Reps & Real Talk Episode 7: Behind the Trainers: How We Got Started + Our Craziest Gym Stories

In this episode of Reps & Real Talk, we sit down with the trainers from Fitness Destinations to talk about their journeys in the fitness industry. From how they first got started to how their training philosophies have evolved over the years, we dive into the experiences that shaped them as coaches. We also share some of the best, funniest, and toughest stories that come with life inside the gym.

Get to know the people behind the coaching and the passion that drives them to help others change their lives through fitness. 💪🎙️

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:01

Episode seven of Reps in Real Talk, where we don't just talk fitness, we also talk real life. So today we have our amazing team here with us. Um, and this is from our trainers to our admin, and we're just gonna go across and let everyone just introduce themselves. Start with Jay.

SPEAKER_06 0:26

I am Jocelyn Hightower, the lead trainer here at FD, better known as Jay High. Um that's why I'm Janae, aka J D. Been here for about four years. Mortal Kompany.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Yeah, I'm Jaquan. I've been about here same time as JD. Me and her came around. How bad? Came around the same time. But yeah, I'm yeah, that's who I am.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

I am Gail, also known as Spicy Chi. I've been with Jamal and MD since the beginning.

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 1:06

So today is gonna be a fun episode because we are gonna kind of talk to you guys about your journey of being a trainer. And I guess the first thing we're gonna start up with is we'll start with Jocelyn, because that's where we started with the introductions. What inspired you to be a trainer? What inspired me to be a trainer? Uh my I just watching my family history, just looking at the people in my family not be healthy. So I said I wanted to do something to help other people change their life and basically find out more to help my life, make me live a little longer. So I mean, just people inside of my circle just not living a healthy lifestyle made me become a trainer. You it? Jack. Sorry. So I'm about to eyes. Listen to me. Um, in all actuality, I never wanted to be a trainer. Uh, it was never in my vision, it was never a goal. I was a basketball player all my life. Uh went to college on a scholarship, got three concussions, and kind of lost myself after that and didn't know where I was gonna go on life. Um I was always a happy week until I actually started being trained by one of my close friends in Greensboro who inspired me to become a trainer and started helping others. Uh that's really what got me on the path. And I'm still sticking with it. I love you. I love to help others. Um, I'm glad I actually took this transition that I good. This is fun. I haven't heard all these things. All right, Jay.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

All right.

SPEAKER_06 2:38

I kind of know your story.

SPEAKER_01 2:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 2:40

Just because you started with us.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Yeah, you know. So uh what really inspired me to be a trainer. Um, I've been in sports my whole life, playing sports in the gym. Um, and what really inspired me to be a trainer is really working out here. I I was a tr I was a trainee first being here and just seeing how much fun they had, how lively everything was, man, it just really felt like man, I feel like I can do this. I feel like I can be a part of this. And that's really what got me into it, to be perfectly honest with y'all. Um but yeah. But ever since four years later, I love that. Yeah, and I love impacting people in there, so I think it just feels good.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

All right, Gail. Well, my story is kind of the same as Jocelyn's. Um had a family history of, you know, everybody not living a healthy lifestyle, and I wanted to break the cycle and help them achieve, you know, um health and wellness and wanted to be the example and to show them that it could be done. So that was really my inspiration.

SPEAKER_06 3:50

So everybody has a good starter story. So how was it with your very first client? Like, how did it go? Because you know, you're coming in cold, you don't really know what's going on, you kind of know what you're supposed to do, but then you have to be in front of people, whether it's a class or you're doing a one-on-one session. How do you remember the first time that you initially trained somebody and how did it go? If I specifically talking about here or just something just in general, oh you know, because you guys started. I mean, I know Jay started here, but but you are way back to the 1980s. I do remember um I trained over his uh fitness connection over there. And when I first started training, uh, we would have to go on the floor on the platform, you know, just be out on the floor. When I said the floor, you had to be outside in the gym. You had to basically like promote yourself. Like you, like you didn't start off with clients. You had to get out there, hey, let me show you, you know, they hey, let me show you how to do this move. Or, you know, that's how we put, you know, you kind of market yourself. And then when you did get the client, it was kind of awkward because you just like, okay, I just put myself out, you know what I'm saying, put myself out there on that platform and now I'd have rented on, you know, I got what I wanted, but I really didn't know if yeah. Oh, yeah, well, now what do I get? Like, what do I do? So, I mean, it's different. And then, like I said, the this just being out there, not thinking that I could get myself, you know, just motivate and myself to be out there just to go talk to somebody I didn't know and look didn't look stupid. That's what they uh, that's my my main thing was. Yeah. I say, you know, my training, my very first client, I was actually on one of my friend's porch outside with two pairs of metal dumbbells, bins, and stairs, four steps in a mat. And I would just have people come meet me at his house, and we would train on his front porch. I don't know. And we were all college students at that point in Greensboro. $20 a session, just come on. There's no time limit. Did you have them like run up to four steps, drip a dab? I still write videos to this day. I was making whole reels off of it and everything. Like, I got you. Come get your session in. Oh wow. It was very intriguing, but uh, I love the humble beginning gate. Ew. What was your very first session? Because that's was probably a long time ago.

