Before he trained All-Stars and household names… before Club Larry became the place people whisper about for its electric energy… before he held mitts for Deebo Samuel, Devin Booker, Tyson Chandler, and a roster of relentless athletes—Larry was standing on a small stage in Omaha, Nebraska, on his very first day teaching group fitness.
He had never led a class before. Fifty people were staring back at him. A woman approached and asked how long he’d been teaching.
“Today is my first day,” he told her.
Her response changed everything:
“This is the best class I’ve ever taken.”
In that moment, Larry felt purpose grab him by the shoulders. What began as a job transformed into a calling. The kettlebells, burpees, boxing, music, sweat, and raw energy... it all lit something inside him.
“Every session became a celebration of strength, resilience, and growth,” he says. “I realized the impact we can have when we lead with passion and purpose.”
That fire hasn’t dimmed once.
Larry grew up in Toledo chasing the shadow of Michael Jordan; not with formal trainers or elite programs, but with the grit of a kid who wanted greatness badly enough to create it himself.
He knocked on neighbors’ doors asking to use their hoops. He mimicked MJ’s footwork, studied his mechanics, and out-worked every other kid on the block despite being the shortest one in the neighborhood.
“I didn’t know I was training. I was just completely immersed in what I loved.”
That mindset carried him to college basketball and eventually eight seasons playing professionally. What he lacked in representation, he made up for with relentless self-coaching; a trait he now instills in every athlete who trains with him.
Larry’s leap into training pros began not in a gym, but at Scottsdale Fashion Square when he ran into Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe.
He introduced himself. He offered boxing training.
Bledsoe said yes.
That summer changed the trajectory of Larry’s life. They built a hybrid program: strength, conditioning, explosive footwork, and Larry’s signature boxing system. Bledsoe reported to training camp in the best shape of his career, and ESPN took notice.
“That article launched everything. It solidified my belief in innovative training and the importance of trust between athlete and coach.”
From there, the pros kept coming.
Deebo Samuel Jr.
Devin Booker
Tyson Chandler
Eric Bledsoe
TJ Warren
D’Angelo Russell
Simeon Rice
Ask Larry what unites them and he doesn’t hesitate:
“They are all RELENTLESS.”
These athletes don’t just work; they prepare with a level of discipline and consistency few ever witness. Deebo, for example, starts his day with strength work before seeing Larry for boxing, conditioning, and cross-training… then heads to the field to run routes.
“He inspires other athletes. His preparation is one of a kind. Training a professional athlete is like two warriors uniting to conquer a giant. Iron sharpens iron. They arrive at a certain level and I bring my absolute best to match it."
His philosophy is built on a “fourth-quarter, first-quarter” mentality: an athlete should look as strong in the last moments of the game as they did the first.
This is where mental fortitude becomes as crucial as physical ability. Larry trains mindset as much as mechanics: visualization, focus, resilience, strategy.
“Elite performance blends both. They rise together.”
One of the most formative experiences of Larry’s career happened while training Tyson Chandler in Aspen. Chandler brought his Knicks trainer, and the two exposed Larry to a new level of pre-session activation and preparation.
“It was transformative. It deepened my understanding of what elevates performance and shaped the way I coach forever.”
Larry trains clients ages 8 to 88 with the same energy he brings to a pro athlete.
“Because we are all athletes,” he says. “Just in different seasons of life.”
Young athletes learn movement, confidence, agility, and foundational athleticism. Adults tap into functional strength, longevity, mobility... and joy. And everyone, regardless of age, walks into a space described by clients as electric, accepting, uplifting, and impossible to put into words.
“When someone combines strength training with group energy their results skyrocket.”
Larry is known for telling clients to ditch the scale.
“You’re building muscle and endurance. The scale might not move; but your body composition will. Inches matter. Strength matters. How you feel matters.”
The element people underestimate most?
Consistency.
“Just show up. I’ll take care of the rest. We build the endurance to carry us through every season. When someone finds both at the same time, everything elevates,” Larry says. “It becomes more than exercise. It becomes a lifestyle. A winning environment.”
And that environment is what Club Larry has become: one of the Valley’s most inspiring, high-vibration fitness communities.
Larry sees the vision he wrote down in 2024 coming to fruition; piece by piece, person by person.
“I never gave up. I committed to my vision. And now the right people are showing up to help it become a reality,” he says. “I’m excited for 2026.”
Sure, everyone wants to start the year strong... but Larry’s advice is simple:
Find the purpose behind your goals.
“The ‘why’ is what keeps you going on the hard days,” he says.
“This journey is about creating a meaningful life... not just physical changes.”
Club Larry in one word?
"Special."
He continues... “It’s a place where people feel seen, supported, encouraged, and pushed to become their best."
Larry Smith Fitness works with kids, adults, women, and men of all fitness levels from beginners to seasoned athletes. Programs span youth athletic development, adult strength training, and women-focused conditioning, with a mix of personal training and high-energy group classes. Every session is tailored, supportive, and results-driven. Mention PVCL for a special January offer.
larrysmith.fitness