Hometown: Mt. Vernon, Illinois
When and why did you come to Austin?
I moved to Austin in 2016 seeking career opportunities and an enriching environment to raise kids.
What is your background? How did you get into personal training?
Growing up I was active in many sports and was drawn to anything that allowed me to move my body. Not wanting to stop moving and playing, I joined the military after high school and spent six years as a Security Forces member in the Air Force. During my enlistment, I had the incredible honor to serve as Physical Training leader for my team, leading training sessions and ensuring all my teammates met their annual PT testing requirements.
I went on to spend several years in real estate while also growing a family. Helping my clients buy and sell their homes fulfilled my desire to serve and taught me how to empathize with people during a stressful time in their lives.
Becoming a mother was a huge inflection point in my life and in my relationship with health and fitness. I was experiencing time constraints and physical setbacks like never before and had to be more intentional about prioritizing myself and my values. I set aside time to train whether it was in my garage or taking my kids to the gym with me. This is when I fell in love with strength training and my workouts became a non-negotiable practice for me. I believe I’m a better mom for it!
Eventually it became clear that I very deeply wanted to put my own fitness journey and customer service real estate experience to good use and pursue a career in personal training. I wanted to educate about the benefits of strength training and help others prioritize their health and fitness so they can show up to the rest of their lives the way they want. I obtained a 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga certification as well as a Personal Training certification through the WITS program at UT.
Now I get to spend my days helping clients reach their goals and realize their strength potential in a way that improves their overall quality of life. I couldn’t ask for a better job!
Tell us about your current fitness goals and training.
Currently I’m focusing on strength training to correct muscle imbalances I’ve been experiencing and to improve my bench, squat, and deadlift. Soon I plan to reintroduce boxing and running, which are my favorite forms of cardio.
My goals are to substantially increase the load on all three lifts and to run a sub seven minute mile.
What is the most common fitness myth you work through with your clients?
Women often express a desire to get stronger, but they’re worried about getting “bulky.” I like to remind them that building a significant amount of muscle mass is a very intentional process that requires a high volume of hypertrophy training and a complementary nutrition plan. It doesn’t happen overnight or by accident.
On the flipside, I have men ask how quickly they can expect to get “jacked” or bench 300 lbs, and I tell them the same thing!
I also emphasize to everyone that strength training is the key to meeting your goals, whether that’s general health, fat loss, mass building, or marathon running. I will program workouts tailored to you and your needs.
What do you want your clients to take away from each training session with you?
I want them to leave feeling better than when they came in. Not every training session is equal. We all have external factors that impact how we perform, and that’s ok. My goal, whether a client is hitting a personal record or experiencing a setback, is for them to leave feeling confident and believing in themselves. Progress is not always a straight line, but we’ll get there.
What sets you apart from other fitness professionals?
My life experience has humbled me and helped me empathize with the struggles and stressors of being a busy adult and especially a parent. I’m able to bring that understanding and my knowledge as a coach to my clients to meet them where they’re at.
How do you, personally, define success?
Success, to me, is the endless pursuit of a worthy goal. The target may move, failures might accumulate, but at the end of the day I want to know I never stopped trying.
Favorite quote and who said it?
“Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.” – Hellen Keller
Follow Andrea on IG: @coach_andrea_atx