is it. So, we'll see what happens.

Speaker 1:

So tell us your story. It's such a cool story, from hunter to you know, doing big things in NFL. Now you're doing great things in Buffalo, training and helping people.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So you know I grew up basically playing soccer and football and you know I was kind of made that I was planning on playing soccer and made that transition to football and ended up taking kind of the best of both worlds and kicking a ball. And I just kind of got better and better each season with in high school and felt like you know, I could probably do something like this in college. And you know I was the guy first one out there in practice, last one to leave, you know, constantly punting and kicking the ball. And by the end of my senior year I mean we had we're a smaller school, I mean we're a big school but smaller name and no one really would get recruited from there. So I ended up going to Buffalo State College. I did not like it. I was you're not really supposed to get hit as a punter all the time and every game I was getting crushed. So I felt like I had, like you know, division one um potential and that was kind of always my dream of mine.

Speaker 2:

So, long story short, I walked down to university at buffalo and earned a, earned a full ride scholarship from there and my last two seasons and did really well and I was getting scouted by pro teams and thought for sure I'd hop on somewhere. But no one even gave me a tryout that year out of college, which was like my draft year, and just kind of kept, got a job at a gym and kind of did a little of everything there sales, walking the floor, helping people at the front desk, and I would train there and just continue kicking. And then a year later I went to combine and that's where the Browns ended up seeing me and picked me up and at least got me in the system. So pretty much after college is four years, five cuts later, I finally landed my first roster spot with Tampa Bay in 2015 and played a season there, went to Green Bay, got all the way up to the NFC championship game game and um.

Speaker 2:

The next year came, signed a year extension but ended up hurting my back and um and then moved back to buffalo. Still try to pursue it. But again, long story short, keep going on with this. But uh, you know, I just kind of always knew I wanted to train and help people after football and have my own gym here doing in-person training, online training, and it's been great, it's it's. You know, I loved playing football and it's nice that you know it actually helped me, you know, jumpstart to my next career and get that going in this new chapter of life. So it's been a been a whirlwind, been a journey, but, you know, really grateful for that opportunity.

Speaker 2:

The thing that goes through my mind when you're punting is you're fucking jacked. Now you're a big boy. Were you a big boy when you're punting as well? Um, I definitely had some muscle while punting, but not as much as I do now. I mean I pretty much had to make make up for I mean, I'm only 5 11. So you know, punters are usually like six foot something with these longer legs, have more of that leg whip and you know that torque. But I kind of had to make up for it through strength and power and just be as explosive and springy as possible. So that's kind of.

Speaker 2:

You know, with the system that I followed since out of college, you know I really embraced it and that was kind of like I just had that mentality of just you know, I'm going to make it one way or another. You know I'm going to make it one way or another. I'm just going to keep knocking at the door. Someone's going to open it eventually. It's hard because there's only 32 spots At the time in the world. There's another league now In the NFL.

Speaker 2:

If you're not the guy on that team, you're not the guy With a lot of other positions. There's so many other where they got two or three deep. If you're not the punter, that's it, so it's. But it helped me. The training, the working out and following that. You know, the system that I have has really kind of like really kept me going. What was your playing weight when I was at university, at Buffalo? Even through the NFL, I was like I was kind of stayed like right around like 210, 212, maybe off season, you know, push it a little like 215. And then I would kind of cut down a little bit. But I'm like, even so, like you know I'm, I'm sitting at like 200, 205 now and have more muscle, more lean, and I mean my pictures look completely different than I did while playing.

Speaker 1:

Every time I look at your solstice I mean you're a jacked show right there. And it's so awesome to see that you have that mobility, flexibility and power and you're doing the same stuff now and now when you transition into training. It's so common for athletes to whether if they're at that elite level like you were, or D1, but you know, athletes love helping and they love to be in the gym or meet heads and we like working out.

Speaker 2:

So you did a little bit of training, you know, prior going to the NFL, but then when you came out, was that your calling or you know what brought you back into fitness um, I think just kind of over the years of training, the way I did leading up while I was trying to get into the NFL, and it was just kind of like I worked out before, obviously, team workouts, you know you're doing your football workouts and it's like yeah, whatever, and I mean I enjoyed it.

Speaker 2:

But once I started training, you know, this new way out of college, and it's like it was always like, soon as I wrapped up the workout I was like, oh, I can't wait for tomorrow's lift, you know, like you know max effort upper, and I just loved it because I saw not only myself improving, like in the gym, but how it was transferring out into the field and how much better I was getting like kicking ball, how I felt that I could train insanely hard in the gym and then feel great the next day, like I wouldn't be sore and broken down and I would just keep, you know, progressing week after week.

