Interview: Egon Claessen

Geschatte leestijd: 3 minuten Name: Egon Claessen Age: 28 Residence: Beek Specializations: Weight loss, behavior change

When and how did your interest in fitness arise?

My interest in fitness arose during my study period at the CIOS. After completing this study, my interest grew even more during my study at Fontys. Fitness is a broad term with multiple meanings. Fitness is often associated with weights and a lot of muscles. For me, this is not the meaning of fitness. I see fitness more as the overall well-being of an individual. Depending on the individual’s goal, I guide someone as optimally as possible to achieve that goal. Each individual requires different guidance. Someone who is overweight and swims once a week needs very different guidance than someone with a desk job who already runs three times a week. Fitness with weights and lots of muscles is therefore not applicable to everyone.

Do you have any other sporting background besides this?

As a hobby, I practice many different sports such as indoor soccer, golf, squash, and cycling. As a semi-professional, I play indoor soccer at the highest level in Belgium. In the past, I played at the highest level in the Netherlands for several years and had the opportunity to represent the Dutch indoor soccer team 25 times. The highlight was the European Championship in Russia.

When and why did you start coaching, and how have you developed yourself for this?

During my studies, I learned to work with many different people. Think of teaching children with physical and mental disabilities to relax in the pool to supporting top athletes striving for optimal performance. In the 12 years that I have been coaching people, I have always been looking for the optimal guidance for each person. Seeing what this coaching does or has done to people, my passion for coaching has only grown. So, my goal is to truly help people for the long term. No quick fixes that are impossible to sustain in the long term, but aiming for lasting results. Together with other professionals from our team, I have developed a comprehensive plan called Fitnet.

What can you tell me about Fitnet and your approach?

As I mentioned earlier, every person is different. At Fitnet, we create a plan for 6 months based on the preferences, experiences, and goals of a person. Everyone starts with us with an extensive digital intake. The results of this intake are analyzed by various professionals in our team, and you will be assigned a coach. This coach will guide you for 6 months and create a personalized plan for you. This plan is based on three pillars; Nutrition, Lifestyle, and where necessary Training. We believe that everyone should be advised by us in the areas of Lifestyle and Nutrition. We delve into your nutrition and can therefore provide targeted support and advice. Furthermore, we look at habits and behaviors because we believe this plays an important role. For this, we have written a ‘course’ program where we explain step by step how it works, the Fitnet Academy. Together with your coach, you actively work on changing your lifestyle and achieving your goals. If you do not need advice on training, no problem, then we only support in the pillars of Nutrition and Lifestyle. If you do need advice and support, we provide customized training schedules. With the training schedules, you can work out at home or in the gym. For people in the southern part of the country, there is also the possibility to train at our location with your coach. In short, we develop a personalized plan for you, and your coach supports you 24/7 where necessary.

When are you as a coach satisfied with the work you have done for a client?

As a coach, I am satisfied when my client is satisfied and has the confidence to remain satisfied in the long term. If I, as a coach, know that my guidance is no longer needed to maintain this, I am happy. A year ago, I coached a client who had lost a total of 40kg. Now a year later, I met him, and he was still stable and satisfied. Then my goal as a coach has been achieved. If you would like more information about Fitnet or Egon’s guidance, visit www.fit-net.nl or www.fitnetacademy.nl or contact him via the Fitsociety APP.