We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Kramer Throckmorton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
When I was 20 years old I felt lost. I was in and out of different colleges, didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career (I was always into sports so academics came last.) I moved back home and started lifeguarding at our local YMCA. I didn’t feel satisfied with my job so I decided to take a leap and try out for the Virginia Beach Lifesaving service (ocean lifeguard position) that was 2 hrs from my parents home. I didn’t know a single person but took a chance on something that I thought I would be good at, maybe a fresh start. I got the job, rented a room (at the time I found on Craigslist! This was 2012.) and moved down here to maybe find my calling. This is where my life changed. We were always expected to be physically fit. The job required this from us, saving people’s lives everyday. I thought I was fit until I moved here and quickly realized how demanding the job was. My co-workers all participated in Crossfit- this was where I was exposed to that. I was blown away with the challenging workouts, the community and the no-excuse mentality. That was when my strength and conditioning career took over. I had finally found something that I loved to do and teach. My now husband is the biggest reasons I opened my own gym. He opened his own gym in 2016 and I was his head coach. When he closed it in 2018 I wanted to take it over but financially couldn’t. He told me to start small and build up. That’s exactly what I did. The “kaizen way.” Fast forward to today I have a thriving gym and a nonprofit organization. All it takes it a leap of faith. You’ll never know where it will take you.
Emily, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Emily Kramer Throckmorton. I am the Owner & Head strength and conditioning coach for Kaizen Athletics. Kaizen Athletics is a functional fitness gym located in Virginia Beach, VA. It was founded in 2018. Our gym specializes in semi-private small group training, adaptive athlete training, tactical athlete training, nutrition, mindset and all things community. I am also the Founder & Head strength and conditioning coach of Kaizen Adaptive Training, Inc. 501(c)(3). Kaizen Athletics provides an all-Inclusive training facility for individuals with long-term physical or traumatic impairments (visible/invisible) through movement and community. We make fitness training accessible and inclusive for everyone, regardless of ability. It is an honor to serve our Wounded Warriors, Veterans, First Responders, Law Enforcement Officers and our Adaptive Community. Our adaptive athletes’ tuition is 100% donation based. With the help of our community, we provide an all-inclusive training facility, adaptive coaching, and adaptive equipment free of charge. I made a commitment to myself that no matter what, you stay true to your word and that’s how you gain trust. These individuals have helped me grow in so many ways and I truly believe that when something means enough to you. You’ll put everything you have into it. I 100% tie my success to the connections I have made within the community. Now a days, it’s easy to get lost in social media but in all honesty real connections are made out in the field. It’s putting yourself out there even if you don’t think you “know enough” or if you are “qualified enough.” A true leader is someone sees opportunities and seizes them. I’m very proud of our business and I’m excited to see where it goes.
Website: www.kaizenathleticsvb.com
Instagram: @kaizenathletics_ @mlekramer_ @kaizenadaptivetraining
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The action of including someone or being included within a group is very important to me. There is a lot of power in including someone. I value and promote inclusion in every aspect of my business, my non-profit organization, my community, and my personal life. Everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about. It is important to be kind and welcoming. I ask myself daily “How can we make a difference?” My core value is all about bringing people together through fitness, health, and celebrating differences. For almost a decade I have dedicated myself to enable accessible and inclusive fitness training for everyone, regardless of ability. I want to continue to set the standard locally and globally. In 2020 I had the privilege of working out with a handful of Wounded Warriors. They were doing the exact same workout as me. They were doing deadlifts, box jumps, and running with their prosthetics. This is a perfect example of what a no excuse mentality looks like. I knew at that moment I needed to be more involved. This was what inclusion looked like, everyone doing the same thing, except maybe it looks a little different. Fast forward to today, I work with 30+ adaptive athletes ranging from Veterans/Wounded Warriors, Police Officers, Firefighters, Spinal Cord Injury athletes, Stroke survivors, Amputees, and individuals with invisible wounds such as TBIs and PTSD. I have seen first hand what fitness and community has done for these individuals not only physically but mentally. I have seen athletes come in depressed and searching for a place to belong post -traumatic injury. Watching them in less than a year regain strength and independence in their activities of daily living as well as finding friendships and a place to belong. If this isn’t the definition of inclusion, I don’t know what is! Inclusion is at the foundation of our mission. I am committed to changing lives through functional fitness and community!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Word of mouth is the most effective tool for bringing in new clients/members to your gym. How people feel when they are at your facility or when they leave is what gets others to come in and try. Our software is designed to have individuals leave a review every time they take a class! Why? This way the individual feels like they can give constant feedback. They can say what they enjoyed and it reached new potential members. Listening to feedback and making changes can be such a benefit to your business. Our nonprofit organization started with 1 athlete and now we work with 45+ adaptive athletes! How? Because they told their friends, co-workers, organizations, etc. how great of an experience they had. Focus on giving these athletes the best hour of their day and they will always come back!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.kaizenathleticsvb.com
- Instagram: @mlekramer_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emily.kramer.169?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-kramer-throckmorton-trs-s-inclusive-fitness-coach-a13866219?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: @kaizenathletics6232