SPEAKER_02 6:30

Yeah, so my uh my first session was actually with your mom? No, uh, nah. Uh I'll never forget this guy, this guy named uh Josh Davenport. If you're still there, Josh, let's say there. But um, when I first started training, I didn't know anything but football and basketball workouts. And uh basically I think when you're a new trainer, you expect people to be like you. And uh so I just trained him like a football coach, and uh he threw up everywhere. And uh it wasn't a good look for me, and I never saw him again. So, Davenport, I'm still here, I'm a much better trainer today. Come see us how. Yeah, come see me now. But yeah, that was a long time ago, and uh yeah, it was nerve-wracking. I was nervous, I was anxious, but at the same time, I felt free. It was my first time doing something where I personally had control over. So it was a fun time. Huh?

SPEAKER_01 7:29

But for me, where's your my first client? My first client was here. I had uh Miss Glency.

SPEAKER_03 7:38

Where's the comics?

SPEAKER_01 7:40

So early in the morning, yeah. 6 a.m. My first client. And I'm like Mills, been athletics my whole life, man. And Miss Netsy got trained like a like an athlete. Yeah, my old spiritual issue. This Gutsy was about 60 years old. So she and she sometimes won't even show up to my sessions. So, you know, I'll wake up, be ready, and then you know, she ain't show up. But for me, it was really, it really taught me just to be patient and just like that's really the biggest biggest thing I learned from it.

SPEAKER_05 8:16

Perseverance.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Perseverance and just figuring it out. Like, I feel like there's no better learn, no better teacher than I should just being out there. So she was a tough client for my first person, but now I feel like I can train anybody. I always knew I could train athletes, but now I know I can. Get my get my seniors in there too.

SPEAKER_06 8:34

I feel like you have some seniors now. Yeah, like a little bit of airline now. You do have a little bit of everybody.

SPEAKER_03 8:40

Gail, what was your first one? You know, I've been trying to think.

SPEAKER_02 8:44

She was at Bally's total feature.

SPEAKER_03 8:46

Man, and I've been like all over the world somewhere. Um, but one thing that's that sticks out in my mind is not really the first session, but it was the first time working at a brand new facility that was newly built, and no one knew anyone. Um it was a place, I'm from Detroit, it was a place in Detroit, and it was my very first class at this new facility, and I was like, oh my goodness, is anybody gonna show up? Does anybody even know this gym is open, you know? And so I'm ready, you know. I got cute, music cute, and everything, and time comes, nobody shows up, nobody shows up. And one guy comes in, he's an older gentleman. And I said, Okay, we're gonna work out. And he got in the back of the class, and it's just me and him in this huge room, and he got right in the bags. And I'm just like, Don't you wanna come up? You know, it's just me and you, come on up. He said, No, I want to be right here. I said, Okay. And as time went on and the class grew and grew and grew, he never moved out of that spot. What? He always was in that spot. And every Eastern playing in the early. People came in and everybody wanted their spot. I said, no, no, no, that's his spot. I say, he was with me the very first day. The only person that was in this room with me, that is his spot. The only people that have a spot is me and Hills.

SPEAKER_02 10:21

That's good, that's good.

SPEAKER_06 10:23

So going from your first day to where you are now, how has your training, how you approach training changed? The way I approach has changed a lot. Um because you don't really know like all of the aspect, like the different parts of training until you're in it. And do you realize everybody just think, oh, you just make up stuff to give me some leg workout? You know, you just make up no, that's not that's uh a great trainer does not, you know, they they go more depth into what they're doing. So uh, you know, just knowing the the different parts and the different aspects of the training and knowing like knowing your person. Like you're not flying by the seat of your pants every day. Nope. And knowing your people that you trained and knowing their their weaknesses, and then, you know, just it's more to it than just training. Well, I feel like also now, I mean, yeah, I don't do training, but I see y'all train all the time, and I feel like, especially for your PT clients, you have your kind of plan of what their goal based on what their goals are, because you know what their goals are gonna be. So you do try to have kind of a plan of attack, if you will. So you're you're like, okay, these are their goals, you know, this is what we're gonna do. And also you're in a facility now where you have this more equipment. Not this one he works with, not stage there, this is as advanced. We've been although it does come in handy. Yeah, that's what we started with. We still got that zoo. JD, what how how do you think? I will say now, um, I'm not gonna lie, back then I was very much a butthole. I trained people how I was trained all my life. Cussing you out, I'm gonna run you and you're gonna work out. You're gonna do what I say. He didn't do that with me. I did not. You were about my a hair grown might have seasoned.

SPEAKER_02 12:17

See that season. Okay.

SPEAKER_06 12:18

Uh now I really do make sure that I do make a connection and listen to what the client is saying to me. Um what I what I will say is something that I truly improved on was even though they give us goals back then, if somebody came to me and said, I want a six pack, but we were just doing court every day. Now, okay, you want a six pack, you want to grow your legs, but also I see that you need to improve on this, and I explain that to them so that they can buy in and I could also buy into their goals, and we're not working against each other, we're working together. Um, and I feel like that's the biggest thing that helped me grow as a trainer is being able to both of us buy in and come together and then them seeing themselves transform and actually knowing I know what I'm talking about, again, I can listen to them and make a connection through that. Yeah, so it's it's a team effort, and right? You guys make that connection, you have a team, you have your goals, but it's not just theirs. Yes, but it's just both it's both, which is important.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

So, me. Um, what was the question again? I'm sorry. Have I grown?

