Kristy Agan

How to Survive & Thrive as a Personal Trainer – However Hard it Gets

November 24, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

The gym business has always been a tumultuous one. At the end of the day, we are dealing with clients who are only human. They get down on themselves. They fight with self-doubt. They lose faith. They struggle with developing self-discipline. And most have never had someone in their corner. So, gaining and keeping clients has always been a challenge for gym owners.

Now, let’s add a pandemic, business closures, political turmoil, a weakened economy, and you have a recipe for a super charged/super stressed population. Unfortunately, most humans retreat when times get tough. We turn to food, alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and we turn away from training our bodies. We turn away from striving to be stronger versions of ourselves.

We stop putting ourselves first. We stop seeing our physical and mental health as a priority. We stop seeing it as something worth investing in. We stop viewing that investment of time & money in our bodies as a necessity. With all of these human flaws and road bumps, how can a gym owner like myself continue to be successful in this chaotic and stressful time?

In a volatile environment, how can a personal trainer attract people into a regular training program and create a small sense of normalcy for them?

Our people need us now more than ever, but how can we as gym owners keep the fires burning during a time when people are so scared? If 2020 has taught me one thing, it’s that my personal relationship with my clients is what is keeping my doors open.

As gym owners, we MUST:

INVEST

To be blunt, a business owner has to make money. At the end of the day, we have to pay the light bill. However, in order for that to happen you have to be willing to INVEST. You have to invest your time. You have to invest a big part of yourself. You have to invest your energy. You have to invest a piece of yourself into every soul who walks through your door.

Your clients are trusting you with their most valuable commodity… their health. So, if you aren’t willing and able to invest in them… why should they be willing to invest in themselves?

CONNECT

You have to connect with people. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with them on everything under the sun, or want to hang out with them on weekends. It simply means that you have to be willing to get to know them. Find out what makes them tick. Discover their likes and dislikes. What motivates them? What scares them?

If you train someone with social anxiety and you call them out in a group training class, they might not come back. You may train someone who LOVES attention, but because they don’t receive any praise at home or at work…you complimenting them on a job well done might be just what they need to fill them up. Our business is as much about connecting to people than it is about teaching them how to lift.

ENERGY

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.” As someone who has to invest so much of themselves into their people on a daily basis, it is very easy to feel empty at the end of the day. You must find ways to recharge your own batteries so that you can be your best for the people coming to you for help. Your energy, good or bad, will drive theirs. Sounds like too much pressure? Well tough. You might just be in the wrong business if that sounds too difficult. But for those of you who are ready to accept the challenge, you MUST replenish your own energies first.

What do I mean by replenishing your energy? I am what you may call an “introverted extrovert”. Basically, I enjoy being around my people, but I HAVE to recharge by being alone. I LOVE being around my clients. I LOVE working with them and watching them get stronger. But working with 100+ clients on a daily basis absolutely drains my energy. I HAVE to find moments in each day to refill my energy tank so to speak. Here are some ways I do that:

turn the lights off and turn the music off in the gym once a day and close my eyes for 10 min. I simply lay in the floor, close my eyes, and enjoy the silence.
I only respond to messages certain times of the day and those times are scheduled on my calendar. I REFUSE to allow my phone to dictate my life. I am in control of my schedule and I will NOT allow a “smart” phone to be my boss. I am in control. Say that again to yourself… “I am in control.”
I always, always make time for myself to train even if that means turning down personal training appointments. I have a set time I workout and I never cancel that appointment. How can I inspire others to put their health first if I do not treat my own health with the upmost importance?
Walk outside and get some fresh air. Sometimes I feel like Superman. I get recharged and gain strength from the sunshine.
Grab a coffee at my favorite coffee shop and sit by myself.
Read something other than news.
Listen to instrumental/classical music when I train, when I write, when I am cleaning, etc… there is already too much noise in the world.
Sit outside in the evening and watch the sunset even if it is only for 5 minutes (I seriously do this every night when my kids don’t have extracurricular activities).
Practice yoga. While my schedule doesn’t currently allow me to attend sessions with my yoga instructor, I practice what she has taught me at least 10 to 15 minutes per day. These small sessions with myself have benefited me in so many ways. That sounds like a good topic for another article!
Leave my phone in my bedroom when I am at home so that my kids have my full attention… my clients have been with me all day. They can wait.

LONGEVITY

I don’t know what tomorrow holds. I don’t know if people will continue to train with me, or if they will retreat back inside of their homes, scared of a virus that supposedly runs more rampant in gyms than other places. But, I have never left my successes or failures to a political figure. I don’t wait for others to tell me what and how to do something. I have goals I aim to achieve and I make plans to make them a reality. Regardless of what is going on in this crazy world, I have to make my own path.