Speaker 2:

But I think like, too, with that, like you know you said, with the mobility and the flexibility, like that's something that's been on my side for a long time too, because that's something that I really had to work on, because my job was literally pretty much doing like a split in the air, you know, standing up. So, and that's kind of what I still use today with my training, I'm like I don't want to get big, bulky and slow. I still want to be able to move and functional and be able to, you know, have that mobility and flexibility. So it's just something that I've really continued as like each chapter, you know, or stage of life that I've been in.

Speaker 1:

And you went, and I take it, you got your CSCS and is that where you kind of started with your foundation?

Speaker 2:

No. So I mean, it was mostly just kind of I felt like before I even got any certifications or anything was just all experience and that I think that's what's helped me the for the majority. You know my, my best friend, he was the one who introduced me to the conjugate system and Westside Barbell and that whole world and I got to train there a couple of times and I've learned from him where he actually trained there for like a year and I mean he's, you know, so he really got me into that world. So it was just kind of like reading books and watch videos and actually going there and picking their brains and talking to Louie Simmons and you know, like sitting down with them and eating with them and listening.

Speaker 2:

So I like I got to do all of that and then it wasn't until, like I was about to open the gym. I was just like you know, I just need that certification. You know, just to say I'm a trainer, because people like paper sometimes. So I just end up going through like ISSA and just getting a certificate, certification through that and honestly like, and that was, that was really it and that's. I've kind of used my experience as kind of like my basis of everything. Because I felt, you know, I've seen plenty of people book smart that don't know what the heck they're doing in the gym. You know, and I've kind of went that opposite route where I did in the gym and worked with this person and that and and really learned and what to look for, and then I read the books. So you know, and that's kind of the route that I took.

Speaker 1:

Oh, it's so crazy, cause 90 plus percent of trainers in this space they quit because they read that book. They go out there and they have no idea what the hell they're doing. I mean, you had the background with doing it, but then you had the audacity to say you know what I want to go learn from the best. And so you know, learning from Louie and that type of stuff is invaluable. I mean, he's a freaking Western block periodization, everything that they implement over there. He's an absolute legend. And so what was that like? Being in that environment around these legends?

Speaker 2:

It was insane. It was, um, the first trip I went. I got to train there a full week too. So I got the whole thing like bob evans, early morning, five, five am, you know breakfast and um, you know, kind of like, you know, it's like getting those like, uh, that nervousness, like that pin your stomach be like, oh man, heavy, you know max effort, lower day going like right into it and like all those videos to see on the monolith, like the famous monolith that they're doing all these records on and and just being there and um, that first year again was it was kind of like where west side was kind of like fading out of that old, like old school, like if you don't do this, you're out of here, type style, and um, so I've never had someone yell at me for unracking the weight too softly, so here on the dynamic leg day, and uh, I think it was like tony I don't know his last name, but like one of the like original guys, and tony is just like unwrapped that weight like you, like you want to lift it and I'm like, I'm sorry, so, um, it was just that intense, like when you went in there. You're going in there with the purpose, um, you're not there just to like there wasn't a phone in sight. Like you're just, you're in there and you're given each exercise a hundred percent.

Speaker 2:

And like louis would say, he's like, um, what he did with my one friend the first time he went, he's like he put him on a rowing machine with like three plates each side. He's like let's do this for five minutes, die before you quit. And it was that mentality. It was just like, okay, you know. So, um, it was just really cool to see you know and the. And the second time I went it was a little more relaxed, but same intensity, like we just had a good group that we would go and bring it. But I mean any chance you could talk to Louie. I mean we would just pick his brain more and more and more and just kind of, you know like. You know like you know talking about punting, you know it's just like it's such a good experience. And then you know it's helped me for my career what to look for. You know like a broken athlete, or you know where they're weak and build them from that ground up all right, p louie, he's a absolute savage.

Speaker 1:

And you look at that guy and you're just like scared shitless because he looks so scary, but everyone that you know is around him. He's just a genuine smart ass, dude, yeah it's like the nicest dude like you.

Speaker 2:

Just see him. I think he was um, he was still like pulling, like it was like 700 pounds or like six, something in like on a rack pull, and he was, uh, however old he was, I don't know it was, you know, back in 2015, 16 and it was just crazy. I'm just like man, this guy it's nuts. But then he would just do it and then just turn around and talk to you and you know, it was just he just wanted everyone to learn, like he just you know, and, um, any chance, he could just like share something and give you that knowledge, like that's all he wanted to do. So it was. It was cool that I could experience that a couple of times.

