We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Madison Wickham a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Madison , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In 2018 a new adventure began, just acquiring my real estate license, I was ready to start an official career. Upon joining a brokerage firm, I was in the office every day, bought all the fancy clothes, went to all the networking events and was really giving it my all.
Being that health and fitness have always been important to me, I practiced yoga daily and was going to the gym a couple times a week. I didn’t feel like I was really pushing myself enough in my physical space though, so later that year I decided to walk into a Dojo called 29 Degrees, located just down the street from me in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
Wanting to learn some self defense, push myself out of my comfort zone, and meet like minded people, I thought it would be a great addition to this vibrant life I was creating for myself. Little did I know, I would fall completely in love with martial arts. The philosophies, mental and physical challenges, as well as the love and respect shared on the mats, was all highly appealing to me. This new practice quickly became a priority. Structuring my schedule so that I rarely missed a class, I committed myself to it, and it got to the point that it became more important than real estate. A hobby still, may I remind you. My Sensei, James Bedwell, noticed my dedication and asked if I ever saw myself having a career in health and fitness. My eyes got wide and I I fumbled out a few, “uhh, ummm, well, maybe’s”, as my face became flushed and I quickly became a bit nervous at the thought of turning this hobby of physical fitness, martial arts, yoga, and eating healthy into an actual job. It had not crossed my mind that I could turn this part of my life into a fulfilling career, and as soon as he planted that seed, my thinking changed.
I had spent all this time and money in real estate and had some great opportunities in the field, was I really just going to turn around and go a totally different direction? Yes, it was a risk I had to take. My heart felt full working with people to make them stronger, healthier, and happier, buying and selling homes did not reflect that same feeling. Making the decision to leave my firm, I started on my first certification and began studying yoga, then onto nutrition, and lastly personal training, all while training Muay Thai where I now stand as team captain and compete as a high level amateur in the sport.
The funny thing is, I never pictured myself in this position. If it weren’t for my Sensei seeing the potential I had to make such an impact on other peoples lives, I would likely not be where I am today. It was me though who had to make a huge decision, take a risk, listen to the ideas of a trusted mentor, and make a change. Now am thriving in this way of life that I not only apply to myself, but was able to turn into a career.
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.
Within 29 Degrees I perform an variety of services including, holistic nutrition, personal training, and mobility/flexibility work, ranging from people who are brand new to these modalities, from those interested in enhancing their current lifestyle, all the way up to athletes performing at a high level. I also teach kid and adult Muay Thai classes, as well as work with those looking to deepen their practice with private sessions.
What I do within my work is make these big lifestyle changes attainable. With nutrition, fitness, and Muay Thai, my clients and I build a solid foundation together to set them up for a desirable, but more importantly, a lasting outcome. There is not overnight success in this industry. If there are sources that have told you otherwise, they are wrong. It takes commitment and discipline, no fad diets here! To assist people on this path can be tricky due to years of habits, their culture and environments, work/life balance and more. Truly understanding my clients and how they operate helps me introduce strategic tactics that they can implement to help them stay consistent, achieve the results they want, and maintain them for life.
Being someone who was not raised in a particularly “healthy” environment, I’ve had to go through all of these motions beginning with myself. I did not read a book, take a test, then turn around and start spewing out information to people. I’ve lived it, learning all of this first hand. From a young lady battling physical pain, stomach issues, and depression, to a strong, radiant woman with a flourishing microbiome and not to mention a victorious Muay Thai athlete.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
My reputation has been built upon me showing what results look like in real time within my Muay Thai competitions. The focus I put into my strength training, cardio, and flexibility is apparent by my performance in the ring. I’ve never missed weight, always stepping on the scale healthy, not super dehydrated and run down. My record is currently 5-1-1, holding 3 titles in 3 different weight classes. The approach I take with most clients I am applying to my life everyday, therefor I can keep finding ways to make my programs more efficient based on my own experience and application, and help them become champions when it comes to their own goals.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Understanding that every “body” is different and really taking the time to get to know my clients and finding out what motivates them. One size does not fit all. Each program I build is very unique based on the individual. It’s important to listen and to have empathy when working with people making changes in their life. Whether someone is just starting their journey of being active and making changes to the way they eat, or an athlete with a busy lifestyle that needs to fuel their performance, people need to feel understood and have a clear path laid out for them to help them reach their goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://29degreesofgungfu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madison.w29/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madison.wickham.14
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@29degreesmuaythai23
Image Credits
Fighters Eye – Adrian Nigel