The dream of starting up my own gym
So, after only posting in Swedish so far I've been encouraged by my friend Allen Tucker to share my startup process of the gym in English to let more people follow along on my journey!
It was after I had met him and the people at Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training in Indiana in 2011 that the dream of having my own gym really started to form. I was still pretty new at strength training, but very serious about it (that's why I was at IFAST in the first place). I was coached in this awesome environment by my coach Lance Goyke and I was fascinated about how much he and everyone else there knew so much and had so much experience. Most importantly, they were so nice to me, a female beginner in strength, not very strong by the usual standards (having been called weak all my life!). It was an environment to grow in, and since then I've been wanting to create that same type of environment for other to grow in. To be able to get strong, mentally and physically without anyone judging you for it. No matter if your max DL is 50kg or 150kg.
I don't have an official certification for training people, but I've done it in some form since I was about 15 (mostly horse riding, dressage and show jumping). I started to work at a bodybuilding gym in Malmö the summer of 2012 and then a gym in my own little town called Kraftverket (translation for power plant). I am fascinated about the body, how it moves, what makes it feel good and also how the brain affect your strength. Most of all I love it when I can get someone to become more confident because of their strength and ability. BUT, training people and learning isn't what this blog will be about (perhaps later), it's all about building that gym I've been craving for!
Here in the south of Sweden I can't say we have many hardcore gyms, and the ones we do have aren't very welcoming to the "general" trainee. So how does one go about creating an environment that is suitable for the bodybuilder, powerlifter, the young athlete, the stay at home mom, seniors and everything in between? That is the question I'm trying to answer, and while I don't yet have a reply, by opening day I'm expecting I'll be a lot closer to the answer.
So if you too are interested in finding out, follow along on my journey!