Black History Month Interviews
To celebrate Black History Month, we sat down with two of our trainers, Adrian and Walt, and one of our members Karol to spotlight Black experiences in training and fitness.
How long have you been a trainer?
Adrian: Since August 2020, so about 5 months.
Walt: 6 years now, all of which being at Fulcrum Fitness. 3-4 years with my own business online and in person.
When did your fitness journey start?
Karol: I think I’ve always been on a fitness journey. It probably started when my mom put me in dance class at age 5. I danced for 11 years- I’ve always had a lot of energy and needed to move around with dancing and running. I played volleyball and basketball in middle school, and in high school I gave up dancing to play volleyball full time.
What is your favorite thing about working out or being in the gym?
K: I think my favorite thing now is that it feels like a release. It lowers the stress and anxiety of day to day life. You can blow off steam, you can be alone with your thoughts even with a group class, and you can mentally process all that’s going on. I also love being super sweaty because it feels like I’m having a physical cleanse.
Least favorite?
K: Hmm. I think my least favorite thing is just that cold start in a morning class. I like working out in the morning, but it takes a good 20 minutes to get warm as I get older. I cannot start a morning with box jumps, it’s just not gonna happen.
What is your favorite thing about being a trainer?
A: My favorite part is helping people. I’m a big people person and I love seeing changes in people’s physique, attitude, and mental health over time. You can see huge changes and I love being a part of that change.
W: I’m super passionate about movement, so being able to express myself in that way and being able to help others with movement is really enjoyable. It comes naturally to me to move, and there is an art and flow to the workouts I write. I like that you have to convince people to do movements they might not want to do, but then once they’ve done it they find they enjoy it. People pay us to kick their butt!! And then they come back for more :)
Least favorite?
A: So far, probably not being able to help people 1 on 1 in the group classes. I like to make sure everyone’s form is correct and has correct posture for lifting.
W: Nothing really comes to mind immediately, but I guess if I had to pick something it would be that it can be a challenge to make a career out of training and make a living.
Did you play any sports growing up?
A: I played football in high school and in college at Ellsworth. That was interesting in college- it’s like a full time job. Lots of distractions left and right, so you need tunnel vision to make it. I also ran track in high school.
W: When I was really young I first played soccer- I was the goalie, didn’t do much. Basketball was my favorite sport, which I played through high school. I played football as well but mostly because my father played football semi-professionally and I wanted to give it a try. I didn’t like it as much but I enjoyed the team comradery!
Do you feel you have faced challenges as a BIPOC trainer/athlete that others might not have?
A: I would say it’s sometimes a challenge for people being comfortable around you if they aren’t used to diverse communities or being outside of their bubble. They might have friction or not have the best communication because they aren’t comfortable. I can pick up on that when people are nervous, but I try to keep it positive because they probably want to work with me!
W: For me personally, not as much as someone who may have darker skin than me. I feel like a lot of times people might not know that I’m mixed, or black, which can be a good and a bad thing. I love being mixed and am proud of being black, but I think that people sometimes don’t know or maybe don’t think about the face that I am. For example, I worked with a girl at my previous job for 5 years before she even knew haha :)
K: I think when you’re younger and you’re a Black woman, people assume that you might be some kind of athlete. But, then when you’re older you suddenly aren’t one. I think there is a lot of expectation around Black bodies and what they should do or look like that are not self imposed. I do feel like I’m proving something when I’m working out, I feel like I’m trying to validate my own presence in the space whether it’s being really strong or running a good time in a race. I think some of it is self imposed, but some of it is body expectations as well.
Do you feel that BIPOC folks are adequately represented in sports/training? If no, what do you feel needs to change?
A: Definitely over the last few years in commercials I’ve seen a nice amount of diversity. It’s been colorful. It’s been awesome to see that not only in sports but across the board, too. As far as PT, instagram has helped out. People work with people they relate to. I think it would be nice to see some of the bigger sports groups like Rogue have some BIPOC folks on the cover of their magazines, and I wish there were more dance classes like zumba that go across cultures.
W: In sports, yes. I feel like athletics is one of the more advanced places of representation. As far as training and being a trainer, I think we are pretty well represented- the black/mixed trainers I know are devoted, passionate, and do it for the right reasons. I also have clients that take the extra step to support me as a person and as a black man, which makes me feel good and supported!
