Meet the coaches!
Get to know us better by checking out the Q&A with our Atlas Fitness Team.
Kelvin - Founder & Head Coach
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Without using the words “fitness” or “gym” how would a loved one or close friend describe you?
I’ve been called an Old Soul because my way of thinking and my philosophies are of someone way older than I currently am. A friend once said that I’m a 60 year old in a 30 year old’s body!
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How did you get into fitness and what attracted you to it?
I got into fitness because I wanted the body– a bigger chest and bigger arms — as superficial as that sounds! I even got into serious bodybuilding. But one thing that really attracted me to the gym was meeting people from different backgrounds and perspectives.
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Why do you choose to be a coach?
I started the gym to coach in the style I believe is missing in today’s fitness industry. I believe that the fitness industry can be too focused on the technical stuff and quick to offer broad solutions– it leaves out taking into consideration certain aspects of clients like the mental, emotional and social side. And if these aspects are ignored, solutions can be ineffective or non sustainable.
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Can you share something about yourself that people may not know about you?
I love food and I love to eat! Actually I even “stress eat” sometimes but that’s more under control these days. People may think that coaches are perfect in diet and exercise, but as you can see, we're very much human too.
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What’s one thing you learned from a client that has shaped your view on fitness and coaching?
I learned from so many clients that everyone has a reason (whether rational or irrational) for why they want to do things. If I keep to the intention of really getting to know them, I will seek first to understand. Only then will I know what they need and how I can help.
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What’s one lesson you learned in the gym that applies to life?
The lesson I learned is to Pay Attention. Pay attention to your surroundings and to people around you and to pay attention to yourself. Our bodies are always finding ways to tell us something so we can take action. Same goes for people around us, the more we pay attention and be sensitive, the more we can take positive action.
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What’s your personal fitness goal for the year and what does achieving that mean to you?
My fitness goal for this year is to wake up everyday with energy, like a 9 out of 10 at least so I’m able to respond to the demands of being a coach, an entrepreneur and a husband.
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What do you like about the community we have at Atlas Fitness?
I love that it is a very open and supportive community. It’s a space for everyone to share ideas and support each other. I’m happy because what I envisioned is actually happening.
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What’s one wish you have for your clients?
My wish for every client is that one day, they’ll get to the point that they don’t need my coaching anymore.
Everard - Senior Coach
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Without using the words “fitness” or “gym” how would a loved one or close friend describe you?
My wife says I’m a responsible and loving father, passionate lover, I pursue my goals, I have a soft heart and I’m always willing to improve myself.
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Why do you choose to be a coach
Helping people comes naturally to me. As a coach, I love the process of helping people progress towards their goal and on the journey discover what it is they really want or why they have that particular goal.
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Can you share something about yourself that people may not know about you?
On the weekends I am a full-time, hands-on father to my two kids since my wife has to work. I tell you sometimes that’s even harder than a training day at the gym!
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What’s one thing you learned from a client that has shaped your view on fitness and coaching?
Everyone is different. But when I embrace people’s individuality I’m able to stand in their shoes and understand where they’re coming, I’m more able to help them.
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What’s one client story that inspires you?
I coached someone who had suffered a stroke and his movement was so limited, even picking up a glass of water was difficult. But he came in regularly and put in the effort despite how difficult it must have been. His commitment to bounce back is what really inspired me.
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What’s one lesson you learned in the gym that applies to life?
Trust in the process. Sometimes we don’t see instant results from our efforts and we might get impatient or even discouraged. But if we stick to the process, the results we want will come.
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What do you like about the community we have at Atlas Fitness?
Everyone here is so fun and friendly. It’s a very special community, we embrace each other’s uniqueness around here.
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What’s one wish you have for your clients?
In addition to them achieving their goals, I wish that all my clients see dieting and training as only one part of their life. There are so many aspects to life that I wish everyone could provide the right focus to as well.
Luthfi - Coach
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Without using the words “fitness” or “gym” how would a loved one or close friend describe you?
