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Jim Beaumont

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Random thoughts about training, from Jim.

A while back I wrote a Facebook post that said something about subscribing to a number of training resources, most of which dealt with how to earn as much money as possible, but not anything about actual training. Some of these sites actually primarily dealt with how to train as little as possible, some only a few hours per week.

I actually was offended by that concept and it has grown on me. I occurred to me that almost every waking moment I spend has to do with learning how to train better, or how to acquire some piece of equipment or facility enhancement that may assist me in training others or myself.

The thought that I would train less hours per day and spend more time behind a computer or doing less work actually terrifies me. I do what I do because I don’t have to spend time behind a desk and get to actually work to make people stronger. I love every second of it.

Part of that satisfaction is in knowing that the more I train, the better I become at it. I get a sense of satisfaction in knowing that I am building my skill as a trainer.

I have worked in professions that requred me to sit the majority of the day, and it sucked. I literally found myself envying the nightime freight stockers at Wal-Mart, because they got to move while they worked.

Now, I am not against making money. No one is. There is nothing wrong with charging a fair price for a service. But, when your motivation is only to do that, everything else suffers.

I remember almost a year ago, when I first started training for myself. I had little equipment and was training out of a very rough warehouse gym. It was 100 degrees in that place and four very dedicated individuals showed up to train with me.

They each picked up a single kettlebell and proceeded to work their asses off on the workout for the day: Single-arm kettlebell thrusters (5L/5R) then 15 kettlebell swings, max rounds in 20 minutes. How simple? But, what an asskicker.

They could have been training in comfort at a corporate gym, and most had memberships at one nearby. They chose to follow me to that dungeon and sweat, sweat and sweat.

That is the exact moment I realized that – above all else – the training and workout must not be compromised, regardless of the circumstance or equipment available.

I committed to spend extra time constructing the most efficient exercise possible, because I simply didn’t have anything else to offer.

The only commodity I had was training. I paused every day and took extra time to go over training plans for the day. When in doubt, I repeated to myself these concepts: Put the client’s workout above all else, and that I had nothing BUT training to offer. It had better be the best around, because I sure didn’t have some luxury facilty.

There is an old saying that you should never be afraid of the weapon, but the man (or woman) that holds it. The tools are not important. Constructing an efficient – not to be confused with “hard” – workout is what is important.

Lose sight of that, and you are no longer a trainer. You are a sleazy salesman, and no one respects you. No committed person wants to train with you, and you just plain suck.

-Jim

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