So it’s my turn for the blog and usually with things like this I have a rant about the industry and in recent times about Covid, business challenges. All these kind of things.
Well, I’m not going do that. No one wants to read a rant.
What I am going to talk about is gratitude and the impact of this last three years.
Believe it or not, that’s how long me, Chris and Gem have owned Trident, mad eh!
I know we did miss a large chunk of it which was out of our control, but one of the things that’s really difficult with things that are out of our control is finding where the wins are.
So, let me turn the clock back three years to August 2019. Whilst we were moving forward with the potential purchase of what was then Brain and Brawn, I was struggling with some personal challenges, these being that my dad was in hospital after a fall and subsequently not leaving hospital how we would have liked. This is where my first element of gratitude comes from.
Dealing with the loss of my dad would have been so much harder if I didn’t have the gym to focus on. The transition wasn’t easy. Staff that we inherited were unsure of the changes that were going to happen, as were tenants and as were you guys, the members. We didn’t know how any of it was going to pan out either. It was like we were all taking a big risk, and enveloped by a cloud of uncertainty.
To say things went smoothly would be an exaggeration! We did have some challenges with the building, still do, with staff members, tenants and customers, but we faced these challenges head on and we were in a really good place by quarter one of 2020.
I’m not going to dwell on 2020/2021 too much as we have all heard enough and we are all pretty sick of the whole chat about lockdown, COVID and all the sad things that came at that time and all the bad in the world at that time. But again, I can search through the bad and find the gold I was given.
**Huge overwhelming shout out to all you amazing members that supported us through it that was pure platinum**
A bit of a talking to by my coach in regards how I could use lockdown in our favour and to be honest I think we did good! We managed to put a stamp on it and make Trident a truly unique place to train.
Fast forward. to post lockdown and again a massive learning curve. Being in a busy environment again, working closely with colleagues again took some getting used to, and this honestly this is where I am truly grateful. Our team!
Those guys and girls you see at reception. The guys and girls you see coaching on the gym floor, or taking group training.
They all really stepped up. In fact stepped is too small a word, leaped up – strapped on a jet pack pack each and boom! .. I digress lets just say I was blown away.
We have members of the team that are established coaches, they just keep delivering results for their clients no matter what.
We have people new to the industry investing time and effort into learning and honestly I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.
Now we’re in the second half of 2022 and we have some big things lined up in the very near future, the summer BBQ for one and an exciting collaboration and it’s with my role working on this new project I too am having to learning new things.
*we are so excited to tell you more about this!
This got me thinking about the whole learning thing, about the whole coaching thing and it got me thinking about all you guys on the gym floor.
The people that have trained for a long time, the people that are very new to it, the people that are somewhere in between.
It’s about awareness, are you aware that you are surrounded by in my opinion some of the best coaches, if not just in the area, but in the country. Coaches that are willing to keep learning, Keep pushing.
I’ve been in the industry over 20 years and I still feel a little bit uncomfortable on the gym floor if I’m training myself or if I’m coaching. What makes me feel uncomfortable is that I don’t see much gratitude for the availability of the coaching. I get it, sometimes it’s hard to ask for help and even harder to accept help if you haven’t asked for it. I can honestly say any coach on that gym floor that approaches anyone with advice doesn’t really just choose to approach them, they are compelled to. It’s just part of them, this need to help. To offload knowledge, It’s our purpose, It’s just our DNA.
Now I will have to hold my hands up, I might not be the most tactful person when offering advice on the gym floor. Especially if you are performing some ridiculous tik tok exercise that’s going to lead to pain, I’m just passionate about what I know and I’m also passionate about how good you all could be. If you were just a tiny bit more open to learning, just imagine the results you could get.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is, it OK to ask for help? I wouldn’t own Trident if I hadn’t asked for help. If I hadn’t needed people around me that know more than me. So I’m asking you in this blog, next time you’re on the gym floor and you are thinking how do I? Forget the how and think who? Who could help me right now be better and do better and get more out of this because I guarantee. there will be people on hand, itching to assist, to teach and to take the burden of guessing away from you. If you are approached by a coach the offers are variable technique to the one you’re using in the gym, for example. Don’t roll your eyes and disregard what they’re saying? Drop your ego. Maybe just hear them out a little bit. But fundamentally, let’s just be grateful. Even if it’s not the right advice for you at the at that moment in time. Be grateful that you were noticed, be grateful that you are important enough to that coach at that moment in time. Because you are, Massively important!
I am personally so grateful to each and every one of you, the feedback we get the support on social media, all of it. You members make Trident what it is and we want to repay that by being the best coaches, by living our values
Doing no harm, being evidence informed, making coaching accessible to all. These are our values. Not shit yourself teas and other weight loss fads and ridiculous supplements. Not cookie cutter meal plans off google, not two weeks and qualified PT’s… shit I said I wouldn’t rant
I hope those that read this get it, I am proud and I am grateful despite the huge challenges we have faced and those we are yet to face no matter what the outcome are in anything and everything there is a lesson or something to be grateful for
There are lessons to be learned in every session that goes well, every session that doesn’t and every session that’s missed
Same with every meal you have or don’t have
Always lessons, and again to repeat mine. Who not How!
PS Huge shoutout to Cameron “C’dog” for motivating the team to do these blogs … I hate it I’m no writer…. If any of you members have a topic you want us to cover on these please speak to Cameron or message in.
Please please keep spreading the word of our humble training space too I love reading the comments it means the world to me
Joey G
