“My name is Gerry Vinluan, Personal Trainer at Steve Nash Fitness World on Howe and Davie. I was involved in a variety of sports growing up and most of my adult years. Whether it was in various Martial Arts disciplines; Highschool Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball and Track & Field; Dragon Boating or playing hockey with friends…I was drawn to them because of my propensity for competition. I was very competitive by nature. Growing up with an older brother probably antagonized it more. Sports was a way for me to escape. It was a way of healing. It was a way to battle your demons…to bring me back from whatever deep hole I was in…
To be honest, I never considered the field of Athletics as a career. Growing up, Personal Training was either non existent or just an afterthought. When I began competing in Dragon Boating back in 2002, it gave me an opportunity to coach. I mean I did coach Basketball and Baseball, as a volunteer for the YMCA, as a teenager but it wasn’t until Dragon Boating that I began to find value in this position. It was a different gratification when you see your peers evolve from the beginning of the season to the end. To see them change physically, mentally…not only in sport but in life as well. Which is why I am where I am today. 10 years ago I considered Personal Training as a career but it was always timing that prevented me from taking that step. I finally found myself at a crossroads in my career. I either continue on in my automotive career of 16 years or doing something that is more impactful to yourself, your loved ones and others in your community. I needed to be a better version of myself and give more time to my wife and son. This brought me to #BCPTI. I seriously had a ‘W T F’ am I doing moment on the first day…being the oldest in the group you begin to question whether this was the right choice…and it definitely WAS.
At the end of the first day of school, it brought a renewed sense of excitement. The Personal Training Program is 7 weeks of intense, overloaded info on the human body, the science behind proper nutrition and exercise, various ways to exercise, the business of the industry and much more!! It was a fun environment to be in. I found a sense of self again and I found a new family to belong to with a common goal to change lives. The practical experience at a SNFW gym was but a taste of it all. I would not have gotten here without a strong support system. Christina; our amazing instructors Logan, Josh, Cam and Marc; and most importantly, my wife, Ritu. Thank you for keeping me accountable and to not give up on what I love. Your passion became mine. Now it’s time to change lives and it all begins with me. My first client, is me.”
Spotlight: BCPTI Graduate and Personal Trainer, Gerry Vinluan
You can find Gerry at SNFC Downtown Fitness World
