How I Became a Personal Trainer: Your Past Dictates Your Future

Renard Johnson is a reflective individual. He realizes, as have many other individuals and researchers, that experiences in early life can have significant influence upon future choices and opportunities. Readers may remember Renard from his decision to write a former high school teacher who had a wonderful, positive effect on his life as a teen and young adult. He wrote a touching tribute that elicited many glowing responses from MOTAL subscribers. It is linked here:
Touching Tribute - Their Impact: Let Them Know


As an adult, Renard is a popular personal trainer who works in the South Side of Chicago in the area near the University of Chicago. He recently realized that his childhood was full of passion for activities that eventually brought him to where he is in the present.


His decision to write his story down as a rap was an interesting choice. MOTAL is glad to share it here in the waning days of April, which is Poetry Month.

Your Past Dictates Your Future

Young and wild, full of life. Playing baseball and football until the night.

Many fights—who’s best and who’s worst. Sliding to second base in the street surely hurts.

Running bases was my favorite game. We played for so long and didn't complain.

Our parents would call us in to eat, but did not see us because of the heat.

Water balloons we’d fill and throw, soaked and wet, running home. 

When our parents were asleep, we sneaked back out. Silently playing, big trouble no doubt.

The risk was high, we all agreed. Just my friends and a ball and a beautiful breeze.

From the beginning to age eleven. Finally realizing I'm creating patterns.

Moving limbs and breathing heavy. In and out, another quarter I'm ready.

With so many options and tools to use. I was primed and not ready to lose.

Years from playing from my childhood and up. Prepared me mentally when I'm feeling stuck.

Accidents happened, here comes the crutches. Practice after practice I'm feeling busted.

With youth on my side and passion to win, got up every morning and did it again.

Being a young jock and full of life. Twists and turns how do I make things right.

Now that I'm grown I still compete. At jobs, in school, salaries to keep.

Run 5Ks, work out, train clients—a coach no doubt. I realize what my youth was about.

It's a different body with a different song. Years of experience, how could I go wrong?

Wear and tear makes my body move specifically. Now I know my body has its own history. 

The past is present and my present is my past. Moving around, not sedentary class.

Benefits from my past I see. Mental, physiological, a strong heartbeat. 


How could I deny that my past shaped me. 
Thank You,
Renard Johnson ​

Renard M. Johnson
Brief Bio

Guest author Renard M. Johnson has always had a love for sports and fitness. As a child he played baseball, football, and ran track. In high school, however, he was hit by a van and injured his right leg. He altered his dreams of being in sports to enter the field of construction as a brick layer and blueprint reader. When a job slowdown affected his work, he began classes through the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI) to become a personal trainer. He came to realize that the key to helping someone get healthy is to help them rehabilitate from past injuries and prevent new ones. His goal is to create a pyramid of health for his clients. As a trainer, he uses teaching strategies that include encouragement and practices that suit the needs of individual clients.


Effects of positive and negative childhood experiences on adult family health
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-10732-w