Training Successes With Celebrity Trainer Jason Walsh!

Celebrity trainer Jason Walsh takes time from his schedule to talk about his background and how he has evolved into a successful trainer. Jason reveals how he started training the celebs, where he is headed, and more. Check it out!

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[ Matt ] First off I would just like to say thank you, Jason for taking time out of your busy day to do this interview for us. It is an honor talking to such a successful trainer and a great source of inspiration to a trainer like myself.
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[ Jason ]

    Thanks Matt! It's my pleasure.

Jason
Enlarge Click Image To Enlarge.
Jason Walsh.
Image Courtesy Of JasonWalshTraining.com

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[ Matt ] Let's first start off with some background information on yourself. Can you tell us a little bit about your educational background and what certifications you have?
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[ Jason ]

      I originally started my college career at Missouri State in my hometown of Springfield Missouri, and later transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I decided on Chapel Hill because of their exceptional nutrition program, although after a couple of years of what felt like medical school, I became more intrigued by physiology and biomechanics.

During my last year in school I started interning for an incredible coach, Greg Gatz, who is the head Strength and Conditioning coach for Olympic Sports at UNC. We took care of 440 athletes from various sports and I probably learned more from Greg and his assistant, Steve Gisselman, than I did from all my years of schooling. They helped tie all that information together in my head.

Greg made me an assistant strength coach and I worked there for two and a half years before moving on to Tempe, AZ to heighten my skills under world-renowned coach Mark Verstegen and Luke Richesson. I volunteered my time and skills to help with the '06 combine group helping to produce first pick Mario Williams and Vernon Davis to name a few. I am certified through the NSCA with a CSCS and NSCA-CPT certification.

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[ Matt ] You obviously have a huge client base (Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Ben Affleck, just to name a few), with that being said, how did you get into training celebrities and athletes over normal everyday people at health clubs and gyms?
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[ Jason ]

    I didn't get them over "non-celebrity" clients. I only trained athletes until I moved to L.A. and only then did I start to train "non-celebs" clients and a few actors. BTW, actors that I've had a chance to work with are very "normal" people and tend to be congenial - they just have a better publicist than most people. I treat them the same as any of my clients - maybe that's the difference.

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[ Matt ] Do you train your clients out of a gym, their house, or your house?
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[ Jason ]

    I train about half my clients out of Legacy Gym in West Los Angeles and the other half out of their homes throughout L.A.

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[ Matt ] Do you only train celebrities and athletes or do you also train anyone who walks into a gym and wants to work with a trainer?
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[ Jason ]

    I train anyone with the right attitude and that I can fit into my schedule. My problem is time; I just don't have enough hours in the day to train everyone that I'd like to.

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[ Matt ] What made you want to be a personal trainer?
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[ Jason ]

      To be completely honest, I never thought of being a

personal trainer

      . Keep in mind that I've been working out in a gym since the late 80's and always frowned upon the trainers that I observed.

Trainers were, shall we say, cheesy, with too much talking, too little work and knowledge. That was the stigma that I had. It's not to say those types of trainers don't exist but I guess I thought I could bring something better to the table for an industry plagued with stereotypes - raise the bar.

I'm a people person which I got that from years of bar tending. I've been comfortable in a gym since I was a kid, and I love coaching; so I guess it was the answer that was starring me in the face for some time.

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[ Matt ] What is it like to have your name out in magazines showing your success with your clients - specifically celebrities and athletes? Is it weird to see your name in magazines such as In Touch, Us, People, and Instyle?
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[ Jason ]

      It's a nice compliment, but the
magazines

      don't truly get it. It's mostly regurgitated information with new pictures and faces.

I can't tell you how many times that I've written up interviews only to have it butchered and "dumbed-down" for the unknowledgeable public. Yes, they actually say, "dumb it down!" I say lets educate the public! It's an uphill battle and I get frustrated easily. I would love to come out with some mode of media to cut through the crap.

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[ Matt ] If you had to choose between celebrities and athletes, which do you enjoy training more?
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[ Jason ]

    Interesting, but I've found that if you give people efficient, more effective ways of training that they get the "hunger" that I see in athletes. Yes, they're actually hungry to train and see the fruits of their labor. It's an educational process that we the trainers need to relay to our clients about the healthy side of training and let the aesthetics come as a side affec - change their way of thinking!

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[ Matt ] The celebrities that you train, are they everyday clients or do they call on your services to get them in shape for an upcoming movie?
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[ Jason ]

    Most of them are everyday clients, but they do travel and work out of town a lot, so it becomes difficult. That's why its important to have a good network of trusted trainers throughout the country to refer to.

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[ Matt ] The athletes that you train, do you work with them throughout the year or only during the off-season?
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[ Jason ]

    For now, only in the off-season.

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[ Matt ] If you weren't personal training, what would you be doing?
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[ Jason ]

      Probably coaching up through the ranks again. It's a tough industry to work your way up into because most of the coaches stay in place for many years.

Had I not decided to start my own business, I might have moved back to North Carolina to coach the Special Forces at Fort Bragg representing Athletes' Performance.

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[ Matt ] Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you get to where you are today?
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[ Jason ]

      Absolutely! Greg Gatz and Steve Gisselman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for showing me a whole new way of thinking about training.

Mark Verstegen of Athletes' Performance for taking a chance. Luke Richesson for pushing me to my potential and Mike Boyle for inspiring me with his knowledge. My grandmother, who recently passed away, for always believing in me.

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[ Matt ] Is there anything you would like to add to this interview that you would like our readers to know?
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[ Jason ]

      I don't consider myself a "celebrity trainer." That's just a term that the magazines use to get people excited about what I have to say.

I love what I do and I get great satisfaction from helping people achieve their goals no matter what their status is. I hope to someday help the industry rise to a better standard.

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[ Matt ] If a reader was interested in contacting you, how can they do so?
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[ Jason ]

      Everything they need to know is on my

website

    .

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[ Matt ] Thank you again, Jason for doing this interview. We really appreciate it. Best of luck to you in everything you do!
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