I have hard days. I have months where I get scared when I see that my revenue is down from previous months. I also realize that some gym owners live in areas where they have been told they cannot legally operate and are being forced to close. I expect to see more closures coming my way as well. But time and time again, I have visualized how I want my business and my future to look, and I make it happen.

Whether it’s a change of business model, whether it’s more workouts outdoors, whether it’s training people online, whatever “it” looks like in the future, I am passionate about my role in my client’s lives and theirs in mine. I know I have built a business that is more than these brick walls. I am building a community of physically and mentally strong people. My gym is so much more than a brick and mortar building. My gym is and will continue to be my family. And I always fight hard for my family.

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Kristy is a Senior RKC and PCC Instructor with Dragon Door. She also owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she is joined by her husband, Joe Agan (PCC, RKC, HKC) and Donna Martin (RKC, HKC).

You can follow Kristy on Instagram & Twitter @kristyagan and Facebook @Kristy.Agan.Trainer. And don’t forget to follow KA Athletics on Facebook, Instragram, and Twitter @ka_athletics to stay updated on gym events.

To Open or Not to Open? A Georgia Gym Owner’s Dilemma and The Story So Far…

May 25, 2020 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Regardless where you find yourself politically, our current culture is turbulent for everyone. Business owners are faced with very tough decisions right now. We risk alienating some, or possibly losing our livelihood. In recent weeks I have found myself struggling with how to make the best decision for everyone involved. I reached a profound conclusion…you can’t please everyone. And, if you are like me, you are in the same seemingly unwinnable spot.

My decision came down to choice. I had to choose whether or not to open my business back up and provide people the opportunity to make a decision for themselves. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter what political party you are a part of, or if you’re part of one at all, but I believe we all have a choice. My choice is still to provide my clients with a safe environment for them to be able to continue their journey that we have been on for a very long time.

Many of my clients are choosing to stay home and I will continue to send them programming until they are ready to return. But those who choose to come to my facility are now allowed to do so. This decision has warranted some heated debates & comments from some that I was putting people’s health at risk. Trust me, as the mother of a child with a weakened immune system I understand the risks. But I also understand the risks of not taking care of ourselves physically and mentally.

I do not own a mega gym. My facility is small, easy to control, and easier to keep clean then larger facilities. With that said, I do feel like I am at an advantage compared to larger corporate gyms who are facing an uphill battle keeping facilities clean and managing social distancing guidelines.

For the eight weeks that I was closed, I taught my clients online or sent them workouts for them to do at home. But the number one thing I heard every day was how they missed the personal interaction with me and with their fellow gym members. I’m not sure at the end of the day what is special about me, but that was the common thread. People wanted me there with them on their journey.

While online training is a great option during times like these for many people, humans by nature are a social species. Because of this need for human connection, nothing replaces in-person quality training. For this very reason, I made the decision to open as soon as my state allowed me to do so.

My clients are more than a paycheck. They are an extension of my family and my goal every day is to take care of my family. Despite this, I still struggled with my decision to open. I knew there would be clients (and people in my city) who would not support my decision. I also knew there would be many who would.

At the end of each day, it still feels like a massive balancing act between providing a safe/clean environment, being vigilant to not put people at more risk, being sensitive to those who aren’t ready to return, answering questions & comments from those who don’t support my decisions, and still providing good solid programming for those who step through my doors.

No one will know whether or not we as business owners are making the right decisions. Those answers may not be clear this month, next month, or next year. But I do believe that we have to keep moving forward. Moving forward will look different depending on what set of lenses you are viewing your world through and your individual circumstances. Either way, what better way to keep moving forward then with people you trust. At the end of each day, I feel like that’s what I have…people who trust me.

Our Experience So Far…

Since my re-opening three weeks ago, things have gradually started to come to life as expected. I have seen a handful of clients quit completely, for fear of being at the gym with other people. I have a few clients who are remaining at home due to current health issues, or the health issues of a family member, but I am providing them with online workouts for as long as they need them.

But thankfully, the majority have returned to their normal training times at the gym. The ones who have chosen to return are all very respectful of people’s space and everyone is pitching in to help clean up equipment between classes. My facility is around 4500 square feet and classes usually range from 5 to 12 people so we have plenty of space to spread out. I have three hours between each group training session which allows us to clean after each use. Being a smaller facility definitely provides me with an advantage as I can more easily control my headcount and keep the facility much cleaner than if I had a larger space.

If you are a gym owner who is struggling with the decision of opening your business, I can’t make that decision for you. Depending on where you live, staying closed may be the best decision. For some of you, the best decision may be to open. But that decision is now left up to you and you alone.

Do some soul-searching, and determine what path is best for you and your clients. If your clients are as invested in you as mine are in me, they will support you regardless of what path you take.

