Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramon.
Ramon, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Oddly enough, maybe even a little corny sounding, my journey to fitness started as a little boy. Not in the typical, “my dream is to grow up and be a successful trainer” type of way, but in the “I want to be a superhero with superpowers” type of way. I wanted the ability to save people and make an impact on the world. Of course, that dream was a long shot but I never gave up on the feeling that my calling was always something larger. Near the end of my years in college, a family health situation reared its head and I quickly realized that could be my fate as well. I was in college, somewhat active, but significantly overweight and I needed to make a change. This is where my dream began to turn into reality. I started on my own body transformation and lost 50lbs over the next eight months. During those eight months, people began to ask me questions about training and I found happiness in feeling like I was helping others. I continued to live a healthier lifestyle and help people as often as I could over the next few years until I arrived in Dallas. I still felt like I hadn’t reached my potential or fulfilled my life calling and continued to look for answers. What I didn’t realize was that God had put me right where he wanted me.
Overnight, I realized that I could be a “superhero” and becoming a trainer was my chance to help save people and help them become the best versions of themselves. I was fortunate to get my start in Dallas under the supervision of one of the biggest names in group fitness. I started out coaching classes and eventually began to work with individuals. That first year of experience was like nothing I could have imagined. I am now a personal trainer/GM at PARADIGM Gyms in Lower Greenville. I still coach classes but personal training has become my main focus. I work with some of the smartest trainers in Dallas and have been blessed to have met the whole team here. This gym and its people have shown me a whole new side to training. I can truly say that I’ve found my place and I feel fulfilled in my life purpose.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
A smooth journey is far from my experience but I believe that’s the reason I know I’m doing what I was meant to do in life. A year into my Dallas journey, the road suddenly becomes full of potholes and speed bumps. I had moved into my friends’ basement because I had nowhere to live at the time and two weeks later found out that I could no longer train at the gym that had given me my start. I was without a place of my own, no clients, and no income. The easy answer would have been to move back home to Illinois but instead, I chose to use all these events to push me forward. That’s when I found PARADIGM Gyms and Brian Casad, the owner. He was gracious enough to give me his classes to get me started and soon, I was coaching eight classes per week. That was just the beginning and before I knew it, I was coaching classes at another gym as well, now doing 13 classes per week. I continued to grind away and began to obtain some personal training clients. I kept the gas pedal down and when the GM position opened up at PARADIGM Gyms, I immediately expressed my interest and shortly after got offered the position. I now have a steady book of clients, train a few classes per week and manage the gym. I truly feel as though God wanted to see how bad I wanted my dream. I now look forward to the blessings that will follow.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As a former college athlete, sports/athletic training has always been my forte. I’ve always been of the mindset, that if you want to have the body of an athlete, you need to train like an athlete. Athletic training focuses on several aspects of movement whether it be balance, coordination, speed, agility, strength, or explosive power.
I would say that people are my specialty. I’m confident that I can relate to anyone and their goals, develop a plan, and help them succeed. My goal with every client is to not only help them reach the best version of themselves but to educate them so that they can continue to succeed when our journey together has stopped. That dedication to my clients is what sets me apart. My job isn’t to just make people move, it’s to help them understand why we are moving. Every move has to have a purpose.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The most important characteristic for success, in my opinion, is humility, the ability to remain humble. That is something I feel every trainer in the industry should strive to be or continue to be. I’m constantly reaching out to other trainers in hopes of learning something new. The best trainers are always ready to share their knowledge and help other trainers get better. The best trainers are not only willing to help those around them but are also humble enough to ask for help and acknowledge that they don’t have all the answers. It doesn’t take a reinvention of the wheel to be a top trainer, but it does take an open mind to learning techniques outside of your comfort zone. I’d challenge all trainers to seek the advice of someone that trains in a style they aren’t familiar with because, at the end of the day, it’s about helping each other so that we can help as many clients as possible reach their goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bodyxramon.com
- Phone: 3093513635
- Email: ramon@paradigmgyms.com
Image Credit:
Nate Johnston, Spencer Davis
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