Speaker 1:

Legendary photos of how hard it is to really train when you know he had blood coming out of his nose and stuff. Yeah, the guy was just a savage. And so how did you take that back to where you're training now and like who's your clientele that you work with and people you enjoy training?

Speaker 2:

yeah. So you know, taking that, you know experience of everything I've been through is like kind of I always wanted to just train athletes and and that's where I thought I was like I'm gonna open my gym, it's gonna be all these athletes and just kind of turning like this 50 50 thing of like athletes and adults, and I've been able. The great thing about this system, the conjugate system, is it works for everybody. You just need to know how to tweak it for that individual and their goals, like, and that's what I've done for myself. It's like all right, I had my crazy football, you know training, and then, uh, my, it wasn't necessarily powerlifting, but like what I'm? I'm not doing competitions, but it was like getting strong phase and now I'm in my elite dad chapter, you know. So I'm just trying to do that, but uh, um, but trying to but using that for for all my clients.

Speaker 2:

Now it's just, you know, like using the bands and throwing some chains in there, and pretty much the whole basis of what I do is like it's building up that GPP, you know that general physical preparedness, and that's like everything. Like people ask me like pretty much everything what I'm doing is building my base up, so much. It's like my new base is like your whole workout. I want base strength and it's been fun to be able to find. It's like a puzzle.

Speaker 2:

You see a client and all clients are different and people have so many different issues going on or have different goals and you just piece it all together and and taking you know that knowledge of everything and giving them these unique exercises. You throw a band in there and it just blows their mind away. It's like what is this? So it's a? Yeah, it's, it's been fun. But especially athletes too, cause, like I've just I've lived that life, so you know seeing them getting them at a young age, I'm like man, if I would have trained this way in high school, I've probably been kicking the ball like a hundred yards.

Speaker 1:

Sound like uncle Rico right there.

Speaker 2:

How much you want to bet, I'll throw him over his mouth.

Speaker 1:

But you know. So now you're in that dad phase of your life and you know what is your training like now, because it's so easy to having an excuse where you know you're going to get married and you have a kid and it's like, oh, I'm just gonna pack on 40 pounds and be that beer gut dad, but you keep on showing up and kicking ass yeah, it's um, it's funny because my training's changed, but really not that much.

Speaker 2:

I guess, like I probably staying away more from like those one rep maxes. You know, maybe once in a while I'm like let's see what we got today, whereas back then, like I'd some would feel pretty heavy and I'd push it to that next level. But you know, I'm kind of just like you know, I'm like all right, take it easy, you know. So my training I still do a lot of like crazy stuff, like you know from my videos, doing crazy jumps and this and that. But that's just the athlete side of. That's what makes it fun for me, for my working out and that whole mentality. I have my off days like everyone else, and some days you're just just in the gym and especially if being at my home, you know it kind of like works and goes against you at the same time. Because it is at home, it's like it's easy to get comfortable, whereas like you're like all right, I'm going to go to the gym and you have to drive and go somewhere and get in that mind frame. But yeah, it's, it's just kind of like a different you know mind game, where now it's like all right, I want to do this, cause, yeah, I want to be in shape for myself and feel cause one. It makes me feel better mentally and that's a huge thing for me.

Speaker 2:

But you know, now I have a daughter. You know I want you know her to look up and be like man my dad was a beast, you know, as she gets older and you know it sees then just be the role model, cause it's like, yeah, we're always going to be tired, so I'm like it's not a good excuse. You know there's 24 hours in a day. It's like you can't find that you know 30, 60 minutes to go work out. Then you're just being. You know check your phone time. You know check your screen time. So it's like there's always time. It's just kind of a. I've just been very good at getting myself like to do something, and that's when I'm tired. What you know. Just go out to practice because someone else is doing it. You know. Go to the gym. You know it's just you're going to feel better after. I'm good at that. Self-talk is something that I've really been able to. You know, get pretty good at and push myself.

Speaker 1:

That resiliency is huge, but also you're redefining the dad bod. That's supposed to be the expectations, not what we see today in overweight, obese America that we have, which brings me into a very common problem that trainers and coaches have. It's like how do you get clients and so you're training out of your garage? I mean, you're a walking billboard and you have 100 plus thousand followers on Instagram, but where do you get most of your business?

Speaker 2:

Is it word of mouth or how have you built this? Yeah, I mean, especially in person. A lot of it has been word of mouth and that's something that probably means most to me, cause it's like, all right, well, you know, I made a good impression with this person that they're talking to talking about me to someone else and and that's where I feel like you get some really good clients and great people that you're just going to stick around for a while, cause even if I lose an athlete for football, you know football season that they're going to come back in the off season, you know, and come back and work, um, and online is just kind of like what people see and they'll reach out. Or you know, if I leave something open and be like, if you're really lost, need help with your programming, whatever you know, just kind of leave a box or DM me and then just people will reach out that way.

