The seed was planted early.
Growing up in a martial arts family, Tae Kwon Do was all I knew as a child. By adolescence, I became drawn to team sports such as football, basketball, and track and field. I was a good athlete, but very undersized and raw with never any coaching. Since team sports weren’t encouraged in my home, I never had the benefit of private lessons or being part of organized team sports. In a time when there was no YouTube and internet, my only choice then was to go to my local library and look for instructional sports books. I learned the mechanics of sprinting, long and triple jumping, shooting a basketball and then practiced for hours in my backyard.
Fast forward to my first job out of college. I felt unfulfilled with my life as an engineer at a manufacturing company. To keep myself fit and preoccupied, I started weight training. After a few months, I became obsessed from making “gains” in the weight room. I read and researched everything I could get my hands on, and incorporated new exercises and techniques into my workouts. My energy and confidence had vastly improved. This passion became a lifestyle and would eventually lead me to personal train in my spare time.
It wasn’t until years later, that I finally decided to pursue personal training as a career. With nothing more to lose after the 2008 financial crisis, I chose to train full-time while being paid close to minimum wage. Understanding that I needed to build my value through education, I started attending countless seminars and courses. As I built my education and experience, I finally started mastering my craft.
Through this journey, I’ve met incredible friends, teachers and mentors who have allowed me to share my knowledge through coaching. By far, the greatest reward has been developing long lasting relationships with my clients and witnessing them progress, not only their physical well being, but overall lifestyle.