Time to reflect…
I read a quote the other day, ‘Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear a path!’ As we are all going through this lock down together, having to adapt to a new way of life. It has given me time to think, and reflect on how far l have come in the Industry of Health and Fitness.
Before the stage 3 lockdown kicked in, l was training clients at their homes.
Training people at their homes was how l started in the industry. It was kind of cool, to go back and reflect and see how far l have come, how much has changed and how l have grown as a Trainer.
Clients have always welcomed me in, with opened arms. They are proud to show me their homes and what they have achieved, and normally send me home with some home grown produce. Which l must say is awesome!
But l haven’t always gone to people homes. I have trained clients in many spaces. Football Ovals, smelly locker rooms, side of the road, parks, hotels, brothels, pretty much anywhere there is a space.
Oh yes, you read right. I used to train a Manager of a Brothel, l have had the honour to train many people over the years, but this one client always gets spoken about.
I remember her saying, ‘Oh l won’t be home, l have to open up work, can you met me there?’ I was like, ‘sure no problems.’ Being a new trainer you say yes to anything, it only took me another 15 years after that to learn how to say ‘NO’!
Off l go, she gives me the address, back streets of Dandy, l find this little old run down house. Park out the front, and in l go. It was just like any other house l have been to before. There was a kitchen, bathroom, laundry, loungeroom and bedrooms. My client said, ‘we will have to do it in the loungeroom, that way l can watch the front door.’
As we walk into the loungeroom, l see a pole, a pole dancing pole. Then l start to think this isn’t a normal house, there is something different about it….. but not to judge, l went on training her. We did a great boxing session. After we had finished, people started to arrive, l gave my client an odd look..
She looked at me and said ‘didn’t l tell you where l work?’ ‘No, no you didn’t!!!!’
Then she filled me in, and l responded with ‘well, it’s not like the movies is it?’ “No it’s not and either are the ladies’ she responded with.
I also trained this one client at her house, l was there the day the police came and raided her. Another boxing session, then the SWAT team came in. My client looked at me and said ‘don’t worry, this happens all the time….’ I guess some people’s lives are different to others, and this was a great example to learn from.
Another lesson l learnt after training this client, was to make sure l asked where people worked and lived and also if they owned, or managed a brothel – it was a tick box, right after do you have any injuries!
Life as a trainer, is so interesting, l have trained celebrities, (no not Barb, even though she may think she is!) CEO’s, blue collar workers, white collared workers, great people in general and also some real dicks.
All of them l have learnt from, and they have helped me to develop my craft. My craft to become a better trainer/coach. One of the things l am grateful for as l think back and reflect, is that if l wasn’t a trainer, l wouldn’t of met these people. There would be no way that l would have crossed paths with a manager of a brothel in everyday life.
All the people who l have trained have had some beautiful souls, even if they were a little dodge with what they did for a living.
No one knows how long the lockdown will go for, how long we will have to live like this. All l know is that we are better to live like this than have the virus spread.
For me, l am taking this time in the storm, to continue to grow and work on my craft. To upskill and support our CHPT crew as much as l can – l look forward to the day that l can hug them all again!
**Photos: Lee Donoghue Photography
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