Yeah, you read that right. I’m sick of the fitness industry.

It’s full of elitists who think their shit doesn’t stink…

…and that it’s okay to make fun of people who don’t know what they’re doing in the gym.

But, do you know what the ironic thing is? Some of these people they’re making fun of, are people they’re trying to market to and attract as clients and maybe even sell their ebooks to. If they only knew how trainers were thinking of them…

Take this picture for example:

squat bosu

It’s been shared all over Facebook as if the Share button was clicking itself.

To someone who’s not familiar with working out, this looks difficult and perhaps very risky.

To someone who’s familiar with working out, this looks stupid (which justifies trainers and trainees to make fun of him, right?).

Why don’t they let this guy worry about what he’s doing and leave him alone? Does he affect you in anyway? If he gets hurt, what’s it to you? And does it really matter what he’s doing? Why don’t you just worry about your form and let this guy worry about his?

And the examples don’t end there. There are tons of videos on Youtube from trainees and maybe even trainers secretly filming someone dancing on the treadmill or using a piece of exercise equipment different from its intended use.

Do you know what kind of message you’re giving to your social network? People are going to be too damn scared to workout because they fear getting filmed and made fun of on Youtube. And people will surely not hire you to train them because you come across as a pompous asshole who doesn’t have time or the patience to work with beginners. If that’s the kind of image you want to portray, keep hitting that Share button.

I could care less about trainees taking videos because they’re not trying to get clients, but if you’re a trainer, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Also, people love to make fun of others with different training philosophies, especially if it’s different from their own.

For example, people love to hate Crossfit because they think it’s stupid. Yeah some people get injured doing Crossfit and some things that Greg Glassman says doesn’t make much sense. But other athletes like hockey players, football players and MMA fighters get injured too. And I hate to break it to you, but the system of Crossfit, which is glorified circuit training, gets their clients and participants results. I’m not saying I’m a fan of kipping pull ups, but you get my drift.

Trainers seem to have an opinion on every aspect of training under the sun, saying curls are a waste of time, functional training is the only way to go, Olympic lifting is dangerous, bodybuilding is useless, cardio is stupid, fasted training is better than fed and blah, blah, blah…and don’t even get me started on Bro Science…

This industry is supposed to be about helping people reach and surpass their health and fitness goals. We should work as a team and help each other, while progressing this young industry. There’s no room for assholes or know-it-alls.

So the next time you see a picture or video of an exercise that doesn’t fit your exercise dogma and want to hit that Share button, take a sec to think about what that action says about you and your business. Also realize its repercussions on the people you’re trying to market to.

Stop being an elitist and only worry about yourself and your clients, period.

Astrid Billfalk-Kelly

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I wanted to add strength training to my cardio, but have always felt gyms to be a bit intimidating, and was worried I would hurt myself without some supervision and help. JKC was highly recommended by several work colleagues. Thomas and Jon are both fantastic, making sure that everyone gets a highly personalized work out in a very supportive environment. The attention to detail and professionalism are second to none. The groups are very small, but very supportive and make the workouts even more fun. Since getting pregnant (36 weeks as I write this) I’m so happy that they continue to help me get stronger while always being safe.

I came to JKC through recommendations from my peers from lululemon. As a current ambassador, I’ve been introduced to legacy ambassadors, like Jon, and I knew a bunch of other people from the store were working out here so I wanted to give it a go. I often dread lower body workouts so I started coming here to do legs. I’ve had such great progress that I now come twice a week— and, I no longer hate leg day!

I’ve never experienced this sort of hybrid between group workouts and personalized service. Many group strength training services offer a sort of one-size-fits-all workout for the general population, which has never been of interest to me, because I want my workout tailored to my needs! I LOVE that you can be in a group setting while doing your own personal program; I love the camaraderie and community at JKC, and, I’ve seen incredible results thus far! Jon is always so attuned to what I need.

I’m 29 and I just had my 3rd Liftiversary 🥳 at JKC. I chose to train here because of the great word on the street and the fact that at lululemon, we’re encouraged to support our local community. My day-to-day routine is very busy, and I love showing up and having to think very little about my workout. The vibes are always good, my music choice is usually accommodated, and the bys are incredibly supportive and compassionate, helping me reach my goals (even when I had a broken hand). I also get to be my weird self, and am embraced fully.

I’m 35 and I started at JKC in November of 2019. I was coming off the win of the Royal St. John’s Regatta in 2019, and our crew was chomping at the bit to be stronger and faster for 2020. The reputation of JKC leached into our group and away we went! Unfortunately the regatta was cancelled due to COVID-19, but I just loved JKC so much I stuck around. JKC is different from other gyms because the level of experience the team has is unparalleled. Jon, Thomas and Craig all mesh well together and mentor me in a way that I know they love what they do and are genuinely excited to guide me towards my goals (and beyond). I really enjoy the atmosphere, the sense of community and all the positive vibes that I experience in every session. There’s never a time I don’t want to go because I’m motivated by the team’s coaching style and I get results.

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

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