Speaker 2:

But yeah, I mean in person. Yeah I really don't do any like marketing outside of anything, but it is tough at times because it is a garage. I don't even call it a garage, I call it a gym because it's like a legit gym in there, it's not just like a sketchy there's my car and then a power rack right next to it, but I mean, if you drive by it doesn't look like anything more than a garage, a two-door garage. But it's been going well, it's been consistent.

Speaker 1:

How the hell do you get your clients to show up when the snow is dumping down like that in Buffalo?

Speaker 2:

Because we're Buffalonians, we're determined. I have to do extra work because I have like two driveways that shovel now. So my regular driveway and then the gym driveway. But I mean, unless there's like a big storm brewing or something like people yeah, people show up. You know it's actually pretty rare that you know I'll get cancellation so, but we're so used to it. You know it's just like oh, just another day. It's like, oh, three feet of snow. It's good, I'll be there.

Speaker 1:

You're probably working out in a t-shirt. It's nothing for you. Oh yeah, for sure. Yep Us wimpy Californians. It gets 65 when we start throwing our tail between our legs.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, 65.

Speaker 1:

And I remember being in Tampa and it'd be like yeah, like mid-60s people are in hoodies and stuff and I'm just like good to be here.

Speaker 2:

You know, I'm just sweating, so what are your expectations for the next few years with your business?

Speaker 2:

Like I said just, I'd like to slowly transition to probably like 90% of it being online and being able to reach more people that way and because I mean you can only you know it's only so many hours a day people that way and, um, cause I mean you can only you know it's only so many hours a day it could do in person.

Speaker 2:

And you know, as much as I love it, you can get really burnt out if it's just hour after hour after hour. So I'd really love to try to like really get it um, to be like mostly online and specialize with uh, you know, certain clients, especially my athletes, in person, so I can really see what they're doing, see what's breaking down, what needs work, and you just get a better feel for that when you're in person and I don't want to lose that. You know it's just that one on one. You know it's just something awesome about it rather than just being behind a screen all the time. So to be able to, you know, work with someone like that and you know really be able to see what the underlying issue is, if you know they come in their knees feeling funky or whatever and be able to put them through some stuff that you can't really program all the time online. So it's like here I got this weird exercise, you know so, and just make it work.

Speaker 1:

I like that. And what advice would you give for that new aspiring trainer or coach who's starting out and maybe they're kind of lost and not quite sure what to do? You know what would be that self-talk that you would give them to push through it?

Speaker 2:

Just that you know it's just. You got to be consistent and there's going to be ups and downs and you can't beat yourself up on it, but you just got to stay true to yourself and what you know and just keep doing a little something each day. You know it is tough business because it's like there's so much out there. A lot of it's saturated, there's a lot of garbage out there and you know a lot of people getting fed the wrong information. But you know it's like, but again, there's a lot of people out there. So it's like if you just hone in on the right, you know group or whatever. You know whoever you want to train, that you know it's, it's going to work out and it's just.

Speaker 2:

But you have to put in the work. You can't just wait for people to come to you. You have to go get them and you know and that's I think that was kind of my thing when I first opened up is like, oh, I'm going to open up and I play football and this, and that People are just going to be just knocking on my door. It's just like no, like know, put yourself out there. And you know, the more you do it, the more you're going to be seen and you know the more people are going to talk and eventually come to you.

Speaker 1:

And now you're kicking ass and doing great things. So I thank you for your time today and I'm always a big advocate of trainers hiring a trainer especially, you know, implementing different strategies and, especially with your background with you know, westside, if, especially with your background with you know Westside, if you're a trainer listening to this, where could they find you?

Speaker 2:

and learn more about what you offer. Yeah, I have my main page on Instagram. It's just Jake underscore Shum. I also have my actual gym page, which is gridiron gridirongatewaytrainingcom. So you know it's kind of pictures of the gym, a little of my story, exactly what I do. And, uh, you know you could always just shoot me a comment or message right on Instagram. That's where I'm most active and you know I try to try to get to back to as many people as I can and, you know, try to really get information out there and help. But, uh, it's uh, you know, as long as you love what you do, and especially in this field and helping people, and you know it's just it's, it's the best you know and there's so many different ways to do it and you just follow. You know, stay true to yourself and that's the, that's the biggest thing.

Speaker 1:

I love it, my man. You're doing big things and we have a lot of SUF CPTs in the New York area definitely Buffalo so make sure to check them out and go get a session.