My friends say I’m charismatic and there’s not a dull moment when they’re with me. They say I’m a loyal friend and I bring positive energy and my personality makes others feel comfortable no matter the situation.
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How did you get into fitness and what attracted you to it?
I’ve always been into sports and naturally I found my way into the gym and I fell in love with weight training but I struggled a lot. It took a lot of hard work.
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Why do you choose to be a coach?
I guess because I struggled a lot in the gym, I want to help others who might also be struggling too. I went through a lot so I know the difficulty both physically and mentally, and I can use that experience to help others get to their goals.
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Can you share something about yourself that people may not know about you?
People may think the life of a coach is “Eat, Sleep, Gym” but I like to go to parties and festivals. I like hanging out with friends and I have an active social life.
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What’s one thing you learned from a client that has shaped your view on fitness and coaching?
I learned that clients are different in many ways – their personalities, body types, what they may be going through – so I take the time to know them and I understand that they have things to do outside the gym that influences how I coach them. Their life is not just about going to the gym.
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What’s one client story that inspires you?
I had a client with severe scoliosis and even an ACL injury and during the first few sessions you could tell he was afraid. But he went after it each session and within two months he was like a whole different person: squatting 100kg, deadlifting 100kg, and sometimes I felt he didn’t even need my guidance because he was so focused and determined.
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What do you like about the community we have at Atlas Fitness?
It’s like a family here! Even if they are clients, it feels like one big family gathering and to be honest, most days it doesn’t even feel like I’m working. It feels homey here in Atlas.
Albert - Health & Mindset Coach
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Without using the words “fitness” or “gym” how would a loved one or close friend describe you?
The term that’s been used to describe me is “self-contained”. That’s because I can do a lot of things on my own and have a good time: watch movies, eat out, and travel. Friends say I truly enjoy my own company!
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How did you get into fitness and what attracted you to it?
I was never into fitness, growing up I was more of a nerd and that led to a successful corporate career. But in my 30’s I was already taking cholesterol medicine and suffering from gout. I found a gym and committed to it and what happened there was something I never imagined: I went from an unhealthy, non-athletic corporate guy to a 40-something with six-pack abs! I became a health, life and executive coach partly because my physical transformation gave me confidence that big changes are possible so I made a career change into coaching.
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Why do you choose to be a health and mindset coach at Atlas Fitness?
I am with Atlas because of its one-of-a-kind offering in the fitness industry: putting the client in the center of everything we do. I believe that building healthy habits is not sustainable or particularly enjoyable without first having the right mindset and emotional space. The fitness industry tends to focus on telling us what actions to take like what diet and what exercises, without considering the reality of who the person is, what excites them and what are the things they fear or are not confident about. By partnering with clients to figure these out, it becomes much easier to figure out the best approach in helping them get unstuck and achieve their goals.
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What’s one thing you learned from a client that has shaped your view on fitness and coaching?
I was once coaching someone with a weight problem. She was a mother who would cook really delicious meals for her family (and eat them too) . We later discovered that this was her way of getting love and affirmation from her family but it was also the cause of her weight gain. When we worked on finding other ways for her to get that affirmation, she solved her weight gain problem. This experience reminded me that sometimes what appears to be the issue isn’t the main issue. We have to listen with empathy if we really want to get to a good solution.
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What’s one client story that inspires you?
We have two regular clients here at Atlas who are both in their senior years (60s and 70s) and they have literally broken the mold of what I used to believe aging should look like. I used to think that growing old meant staying home more, moving less, and getting weaker. But this couple has strength, mobility and a youthful energy about them as though they were 20 to 30 years younger! Because of them I now have a model of how I want to be when I get to my senior years.
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What’s one wish you have for your clients?
My wish for all our clients is for them to have a better understanding of WHO they are and the WHY behind their goals so that we both can find the proper WHAT (solutions) for them to live the life they’ve always imagined but may not have thought was possible.
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