Community Strength Austin. Odd name for a personal training business you might say. At first glance, I would agree, but while most people come in with the goal of losing weight, putting on muscle, or simply staying active, what they all have in common is that nearly everyone who walks through the door is looking to improve their health and longevity to some degree.
From this standpoint, Community has everything to do with our well-being. There are multiple studies attesting to the benefits of social interaction, and warning of the effects of social isolation. Chronic loneliness has the same impact on our overall health as smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day, the former US General Surgeon has declared loneliness an epidemic, and the UK recently created the Minister of Loneliness to address this global issue.
Coming out of the pandemic, it’s clear that even the most introverted among us need on a fundamental level human connection, and that many of us could use more but are unsure of where to look.
That’s why I wanted to open Community Strength Austin, because in a world that can feel exceedingly lonely at times, I wanted to create a space where people could meet others with similar goals and aspirations.
While the service is often one-on-one training, or two-on-one training, we offer opportunities to get to know other clients who train with us through bi-weekly Happy Hour Workouts, where we all meet for a workout and then walk to a local watering hole to enjoy a drink and some conversation, CSA picnics, watch parties for sporting events.
I love personal training for many reasons. Helping people achieve goals they once thought were impossible is definitely one of them, but another is the chance to meet a variety of interesting people with incredible stories. I realized early on that I was spoiled, I had amazing clients, and knew that many of them would likely be friends if they knew one another, so I decided to be intentional about creating opportunities for people to come together if they so wish, to share an experience and meet some of the many interesting people that make Austin a wonderful place to live.
I’m proud to say that we’ve been able to do that at Community Strength Austin. From the start, our Happy Hour Workouts have been the highlight of my week, and it’s awesome to hear when I ask my clients what they were up to the past weekend that many of them got together to watch a sporting event, or have a barbecue, or just hang out. This is exactly the kind of energy I wanted to inspire in the business I created, and I’m so thankful that there are so many awesome people out there that have helped make my dream a reality.
Community Strength Austin. The only personal training studio in Texas where you can lose some weight, and gain some friends.
Looking forward to the future & grateful for the present, John.