7 Guidelines for Keeping it Safe

If you are thinking of opening your doors here are a few things that I do on a daily basis to keep my clients safe:

Keep a certain number of people in the building based on square footage. Check your State/Country’s social distancing guidelines and then follow them.
Clean equipment between every group training session or private client. Although this means more expenses for cleaning supplies, It will go a long way towards making your clients feel safer.
Provide training times for the clients who feel comfortable coming in, but be willing to also provide online programming for those who just aren’t ready yet. These workouts need to be simple and easy to do with little to no equipment. During times of stress your clients do not need workouts that will just put more stress on their bodies.
Provide them with plenty of bodyweight or kettlebell workouts if they have the equipment, but make sure to include lots of mobility or yoga that will address mobility/stress issues.Right now many people are working from home and sitting even more than normal so mobility segments are more crucial than ever before.
Do not allow children to come into the gym. It will keep head count lower and leave more room for clients.
Require clients to wash their hands before and after their workouts as well as wipe down any equipment that they use before they leave.
Provide disinfectant wipes throughout the gym for cleaning equipment, as well as, have hand sanitizer dispensers mounted in the front and rear of the gym.

At the end of the day, how we tackle this new normal of ours should be up to us as individuals. Some of you reading this article do not feel comfortable opening your business and I believe it is your right to remain closed. Some you want, or need to open, and I believe it is your right to do so. But throughout your decision-making process, be sensitive to your clients expectations, fears, and the world around you. Be smart and provide your clients with a clean and safe environment, as well as, provide options for training at home should they need or choose to do so.

Regardless of what side you find yourself on amid this chaos, let’s choose to encourage each other and support each other as gym owners, as trainers, and as citizens. We are, and will remain, stronger together.

Wondering how my clients have felt about the reopening experience?

I asked! And some of them have been kind enough to comment:

“COVID-19 has definitely changed the way a lot of us live our lives. From the way we shop, interact with others and travel our lives have been altered due to this pandemic. One thing that has stayed the same through all of this is my love for KA Athletics. When I walk through the doors of KA I am greeted by Kristy whom has the warmest smile and makes her gym feel like the safest but deadliest place all at the same time.

As soon as KA was able to open those doors again I came running. I knew before this pandemic that Kristy’s gym was clean and safe due to her dedication to her gym and community she’s created. Those four walls might be just a “gym” to some but to Kristy that’s her passion, livelihood, heart and soul. There was no doubt in my mind her space was as clean as it possibly could be. The only thing dirty in her gym were the looks I might give her and her workouts on the board. To add though like most people I go to the gym to better myself and my body. Although my body needed the gym after quarantine, my mind needed it just as well.” — Carly Duke

“I don’t mind saying I have been cautious, not because I’m afraid, but because of immunosuppressant medication. Your online workouts have been my connection to physical wellness….I am so thankful for those! I desperately miss you, my trainer and my workout buddies! I will be back the beginning of June and can’t wait! Thank you for your support through this whole process!!!!” — Pam Green

“Kristy is fanatic about keeping the gym clean. After working out with her through Zoom, I jumped at the chance to get back into the gym as I knew she would take every precaution to keep her space clean for us. She genuinely cares for us like she does her own family. I am grateful for her courage to open back up amidst the controversy of doing such. And my body feels so much better.” — Ashlie Harper

“I have been training with Kristy for many years, and she is the absolute best. This is not only because of her knowledge and passion for training, but she really loves and gets to know her clients individually. I have a very medically fragile daughter who depends 100% on me to meet her daily and living needs, so I am unable to step foot in public right now. My anxiety and stress levels have been triggered more and more lately, and I am so grateful to Kristy for providing me with home workouts each day. Not only do they help with my mental health, but she keeps me accountable and on track with my health and fitness goals, even during this difficult time.” — Jenn Morash

“Until I had to stop attending the gym due to COVID-19, I didn’t realize how much working out with Kristy Agan and my gym family contributed to my overall mental health. The comradery of the people I work out with and Kristy at the helm provided much more than a “workout “. As soon as I heard she was opening back up, I did not hesitate to return as I knew she was going to take the strictest precautions to protect us. Although she provided online workouts, returning to the gym was a relief mentally and felt like a big family reunion!!” — Emily Kitchens

“Thank you for a great workout this morning! I’ll admit I was nervous but after seeing the precautions and small group I felt better. I would not have gone to just any gym, and that’s the beauty of KA. I know the small group of people, I know you and I know we are all trying to be safe and sensible.” — Jennifer and Andy Bressette

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Kristy is a Senior RKC and PCC Instructor with DragonDoor. She also owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, GA where she is joined by her husband, Joe Agan (PCC, RKC, HKC) and Donna Martin (HKC, RKC).