SPEAKER_06 13:26

Oh, how good?

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Yeah. I was like, wait, where are we? How have I grown? Um, really, since I really have grown, to be honest. Um, when I first started, I was very timid. I was very just I don't want to step on little toes around here, you know. I'm trying to be, oh you clap really loud. Yeah, you know, I clap loud, you know, I brought some energy, but I was real timid as far as pushing people and challenging them. So I feel like now I've really gotten to a point where I can I I feel more comfortable challenging my people. And I think that just came with just one growing relationship with the clients and just connecting with them uh and really understanding why they want these goals and all that. And and I'm still I'm not like I'm still a little timid, but I'm more pushed towards like, okay, I know your goal, like how can we get there? This is how we can get there.

SPEAKER_06 14:20

Um I don't think you're timid. Well, yeah, I wanna I wanna say it's you know it's just part of your personality. You're yeah, you know, you're not you're not an in-your face risen, but I also feel like you've grown enough that I mean you're mentoring our interns now, you know, and helping them. So I feel, I mean, from ground zero to where you are now, you've really grown a lot. Yeah, I think. Yeah. And it's all positive, yeah. Except for checking people out.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

Yeah, we're still working on that. Some best people working.

SPEAKER_06 14:54

I'm saying my time. So my boy, right. What thing at a time with my boy?

SPEAKER_01 15:00

Hey, I came a long way from that. I first got here, I ain't clock in. He walk in and trance.

SPEAKER_06 15:06

You're like, okay.

SPEAKER_01 15:08

Walk in and trance. Yes, that's all I knew. Yeah. But yeah.

SPEAKER_06 15:12

And Gail, I feel you've grown just because like you've gotten in the nutrition piece of it, and you're helping Jocelyn with the movement in motion. Like, how do you feel like what your biggest growth has been?

SPEAKER_03 15:26

I um I do feel that that has been my biggest growth um as far as um, you know, really helping out with the the senior clients and helping them understand that you have to keep moving. You just have to keep moving, it even if it's a little, you know, you have to have some sort of activity. It didn't have to be a bust out workout, but you have to have some kind of activity in your life. And also, you know, it isn't and you can't outwork core nutrition, you know, which I know a lot of people think that, you know, I'll just eat this and burn it off or whatever, you know. You can outwork core nutrition. So that that's kind of how what helped me to want to get into uh, you know, trying to get people to understand that most of your success will come from your nutrition more so than your workout and explain to them, you know, that concept and try to drive that palm that, you know, six packets made in the kitchen, will you more so been in the gym? That's a big ish. If you've been anybody, if they only got one, like yeah, I mean if it's not, you know, anybody's not gonna look like your mom. Yes, it's not. They're just not I see that key that it works like the next stage.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

Uh so I've I've had the the honor of watching everyone in this at this table really grow from I know from training perspective, even from Gretchen, from not knowing how to do a Facebook story or Instagram to running full on websites to seeing everyone kind of start, and even myself. So I'll ask, I'll ask, and this is for for the table, what would you say is your number one principle when it comes to training? What do you guys value the most about your specific training?

SPEAKER_01 17:27

Um I would say the core thing, honestly, for me, is just at least initially, the client has to feel comfortable. Like I gotta everybody comes in here with like such a shell and such a guard up, everybody's a little scared. So I try to really get you to smile, get you to laugh a little bit. It's kind of easy here. Um but yeah, I think making people feel comfortable is the the biggest thing, honestly, especially with personal training. It's somebody I'm a stranger essentially to a lot of these people. So I kind of just lower that gate a little bit.

SPEAKER_06 18:05

I I can definitely agree with comfortability out. That's that's a big thing. Um one thing for me is positivity. Yes. Uh everybody has their bad days, everybody goes through things in might, but I think that some people don't realize you come in here every day having a bad day, and one of us is training you, and you're telling us about your bad day, that is rubbing off on us. Um and it does affect people in ways that you may not realize it, but it affects one another. So just trying to do positive in some way, if we're trying to give you some type of light, make you laugh or something, and lighten up your day, you should come into your training session, your workout session with a fresh mind. Get away from where is where you step away and have time to yourself. And then later on, you may have to tackle that that hassle again, but at least you know you can say you had 30 to 45 minutes of peace of clear mind. Oh, yeah. Well, because sometimes you are not a trainer, you're a therapist. Yeah, that's true. Sometimes that's very true. That's parent. Oh, sure. It's not every time. Mine is is but um make it letting people know that you care in whatever way you can do that. Um, I mean, you can be a trainer, but I mean, do you really care about what you know the people that you're yeah, I know. And why are you training?

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Yeah, like try to really help them be better, or are you just making a paycheck?

