Interview With John W. Shumate

Personal Trainer of the Month - August 2010





Interviewed by: Angela Courduff


Meet our Personal Trainer of the Month, John Shumate! It is not just his dedication to health and fitness that got him nominated, but also his astute attention to his clients. "I look at the client's history of physicality, at where they're at right now, their present body composition, do they have lingering injuries, and, most importantly, where they aspire to go."

After working at a corporate job for 20 years, he left to pursue personal training and his desire to help people achieve their fitness goals. His extremely positive attitude towards health is both refreshing and uplifting, and his commitment to his clients is commendable. Read on and find out more about our Personal Trainer of the Month! "Life is lived better when healthy and fit."

"I believe that you make your own breaks and that the harder you work, the luckier you get.

WP: Hi John! Congratulations on being chosen as World Physique’s Personal Trainer of the month! Let’s get started! Tell us about yourself!

JS: Sure thing! I’m a lifetime fitness geek and now I’m following my passion. I’m an MBA who spent over 20 years in business management, primarily with large Fortune 500 companies. I decided to commit my life to helping others lead a healthier life. So, I left the corporate world, picked up my NASM CPT, and launched Omni-Fit.

WP: That’s fantastic! We, at World Physique, are very happy you decided to make the switch, as I’m sure your many clients are, too! You became interested in fitness at the young age of 13; what sparked your interest in working out?

JS: I have two older stepbrothers that were into lifting, and I could see the results they got from lifting weights. They knew how to lift hard and were putting on mass. I watched them for a couple of years and when I hit puberty I just had a natural urge to lift. I was a typical scrawny 13 years old, but I began to see results immediately and so did my friends; that was a real motivator. I just copied what I’d seen my step brothers doing.

WP: What was it like to switch from working a corporate job for 20 years to becoming a personal trainer? Was it difficult?

JS: No, it wasn’t. First, fitness has always been my passion, be it lifting, running, cycling, swimming, or eating clean. I’ve been a fitness participant and student all my life. Second, I love to mentor people, to watch them grow and to succeed in ways they may not have felt possible. And third, I always wanted to work for myself. I reached a point where my corporate career no longer satisfied me and it was time do something that truly expressed who I am.

WP: It sounds like you were ready for the career change. Where do you typically train your clients?

JS: At the Omni-Fit facility in Meridian, Idaho. I have about 2,000 sq. feet with all the space and equipment a personal trainer needs. And, it’s also got a great sound system so we can crank the music if the mood’s right. It’s a dream come true to have my own gym.

WP: That is a dream which came true! What is your training methodology? How do you decide to train each client?

JS: So, first I look at the client’s history of physicality; have they lifted or done sports or danced in the past? Second, I look at where they’re at right now; have they been active or sedentary? What’s their present body composition? Do they have lingering injuries? Last, and most importantly, I look at where they aspire to go; what do they want their bodies to be, including composition, ability, and appearance. From this, I can customize an approach that fits them, including both training and diet.

WP: What certifications do you have?

JS: I’m a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), but I also have decades of studying and participating in physical activity and nutrition, as well as many years of working with people of all types. I’ve coached football and have also taught business at the university level. So, I’ve had experience teaching and motivating. In fact, mentoring is my strongest point and one of the things I like best about being a personal trainer.

WP: Tell me more about Omni-Fit!

JS: Omni-Fit is a cool place! We do small group personal training in our facility. The small group approach works well because clients can get all of the benefits of a personal trainer but at a fraction of the cost because they’re effectively splitting the cost among the group. Our services include assessment and custom workout programs, workout supervision, motivation and accountability, and diet and nutrition guidance, and all for one price. We’re highly focused on customer attention; I want our customers to think of going into Omni-Fit for their workout as the best part of their day. We exist for our customers and for no other reason.

WP: You are seriously focused on attention to your clients. This is why your clientele is flourishing! What do you believe is the key to being a successful personal trainer?

JS: Well I’d point out a few things. First, you must love people and buy into who they are. Second, you must be a great communicator, both in listening and in speaking. Third, you must understand what motivates people and how to get them to act out of love for their goals. Fourth, you absolutely have to understand correct form to maximize the workout results and to avoid injury. And then lastly, I’d say a solid, realistic understanding of diet and nutrition that works for the client and for their life.

WP: What do you want a new client to know when they first start working with you?

JS: I think first of all, that I care about them, that I understand them, and that I expect them to follow through on what they’ve committed to. Second, they need to know the three pillars: form, posture, and balance. These have got to be in place before we can crank up the intensity, and I spend a lot of time on them not only in our early sessions, but ongoing.

WP: What is the best piece of advice you can give to motivate someone?

JS: Easy: love your goals more than you hate the discomfort of getting them.

WP: I love it! What are some of the main items you concentrate on with your clients?

JS: It’s really a balance because it’s all important. I’m really tough on form, so we spend a lot of time on that. For my clients that have body fat loss as part of the goal metrics, we spend a lot of time on diet. Any trainer will tell you that diet’s the toughest part because it’s ongoing and because you can’t control what your client does outside of the gym. Our primordial urges to avoid starvation can be very strong in some people and it takes a lot of focus to succeed.

WP: That is a very good point. You counsel your clients on nutrition; what are some of the key nutrition elements you like them to follow in healthy eating?

JS: Nutrition is huge. First, new clients need to clear out the crap; clean eating starts in the supermarket. I make sure my clients understand the glycemic index and glycemic load; that is a critical concept to master in your life. I emphasize lean meats, low-glycemic carbs, and healthy fats. I want them to eat three good meals daily and two healthy snacks, all within their calorie allotment. More meals than that may look good on paper but just doesn’t work for most people.

