John Chung is one of the best and most popular trainers at Lucille Roberts. He’s been with us for over three years; he started at our Gun Hill location in the Bronx and now works at the 5th Avenue gym in Manhattan. Currently, John also is training one of our Blogger Makeover ladies, Carol Cain of NYCityMama. One of his clients, Lucia Hodge, won the Lucille Roberts Train Rite Challenge in April 2011 (read about her incredible experience in her own words).
John is known for pushing clients hard and helping them get great results, but we thought you might want to find out a bit more about him!
LR: What inspired you to become a trainer?
JC: I always enjoyed staying fit. I appreciated and loved to play all types of sports and even studied martial arts. It was through martial arts that I found my passion for exercise, and, as I taught and trained, I saw I had this special ability to teach exercise to others easily.
LR: What’s the hardest part of your job?
JC: To be honest with you, I can’t think of anything hard about it—or maybe everything is hard, and I just love the challenge!
LR: What do you love about your job?
JC: I love how I run my own business. I love the interaction I have with different people every day. I love being in a gym, a space where I can jump and run around. I love to be creative with my clients’ routines, and I love the fact that I am a salesman, selling personal training packages. And I love that I’m learning something new every day!
LR: How do you decide what exercises each client should do?
JC: For me it all starts with three things: the basic exercises, the client’s limitations, and knowing how the client wants to be challenged. Keeping in mind these three things helps me prepare what types of exercises to use in the session. How the client feels in any given moment physically and emotionally effects what exercise I suggest, as well.
LR: Where do you get new ideas for training routines?
JC: I see new ideas and routines constantly during the session in my clients’ movements and what they say. Often, the clients’ mistakes in exercises spark my inspiration for new routines. Weird, I know, but that’s just the way I roll!
LR: How do YOU work out?
JC: I’m open to all types of workouts. Definitely how I train my clients has blended into how I work out. I have to admit, I think more about my clients than about myself. As I prepare for my client’s routine, I find myself sweating and kicking my own butt!
LR: What’s your secret for helping clients get such great results?
JC: I feel I need to do my best to challenge them physically, mentally, and sometimes even emotionally. But—shhhhh!—the secret is to help them believe they can do it. When the client truly believes, anything is possible for my clients and for me.
LR: What’s the best advice you have for women who are trying to lose weight?
JC: Keep on making goals for yourself. And try to find reasons why exercise is fun. A person who loves exercise will see the best results.
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Want to train with John? Come in and meet him at Lucille Roberts on 5th Ave. and 14th St. in Manhattan. Or find him on Facebook or Twitter.