SPEAKER_06 19:32

Yes. And most people, I think a lot of people sometimes get into this business thinking that they're gonna make a whole lot of money at to begin with, you know, and they're just gonna be able to rep no. You get e you have to let people know you care. Yeah, because if for one thing, I know if I'm paying some money from somebody, you know, I'm just not gonna just pay money just to be doing something. I need to know that you caring, looking out for me, you know, you looking for my best interest and what I'm doing here, you know, so cool. So that's the big the one of the big things, no that people know that you care. Of it, you know, along with uh Jaquan and Jodia's. Well, because I mean, you guys know starting off as trainers, I mean you really have to build your business. Whether you're working at a facility or you're on your own, you have to find your clients, you have to build that relationship with them to keep them wanting to come back, and you have to keep it fresh and keep it new. So it it is it is a big job, and then it's not just putting together a workout that they do three times. You you have to read read what how they're coming in, yeah. What I'm what I can get out of them, get them ready for next time. You know, I feel like and it's slow. I mean, you know, I mean you you started off with your mom and one other person, you know, and now you own your own gym, but that's taken a long time to get to that point. And a lot of learning along the way. So I I appreciate the the the the life of a trainer.

SPEAKER_02 21:10

Yeah. I think when it comes to training and fitness, one of the things that I think we all have become better at is me especially, I I feel like, is listening to what people say, but also going deeper behind that and listening to what's unsaid, to what people aren't saying to make them feel comfortable, and being someone who can impact because to impact more people you have to be more. And I one thing that I I've tried to do is be more so that I can impact more people, whether it's trying to learn a different language or is getting and trying a different hobby, because if my clients are playing pickleball and they want to try. For pickleball, I need to know a a little something about pickleball. Or if they're playing golf, or if they're in a competition, uh a weight loss competition, anything. And I think it requires for us to get outside of our box and transform ourselves constantly. And I think that's the thing that people don't see how well that we do as a group of doing that, because as a trainer, you can get stuck in a rudder. And when you're dealing with some people, it can be challenging to always be the most positive person in the room sometime. Because there's not really anyone to to help you out when you're guys have to be on all the time. All the time. And it that can be a struggle sometimes. So one of the things I think we've done a really great job is pulling on each other as a team when I'm down. I know Jocelyn, Retcha, and Gail, you guys will say something to me like, You okay today? What's going on? You you look a little down. And because we are still human.

SPEAKER_03 22:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

And I think us becoming more helps us to train more people and impact more people. Cause I love the diversity that we have in the in the fitness facility. We have all different nationalities, heights, age groups. It's beautiful to watch. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 23:15

Give me your best client story.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Best client story.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 23:26

And then and then you can think of your most embarrassing moment.

SPEAKER_02 23:29

It could be favorite too.

SPEAKER_06 23:30

Yeah, it could be your favorite.

SPEAKER_02 23:31

It could be a favorite client story.

SPEAKER_03 23:35

I think I can go with that. I can start that off. Okay, don't mind. My favorite client quote client and client story is Jamie. Jamie is just like the model client when it comes to her nutrition. She does exactly what she's supposed to do. She tracks everything. She's ready. She's prepared. We have excellent conversations because we know what each other needs. She comes prepared with what she's done. I give her suggestions. We have great dialogue, back and forth. And she she just does everything. And I just I'm just like, oh, this is just such the model. She is just such the model. And she's really, really come a long way. And she she has really, really made some improvements with what she has going on in her life. And I'm just very, very proud of her. And that she is dedicated and really um centered and focused on what she needs to do as far as her eating clan. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_06 24:52

Yeah, because she's consistent at the gym, but how she she's come a long way in her nutrition.

SPEAKER_03 24:57

We thought there were a lot of transitions with her, changing things. We had to totally revamp what she was eating and how she was eating. And it is it's really starting coming to part. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 25:12

Um, for me, um, my favorite kind of story is um Nick. Um Nick. Um yeah, Nick was he was like really one of the first people for me, like that I really got to lock in. I really felt like I was really impacting and connecting with. Um, and man, he came here, I don't necessarily know where he started at, but I know we got about 50 pounds and he had a lot of issues that he could have used, and sometimes it would it wouldn't bug him some days, and some days it just wouldn't be a good day. But one thing that he did every day is he would show up, he'd push himself. Um, even if I had to give him a little extra that day, or even if he didn't feel like it, you know, it really that was really one of the first super for me. I was just like, man, I can really do this trend to stuff.

SPEAKER_05 26:04

Like you went home and puffed your tests a little bit?

SPEAKER_01 26:07

Well, not even that. It's just well, yeah, pan.

SPEAKER_06 26:11

But it was just the We came such a long way, my idea.

SPEAKER_01 26:16

It was just like being able to just see somebody believing themselves. Yeah, before didn't it? And just knowing that me believing in him meant a lot. Like, and so I just, yeah, that's what really, yeah, that's one of my favorites to short.

