Geschatte leestijd: 4 minutenName: Nick Berkenpas
Age: 26
Residence: Groningen
Specialism: Cutting / Weight loss
When and how did your interest in fitness arise?
My interest in fitness arose when I was around 18 years old. My father was always heavily involved in weightlifting, and I followed along with him. Naturally, I found this absolutely amazing, so you could say it was ingrained in me from a young age. Besides enjoying it, I also found it important to look physically ‘stronger’ because I was always very tall and thin!
Do you have any other sporting background?
Aside from fitness, unfortunately, I am no longer actively involved in any other sports.
This is because I developed a severe case of jumper’s knee from playing soccer, which makes running, jumping, and related activities impossible for me. However, I occasionally kick a ball around with friends or play basketball in the park when the weather is nice. Yes, I do all this alongside my six-day fitness schedule.
Why does fitness play an important role in your life?
Fitness plays an important role in my life because I like to look good and find this sport therapeutic. When I’m not feeling great and I hit the gym, I can always sort out my thoughts a little better and find a sense of peace. Besides feeling calm while training, I love being active in the gym, trying out new training methods each time, and seeing how far I can push myself in terms of physical development.
When and why did you start coaching and how did you develop yourself for this?
When I graduated from high school, around 2010, I chose to study Sports Health and Management. Here, I increasingly came into contact with fitness and health, so I decided to look for an internship in a fitness center during my second year. After checking out a few fitness centers, I settled on Achmea Health Centers in Assen. Fortunately, they hired me, and I had a very pleasant time there. During this internship, I mainly focused on creating training schedules, nutrition plans, and providing some lifestyle coaching. I enjoyed helping and guiding people so much that I was lucky enough to continue working there after my internship.
This fitness adventure all started around 2011-2012, and since then, I’ve completed several interesting courses. It began with Fitness Trainer A, then Fitness Trainer B, followed by obtaining a KB – Master Trainer diploma, becoming a Bootcamp instructor, and ultimately, in 2015, I decided to become a Personal Trainer, for which I completed the NASM – PT course. Of course, during this time, I was also active in fitness myself, learning many things along the way and, of course, applying them to myself or clients I’ve trained so far.
With my company, I have only one important mission: to give people control over their lifestyle, training, and nutrition. It all works much better when you have control over yourself. I challenge my clients and use various training methods and forms of coaching to help them achieve their goals. My approach depends on the client I’m working with because everyone prefers a different coaching and motivation style. The end result is what matters and always comes first.
What are your specialties and why did you choose them?
My specialties are cutting (competition sport) and weight loss. I chose these because I am a competitive athlete, and this is my passion.
I find helping people lose weight to be the most precious thing. Seeing how some people reintegrate into society after significant weight loss is beautiful. I also love seeing how someone can change physically and mentally.
What are the most important characteristics of good coaching for you?
- A good coach pays attention, listens well, and asks probing questions when necessary
- A good coach has sufficient experience in the field
- A good coach must be able to mirror
- A good coach has empathy
- A good coach does not judge
- A good coach is knowledgeable but knows their limitations. (so also consider the education a coach has had)
If you can clearly identify these characteristics for yourself, then I think you’re ready to guide someone. Unfortunately, nowadays in the Personal Trainer profession, you see too many amateurs at work. This is because anyone can call themselves a Personal Trainer, and it’s not a protected profession. Take, for example, Instagrammers with a decent physique who are asked how they achieved it… Suddenly, they think they’re trainers and start offering advice. So, if you’re looking for a Personal Trainer, make sure to review the above information for yourself, ensure your trainer is searchable online, perhaps through a website. Ask the trainer for previous results from other clients and inquire why they are the best fit for you. Do your research on a trainer before making the right choice; a connection with your trainer is crucial.
When are you as a coach satisfied with the work you have done for a client?
I am satisfied as a coach when my client is satisfied. It sounds very cliché, I know… But it’s true.
Sure, I am satisfied after a certain measurement, podium win, or weight loss/mass gain achievement; these results are what got me into this profession. Results feel like recognition for the service I provide; they show me that my work is truly good and that clients are achieving their goals. But ultimately, my client’s satisfaction is what makes me feel satisfied.
Some clients expect too much, and then I naturally show them that they should be satisfied with the work that has been done. But fortunately, I can say that many clients are satisfied, and so the coach is too! And a reminder, it’s all about baby steps and a huge amount of discipline needed to keep progressing!
