About Fitness at The Farm
Hi, I'm Larry.
I was born in the late 60's, so I remember the before times when home computers didn't exist and cell phones were science fiction. Before home computers were a thing, I wanted to be a comic book artist. Then, in 8th grade, my art teacher brought in one of the first Macs and I was hooked on computers.
I got a degree in computer science and then spent around 31 years in the tech industry. During this time, I accumulated a lot of aches and pains that I later discovered were pretty common in folks who sit at a desk all day. I also put on a lot of weight.
My attempts at the gym
In the early 2000's, I joined a gym recommended to me by a friend. It was OK at first but...
a) I had no clue what I was doing.
b) The gym didn't really have any personal trainers on staff to help me.
c) It added a bit over an hour to my commute to work in the morning.
The commute is what finally ended my gym membership. Getting up early on a cold winter morning for a long drive in the dark got old fast. I had lost a bit of fat and gained a bit of muscle, but I hadn't fixed a lot of the aches and pains. If anything, I probably added more to them. But I called it good enough and dropped my membership.
Fast forward to the 2010's and I was working from home, had gained a lot of the fat back, and the aches and pains were still there. I briefly tried a big name gym in my home town, but even with a short 10 minute drive, the friction of cold winter mornings made it difficult to stay motivated.
Animal movements & calisthenics
Looking around for an alternative to the gym, I landed on the GMB site and picked up one of their programs. I could do it at home, with no equipment other than some free floor space. So I had no excuses like "it's a long, cold drive to the gym."
It's pretty amazing how hard basic movements like crawling on the floor are when you've spent the majority of your life sitting. I was sweating like crazy after those first sessions. I lost weight and moved from size 42 pants down to size 34. I also built strength, and improved my range of motion.
I eventually added more traditional calisthenics movements like pull ups, shrimp squats, and even some "circus adjacent" stuff like tumbling and back bending. I'm stronger and can move better now (currently 57) than I was in my 20's.
Becoming a trainer
At some point, one of the GMB trainers posted about their apprenticeship program. I joked about trying it, but didn't really think I was capable of it. After one of the coaches told me that I could probably handle it, I signed up.
The apprenticeship was pretty intense. I was able to complete it, and learned a lot from it. Unlike a lot of certifications, it's not just memorizing things. You have to be able to show understanding as well, and deliver things like a course plan.
I stayed on at my day job for a few more years, but eventually I decided it was time for a change and launched my own business as a personal trainer. I specialize in working with busy adults who may not have access to a gym. My programs focus on exercises you can do at home or on in a hotel room, with no or minimal equipment.
Fitness at The Farm
I started Fitness at The Farm as a way to share my experiences with living on a small farm in rural North Carolina, and to provide my services as a personal trainer.
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Coaching
I'm a personal trainer, focused on helping busy adults who may not have a lot of time to spend training. Most of my routines focus on exercises you can do at home or while traveling, with minimal or no equipment.
If you'd like to contact me about my coaching services, fill out the form and I'll set up a call so we can discuss your goals and how I can help you achieve them.