Guest blog by LiveFit trainer: Rich Berrian

The fit lifestyle started for me at the young age of 14 when my Aunt Monica took me to Wal-Mart for Christmas and told me to pick out whatever I wanted.

We ended up leaving with a 110lb weight set as my gift that my muscles (or lack thereof) were drawn to like magnets.

Before “Guns Like Rich”

I was big into watching wrestling at the time and always dreamed of having big muscles, jumping off of high ropes, smashes chairs into peoples backs and throwing people around.. Needless to say, at least one of those things actually ended up happening, Haha!

As I started working out, years started to pass and discovered I was becoming more and more in touch with how the body and muscles functioned and responded to weight lifting.

I found myself spending more time researching anything and everything that had to do with working out, which eventually led me into the wonderful world of bodybuilding.

As I was starting to mature and grow older, my inspiration starting coming from places other than wrestling superstars. Fellow gym rats, friends, Derek Kuryliw, and family all started to add drive in their own little way without even knowing.

Most of all though, both of my parents health had started to diminish and would only get worse.

I love my Mom and Dad more than words can begin to describe, but I was able to see from a perspective other than their own that the root cause of this all happening was due to the lack of them taking care of themselves, their body and their health.

My realization of this, was their biggest lesson to me in life without them ever saying a word. This in turn I believe has been the fuel to keep my fire burning and always wanting more, to better myself and ultimately keep my health in check.

With all of that said, two years ago I decided to take things to the next level and get competitive. I entered my very first bodybuilding competition.

Although I did not do so well in this show, it was a HUGE learning experience and brought an all new aspect to bodybuilding for me.

I turned my passion into a burning desire of wanting to win and to take home a trophy..

After training vigorously between my first and second show I took home a third place trophy! Yeah, winning a trophy was a good feeling… However, seeing how much better I looked compared to the last was even more rewarding!

After wrapping up the bodybuilding season in 2013 I decided to take a year to myself to refocus, add some muscle, and really find out what it is that I wanted to do aside from eating anything and everything!

Within that year I made my business a priority as well as graduated college with my AS degree in Computer Programming and Analysis.

At the beginning of 2015 the itch had come back and the stage was chanting my name. I pushed harder than I ever have, stayed dedicated more than I ever have, and have gotten in the best shape in my entire life while prepping for this season. I competed in a total of five shows this year and my level of conditioning tightened up a bit more with each show.

I was able to place in the top 3 of all five shows this year!

I was also able to share this entire experience with my beautiful girlfriend Izzi Wilson who competed for the first time in one of the same shows I did in the bikini division!

I am currently taking the time between seasons to add as much muscle and size as I can in preparation for this upcoming season and hope to get Nationally Qualified in 2016.

Your average everyday person makes their car, utility and mortgage payments a priority in their life… which is a smart thing to do.

This guy on the other hand was more focused on budgeting time and money for protein, rice and a gym membership which all were things that have reached the top of my priority list and became a necessity just like toilet tissue and tooth paste.

Ultimately, the person you are trying to beat isn’t the one that’s standing on stage next to you in a competition; it’s the person you see in the mirror day in and day out.

The better you look, the better you will feel! A 30 minute workout is only 2% of your day and yields countless benefits: better attitude, confidence, health, less stress and the list goes on.

Almost everyone I know cannot “afford” to workout due to time, money, inconvenience, medical issues, etc. or just down right laziness! The real question is, can you afford NOT to spend 2% of your day in pursuit of the countless benefits you will gain?

Your brother in iron,

Rich Berrian, CPT

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Derek’s notes:

When I first met the kid on the left almost 8 years ago at Richey Racquet and Fitness center, he was just like every other newbie. HE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS!!

The difference though is Rich put my answers to action.

He wasn’t looking for an easy way out. He was looking for the right way in!

Commitment, Consistency and Relentless Pursuit of your Goals is and will always be The Secret.

I hear excuses daily from prospective new clients. Let me tell you, there is nothing that makes me say NO to a potential new client quicker than an ear full of excuses.

Excuses are nothing more than personal contracts you’ve made with yourself based on previous experiences.

Don’t short change yourself.

Don’t give yourself an opportunity to say “what if?”.

Never settle for mediocre.

For the next 3 years I saw Rich develop these characteristics. He paid his dues in the gym.

Anytime I saw him he was training hard and toting around his pink gallon of amino acid water like I had told him about years before.

He was walking the walk.

At the time I had just started my bootcamp program and started integrating our program into a local Anytime Fitness. When the time came to hire a staff and grow a team of young trainers, Rich was the first person I reached out to.

Why? Passion.

I believe that you can teach someone to do anything but, you cannot teach passion. You either have it or you don’t.

Rich takes it to the next level…

Just a little over one year ago I asked Rich to take it to the next level and give a relentless effort to pursue his passion in training people and changing lives.

***Let me correct that*** actually TWO years ago I begged and pleaded with Rich to leave his current job and work full time to grow our bootcamp community.

After 2 years of me begging and pleading, he took the leap of faith and joined the LiveFit team (aka me and Shelly) full time.

Since then he has helped transform so many previously weak, overweight and unconfident men and women into strong, healthy and confident super heros!

He has started community lifting groups like his Hour of Power every other Saturday, Gun Like Rich every Friday night and the infamous Muscle Retreats each month.

He walks the walk.

Rich is proof that there is something special in each of us, waiting for us to Rise Above! You can be next.

It starts with you!

I’m so proud of you Rich you have no idea.

Trainer Proud. Friend Proud. Big Brother Proud. (here come the tears) 🙂

Committed to your fitness success,

Derek Kuryliw, LiveFit creator/owner
for questions or comments [email protected] or 727.810.4005