My Life as a Sports Trainer

Back in 1980 when I was a mere 20 year old lad I shared an apartment with a group of guys. The few things we had in common were; 1. We had no money, 2. We liked junk food and beer, and 3 we all worked at the same restaurant. We found ourselves throwing parties weekly and consuming large quantities of grindage and booze (you can do these things when your 20). A few things happened as a result of our actions; 1. I became quickly de-conditioned, (previously a college decathlete), 2. My job became an option, while my partying became my forte, and 3. We got kicked out of our apartment for apparent reasons.

It was at this time time we decided to throw what would be our last hurrah at the apartment.
Half way into a 6 hour game of quarters one of my "best" friends decided it would be funny to try on my new jeans size 36 waist, him being some size quite a bit smaller, as he slid the pants on (over his own pants mind you) he did a little Irish Jig showing all my women friends just how thin he was and how FAT I had become. What are friends for... It was at this precise moment, drunk, underemployed, and going nowhere but up in weight that a Sports Trainer was born.

I can still remember my first one mile run in a pair of early Nike running shoes that had seen several summers come and go, I had the complexion of a tomato as I rounded the corner back to the apartment complex. I then dug out the cassette tape of the "Theme from Rocky" and started on the push-ups, sit-ups, and variety of other exercises one can do in the confines of a stinky man cave and never looked back.

By 1984, educated, fit and motivated I went out to prove to the world that people would indeed pay someone to exercise with them and that in fact It would be a REAL JOB DAD. My move to the city of Chicago would be the smartest move I made. Starting at the Lake shore Athletic Club in Lincoln Park as a fitness room baby sitter I made my first move. I proposed to the powers that be to initiate a "personal training program" at the club. The owners having never heard of this new idea agreed based on the fact that 50% of potentially nothing would cost them, well, nothing. So 60 hrs. a week per trainer and 10 trainers later its safe to say personal training had made its debut in Chicago and was there to stay! Of these 10 trainers from Lake shore Athletic Club back in 1985 you will recognize the following, Tim Grover- Micheal Jordan's trainer (amongst many other NBA greats) and now owner of Attack Athletics in Chicago, Jenny Lorbeck-Owner of ETC energy training center in Chicago, Barry Schulist-Owner Strictly Fit in Chicago, others are still successfully training clients and make six figures. After my stint with Lake Shore Athletic Club I moved my operation to a beautiful facility in Chicago for general fitness, personal training and a new venture "Performance Sports Training" that would send me out west to San Diego where I would train the best of the best in MLB. With the idea that any professional athlete could double or triple there lifetime earnings just by staying injury free was enough to send the athletes flocking to my door. As I was available for off-season conditioning only, my schedule was hectic but my passion was great.
With a combination of off-season injury rehab and sport specific core training my clients were making gains they never though were possible. Take a ball player at the end of there biological career, heal their past injuries, bring them into the Spring in better condition then they've ever been, put them in front of an arbitrator and guess who wins? The player. Now at the end of his career he is making more than what he thought was his prime.

Now coming close to my 51st year on this planet I have two beautiful daughters, a loving wife and what I call my early retirement "Body Logic Fitness Center" in downtown Lake Geneva, WI
I have awesome stories to tell of times spent with the elite, have done many things I thought not possible, and friends for life that have taught me important life lessons. Now its time for me to pass these lessons on to my friends and clients at Body Logic.
Take the time to do something you love, your not stuck, if you feel you are, then its time to make a plan to get un-stuck!

Your Friend,

Greg