We were lucky to catch up with Dwight Thurman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dwight, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?
As a personal trainer, I faced an incredible challenge when an 81-year-old woman approached me for help. She had undergone surgery on her lower back and had six screws inserted in her lumbar, leaving her bedridden for a year. Even tying her shoe was impossible. However, she had a remarkable goal – to regain her strength to play golf again, despite the sport’s significant strain on the back due to the torque of swinging the club.
I was honest with her about the difficulty of her situation, but promised to do my best to help her achieve her goal. Over the course of eight months, she put forth exceptional effort and determination in each training session. From the 82 Russian twists I gave her from her 82nd birthday to the basketball shots we shot after she told me she played in college she was game for anything. When we began, she could only bend enough to touch the top of her knees. But by the end, she was able to touch her toes, and most importantly, able to return to playing golf. In fact, she was so dedicated to practice that she eventually stopped training with me altogether.
However, three months later, she returned, asking for my help once again. Her motivation was the competition she was facing from “ those young 60 and 70-year-old golfers out driving her.”. It was a testament to her tenacity and resilience, and I was more than happy to continue working with her to help her achieve her new goal.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I transformed my passion for fitness into a profession by becoming a personal trainer. After working at a large gym for years, the pandemic presented me with an opportunity to take a risk. In just three months, I founded Fitness Identity Training. What sets us apart from others is our unwavering dedication to finding what works best for each individual client. There are no cookie-cutter approaches here. Our success is attributed to the unwavering support of our clients and community. We remained steadfast in our mission, and more importantly, our clients believed in us. If you feel stuck in your fitness journey or have had negative experiences with other trainers, we encourage you to consider Fitness Identity Training as the perfect FIT for you.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most efficient strategy for acquiring new clients is undoubtedly through word of mouth and client success. This is because personal training is an industry that heavily relies on reputation and trust. Clients are more likely to trust recommendations from friends, family, or colleagues who have had positive experiences working with a particular trainer. This kind of organic growth is powerful and has the potential to generate a constant stream of new clients over time.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Adaptability and flexibility: Clients’ needs and preferences can vary greatly, so a successful personal trainer must be adaptable and flexible in their approach to training. Being able to modify your training methods and routines based on client feedback and changing circumstances is essential.
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