New York is our home. A cultural melting pot, the streets between Fulton and Fordham Road are a hotspot for one of the most diverse populations in the world - and our community here is no different.
Fitness is the connector. For most in our community, fitness is such a massive part of our lives that we wish we could do more with it.
That's why this past summer we took the time to make 10 of our customers passions into professions by NASM certifying each of them, covering all the costs.
Meet the team.
https://youtu.be/_ZJDhwVcC0g
A few weeks ago, we took those involved in our Personal Trainer program to stay at a Hotel in Williamsburg. Just a few blocks down the road, we met up at Willyb Fitness to talk about what this opportunity means to them. Here's what they had to say...
Wellness is a priority for all of our PT's but perhaps none more so than Bhavya Mulukuri. At just 15, Bhavya (now 23) was diagnosed with several chronic illnesses that cause extreme levels fatigue and pain that vary daily. After a severe episode of chronic pain her sophmore year in college, she decided enough was enough and made an effort to get stronger through exercise.
I wanted to try to get stronger and feel better. I started to go workout, yoga, strength training and kick boxing were the things I pushed myself to do.
Making gym training a lifestyle presented it's own form of culture shock for Bhavya, who now lives in Bushwick, Brooklyn. For one, she was the only South Asian person in the room. She also had to learn how to deal with comparing herself to others when it came to how much she could lift, endure cardio, and more, often pushing herself beyond her limits.
But its for these reasons Bhavya wanted to become a Myprotein PT.
I wish I saw people like me on the internet when I had started my journey. And I want to be that for other people. To be able to help people like me use working out to feel better and help themselves. And to let them know that there's nothing wrong or weak about accepting your limitations due to a health issue or condition you have no control over. Also that they can definitely work towards getting stronger but that their path and journey will look different.
Positive energy and enthusiasm are not lost on our next PT, Brock, who is 28 and based in FiDi. Brock has gone from studying prairie insects in rural Nebraska to now writing for one of the world's leading scientific journals based in New York.
My mind and body have always overflowed with energy – and my outlets for this energy have been studying natural sciences and an abundance of exercise and conditioning techniques.
Interested in many disciplines of fitness from joining run clubs in lower Manhattan to flexibility and mobility training, Brock believes in a holistic approach, which is something he hopes to impart on others.
I am privileged and eager to use my scientific literacy and education from NASM to ensure evidence based optimal strategies when training others on these principles.
When we met in Williamsburg, altogether and for the first time, we wanted to make sure that the team got used to training together. Enter Gina, 49, from Westchester NY, who was more than willing to put on an F45 style HIIT class for the team.
It's hard not to smile when you're around Gina. As the group leader, her infectious positivity and humor kept the other 9 PTs powering through what can only be categorized as an "ass-kicking".
A pre-school teacher, exercise instructor, wife, and mother of 2, Gina believes that while it's hard to find time for exercise, it's all worth it.
Finding just a few short minutes for yourself is critical for being a better mom, wife, and person.
In conversation, she stressed the importance of exercise and it's effect on longevity. What she has to say about it makes her a role model for those in our community.
As I am no longer in my 20s or 30s and almost saying farewell to my 40s, fitness and living an active lifestyle continues to keep me feeling young. Living a long life for myself, my children, and my children's children is a guiding force in my journey.
So...What's Next?
Stick around for more interviews and content from our latest day with the East Coast team.
In 2023, we'll be opening up this program to the West Coast and eventually the entire United States. Sign up to our newsletter to stay on top of all things PT program.
Want to become a certified PT? Join our waiting list for the next round by clicking here.
Want more of what's new? Check these out next:
A Fordham University graduate, Ian majored in communications and media studies with a focus in journalism and a minor in anthropology during his time at college. Here, he wrote for the university newspaper ranked top ten in the nation.
A competitive athlete for most of his life, Ian has spent almost a decade working as an ocean rescue lifeguard in New Jersey. Within that role, he has competed in endurance sports competitions against other lifeguards for the last 8 years.
As a lifelong surfer, Ian spends most of his spare time in the ocean regardless of the time of year. He also enjoys distance running, photography, and frequently spending entirely too much money on concert tickets.
