Is one of your goals for 2020 to get into fitness? (Or continue your fitness journey and reach new heights?) Our friend, Heath Burkholder, owner of three My Personal Trainer Franchises in Northeast Ohio, can help with that. But don't just take it from us; take it from him. Learn more about him, his background and MPT in the Q&A below.
Tell me a little bit about yourself and your background.
I grew up on a farm in Ashland and I joined the Marine Corps two weeks after graduation. I spent five years there and served in two combat deployments to Afghanistan. After serving, I went back to school and got two degrees, one in intelligence studies and national security and one in health education. While in college at Norte Dame College of Ohio I also helped as the assistant strength coach for three years. When I graduated college in March 2020, I intended to go into federal law enforcement but couldn't due to a hiring freeze caused by COVID-19. I knew I wanted to help people and that I had a passion for fitness, so I decided to start personal training. I ended up loving it so much that I bought the MPT studio that I was managing in April 2021, located in Medina, and then my second studio, located in Strongsville, in August of 2021. Now, I am working towards opening my third location in Wadsworth.
What does a session with MPT look like?
A session at MPT is 20 minutes long. It's a full-body workout and it's anaerobic, meaning high intensity for a low duration of time. Our workouts are done completely on machines, utilizing a slow repetition for every movement.
How do you tailor each session/workout plan to an individual's needs and goals?
We start each new client with a free consultation. During this, we address their health concerns and goals, explain how we can work around most issues that an individual may have and go over some nutritional advice. We start everyone at a baseline level of low intensity so we determine out if any movements bother them and adjust as necessary. Based on what we learn from the client during the consultation, the nutritional advice we give will cater to their individual goal, cutting out any guesswork or questions that a client may have.
What makes a session at MPT different from working out in the gym by yourself? Or in a group fitness class?
Having a personal trainer is so much different than working out on your own or in a group environment for so many reasons. The first one is the private atmosphere that makes all of our clients feel at home and very comfortable. The second thing that makes the one-on-one environment significantly better is that we are directly holding every client accountable. In group settings, the instructor cannot keep an eye on every person in the group no matter how hard they try. Form is crucial to strength training, and we are watching every movement a client makes to keep them from getting hurt and to ensure they receive the most efficient workout.
Debunk a common fitness myth for us.
I love this question because this is why our company exists. and myths like these are why starting a fitness journey can seem impossible. The first myth that I get asked about the most is that some form of macronutrient is “worse” than another. For example, most people think that carbohydrates are “bad." This is entirely and completely false and can make a health journey extremely difficult and confusing. Every calorie is equal as far as your body weight is concerned. The best solution is portion control!
What's one thing you wish more people knew about leading a healthy lifestyle?
The importance of staying consistent and committed. If we don’t make positive changes permanent, then we will never build a new healthy lifestyle. I cannot emphasize this enough.
Going into the new year, what advice do you have for those interested in beginning or reigniting their fitness journey? What about those continuing their fitness journey?
For those starting a new journey, my advice is to start somewhere. No matter how bad you think something is or how hard it may be, you have to start somewhere. Every little change matters and by setting small goals with the actual intent and action of following them you will be successful. For those continuing their fitness journey, continue to educate yourself and find new ways to keep it going strong. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Learning how to keep improving ourselves is the most powerful thing we can do to propel us forward to our own ideas of success.