If The “Why” Is Big Enough
By · CommentsIf the “why” is big enough then we can always find the “how.”
Have you ever heard this before? If not then you should listen up because I am going to tell you a short abbreviated version of “my story.”
You see from the time I became a gym rat (sometime between Junior and Senior year of high school) I thought about what it would like to own my own gym. I began working out at the local Bristol Boys Club weight room.
Then my skin and bones bro Robert (yes, he use to be all bones, no meat) discovered the weight room. We began to talk about one day owning our own gym.
Then our lives went in 2 different directions. I went to college for four years and he shortly after would join the United States Marine Corp.
In college I became involved with the Recreation Department and worked as the Strength and Conditioning Supervisor in our gym aka “The Bubble.” This was just the start!
My good buddy Matt who was a 1st Team All-American pitcher had been drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 6th round of that year’s draft. He asked me to help him drop the 20 or so pounds he had put on since the last season before he left for Spring Training (Matt enjoyed what most college dudes enjoy, BEER!). I began working with Matt and the entire pitching staff in preparation for their upcoming season. It was my Junior year of college and I could already feel it. My calling was going to be in the fitness industry.
After graduating college I would work in 3 different gyms in 6 years, at one point working some 75 hours per week (and being paid for 40), train some 300+ clients in 6 years and still didn’t own my own gym.
Something needed to change!
Through the help of my Dad, I started my own business.
Tyler English Fitness was born and Connecticut’s Most Elite Fitness Program: Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp would lead the way.
Fast forward to March 30th of 2009, I needed more space, the two locations I was renting space in were becoming crowded. Business was growing rapidly so with a little more help from my Pops I opened my own warehouse gym.
Tyler English Fitness had a home.
Nothing beats training at YOUR OWN GYM!
Rewind back to September 2009, my brother, Sergeant Robert P. English was able to serve his time in the Marines and come home to work side by side with me.
There is a lot more to this story that you will get to know in time. Just understand that hard work pays off, having a passion for something means a lot, striving to be THE BEST at what you do WILL SET YOU APART!
Don’t let anyone ever tell you that YOU CAN’T do something.
I had a large “why” that for me included becoming the “Fitness Expert” in my area and I didn’t know how I was going to do it.
But the “WHY” was big enough and thanks to that I found the “HOW.”
So what are you waiting for?
Go make it happen!
TE
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What You Can Learn From Olympians
By · CommentsThese past two weeks I have been traveling quite a bit.
I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico at my buddy Rocco Castellano’s Fitness Celebrity Branding Summit with my colleagues BJ Bliffert and his wife Kori as well as David “The Irontamer” Whitley and his wife Mandy.
Yes, I was the odd one out. Sorry no marriage for me in the near future!
Last weekend my travels kept me in Connecticut but a last minute invite by my good buddy Curtis Mock of Gym Success and FitBiz Television I ended up at Ryan Lee’s Continuity Summit. It is here I connected with new friends like John Romaniello, Vince Delmonte, Joseph Arangio, Joel Marion and old friends like Mock, AJ Roberts, Scott Colby to name a few.
If there is something that has remained a constant in my growth over the past year, it is investing in my education as both a fitness professional and business owner. It is at each of these seminars I am able to create these new networks, new alliances, and allowed the opportunity to form new friendships. It is each of these avenues that allow me to continually grow both personally and professionally.
So while on my travels I unfortunately, unlike most of North America, was unable to watch the Gold Medal Hockey men’s game between USA and host Canada. Besides an update on my connecting flight home by our Flight Attendant regarding USA’s late 3rd period goal, I missed the entire game, but it got me thinking.
Many of you need to take a page out the book on what it takes to be an Olympic Athlete.
Seriously think about this for a second.
We can learn a valuable life lesson from these same Olympic Athletes.
These athletes eat, sleep and train for an event they only get to compete in once every 4 years. Yet, they don’t hesitate to invest in their training and ultimately their body.
