Today we’d like to introduce you to Ammon Hanks.
Hi Ammon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I attribute much of what I do today in the business I’ve created to trainers and coaches I had as a young athlete competing in sports. The inspiration and motivation they gave me influenced my performance as both an athlete and as a person; so much so that I knew that is what I wanted to do in my future career – inspire and motivate others into becoming better versions of themselves.
Coming out of the COVID pandemic, I had the opportunity to step into the health and wellness world as a personal trainer. With my certification and experience in leadership, I landed a role as the Lead Fitness Trainer at a local gym in Utah County where I oversaw a team of fitness trainers and instructed large groups in intense strength training and functional-focused workouts. Being on the gym floor and witnessing their personal progress brought me such satisfaction each and every day.
Almost a year into my working at a Fitness Trainer, I began to notice a need among my clients that I hadn’t anticipated previous; injury and recovery. As the Lead Trainer, I was often the first person my clients would talk to about general health questions including new or chronic pain they may be experiencing. As a certified personal trainer, though you have extensive training and knowledge in many areas regarding health; when it comes to caring for injuries, pain, or other such issues, I felt unprepared to provide them with the solutions they deserved to have.
Seeing the need for recovery and care grow among my clients and pressing on my mind increasingly, it was soon after that I was introduced to a local sports massage company that tailored their services to those who were active in fitness and sports. I tried out their services myself and recognized that not only would this be a great solution to my clients, but that I also had an interest in providing such services as well.
Within a month, I was enrolled in at a local massage therapy school; set to graduate with my license within the next year. Following my graduation and passing my licensing exam, I decided to set out on my own from the gym and create my own business – Aligned Health. A business that allows me to combine my skillsets as a fitness trainer & licensed massage therapist, and provide clients with the benefits of both – a beautiful combination that brings results to their lives.
Creating my own business and working with so many people from all over the country has been an experience more than satisfactory to me. Each and everyday I get to share with clients the knowledge I have, give them direction to become healthier, provide therapeutic treatment that makes an impact on their well-being, and ultimately build up a space for people to feel empowered in pursuing what makes them happy. And it is my vision to continue growing this business of mine so that even more people can enjoy what it means to align their health and wellness goals with a team who can provide the means to achieve them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Looking back on the journey thus far, I would have to say that the biggest struggle in this career venture of mine would have to be accumulating clients and getting my name out there. As a personal trainer, it’s easy to implement your own knowledge about health and wellness for yourself, but to then turn around and show others that they can do the same is a bit more challenging. I’ve never considered myself to be an expert salesman and have been told by many that I’m somewhat of a people pleaser – a characteristic of mine I’ve worked hard to overcome. However, when you start your own business and have something truly worth sharing, you have to put your own reservations aside and put yourself out there.
After some much practice and implementing some marketing tactics, I started seeing more and more clients come in – a business owner’s dream! Now, I’m lucky enough to have many new clients find me through word of mouth referrals from still current or previous clients.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a dual Licensed Massage Therapist & Certified Personal Trainer. A unique combination of skills that harmonize together perfectly. With these skills in my arsenal, I specialize in aiding individuals align their health and wellness goals with the path they need to take in order to find success.
Expounding upon the clients I work with in my massage practice, I work more so with clients who are driven in the fitness world to push themselves in competitions and personal wellness goals. I’ve worked on professional athletes, olympians, all-star athletes, and local headliners who aim high and need assistance in treating injuries or other physical issues that may be going on. By working closely with them, we are able to identify early on any kind of imbalance or potential problem before it becomes a greater issue. However, should a major issue arise, through regular therapy sessions, many of my clients find themselves back on course with their sport or activity in no time – often times outperforming their previous achievements.
On the other hand – when it comes to personal training, I find great joy in working with people who would consider themselves beginners. Much of what I’ve learned over the years about developing a daily fitness regimen and healthy eating habits was self-taught. Looking back, I’ve realized having a coach who roots for me as many others would cheer on the “underdog” – or in this case, those who are nervous to step foot in a gym and don’t know where to begin, would be a very fulfilling role to step into myself. I’m pleased to say that I haven’t been wrong. I’ve found so much joy in sharing success with my clients as they achieve goals and physiques they’ve been yearning after for years.
What sets me apart from others that occupy my field(s) is my personal investment into the success of my clients. Many of my clients have had experiences working with personal trainers & massage therapists before; majority of them leaving them behind as there was a sense that their trainers & therapists lacked any true sense of care for them individually. Not me, however. From the very beginning of their program & experience with me, my clients begin to receive hand-written cards and messages of encouragement for them to lean on and be reminded of why they began this journey with me to begin with. Success for my clients is success in my personal career.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I feel like the most important quality to my success in these fields of work would be transparency. Meaning that I am not only honest in what I say and think, but that I am forthcoming with my thoughts and words as soon as they are needed. Many of my clients understand that if they are falling short of their potential, that I’m not going to sugarcoat and pamper them – especially when we both know that they can in fact rise to their true potential. Furthermore, when my clients ask me a question, I answer their question in the most comprehensive way possible so that they walk away feeling empowered and satisfied with the answer. However, there are times – few but noteworthy, where I will be asked a question and I may not know the answer in its entirety. Having transparency allows me to inform my clients that I do not know the answer to their question, but that I will take time to conduct further research surrounding the issue and then follow up with them at a later date. By being transparent rather than trying to pull an answer out of thin air in order to save face has brought me much admitted respect and admiration from my clients and has lead to healthier professional relationships.
Pricing:
- Personal Training Consultation Call – Free
- Personal Training Session – $60
- Full Body Massage – 60 min/90 min/120 min: $95, $140, $175
- Fitness & Nutrition Program – $225/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alignedhealthutah.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alignedhealthut?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
