My AWESOME Personal Trainer

I have to get this out there.  If you've ever met someone who's had such a monumental impact on your life, how you feel about yourself, your confidence level, and your happiness, then you have to spread the word.  I'm talking about my personal trainer.  His name is Damien.  And to put it overly nerdy, he is a Master Jedi of Fitness, and he uses the Force.

How he became my trainer:

I joined the YMCA in January, and asked the membership director for a recommendation.  I explained I wanted someone very thoughtful, dedicated who could focus, and push me while motivating me outside my comfort zone.  He named Damien Rochon-Washington. I put it in the back of my head.

One day I was trying to figure out a dumbbell snatch with my friend.  Damien was the trainer on the floor for the day, and we asked him for instruction.  We were goofing off a bit, and he pushed right through that. He focused me, described the movement, showed me the movement, and got me to repeat the movement.  I was impressed.

 I went home and googled him.  The first thing that comes up is that he got the BEST PERSONAL TRAINER award for City Pages last year.  The second was a video featuring him doing something called Caveman training.  What's caveman training?  Watch the video:


I realized that this awesome way of working out, pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone in strength  cardio, agility, flexibility, balance, and overall athleticism just spoke to the inner core of my being.  I figured out that he works at this other new start-up gym too that is just crazy awesome, called Evolution Group Fitness.   Caveman is scary, yes, it's new, yes, it's going to be a challenge, yes, but that's when I was 100 percent determined that this is what I needed.

I walked into the Y, not having actually met this man except a little dumbbell snatch and talked to the Fitness Manager, and said "I want to buy sessions, I want them with this guy, and that's that." My determination threw this sales guy off so much that he made me have my first 'trial' workout with Damien first.  People, I tell you, I knew what I wanted.

So I had my intro session, we talked a lot about my fitness goals. I instantly felt that he understood what I was looking for, wanted to do, and that he was excited to be roped into my journey with me. He taught me some new things that I was interested in learning like foam rolling, and then in the last 10 minutes, he literally kicked my ass by having me do some cardio boxing. It was so fun, and I left there so happy.  On my way out, I ploped down the change for a significant amount of sessions.  I couldn't wait for my first real session the following Tuesday, and it was awesome.  From there I've been seeing him 1-2 times a week, and plan to continue this pattern up and through my goal.

Here is what always happens when I train with Damien:

• He is always on time. 
• He is always focused on me.
• He is always positive.
• He puts my needs as the client first.
• He takes his time to thoughtfully put together a workout that will challenge me on my level.
• If I were to guess what goes through his mind when he puts together a workout for me, I would say he uses a thoughtful balance between exercises that he knows I can do, and understand, and other exercises that may be new, uncomfortable or hard for me.  
• I know he understands my focus of overall increased fitness, with the most efficient fat loss possible and he targets that goal.
• He always motivates me.
• He always makes me feel like a rockstar when I'm done with a training session, which really fuels rest of my week.
• He is always prepared.
• He is incredibly effective.
• Long after I leave him when I'm doing Zumba, I'm at Bodyflow, when I'm doing his exercises at home, his voice is in my head, motivating the hell out of me. 

Example of my One Hour Training with Damien 

I walk into the room, and it's already set up ready to go. I see the Battle Rope laid out, ready to go, the mat, foam roller, and about 6 different setups of exercises, 4 of which I'd never done before.  This should be fun!

We usually start a session with some form of warm up cardio like boxing or intervals with the ropes.  This gets my heart up, and keeps my body working throughout or session.

From there we do my foundational exercises which include foam rolling, stretching, balance exercises, floor exercises, pilates, resistance bands.  We target all the areas specific to my needs like balance, flexibility, agility, and muscle recovery.

Then the fun begins.  He almost always has an interval circuit setup in my session.

     Today's circuit went like this:

     The rule for each exercise is as many as you can do safely in the time allotted.

• 30 seconds Battle Ropes (Different battle rope exercise each time, as hard and fast as you can go)
• 60 seconds step ups w/dumbbell press
• 30 seconds Battle Ropes
• 60 seconds bench presses with my back on a Bosu while holding a "hip up" position.
• 30 seconds Battle Ropes 
• 60 seconds Medicine Ball Slams
• 30 seconds Battle Ropes
• 60 seconds of throwing a Punching bag across the room.  I may have possibly been aiming for his head at one point here (this stuff gets hard!)
• 30 Seconds Battle Ropes
• 60 seconds Kettle bell raises
• 30 second Battle Ropes
• 60 seconds Kettle Bell Sumo Squats
• 30 second Battle Ropes
• 60 seconds Dumbbell Snatches
• 30 seconds falling on the floor and dying

We ended with another 10 minutes of cardio boxing, building upon what he's already taught me with new moves.  Nothing really pushes my cardio like boxing, and it's the perfect activity for every fitness level.

Which brings me to my main point.  This man is extremely thoughtful about what he puts you through.  He set up a circuit today which he knew would be challenging for me.  He would not set up that same circuit, with the same intervals and expectations for any of his other clients.  When he works with athletes, the workouts he give them are completely different from what he gives me.  I am 100% sure that I could not have met him at a more important time in my life, nor could I have possibly picked a better person to be my trainer.

What he does with me is so awesome, that I can't leave the YMCA afterwards without 3 different people stopping me to ask questions about my training.

I don't get any kickback from this, but finally I wanted to share his information because he's affected my life so positively in such a short time, I just want to spread the love.  If you are in the Twin Cities, you can find him at either of these two places:

• New Hope YMCA where he provides Personal Training services.
• Evolution Group Fitness in Champlin where he teaches Caveman Classes for ALL fitness levels and provides Personal Training services.  If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to attend a class with you (and they have free trials!)

Peace, Love and Battle Ropes!