In my own circle of friends that include bodybuilders, figure competitors, models, bikini competitors you will find many that are just as dedicated.
We put forth the investment of our personal time, money, dedication and hours of work for the ability to take our physiques to an ultimate level only to be judged subjectively for one day.
Why is it that we invest in 401k’s, stocks, cars, real estate and you name it but the thought of investing in your own personal fitness is something we consider an expense?
An expense? Really? Seriously? WTF?
What fun is life, if the tool to help you truly maximize your self-worth doesn’t function properly?
Think about that for a second.
How valuable is YOUR OWN LIFE?
Think about your return on investment for making positive changes to your nutrition habits, working out a regular basis, losing body fat, gaining lean muscle, having more energy and…
LIVING A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE!
Do you still want to ask about the price?
How about PRICELESS!
Get Better,
Tyler English, NASM-PES, CPT
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Becoming a Pro
By · CommentsA few weekends ago I traveled to Worchester, Massachusetts to be one of the presenters at the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation (WNBF) Pro Seminar Series presented by 3 Time World Champion Nancy Andrews.
It’s absolutely crazy for me to sit here and think about my first amateur bodybuilding competition with the International Natural Bodybuilding Federation (INBF) in May of 2005. The Northeast Classic a show promoted by Nancy Andrews and only my second show and first with the WNBF/INBF. I stepped on stage with 14 other Open Middleweights and took third, not too bad for my second bodybuilding competition ever.
But I can’t lie, after only two competitions, I was hooked!
Here it is close to 5 years later and I can call myself a WNBF Professional Natural Bodybuilder at the tender age of 27. It was September of 2008 at the WNBF Naturalmania in New York City that I won that title.
Fast forward a year later and I have competed twice as a WNBF Pro and continue to lend a helping hand to aspiring amateur competitors in our industry, which continued at the Pro Series.
WNBF Pro Figure Short World Champ Melissa Kelley and I after our photo shoot with Reg Bradford!
On Sunday I ran an intense bodyweight boot camp for all the attendees and presenters. Be it that many of us work in the fitness industry I wanted to those in attendance to know that you don’t need a ton of bells and whistles to run an effective fitness boot camp.
The workout was probably worse for some (as some had consumed too much alcohol the night before!)
Check out the video and be sure to leave a comment on the blog!
Don’t forget to leave a comment!
Get Better,
Tyler English, NASM-PES, CPT
WNBF Pro Bodybuilder
P.S. – Like that soundtrack you hear? Visit www.WorkoutMuse.com for more!
P.S.S. – Need help starting a fitness boot camp in your area? Leave a comment if your interested in how you can start almost asap!
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The Growth of a Fitness Professional
By · CommentsIt is amazing that today signifies an entire year of success. A year in which Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp and Tyler English Fitness have grown to become recognized across the country.
It was a cold morning on January 12th of 2009 that I officially began my new journey. A journey that started in a small Kempo and Aikido studio in Avon, CT and continued during the evening at a dance studio up the road in Canton.
Within three months I outgrew both these locations and opened my own no B.S. warehouse gym. It is here at Tyler English Fitness that over the next year Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp would continue to grow rapidly.
During this year long span I would compete in my first two World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Professional competitions, welcome my brother home from the United States Marines to share in my success, have a two page spread including a feature in Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness Magazine and have Farmington Valley Fitness Boot Camp featured in a 2-part series on NBC Connecticut.
I have made more connections within the Fitness Industry over the past year then I ever thought possible. I have grown tremendously as a personal trainer, fitness professional, bodybuilder, entrepreneur and more importantly a business owner.
Since 2004 I had worked for two different big box gyms and eventually ending up at a health club that would become home for 4 years.
For most aspiring personal trainers starting out in the industry is made out to be easy. Gym and club owners lead you to believe that you will be living comfortably in no time. Now don’t get me wrong. Within 30 days of starting my job within the health club I had a full schedule. This wasn’t luck and was not a coincidence. It was due to my ability to go the extra mile!
