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IntelliTec College in Colorado Springs Personal Training program graduate – Marcus Richard. Pictured with wife Jenae and son Poppi.
Personal Training Graduate Urges Others to Follow Their Dreams
Sometimes childhood dreams get sidetracked with real life demands, but that does not mean they can never be realized. When Marcus Richard decided to revisit this dream, it happened in quite a roundabout way.
After eight years in the U.S. Army, Richard knew he needed a degree to advance his career. So he met with an admissions representative at IntelliTec College in Colorado Springs in order to discuss enrollment and begin classes. During that meeting everything changed when he learned he could not only earn a degree but a Personal Training degree.
“My initial goal was to just earn a degree so I could advance my military career. But when I realized I could complete a degree in Personal Training, I knew this was an opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream,” says Richard.
LEFT: Army veteran Marcus Richard paying his respects to Mr. Irvin “Moose” Hornkohl, one of the last surviving soldiers from Pearl Harbor. RIGHT: Personal Trainer graduate coaches his son’s team for Colorado Springs Park & Recreation Football.
Richard Promotes Functional Fitness for Every Day Tasks as Attainable Goal for Clients
Richard now has new goals for his future that integrate a personal approach to fitness on a larger scale; he plans to open his own gym one day.
He is convinced the path to true health is ‘functional fitness’, or the ability to transfer a workout from the gym to the real world. Marcus recognized the real world includes everyday tasks such as picking up children, groceries, and even furniture, so it does not matter how much weight you can deadlift or how many crunches you can do…it is about creating strength for everyday tasks.
“I want to help people achieve their goals. Whether it’s training to make the wrestling team, managing health-related issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure, or even just trying to get your body ‘summer ready,’” explains Richard.
Richard Believes Dreams Come True With Hard Work and Perseverance
Richard’s everyday philosophy is one that will ring true when training clients. Getting in shape, losing weight, and finding a level of fitness that changes your life are goals like any other goal in life. They do not occur without hard work, insists Richard, but if you can dream it, you can do it.
Marcus reflects, “Nobody can ever keep you from realizing your dreams. If it’s something you take seriously, though it may get challenging at times, the reward will outweigh the risk.”
Self-Drive, Determination and Wife’s Support Fuels Graduate to Complete a Full Course Load With a Full Time Job and a Full Time Family
The path to fulfilling his dreams included an incredible amount of support on the familial front. Marcus acknowledges how much his wife, Jenae, invested in his degree; from managing everyone’s schedule to the daily prep of meals and the care-taking of their son, she allowed him the time and energy to focus on completing his degree.
Richard lovingly refers to his wife as more than the glue, but the balance of all the chaos, that occurs when dad is gone everyday until 10:30 p.m., and family time is relegated to weekends.
Professional Integrity Reflects Army Veteran’s Classroom Integrity
As an active duty soldier in the Army, there were a number of times Marcus had to rush to class straight from the field or a training exercise. He was able to jump right into whatever the class was working on; he never made excuses or let everyday commitments distract him from achieving his professional goals.
“Marcus was an exceptional student in the Personal Training program. He was completely focused on learning all he could about becoming a personal trainer and continually practiced the skills he learned in class. His dedication and commitment as a student will transfer well to his professional career, and I have no doubt he will be successful,” states Sean Gillotte, IntelliTec College Personal Trainer Program Supervisor.
IntelliTec College Personal Trainer Instructors Share Knowledge and Time Outside the Classroom
Richard in turn is grateful for Gillotte’s patience and guidance. He is also appreciative to teachers such as Sam Callan for his subject knowledge and time spent outside class to demonstrate exercises or methods to help special case clients. Richard realizes this extra time provided him a better understanding of how to be a more all-around instructor.
Motivational Quote Guides Personal Training Graduate Toward an Exceptional Future
Richard often listens to Eric Thomas, a motivational speaker, author, and minister. He lives by one of his quotes in particular: ‘Be phenomenal or be forgotten.’
“We die twice in life. We die in the natural and we die the second death when the last person who knows us dies. Before that person passes, I intend to be in a record or history book so even if I can’t live on, my legacy will,” states Richard.
About IntelliTec College in Colorado Springs
IntelliTec’s Personal Training program offers an Associate of Occupational Studies Degree that features step-by-step training using the official NASM curriculum.
IntelliTec College in Colorado Springs, CO offers hands-on career training in the technical trades, computer technology, allied health care and personal training fields. These programs award either associate degrees or certificates and are designed to be completed in as little as 18 months or less. IntelliTec provides a supportive learning environment with small classes sizes and caring instructors. Learn how you can improve your life with a meaningful career by requesting information at www.IntelliTec.edu or calling 719-632-7626.