[This is the original version of my article that appeared in the Personal Training Development Center on June 26, 2012. First and foremost, I want to thank Results Fitness for the tremendous opportunity — I owe you guys everything. I know you guys will continue to change the way fitness is done. And a special thank you to Jon Goodman for all your help.
Five days a week, I ask myself, “How did I end up here?”
For the past two months, I’ve been interning at one of America’s Top Ten gyms, absorbing their wisdom and studying what makes them great. Learning their coaching skills and exercises and getting opportunities for real, hands-on experience taught me more about fitness than I could ever imagine.
But I always felt (and will probably always feel) lucky that – somehow – I landed the job and even had the opportunity to interview for this awesome facility.
Why?
Because I had a lackluster fitness background.
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- I majored in Economics. I didn’t take any exercise-science classes in university. The closest I came was going to our gym.
- I was a “late-bloomer.” I switched to Health and Fitness in October 2011. Previously, my career was a hodgepodge of finance, education, and random jobs – nothing that would blow Hiring Managers away, I’d say.
- I wasn’t “strong” or “athletic.” I played Varsity Golf in high school. That’s it. And whether that’s a sport is debatable. (Well, I think it’s a sport). I wasn’t particularly muscular or athletic, and I had no experience with the TRX Suspension Trainer, kettlebells, or any plyometrics.
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Now, before you egg my house, I did have two important things on my side:
I lived their Core Values.
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- “Constantly Learn, Always Improve.” Personal development did wonders for my life; I wouldn’t be in this position without it. Books like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The Education of Millionaires, Vagabonding, and Awareness changed the way I understood the world and – more importantly – the way I understood myself.
- “Have Fun And A Sense Of Humor.” I might do that too much – just ask all my high school teachers. (Bless their souls).
- “Have Integrity, Be Honest And Transparent.” Before Results, I worked at a company with a shabby “corporate structure” where we worked under the same roof, but didn’t support each other. (Quite the opposite, sometimes). I loathed the gossip and mud-slinging, so I quit after a week. Needless to say, I found Results’ approach refreshing.
- “Bring Your Best.” Starting out as a fitness young’n, my heros were Nate Green, Eric Cressey, Joe DeFranco, and Medhi Hadim. And while that list exploded over the years, one thing still unites them all – they always bring their best. No question. They bring a tenacity I’ve never witnessed, and it’s made me better.
I deeply respected that mentality and hoped to build a life that reflected it.
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I wanted it. Bad.
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- This was my first interview in the fitness industry, and one of a handful of gyms in all of Los Angeles County I wanted to intern for. I had to make it count.
- Not to mention, I burned some bridges. Whoops.
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The Interview
I’ve had some tough interviews, but this was the toughest.
The entire staff attended. Here I sat, with my cheap suit and complimentary Strawberry Surge, facing every Results Fitness trainer and therapist.
During the interview, almost every person asked at least one question and took notes. The amount of experience surrounding me was incredible. And intimidating. I mean, these coaches were top notch – who was I?
Not to mention, I never participated in a group interview.
They asked many questions. Several about myself. Several about myself in relation to their Core Values. I had to give examples and think on my feet for an hour. And this was for their internship. If they added some kettlebell snatches, I would’ve been sunk.
Crazy enough, I actually enjoyed that they didn’t ask boring or predictable questions – they just wanted to test my character and personality. As they said during the Q&A:
“We’ll teach you everything you need to know here. What we’re looking for is quality people.”
Hmm, did they read Linchpin too?
The Results Fitness Way
No Results Fitness programs are alike because no clients are alike – everyone has different body structures, training histories, goals, etc. Thus, the staff handcrafts every program to meet specific needs.
There are some commonalities, however, that all clients benefit from:
Chairs? What chairs? From the time a client comes for a workout to the time they leave, I’m not sure if they’ll sit once. (Although some curl up against a wall after their finisher). That’s done on purpose:
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- We sit too much. Would clients benefit from going to a gym and sitting more?
- We make sure the clients are always moving. Rest between exercises often consist of light stretches, mobility drills, and/or activation work. No time is wasted.
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On a similar note, we own two treadmills and a stairmaster. Both function – typically – as cupholders and coat-hangers.
We build patterns. Can’t lunge or squat? Or poor stability throughout? We reteach the body how to properly perform those movements, with progressions and regressions for each. Then we load those patterns. Simple, but oh-so effective.
We activate your muscles. The Results Fitness methodology gets the muscles firing, then loads the movement patterns. What would happen if someone did a heavy set of Bulgarian Splits Squats with dormant glutes? Which muscles would work overtime? And what if they continued that compensation?
I don’t even want to think about that.
We cover all facets of training. Power development. Strength training. Metabolic work. Activation and mobility drills. All in the same workout.
Did I mention no time is wasted?
The Road Ahead
“Life is too short to be small.”
– Benjamin Disraeli
For a small guy, I dream big.
I want to be a successful fitness coach and help countless people change their lives. I want to grow as a fitness writer, contribute to popular websites, and take my website – AnthonyJYeung.com – to amazing heights. (I just wish my name was easier to spell). I want to open a gym someday. I want to travel and live in places I can’t even pronounce. And, hopefully soon, I want to wear a tuxedo and play blackjack in Monaco before hopping on my yacht.
But it won’t happen overnight.
Becoming a great trainer – or writer, for that matter – will take countless repetitions, years of dedication, and patience. And however helpful my internship is, it’s just the beginning of a long journey.
But it’s a journey I’m glad to be a part of. And no matter where I’ll end up, I know my internship at Results Fitness prepared me for something special.
Maybe it wasn’t luck at all.
Looking for an internship? Had experiences with working under experts and people you admire? Talk about it! Leave a comment, “Like” it, hit me up on Twitter, or add me on Facebook.
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