I had to hustle. Extra hours, non-paying hours, working the floor, free sessions, late nights writing programs, trial and error, research, continuing education, in home personal training, early morning outdoor boot camps (5am), and all in an effort to make a living. But it wasn’t what I wanted.
Two years into my job I began to venture out of my comfort zone. I began to follow leaders like Alwyn Cosgrove, Pat Rigsby, Jim Labadie, Craig Ballantyne and Ryan Lee. Each of these industry leaders helped me realize I had so much more to accomplish.
What I was doing everyday was a J.O.B. and I was burnt out. I wanted more for myself.
As I grew as a personal trainer I began to evolve into a fitness professional. The knowledge I had compiled through my own personal research, trial and error, and body of work; made me want more. I always had a growing ability to “absorb” anything and everything I came in contact with. Whether it was the latest training technique, sales technique, or business strategy; I wanted to know it all.
My willingness to research, develop, design and implement programs with my clients helped set me apart from my coworkers. My ability to educate and motivate clientele truly allowed me to stick out from the rest. I was the trainer that people wanted to work with. Though setting myself apart from my coworkers only got me so far. I wanted to set myself apart from everyone in my area. I wanted to be the local fitness expert!
With all this in front of me I began to want more of my own personal success. I had peaked within my surroundings. I was beginning to burn out.
I wanted a better life. I wanted to choose who I worked with. I wanted to implement MY training philosophy. I wanted to show people there is a way to achieve lasting results minus having to join a health club or regular ole’ gym!
So I TOOK ACTION!
I was sick and tired of spinning my wheels and I finally did it!
I jumped!
With the help of leaders like Pat Rigsby, Jim Labadie, Nick Berry, and BJ Gaddour I was shown that it could be done!
So two days before Christmas I fired my boss.
I sit here today looking back at what I have accomplished but more importantly what I will accomplish in the years to come!
If I can give any fitness professional words of advice, I say the following:
- Take MASSIVE ACTION and FAIL FORWARD! Implement ideas and learn from past failures.
- Invest In Your Business and Yourself: This alone has helped me grow tremendously as a business owner!
- Seek Out Leaders in the Industry: I only named a few that have helped me but the list continues: Mike Boyle, Zach Even-Esh, Jason Ferruggia, Robert Dos Remedios, Holly Rigsby, Jimmy Smith, Mike Robertson, James Smith, Tom Venuto, Rachel Cosgrove, Brian Grasso, Dave Schmitz, Rocco Castellano, Dave Whitley and the list can go on and on as I know I am forgetting some!
- Join a Mastermind Group: I have been lucky enough to have been invited into an Elite Mastermind Group with Pat Rigsby, Jim Labadie and Nick Berry. This doesn’t need to be the case to start masterminding. Start a mastermind group with those contacts you have already made.
- Prepare to Work Long and Hard: My success certainly didn’t happen because I sat on my ass. I get things done and am willing to go above and beyond to make it happen.
- Success Will Not Happen Overnight: You are not going to wake up tomorrow with your own gym or have a boot camp of over 150 members. It takes HUSTLE!
- Go The Extra Mile: Without happy clients your business will not succeed!
- Deliver Results: I spend as much time researching the latest cutting edge training techniques as I do working on growing my business. You should do the same.
- Practice What You Preach: This goes without saying. You need to be a model for what your clients want to be like.
- Focus On 2 Things: Many times when starting your own business venture we can’t caught up on doing too many things at once. This rule alone has really helped me focus on spending more time and energy on getting things done.
I believe I am living proof that with the proper plan of action you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
Now go out and make it happen!
You can and will,
Tyler English, NASM-PES, CPT
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New Age Bodybuilding Total Body Push Workout
By · CommentsEnough of the Monday “International Chest Day” BS!!!
It IS POSSIBLE for Bodybuilders to train outside the box of your typical bodypart training regiment!
I do it and have won my Natural Bodybuilding Pro Card doing it! 7 Weeks away from the World Championships in NYC and here is sneak peak into a training session of mine!
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