SPEAKER_06 26:31

That's actually, yeah, that's a good one. I'm gonna go with my girl, Dorothy. Oh, yeah. Dorothy really, I don't know if she knows, but she really brought like uh 6 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and no other open sleek sounds, Dorothy. I'm sorry. We were here and we were working. Um, when I first got her from Larica and our first session, I was looking, I was like, I don't know, and I'm gonna do this. Uh I don't even know where to start. Uh I remember she couldn't even hold a plank. And years down, maybe a year or two later, she was holding a plank for about a minute and a half, and I'm looking around, I was like, you remember when? And we could just laugh. Um some days she used to give me the meanest mug in the world. I knew she wanted to say some choice words, but I would just get down there. I'll look at it, like, you know, I got so much love. You're doing a great job. Um, and she she had a big transformation. Dorothy, you're watching. I miss you. I hope you're still doing good, okay? Yeah, that was that is a good one. Yeah. That was you had her for a long time. Yep. Jocelyn, mine is it was Valencia Gormillion. Shit. So Amy, yeah. And she had Valencia had the uh autoimmune issue, and then she had hip dyspl, which meaning her hips and and she had uh arthritis. She was one of my golden age, people I say. And she was walking on a cane. When she goes to the grocery store, she's always had to ride the scooter. She was also a school bus driver, which is hard, you know, with her time. So I was able to, I took when she came in, I said, I'm not gonna be able to, you know, cue you fix you. I say, but I can get you better mobile than. And Valencia is now, seriously, even to even so she had been in a minute, but our progress, she is not working with a cane. She does not uh ride the scooter anymore. Yeah. She is actually going to a nutrition, a dietitian to help her, you know, with her uh medications and things that may coincide with her uh weight loss and stuff. But I see her every so obviously because our daughters go to school together. But just seeing her just being feeling good about herself, you know, being able to walk without that cane, or you know, just moving, moving there. She had a huge difference. She did from start to finish. And being able to lift, she was so she would get so excited when she would lift 15-pound dumbbell when I was like, you know, hey, we started, or even her skinning up on the yeah, like climbing the step up and just squatting, seriously, squatting without being able to sit in a chair without yeah, yeah. Wow, that's amazing. So, and she motivated me to push everybody else too, because I'm like, people have all these excuses for everything. And to me, she didn't have an excuse for that. She just kept, you know, even though she would be in pain sometimes, she still came in. You know, that a bit what she used to do.

SPEAKER_02 29:32

So I got a question for y'all. Um when did and this is for anybody, but when did you know that this was your calling? When did you know that being a a coach was for you?

SPEAKER_06 29:50

Mine was when I worked for the school system. That's when I I felt uh I felt like I wouldn't being to be honest, I felt like I want to be utilized properly in the school system. And I wanted to do, you know, just impact people more and not just kids and you know, impact everybody. And uh mine that's when I realized I just needed to be a coach and just because most of the time they would send the kids to me anyway, whenever they needed to run or do something different, you know. So that was my when I worked for the school system and now we're prefer kids over adults working with No, not I mean they both are the same, honestly.

SPEAKER_04 30:27

You think about it. Yeah, you look at it, it means they both backburn the same Yeah. It's still gonna complain no matter what. So yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

I'll stop out. Um I might the best answer, but I think why I've really got a hang of the classes. Like once I was able to teach the classes, I think that's when I was like, okay, I can I can talk in front of a group of people, I can explain things, I can, you know, kind of got that c that comfortability of it. Um but yeah, I'd say the biggest thing for me was just kind of classic dialogue.

SPEAKER_05 31:00

Do you think that's helped you outside of the gym? It's just in my chat, absolutely able to talk to people and absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 31:08

And just yeah. Being able to just yeah, talk to anybody, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_06 31:15

Well, yeah, I guess a big part of it is just like making conversation, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:18

Yeah, I'm small.

SPEAKER_06 31:19

Pulling them out, like if they're having a bad day, you gotta figure out, gotta get them to smile. Yeah. Jacqueline, you do a really good job, seriously, with the new people coming in. You I mean, no matter how old they are, you know, what they look like, you really are good. You really be engaged with them. And I just yeah.

SPEAKER_01 31:34

Time man.

SPEAKER_06 31:35

Until that emerald allows us connect.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

That's way I can, you know. That's the way I can.

unknown 31:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 31:42

I would say I really realize this is my calling probably within the past two years, including this year's, this year and last year. Um, everybody knows I work three million jobs. Um, and everybody asks me why. I mean, I have to make a live. This year I picked up a full-time job, but wherever I'm at, I always realize that I'm always talking fitness and help and helping the people around me. Like, for instance, during my day job, they come to me with proteins and workout plans. Like, how does this look? How can you help me? Asking me to do like the end of the year fitness event and things like that. And then when I come in here after working from eight to five, sitting at a desk and come and train other people, and everybody's like, You're going to another job? I'm like, this isn't a job. I love them. I don't look at this as a job. I come here and I let go of everything and I have a blast in my mind. And then the next morning I go to work. So um, that's when I really realized like this is truly what I want to do. Uh, and what I will be doing. Um, you know, you just gotta take stepping stones to where you where do you want to be. Yeah. Yeah, so but the you've gotten over the biggest hump because it's not a job.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