K: I don’t think they’re underrepresented in training or sports, but I do think there is underrepresentation in gyms or fitness spaces because sometimes those spaces don’t feel welcoming, or you don’t see anyone that looks like you. You’re not sure if you’d be safe there. I joined Fulcrum because at the time my friend was an investor in it so I felt safe to come, but I’m not sure everyone has that welcome in fitness spaces. Especially in boutique spaces.
“Without using the word ‘different’, what is your definition of diversity? (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/23/the-job-interview-question-this-anti-racist-company-asks-applicants.html)
A: When I think of diversity, I think of NYC and how people that aren’t from the same background can come together and work together on something. People that are unrelated through culture, race, or creed come together and are able to work together on something they relate on. I like to see different backgrounds learn from each other.
W: Diversity to me is being inclusive of everyone. Having everybody, no matter their background, culture, gender, preference, or anything else about them, feel comfortable and heard in your company. Everyone should feel important, feel like their voice is heard, and be given adequate opportunities to advance.
K: I don’t really have one because I am the diversity in so many spaces, I don’t know what that looks like coming from the other side. I am oftentimes in a fitness space one of two or three people who look like me, as opposed to a majority presence.
What motivates you to stay in the gym?
K: Well, vanity is number one. But also my mental health is equally as important- you want to look good and feel good, but especially in a global crisis you need to work out your stress. Being able to know I can get up and go to Fulcrum and get that tension out for an hour makes my day better, and makes me a better human, so it’s important for me to get there at least 4 days a week if not more.
What motivates you in your field?
A: Just being better. This last year has been tough not being able to workout and consistently chase milestones. I feel like I took a big step back which motivated me to get to where it was and get better. With training, you can always get better. My girlfriend just had a baby, and it reminded me that there is so much that you can work on with post-partum and pre-partum. There’s just many things you can get into!
W: Creating a workout and having that be my type of artistic expression. Fitness is my passion and I love that I can share that passion with other people. It also motivates me to see people advance- we open up newbies to a brand new world of things they can do with fitness, and the mental health aspect of fitness is really motivating as well.
What are you most proud of?
A: I’m proud of having a daughter. Other than that, I love being diverse and able to pick up different things and be good at it. I like to be able to master a lot of things, and I want to do that with personal training. I’ve put a lot of time into music as well, and I’m really proud of where that’s gone. (Pssst: you can check out his music on apple music here, and his feature/music video on local news outlet The Mercury here)
W: I am really proud of losing 100 pounds. I got myself into that situation and pulled myself out, which I did without a personal trainer. I wasn’t happy, I was anxious and depressed, and I couldn’t play sports. I remember people making fun of me for being that weight, so I used that as motivation to pull myself up. This also allows me to empathize with people who have been or are currently in the same situation and give them the tools/mindset to make that change!
K: I am really proud of my work. I get to lead philanthropic work that is focused on marginalized communities. That is my day job. I think especially in a time where there has been such upheaval in the way that we look at BIPOC communities, being able to support change is really important to me and I’m really proud of that.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experiences in training/athletics/life?
A: Nothing specific. I’m really happy for the opportunity that David and Jai gave me to teach group classes. This is something I never thought I’d do- I thought I’d work with athletes. I’m so grateful to have a job and be able to train. I know there’s lots people are going through, so I”m grateful for good help and have a place to train at and work
W: I personally haven’t necessarily felt discriminated against, but my father and sister are darker than me, and my sister is LGBTQ+. There have been a few instances when my Dad was pulled over because he’s black, and the same thing happened to my good friend. I also went to a Catholic High School where you basically had to “hide your blackness.” Seeing these things as I grew up in the world gave me a different perspective. Knowing that people are people, it’s amazing to me that there are some that still discriminate against others just because they either look different from themselves, or maybe live a different lifestyle.
K: Everything is made up of decisions that you make every day. It’s not always going to be perfect or what you want, but you get up the next day and you try it again. You just show up, and the changes you want to make or see will happen. I know that day to day doesn’t always feel like that, but I love when you can look back and say I do see a change and it’s because I showed up every day. I think about that in my running or Fulcrum workouts or when I look in the mirror and don’t love what I see, I just know I have to try every day. I can say I showed up and put the effort in.