WP: You really cover it all. How about your training? When do you find time to fit in your workouts?

JS: I don’t book clients mid-day, so that’s when I workout. Workouts balance my life; I can’t live without them! I tell my clients you have to schedule workouts on your calendar and give them the same priority you would give to a doctor’s appointment. I practice what I preach.

WP: I love when trainers practice what they preach! Can you give me an example of your typical daily workout?

JS: I do a pretty classic rotation: chest and triceps, back and biceps, shoulders and forearms, and then legs. I’ll switch up the exercises, the range of motion, and the sets/weight/reps ratio to keep the muscles guessing. Usually, I’m in the neighborhood of 4 sets x 10 reps with failure in the latter reps of sets 3 and 4. I’m all for new, inventive workouts, but I tend to stick with the most proven approaches.

WP: What is your favorite muscle group to work? Favorite exercise?

JS: I really don’t have a favorite; I just love my workout in total. I am focusing more on my legs lately and I’m happy to say I’ve found peace with leg day and actually look forward to it! I’ve always been a hard gainer with my legs, and, instead of being let’s say unexcited about leg day, now I look forward to it as my best opportunity for self improvement.

WP: You are such a role model for your clients! So, how do you keep yourself motivated?

JS: Maybe I’m different but I don’t have to think twice about motivation. That’s like asking how you keep yourself motivated to breathe.

WP: You need to bottle up that motivation and sell it! What do you do when you actually have downtime?

JS: In addition to clients and running the business, I also write a blog and have just finished an abbreviated book manuscript, Refiguring 50, that I’m trying to figure out what to do with. We also have a cabin in the mountains of Idaho; most of my spare time spent there is either working on the place, hiking in the summer, or skiing in the winter.

WP: I’m glad to hear that you actually make some time for yourself. Are you still running or cycling competitively?

JS: No, I’m not. I’ve been so busy working and hitting the weights that those activities have gotten squeezed out. But, the great thing about something like running is that it’s always there waiting for you when you want to go back to it. Running in the heat of summer with headphones cranked is true nirvana.

WP: Do you have any clients interested in training for competition?

JS: I have some that have expressed an interest and that I bug to do it. But presently, all of my clients are working out for reasons other than for competition. I do expect to train competitors more in the future. The sport is growing so rapidly, especially women’s figure and bikini, I see more people wanting to compete in the future. I mean what a great focus to build fitness goals around!

WP: So true! Can you tell me about your family?

JS: I’ve been married for almost 30 years and have two grown kids. My wife, Shannon, is a real estate pro in Boise, my daughter Lindsay is 25 and is a project manager for an ad agency here in Boise, and my son Adam is 22 and just moved to Honolulu to fulfill his dream of living in the islands. The whole family stays fit and eats right, but I’m the only true fanatic in the family. However, I like to believe that I influence them in the right way.

WP: What’s next for you? What future projects do you have in the works?

JS: Lots going on! First, I’ll continue to grow Omni-Fit to better serve the community’s fitness needs. Second, I’ll keep writing the blog www.omni-fit.blogspot.com and grow it’s readership to increasingly spread the word about health and fitness and how it improves your life. Lastly, I want to publish my book either in print or electronically and grow myself as a brand. I want to serve as an ambassador for health and fitness to the masses and to provide a living, breathing example of what you can be physically at 50 or any other age.

WP: Where would you like to see your fitness career take you?

JS: Like I mentioned, I want to serve as an ambassador for health and fitness to the masses. Life is lived better when healthy and fit. Our society is crippled from obesity and from atrophy; so much of our staggering health costs could be reduced if people changed their lifestyles. I want to wake people up to this fact and motivate them to change to healthy living.

WP: Where do you see yourself and your career 10 years from now?

JS: I definitely want to grow as a writer and as an icon for healthy living. In 10 years, I’d like to be recognized internationally for contributions to the health and fitness industry.

WP: Judging from your current contributions, I think you are well on your way to accomplishing that. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to start working out?

JS: They need to get with a personal trainer, at least to start out. Just showing up to the gym won’t get you in shape; it requires a total lifestyle makeover for most people, so get professional help. I’d advise newbies that this is particularly true with diet and nutrition, even though the information is everywhere, so many people just don’t have a clue about what to do or just how important diet and nutrition is to healthfulness and to achieving body composition goals.

WP: What do you believe has been the stepping stone that has gotten you to where you are today?

JS: Well, it’s really more like a very long bridge than a stepping stone. It’s a lifetime of fitness participation and acumen of knowing what makes people tick. I believe that you make your own breaks and that the harder you work, the luckier you get. So, hard work will continue to be my biggest stepping stone.

WP: What piece of advice would you give to prospective clients looking for a trainer? What do you want them to look for?

JS: Someone who is competent in training but mostly someone they can connect with and respond to. They should also look for someone that will require them to step out of their comfort zone, in a supportive way of course. But, they need someone who creates an expectation of pushing to reach new levels that are goal-aligned.

WP: Do you have anyone you admire in the fitness industry?

JS: Jack LaLanne was a pioneer who was decades ahead of his time. I admire and respect the groundwork he laid for all of us that followed, and he’s always done it with so much enthusiasm! He’s so cool and, it’s kind of funny, I used to watch him on TV as a kid. I thought he was a freak; I’d never have guessed that I’d end up trying to be more like him. We should all be more like him in spreading the word on health and fitness. In fact, I’d love to take his place some day!

WP: It has been a pleasure interviewing you, John! You are such an inspiration! I wish you the best of luck in your training career and in all of your future fitness endeavors!

JS: Sure thing, it’s my pleasure, thanks so much and thanks to World Physique for their growing contributions to the fitness industry, you guys are awesome!