That's you know, yeah, that's true. I would say um I kind of realized this was my calling a while back. Um like when I first started, I was like like everybody was a little timid. And then after I saw that I was actually helping people and people were actually listening to me and you know, and I was inspiring people and motivating people. I was like, wow, this is this is pretty cool. So yeah. So I was just like, I think, I think this this is it for me. And you know, as I just started growing and, you know, being around other people and learning from other uh trainers and other coaches, you know, I started to grow into, you know, my own little style of, you know, how my personality was. You, you know, you would take a little from here and take a little from there, and then you would kind of have your your little way of doing things. And that just kind of carrying on into, you know, just wanting to help people be better, you know, and and knowing that I could impact them and help them to be better. I also took that this same concept of, you know, training and being a coach to my other job. I'm also a trainer there. And I I do a lot of training with the new hires and, you know, kind of try to motivate them and get them to be the best that they can be at that job as well. And it was, it was, it was funny about a few weeks ago, uh, one of our little um one of our new hires was struggling. And she was just like, Oh, I'm so tired and I'm sleepy, and uh I said, okay, okay, you got this. Go go here. Get your coffee, you do what you gotta do, and get back in there, go for it. You got this. You, you know, you're a rock star. And she was just like, Gil, you ought to be a coach. And I was like, he's he wouldn't say ever. But she was like, You are? I need to learn more about you. Uh uh whiz.

SPEAKER_02 34:56

So hilarious. So the the the one thing that, not the one thing is I love a lot of things about our team, but one of the main things I love about our team is that there's so many different age groups between us. I mean, I'm not gonna tell y'all ages, but uh there's a vast range of age groups between all of us, and I find it so great that we can all work together, but we can all teach and learn from one another no matter which where you started, if you just started training, or some of us have been training for over 20 years. So I asked this to you guys, what have y'all seen as far as the biggest change since starting training in the industry? Not so much with you guys, but just in the industry from starting your training, yeah, till now, today. And how have you had to adjust or deal with that?

SPEAKER_06 35:54

Beating uh people long while ago, they used to say that doing a whole bunch of cardio, you know what I'm saying, it hit you with you the results, you know. Leg burners. Yes. A whole bunch of cardio. I mean, that's all it is that you put in your head. Cardio, cardio, cardio. That's how and now it's weight training. Weight training, getting your steps. You don't have to do a whole bunch of cardio. You just, you know, not that you're training for something, you know, some particular sport, but the I mean, just in making sure you eat enough. Nobody ever knew that, you know, that people thought you should starve yourself. Yeah, you know, that the losing weight or get what you need, but no, it's not. You get to eat the gain weight, you got to eat the lose weight. So, I mean, it has changed a lot. You know, we have to get our, you know, see us every two years, you know, uh just to kind of keep us fresh and learning new things too. So it's a lot, it's a lot that has changed. Well, since I've been trading a whole lot. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

From the changing, you always uh does a step. Yeah, but it's a they do snip.

SPEAKER_06 36:52

And you know, and it's an evolution coming. Matthew, two red elevated kink waiter that's all it's like because Richard Simmons and Geron.

SPEAKER_03 37:02

Yeah, you know, I mean, I'm kind of dating myself.

SPEAKER_06 37:05

And then we had to start doing burpees and uh my least favorite.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

Yeah. I mean, I think if you if you've been in the industry for a little minute, you've seen a a a huge change. And I've seen a change in what you said, but also in looking at gym classes. Yes. I mean, gym classes in the nineties look like military classes now. And if you go to some gym classes now, it looks like they're doing nothing. And so it's it's very it is like you said, you have to get your CEUs, your continuum education, you have to stay abreast of the knowledge that you get when it comes to fitness, because it is forever changing. And I've just noticed like what you said, people not eating, but also being more now, I think weights is a huge thing, but also everyone's so intense on everything. And I think now the shift between these different Pilates classes and these niche things are popping up. You got Pilates, you got yoga studios popping up everywhere. First acclimat classes. And I think that's cool, but you can never lose the core of your fitness, which is you know, resistance training. Yeah. Yeah. So what have you seen, Jason's?

SPEAKER_01 38:30

Um for me is the I would say it's two things. I would say the first thing is just the supplements, like as far as like your GLPs, your um just a d I've been seeing me personally just a big uptick in that is just just figuring out how to just what you can bring to the table for them, you know, like okay, you already lose a weight, but how can I provide value to you? That's i.e. wanna lift some weights. You want to keep those bones strong, because with your peas, they take everything. Yeah, not the outside of them. They don't care what they take. Take the so it's just big on just making sure um just giving them what they need, you know, just knowing what I can provide to that person. Um and then the second thing is just I mean it's kind of been since I started, but just social media is just how big it is. Just see right how much people think they know, but really don't they they really can't it's on still racist you know we do so really just just making sure um yeah, just that's probably the biggest things I've seen.

SPEAKER_06 39:36

Changers may rather you're competing against thousands of yes.

SPEAKER_07 39:48

Yep, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:51

I definitely agree.

