Meet Sam, Skimble‘s first international featured Trainer! Growing up in England, Sam’s been a passionate sports captain and coach for as long as he can remember. Redirecting his love for coaching towards the fitness world has served this chap well. We’ve been excited to witness the growth of Everyday Fitness, as he inspires hundreds of people around the globe to reach their goals every day. We recently had the chance to chat with Sam Ward and learn more about what keeps him motivated to Aim. Act. Achieve!
Tell us a bit about your background.
Sam: Before I start I want to say that I’m honored to be your first international feature! I grew up in a small town near Birmingham, England (not Alabama.🙂.). I’m not sure where it all began really… but I’ve always been coaching someone or some team, it’s come naturally to me ever since I can remember.
What do you like so much about coaching other people?
Sam: I always enjoyed my own training growing up, from when I was a young teenager to an athlete. Knowing that progress is the result of hard work, commitment, and determination, I wanted to deflect all the motivation I had onto others and help them progress as well. When I was the coach of my basketball team, it felt amazing to have a sense of responsibility towards my team’s progress. If some sessions weren’t good, I would still go home feeling happy because I knew I had learned where to improve next time. It’s always about self-reflection when you train someone, not criticism towards your fellow teammates or clients.
What inspired you to make the shift towards personal training?
Sam: Because of my own training I’ve always had a keen interest in gyms, so I decided to apply what I had learned whilst coaching and take on fitness training to see if it was something for me. When I stopped coaching I wanted to develop into personal training so I could have a more direct role in my clients’ progress. I enjoy pushing people to their limits and beyond. If they want 50, I’ll get them to 100!
That’s great! How did you get this strong drive to motivate people?
Sam: When I used to coach sports, I had beginner level players mixed in with experienced players and that, quite frequently, made the inexperienced members feel a little less motivated. I told them that the more experienced players on the team were once at their level too. Hard work and determination got them to the level they were at now – work hard and they can become even better! Seeing the motivation bursting out of them and all the progress they made in the coming years just made me feel great! Since then, I’ve wanted to help as many people as I can to be the very best version of themselves!
How did you first hear about Workout Trainer?
Sam: Like most of us, I have a busy lifestyle and work schedule, so I needed to find a fitness app that could help me personalize my routines and reduce organizing time. Something compact and thorough, yet simple to use. It was the first and only fitness app I downloaded and I haven’t used any other app since.
How do you use Workout Trainer in your personal life?
Sam: When I first downloaded the app, I solely used it for workouts. When the app started growing and more features were being added, I began uploading a lot of motivational posts. The community was always in support of this and that’s when I really started to see the potential. Someone you’ve not met, never seen, or even heard of before, may say you motivated them to strive a little longer. It’s a fantastic feeling! If my profile even motivates just one person, I am happy. As that one person could be motivating 1 million more!
What led you to start using Workout Trainer in your training business?
Sam: The launch of the 1:1 Training feature is what made me consider the app for my coaching business. In the past, and a lot of trainers will understand this, scheduling conflicts would be a continuous uphill struggle. The 1:1 Training feature allows me to message my clients, send a workout and check on their progress all in just a minute’s time! It’s efficient, effective and very simple to use!
What keeps you motivated to stay fit yourself?
Sam: First and foremost, my passion to stay true to my craft. I once wavered off for a while and was not committing to what I was selling to my clients. Being a good coach is all about setting the right example and being on the journey together, whatever the end goal may be. Another thing that keeps me going is the thought of being better than I was the day before. I always keep in mind that I myself was once like every past, present and future client. I was not always physically fit and I made excuses. Now it’s all about moving forward, progressing and staying the course. Also, I just love the pursuit of it all. The hard work, the sweat and oh god the sweat!
Photo Credit: Sakura G_eek Photography
Finally, can you share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…
Sam: For me it’s 80% kitchen, 20% gym. To be able to use your body to its full potential, your fuel needs to be clean. Have you ever tried running a diesel engine on unleaded fuel? Make sure your diet is complimenting your training. You don’t need all that pasta and rice if you are only wanting to tone and lose weight. So plan your meals accordingly and you’ll start seeing results much faster.
Thanks for sharing with us, Sam, we’re excited to see what the future brings for you and Everyday Fitness!
Sam Ward is hosting a Q&A-style webinar with Everyday Fitness tomorrow October 20th, 2016 from 8am to 10pm (UTC+1). We know you all have plenty of questions up your sleeve, so don’t be shy and fire away.
Want to follow Sam and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the new Trainers tab.
Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Verified Trainer like Sam and have access to free coaching tools and more? Get started on Skimble’s Trainer page.
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