Perhaps you or a family member is a fan of the show American Ninja Warrior. And perhaps you imagined what it would be like to participate on such a dynamic show. Perhaps you wondered how well you would fare if you were in that competition. Well, now you can stop wondering and find out for yourself! There is a little slice of ANW right here in Middle Tennessee.
Coach Wayne Burns, owner of Fortified Fitness at 203 Southpointe Court, has brought this dynamic sport to Murfreesboro. Like many of us, he suffered from the need to lose a few pounds a few years ago. His employer at the time held a local “Biggest Loser” contest to see who could lose the most weight in the least amount of time. He was happy to see the success in his own life as well as the lives of his coworkers. From that experience, Wayne turned to fitness as a vocation and has been a personal trainer now for almost a decade. Through the years, he has helped numerous people lose weight, gain strength and become healthier through physical activity.
Taking on a new habit of fitness can be intimidating, especially for those of us who may not have tried to work out in years.
“We always start and meet people where they are,” Burns says. He says he makes an assessment of what an individual can do at the beginning and continually sets the bar a little higher over time. He enjoys seeing people’s eyes light up as they move from one accomplishment to another and then begin to wonder what they can do next.
The gym owner references King David as a role model for incremental success. The shepherd boy did not wake up one day ready to do battle with the giant named Goliath. It was several years of long patrols and taking on wolves and lions before young David was prepared to lead Israel to victory.
The biblical analogy is no coincidence; the gym has crosses and other Christian references located throughout. Burns makes no bones about being a faith-based, Christ-following facility. He credits the Lord with putting him and his business on the path that has brought Fortified Fitness where it is today.
“He taught me some very specific things about the body, about anatomy and that we are a masterpiece that He has designed. The body will respond if you put it under the right criteria,” Burns says. “The body does what the body is designed to do.”
The name of the gym comes from the idea of drawing strength from the Lord.
For years, Burns has offered several fitness regimens including group classes as well as one-on-one training. In 2017, Wayne attended a couple of “ninja clinics,” having been a fan of the popular TV program American Ninja Warrior. He met several people who were successful on the show and fell in love with the idea of replicating the experience. From the beginnings of an obstacle course in his backyard to creating a course in the gym, he now has his own professional grade facility. Several of his younger gym members have made it to American Ninja Warrior Junior, and Burns hopes to make it to the show himself one day.
All too many entrepreneurs fall in love with an idea, invest, and then spend the life of the business trying to figure out how to keep it afloat. Being rational from the beginning can save a business owner from upset later on.
“First, a business has to be something you believe in,” Burns states. “You also have to count the cost on the front end,” meaning you have to take a rational and detailed approach before beginning any business endeavor.
He then credits passion, the love for what one does, as being the motivator for day-to-day operations.
Most people will never be seen on nationwide television. However, the greatest triumphs many times come not in front of a large audience, but from those quiet, personal victories. It’s those incremental wins we receive when we set our bar just a little higher.
How will you improve and grow in 2020?
Find out more about Fortified Fitness at iamfortified.com.
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