SPEAKER_06 39:52

I was gonna say social media. Um I mean social media's been prominent for a long time, but even when I first started, it wasn't like it is now you got people doing pull-ups and pressing couches with Instagram. Everybody's a trainer on Instagram, according to Instagram. Um just because they have a million followers and have a workout plan in their bio, they're a trainer. And then later on you get hurt, you find out they're not even certain about it. Yeah. The people who don't have the followers are typically the ones, and as you truly want to listen to, uh, still do your background check on that. But don't believe everything you see my hysteria. Yeah, that is very important.

SPEAKER_02 40:29

I'm gonna pause y'all because that is very important. Yeah, I'm gonna look in the camera and I'm gonna say this make sure that your trainer is certified, it has gone through some sort of nationally recognized certifications because what you said, what you said is social media has fooled the world, the masses. Just because you personally have lost 20 pounds does not mean that you are qualified to train some line prep salute. It's I am and we here at Fitness Destiny, we applaud you so much for losing weight and for becoming the place that you are, but that does not mean you're qualified to train people. And I think just because you got a camera and you can prop it up and you can talk well does not make you a trainer, a trainer, a coach, or certified. So I think it is important for the client to also vet the trainer. Ask us, when's the last time you got certified? When did you are you still doing your continual education? Ask your trainer that. And nine times out of ten, if your trainer gives you pushback on that, it's probably because they're not qualified. So uh I a hundred percent agree with you on that.

SPEAKER_04 41:47

Right.

SPEAKER_02 41:47

Yeah, both of y'all.

SPEAKER_04 41:49

You know what I'm saying? Doing it for real, like, yeah, that's like the best thing.

SPEAKER_02 41:53

I think that is us. I think that's huge.

SPEAKER_03 41:56

That's huge. What's up?

SPEAKER_06 41:59

What is one common myth that drives you crazy? Kind of touched it, but I'm gonna look like a man. Yeah. That is probably the biggest myth, right? That is the most aggravated thing that is. See, yeah, that's well. If I take creatine, I'm gonna look like a man. You bodybuilders are not. You know what I'm an old lady and I take creatine, and I take it because oh, my brain's gonna be in time. Yeah, yeah. Um if you weren't training at being a trainer, what would you be doing? I probably had large questions. I'd probably be still working on this school system. Reading every day going in there, and I, you know, just still trying, because honestly, I started trying to get into school so teach PE and Hill did. Yeah. Um but they said I was not qualified enough to do it. So, but I'm here to the manager. But um, yeah, I'd probably still be doing that, or I definitely wouldn't be a stay-at-home mom though, but uh that I'd probably still be in the school system, you know, doing something with CMS. What about the young people?

SPEAKER_01 43:25

Uh I'm a Y in that heart. Uh but nah, on a serious note, I probably honestly would probably still be trying to figure it out. Um I uh I didn't really have much of, like I said, before training, I was an athlete through and through. Like that's all I could think of. That's all I was thinking of. So honestly, I think I still be, you know, trying to figure it out. And yeah, you know, I'd probably be at your local grocery store, you know, checking you out.

SPEAKER_03 43:55

What up? What up I could see you at home the Bueno stuff.

SPEAKER_02 44:04

I can see you with like athlet commercial, like the bottle or something. Like, what's on the search at Banana Republic? Yeah. Something like that. In front of the mannequin.

SPEAKER_06 44:16

Yes. JD, this is very contradicting. If I wasn't training right now, I would I would probably have my own bartending local service uh and still be working the flow stuff. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I would see as bartending fast money. Not that you've ever made me an alcoholic bab Bruno, but I have not. Maybe run a day like that. One day. One day. I'll come to the kitchen on cocktails. We had some new things. That's a different. Maybe I'm just happy to cut it in my house that you can do it at my bar. That seems a better idea. On a leisure on a food trip drink. True.

SPEAKER_02 44:56

What about you, Gil? I want to hear Gil.

SPEAKER_06 44:57

Yeah, what is Gil? Who would I be doing retired? Yes. Yes. Yes, Bill. Eat sleeping. But you know what? It's so funny because I we did another podcast today with the pediatrician, and she and I, she's younger than I am, but we were talking about friends of ours who don't work. And we were both like, I would be going crazy if I didn't have this job. Like, I think my brain would be turning to mush. Because I'm this is not a job for me. This is fun for me. And I'm just and I feel like as you age, it's so important to stay social. Because I would be sitting at home. I would, I mean, remember when the last kid left the nest? I was like, Jamal, I'm uh I need some out I need a set schedule. I don't know what to do. I'm totally floundering. And so I'd feel like being a trainer, you do get flexibility to be able to still kind of do some things outside of work if you'd like, or give you the flexibility to start your own business, or to grow into doing nutrition or doing special training for sport or youth. And so I think that's the beauty of being a trainer and working in the fitness industry. You do have so many different options to do with your life, and I think it's kind of timeless. So even as you get older, yeah, you kind of just it's seasons, right? So you're gonna have you'll be doing probably training different people, but I mean, the people that we have coming through the this door is like from 70 to 8. Yeah, and it's so fun to see them come in every day and see how they've grown and changed, and it, you know, because I'm on the sidelines, I don't train, I just do the business side, and it's so fun for me to see how you all interact with your clients and see the personalities and the connections and the friendships that get made and the growth that the clients have, and also you guys. I mean, I've seen, you know, I'm the old mother here, mother hen. And it's just fun to see how you all have grown individually, and um, it's a treat for me to sit at my little stupid desk and lift my head up over my monitor, see who's coming in the door, and go, wow, like six months ago you weren't even standing up straight, and now you can lift your arms over your shoulders, and it so kudos to all of you because this is not an easy um profession to be in, and it's just been a sheer pleasure for me to watch my five plush years that I've been here seeing how everybody has grown individually and helped so many clients and grown our business and help grow our business, you know. Um, do you have any other questions?

