Conversations with Personal Trainer Emily Brown

“Often it takes getting really uncomfortable with a situation to prompt you to decide to make a change.”

Emily Brown is a Certified Personal Trainer at Be Stronger Personal Training doing one-on-one and small group training. She also coaches women’s fitness groups at Kaia Fit Folsom. She has a reputation for reliability, punctuality, and (perhaps gently) holding her own clients responsible for their time with her.

Emily’s client and Middle Way Health Director Stephen tells me how he casually tried to get out of the last five minutes of a recent training session with her… to which she responded, “Well, that’s five minutes you could be doing something.”

But what really happens during a session with a personal trainer? Stephen’s gives us a glimpse. “For starters, the gym isn’t anything like a 24-Hour Fitness. It’s got a more industrial feel with wide open space and large warehouse-like sliding doors. It’s tucked away in the back of a shopping mall next to Kaveri Restaurant and The Travel Store on Fulton. For the workout there are 3 sections – mobility, warm up and workout. These include a combination of walking, stretching and balance; band work (while upright); mat exercises (horizontal core strengthening and stretches); a warm-up (light repetitive lifting and calisthenics); and in between, aerobic exercises like jump roping. All while being guided by Emily.”

“An hour gives a really good workout so you don’t feel rushed,” he says. The pacing is important, as well as being taught how to do the movements and lifts correctly. “Generally, after the workout I feel a good general exhaustion in a way, instead of feeling like I just over-extended muscles. And I notice that around 9 or 10am, there’s a real energy surge. A workout like this will fuel me during the next couple of days. It’s an investment in my health.”

So what about Emily then; who’s the woman behind the story?

I notice that she thinks before she speaks, unafraid of pensive silence, and that she often speaks matter-of-factly. So, curious to know how she does on the personal front, I seek out some of her personal story, asking what got her into fitness and training.

“I was always involved in sports as a child, but then I think it morphed into body image – realizing I couldn’t just eat whatever I wanted. Over the years it morphed into long term – wanting to be active with my kids, showing them that activity is important (because I wasn’t taught that as a kid). We all have that desire to go play, but if we don’t do it regularly, we’ll probably get hurt. Physical activity is a part of life that so many of us give up.”

My eyeballs roll up and sideways in my head as I scan my history for my own physical fitness life trend.

“People get caught up on New Year’s resolutions and failures, but no time is a bad time to start taking care of yourself and your health. The thing is that often it takes getting really uncomfortable with a situation to prompt you to decide to make a change. So many temptations and excuses… it can all go downhill fast, and we get discouraged.”
No stranger to unhealthy habits herself, Emily has been in recovery for 5 years. And she knows how important it is to really be aware of our addictions with things; why we have them, and what the consequences of them are. “There is a whole process behind why we do what we do. Understanding our own process and reasons for it is key to a life of wellbeing.”

“Would you be willing to share more with us about your recovery?” I ask.

“Yes, I would be OK with it to a considerable extent,” she replies.

“In working a program of recovery and living a life of recovery I have learned a lot about myself. Recognizing my feelings and where they originate from and how to walk through them are some of the tools I’ve learned. Not to mention the whole mind, body and spirit connection I have been becoming to understand, it’s like a 3 legged stool- if one thing is missing my whole moment can be thrown off. So an important thing is to listen to my body and how it feels after a workout or after I eat. Typically if my workout doesn’t happen then I also eat horribly and my body and mind are affected. Or if my spiritual connection is off, it can throw my whole day off. It has all been a process and journey of learning. One that I continue to grow from day to day.”

“It is important to me to continue to uncover, discover and discard things in order for me to grow in this journey of life and reach the goal I have of being the best person I can be today. At the end of the day I practice letting it all go. I try not to dwell on what I should’ve or could’ve done. Tomorrow is another day and another chance to do better than the day before. It’s a big trial and error process and learning from my mistakes and accomplishments. I’m loving every minute of it.”

Starting her life over in a sense, Emily went back to school at age 33 while in Recovery and got her G.E.D. She then began pursuing Physical Therapy. But combining her interest in the medical profession and physical wellness – she ultimately chose Sports Medicine. “I realize it’s an important job because you’re dealing with people’s bodies and their wellbeing.” Therefore, “certification, education and ongoing training matter” in this profession.

In addition, there has to be some level of commitment on the client’s part for health and healing. “It’s a lot of work to eat well, take care of yourself, get – and stay – fit. Find something that works for you, someone you can relate to, something that motivates you to want to feel better. Then be willing to be open to variety, because the same old thing won’t always work for you. Seeing and feeling results is what will reward and motivate you to keep going.”

Just remember it’s a process, one that requires some self compassion in order to be truly effective.

{Emily’s rates vary – depending on individual or group session, and ½ hour or hour-long session – from $25-$75. For more information contact Emily at 916-203-1213 or Brownemily377@yahoo.com.