Ethan Wood | Head Personal Trainer

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It's 2015, and I'm a 6'1, 130lb freshman entering high school for the first time. I'm weak, borderline anorexic, not involved in sports or activities, and I don't have a care in the world about my body or how I'm treating it. For the most part, high school didn't change any of that either. Time felt infinitely slow and I was spiraling into a depression - I desperately needed to change something. The only problem was, I had no idea where to start.

"I have no idea where to start"

This is a phrase I hear uttered around the fitness industry time and time again, and understandably so. There seems to be an overabundance of misinformation nowadays, especially with the internet, and not only can it be incredibly overwhelming, but how is a beginner supposed to be able to determine what's fact and what's fiction?

Let's jump to the beginning of my second semester of high school. One new class was going to change my outlook forever: Fitness for Life. This class was an introductory lifting class that my school offered to freshman and sophomores, and it seemed like exactly what I needed. A trained professional taught us the basics of lifting and leading a healthy lifestyle, and every other day I got 85 minutes of exercise in because of it. This class taught me some of the most valuable information I've ever received in an educational environment: how to actually better myself. Unfortunately, after the class ended, I could only find the motivation to continue lifting for another few months before I fell back into that depression and lost all of my progress. I wouldn't pick up another weight until the beginning of my senior year.

On the day of my 18th birthday, July 29th, I decided to go back to the gym for the first time in three years. I had randomly come across some fitness YouTubers and started obsessively consuming their content. This is what initially fueled my return to the gym but it came with many hardships; progress was very slow and the amount of information was overwhelming. I would quit for a week or two here and there but something kept calling me back. I remember being so desperate to figure out the most efficient way to grow that I would spend countless hours a day researching everything I could possibly think of about fitness. This is where I come in today.

I remember those brutal first few months in the gym; fighting to stay motivated, not seeing results. However, my passion for fitness was ignited. I'm now in a position to help others get past those first few hurdles and achieve a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle. I've put in years of research, both in and out of the gym, so you don't have to. I'm the Head Personal Trainer at Wood Conditioning, a Personal Trainer with Genesis Health Clubs, and I'm certified through the ISSA as an Elite Trainer & Bodybuilding Specialist ― I look forward to igniting your passion.