SPEAKER_02 48:22

Uh no.

SPEAKER_06 48:23

I'm gonna do the lightning round. So I'm just gonna yell out uh something and uh you all say say it. Just you can talk over each other, whatever you want to say. What's your favorite workout move? Thirsters.

SPEAKER_05 48:41

Hey, hey, very dumbbell rolls, shoot, dumbbell rose. I'll just throw it then.

SPEAKER_06 48:49

This got to be my timer. What's your least favorite? Turkis.

SPEAKER_01 48:56

Fairy peace.

SPEAKER_06 48:57

Oh yeah, purpee is turkeys bite. It's gun snake.

SPEAKER_01 49:03

Oh, I like ball slams. You do it'd be the wall boss for me. Nah, it's wall boss.

SPEAKER_06 49:09

We're gonna tell we're gonna tell it. What is one food that you could eat every day? Oh uh avocado. Avocado avocado toast with every sea, everything bagel seasoning and an egg one and an egg on it.

SPEAKER_02 49:23

Yep.

SPEAKER_06 49:24

Oh, and a nice piece of sourdough bread. I would resin that mention french fries. No. Your egg or waffles? Pop por I love popcorn. I can eat popcorn never day. I never do. Do you make it old school on the stove? Of course, that's uh what I do. I love it. Oh, I do canola because I get it from traders and okay. Yeah. I made with coconut oil plastics. Right there. Um, coffee or pre-workout? Pre-work coffee. Coffee. I know, I'm not a caffeine. I just knew I just started drinking cold brew and I was like, oh, this is running fun. That's right. I'm already doing your only gun with us. Oh man. I'm here. I would drink coffee. If money wasn't an issue, where would you go vacation?

SPEAKER_01 50:26

Oh man. Boy, boy.

SPEAKER_06 50:30

You got your list.

SPEAKER_04 50:31

It's all came right out, but you're Australia Hawaii.

SPEAKER_02 50:37

Italy.

SPEAKER_06 50:40

Italy is pretty nice.

SPEAKER_03 50:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 50:42

I don't know where my uh you guys I like Thailand, that's on my list. I want to do Australia, New Zealand, uh the French Riviera. I tried to get in over there when I was. No, I guess I'm on the list. The Fiji Is. No. That's when I tried to do the yeah. It's just it's a far ride. Yeah. Now I've heard everybody's going to Albania. Like I wanna that's all I playing right. It's cheap. It's cheaper. Um, one word that your clients would use to describe you. No, my roots.

SPEAKER_01 51:21

Man. My clients.

SPEAKER_06 51:23

Sarcastic. I have like a funny sarcasm when I'm training. Yes, you do. Because I've trained with you.

SPEAKER_01 51:32

Aggravating. I was better that was. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 51:35

Mine is actually two roots. Throw it off. Blessed the what is that?

SPEAKER_06 51:44

Yeah. You never know what's going on.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

Screw you.

SPEAKER_06 51:47

Never know what trustling you're getting in the morning. Never know sure. She does exactly what she puts on size 12 shoes and does some help dance, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:57

Brain together. My clients probably say energetic, I ain't gonna lie. I don't know for sure, but I would say that, yes.

SPEAKER_06 52:06

The king of clapping. That's what I always say.

SPEAKER_03 52:10

I would I would say probably militant. A lot of people ask me about putting the military or something. I can see that. Uh-huh. Yeah, I can see it.

SPEAKER_01 52:22

Get on that pull on ghetto. Give me T easy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Gets aren't a major pain. Push us come out.

SPEAKER_06 52:32

Well, I hope what we talked about today kind of gives everybody a little more glimpse into you all as trainers and human beings. And um we appreciate your time. This was fun. I learned I mean, I think it's fun because I only get to see you in trainer stance, sometimes out of work, but I'm on some stuff about you as well. So until next time, rep some real talk.

SPEAKER_00 53:02

Make sure you subscribe, like, follow, comment what you want to see, comment what you liked about this podcast, and and we'll see you soon.

SPEAKER_02 53:14

We out.

SPEAKER_00 53:19

Hey guys, thanks for listening and tuning in to Repsome Real Comic with Jamal and I. Um, we hope that you enjoyed the podcast that you just listened to. And what would really help us out is if you could subscribe to our not only our YouTube channel, but also follow us on Spotify. This helps boost our numbers, get us showing more. And then also, if you can comment below what you like today about the podcast you listen to and what you'd like to hear next. We'd love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_02 53:49

Comment, like, subscribe, baby.