Marlon Francis 1999
overPUMPED.com Featured Trainer
In this post, overPUMPED.com's Featured Trainer is Marlon Francis. A well known fitness instructor from Arima with years of experience in the field of Bodybuilding and general fitness.
We caught up with Marlon at his gym in Richard Trace Arima. Sadly, he had recently suffered a fracture to the fibular of his right leg but we found him in good spirits carrying on with business as usual.
INTERVIEW:
[Q] How long have you been involved in fitness and why?
Since the early 90's. I really enjoyed playing football as a kid but I was always skinny so I decided like most guys do that I wanted to gain some size and build muscle.
[Q] Once you started resistance training did you immediately decide that was your preferred sport?
Not really, I began training for football however I suffered a broken leg during a match and had to undergo surgery and therapy after which I was advised against playing competitive football.
[Q] Have you ever competed in the local bodybuilding arena?
Yes, after completing therapy for my broken leg I resumed resistance training. After achieving my initial goal of gaining weight I then decided to take it to the next level and began training for competition. I entered and placed second in the 1999 Trinidad & Tobago Bodybuilding Junior Nationals.
[Q] What got you interested in personal training?
My personal achievements inspired me to assist others with similar goals by providing personal training and passing on the knowledge that I gained over the years.
[Q] Why do you think people need personal training?
To get the extra motivation and discipline required to succeed and to avoid some of the common mistakes made especially by beginners.
[Q] How do you motivate clients?
I usually share my story and the stories of some of my past clients to encourage them so that they can believe in themselves and achieve their goals.
[Q] Do you provide clients with diet guidelines etc.?
Yes I do as diet requirements are totally different and vary based on the intended goals of the client. Eating clean is not easy nor is it cheap but it's not impossible.
[Q] Do you tailor the training program based on the needs of the particular client or is there a one size fits all program?
There could never be a one size fits all program as each program like the diet will vary based on the needs of the client.
[Q] Does all training take place in the gym?
No, I have most of my clients perform shuttles outdoors sometimes between sets.
[Q] What would you say is most sought after by clients (building muscle, weight loss, etc.)?
Most of my clients are women and they are mostly interested in loosing weight and toning.
[Q] Getting results is solely dependent on the client, so do you ever guarantee results?
No I don't, because it's all up to the client to do the work required. I guarantee experienced guidance.
[Q] Have you ever worked with any extremely challenging clients?
Yes I have had many challenging clients but I welcome the challenge and feel accomplished when their goals are achieved.
[Q] Do you have a most memorable client past or present?
Well there was this guy that walked into my gym a couple years ago at 6'1" weighing 130lbs and he reminded me of myself in my younger days. His goal like most others was to gain weight so I tailored a program for him. At the end of each session he would get sick and throw up, sometimes he would lay on the floor for almost an entire hour after completing his workout but amazingly he continued to show up for each training session ready to go. He was successful in achieving his goal and currently weighs around 200lbs.
[Q] You mentioned working with athletes. How different is their program from the regular joe?
The programs vary quite a bit as it's tailored for functional strength and speed and even among athletes the programs vary. My son is a cyclist and his program differs a lot from the sprinters I've worked with.
[Q] What are your thoughts on Cross Fit?
I like it but not the way it has been adopted locally. I think it's misunderstood as a training program vs competition.
[Q] When do you make time for your own training?
I workout at 5am daily, at least 5 times per week.
[Q] What are the rewards of being a personal trainer?
Seeing my clients reach their full potential which is sometimes even greater than their own expectations.
