This is not a paid endorsement. I just thought it was pretty cool that they chose me to be on the cover!
In 2016 I had an office job during the day and was running workouts out of my garage after work. It all started with a small group of martial arts buddies. As word spread, our workouts began to attract people outside of our small circle; and our number grew. The idea of working as a paid coach/trainer as a side gig seemed a little closer to reality.
In early 2017, I decided to seek out opportunities to network and learn more about the fitness industry. I found out about the IDEAFit Personal Trainer Institute that was being held in Alexandria, VA. It was a 20-minute drive away and revolved around fitness, so I figured why not give it a try?
I went as an observer, but decided to make the best of it. Little did I know that I would walk away from that conference having figured out what I wanted to do when I grow up! (btw at the time I was 36)
I attended sessions that seemed relevant to the training that we were doing at the house, as well as a few others about business management, equipment demonstrations, exercise science and online marketing.
It was overwhelming, but I took good notes, shook lots of hands and spent the rest of the year digesting everything that I learned.
Going to the 2017 IDEAFit Personal Trainer Conference gave me a new sense of direction, which I used to work towards my NASM personal trainer certification, which I earned later that year.
I began putting everything into practice with the folks training at the house and saw tremendous progress, both in myself as a coach and in the results we were achieving during the workouts. It was immediately apparent that going to the conference was the right choice.
I've been attending IDEAFit Personal Trainer Institute for several years now and here is a short list of things I have gained ever since:
Recognizing the value that personal trainers contribute to the well-being of the people that they work with;
Understanding that transformation through training goes beyond exercise, meal plans, and caffeine-fueled positivity;
Reinforcing the idea that personal training can be a worthwhile and rewarding career;
Realizing that, even after 20 years of coaching fighters and teaching martial arts, there is a world of knowledge yet to gain about performance
In July 2017 I left my corporate job and started Ronin Monster Factory. Ever since that first conference, I have
Met new friends and colleagues with whom I've been able to bounce ideas back and forth and stay accountable;
Linked up with business coaches and fellow business owners who have mentored me;
Discovered learning opportunities to dive deep into the problems that keep my clients from achieving success in their health;
Learned how to be a better business owner, while taking care of my personal and professional growth;
Kept up to date on social media trends and strategies, and algorithms from industry experts; and
Broadened my perspective on what it means to serve as a coach, trainer and business owner in the fitness industry.
If you're a fitness professional (or thinking about becoming one), the first step is to learn as much as you can about the industry and see how you can be a part of it.
Meet some trainers, coaches and gym owners with years of experience and engage in a dialogue about the things they've overcome.
Learn from the experts that conduct the latest research and find out where there are gaps to fill in your knowledge.
Talk to entrepreneurs who have had years of success and take notes on what they can teach.
In my years of owning a business as a coach, I haven't found any better place to do that than the annual IDEAFit Personal Trainer Institute conference.
Click here to learn more!
Registration starts September 1
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