Putting the Power into the Power Swing

January 2, 2019 By Kristy Agan Leave a Comment

Kristy Agan RKC Team Leader Power Kettlebell Swing

When I was introduced to kettlebells in 2006, how to start the kettlebell swing was not something that I was taught. Upon entering the world of RKC, I learned the importance of the beginning of the swing. I was amazed by the instant improvement in my technique from solely focusing on how I started my swing. After all, the start of the swing is where we generate all of our power. If we don’t learn how to begin the swing, then we only end up with terrible looking, inefficient swings. In this blog post, I want to specifically discuss the power swing, sometimes known as the dead start swing. The power swing is a drill that I love to use in my own training and with my clients. Unfortunately, and even after a workshop, it’s easy to forget this humble but effective drill. So, we should revisit and use it that much more in our training.

What is a Power Swing?

In short, it is the “hike to stand” and “back to the start” portions of the swing, repeated for reps.

The power swing is super effective for teaching solid swings because it:

Teaches and reinforces the “hinge” and “back swing”.
Teaches us to create “pulling” power from the lats.
Strengthens the hike to stand portion of the swing—which is where all the power for the rest of our swings in the set comes from.
Increases strength in the hamstring & glutes—much like deadlifts and power cleans.
Correct posture issues in the start position, or will very quickly reveal weaknesses that need to be addressed ASAP to avoid potential injury.
Crosses over to stronger lifts, specifically the barbell deadlift.
Carries over into stronger plyometric movements such as jumping and sprinting, making it essential for athletes.
Teaches a strong start of the swing leading to stronger cleans and snatches.

The power swing can be taught to and used with clients when they are just learning or even struggling with their technique. I like to use “fast and loose” intervals for active recovery when teaching the power swing. It keeps my clients moving, but allows extra recovery time for the hips, hamstrings, and glutes.

If you have clients who especially need to work on their mobility, try super sets of power swings with a mobility drill. They’ll be able to address the mobility issues revealed during their practice sets.

Here are some examples of mobility drills to super set with power swings:

If the client has a rounded back, use the wall hinge drill or thoracic bridge.
If the client doesn’t finish through with their hips at top of the swing, superset with the RKC hip flexor stretch, bridge, or frog stretch.
If the client pulls the kettlebell up with their shoulders instead of snapping their hips, superset the power swings with the towel drill.

How to Teach the Power Swing

Set hike position
Swing once and return to start

Repeat up to 10 rounds depending on the client’s fitness level and technique issues. Add in mobility and/or corrective drills between rounds as necessary.

For high performing clients, you can turn power swings into a grueling strength workout by increasing rounds and/or number of reps per round. Be sure to design the workout with the safety and skill level of the client or group in mind.

In the video below, I purposefully selected a wide range of clients to show how a power swing routine can work for a group with a variety of fitness levels—which most trainers will see any given day. The clients in the video range in age from 18 to 62. Both men and women are following the routine. The group also includes a breast cancer survivor, a client who had hip labrum surgery, a few HKC certified instructors, and a few beginners who learned to swing kettlebells only a week before this video. The finisher in the video is also suitable for a mixed group. Obviously, I can make it much harder for my advanced clients, but for the sake of this video I kept it simple. We focused on the power swings with a few short breaks.

For more specialized groups—martial artists, youth athletes, advanced adults, pair higher rep (or heavier kettlebell) power swings with tougher movements such as burpees, full bridges, advanced push-up variations, renegade rows, heavy kettlebell floor presses, fast & loose drills, and/or sport specific drills.

Below is a short clip of my husband and I demonstrating a ladder routine with power swings and push-ups. Before you begin the routine, line up three kettlebells from light to heavy. Perform three swings with the light kettlebell, two swings with the middle kettlebell, one swing with the heavier kettlebell, and finally one push-up. Each round, increase the push-up reps each round. Set a timer for ten minutes and see how many rounds you can do well. It’s simple, but effective.

Our swings are only as good as the power we are able to create from the ground up. Just like with any sport, teaching and drilling the fundamentals are how star athletes are born. When we forget the fundamentals, we lose our edge. The power swing is a fundamental element many of us are missing in our Hardstyle kettlebell training. It’s time to go back to the fundamentals that made us the solid RKC instructors we are today. It’s time to practice the power swing!

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RKC Team Leader Kristy Agan is also a PCC Instructor, American Council of Exercise (ACE) and TRX qualified personal trainer. She owns and operates KA Athletics in Rome, Georgia. Kristy also maintains an online training business kristyagan.com. Follow Kristy on Instagram @kristyagan and Twitter @kristyagan or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Kristy.Agan.Trainer