The Health Industry That’s Making Trainers Sick
60 days back into the grind of commercial gym-culture and here's what I've learned... (and it's not pretty)
Alright.
You’re probably going to think this is another one of those moments where I got bored.
Couldn’t stick it out.
Didn’t know what I wanted.
Flaky.
And, honestly?
There’s some truth in that.
But this time, I’ve got data to back the story.
I wear a WHOOP strap. It’s supposed to track my recovery.
Lately, it’s been tracking my imminent decline into stress and burnout.
60 Days In
I came back to the commercial-gym world on September 9.
I was sick of staying at home, doom scrolling for hours, pretending to be an online business on instagram. Truth is, after my best-buddy died in May, I was super lonely. I wanted to get back into the world and see more people.
I was hopeful. I was hungry to connect.
Ready to serve people who wanted to win.
Ready to believe things had changed.
That maybe this time it was about people, not quotas.
That maybe I could finally coach the way I actually know how.
But sixty days later, the truth is louder than ever.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Recovery ↓
Resting heart rate ↑
Sleep shorter.
Stress higher.
Creativity flat-lined.
The irony?
I work in the health industry.
At first, when I saw the stats in late October, I blamed myself.
Maybe I needed better sleep hygiene.
Maybe I wasn’t managing my time.
Maybe I just needed to hustle harder.
Turns out, the system itself is sick.
It burns out the trainers who care the most.
The ones who stay late programming, checking in, over-delivering.
The ones who measure success in human progress, not PT sales.
I don’t have enough time in the day to recover from the sessions I run.
So the only place I’m running is face-first into the ground.
The Pattern
A friend told me recently,
“Man, you get excited about something for a while and then leave it.”
Fair.
If you know Human Design, you’ll get this part:
as a 1/3 Splenic Projector, that’s literally how I’m wired.
Trial. Error. Insight. Teach.
So yeah, he’s right… and I’m grateful.
Because each test shows me how to help more people.
The Realization
Movement used to be my medicine.
Now, it’s my message.
I’m realizing my work isn’t about more workouts.
It’s about the space between them.
Music, story, stillness…
helping other coaches and their clients reduce load and increase capacity.
Forget adding more reps. It’s actually by creating more space.
The Reminder
Maybe that’s why I’m writing this today
on my so-called “day off,”
when I should be resting, not catching up on programs, long-overdue projects and check-ins…
To remind trainers, coaches, and clients alike:
the numbers matter.
Your health matters.
And the system you’re in might be quietly draining both.
If this hits, remember you always have a choice.
There is another way.
Keep paying attention to your body.
It’s carrying the cheat code to beat the big boss.
If you’ve got some thoughts, please drop me a message
with what you’d suggest I do. 👇