Brandon Long educating a client at a local Fresh and Easy
12:07pm | Brandon Long is a twenty-five year old CSULB graduate, who majored in exercise science and now personally trains people. He will not be seeing his clients next week. In fact, he will see his clients much sooner than most in his profession, on a weekend, educating them outside of the gym.
Brandon told me, “When you put it in perspective, the one hour that you spend training is only 4% of your day.” In other words, the 23 hours of guidance outside of the gym will have far greater impact on the client’s results than any isolated training session could. Backed with conviction, knowledge, and the ability to communicate in layman’s terms, Long finds creative ways to make the world his playground, most notably educating his clients on healthy eating and what to buy in grocery stores.
I admire Brandon’s philosophy on fitness so I wanted to put him to the test even more. My fridge was nearly empty. So, I asked Brandon to treat me as one of his clients and educate me on what to buy at a local Fresh and Easy. “You asked for it,” Brandon quipped.
Using the opposite method of what most health conscious people do, I shopped the isles first. Literally, less than one minute into the episode, Brandon offered his first criticism, “I wouldn’t get that.” I questioned, “canned tuna?” Brandon informed me that canned tuna had one the highest sources of Mercury of all available fish, and I was better off opting for Tilapia, one of the lowest fish sources of Mercury.
As we were walking out of the isle, we were called back by another shopper. A customer had overheard us talking about the canned tuna and had developed a question of her own. Alma, a Long Beach native, had explained to us that she’d just turned ovo vegetarian. She was wondering how to keep her vegetables around longer until she familiarized herself with more recipes.
Looking inside her grocery basket, Brandon picked up the asparagus. He said that most asparagus would last approximately a week, and if needed, to break off the rough ends at the end of the stem and stand upright in water. With a smile so genuine, Alma thanked Brandon so much for his time and precise instruction.
Idea Health and Fitness Association reports that there is an “estimated 40,000- 80,000 personal trainers in the United States.” With a growing number of weekend crash-course fitness certifications outweighing more rigorous study curriculums, finding a legitimate fitness trainer can be challenging. Brandon Long exemplifies not only a superior trainer but the evolution of the industry itself. Brandon takes pride in transcending his knowledge past where most amongst him stop- the gym. Furthermore, he is a testament to what higher education can produce when paired with creative application and the positive intent to make a change in people’s lives.
Harry Truman once said, “In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.” In the age where you go to stores, grab a cart, and are left to your own decisions- Brandon Long is filling the void every day.
Brandon Long
Health and Fitness Consultant
661-406-4414
[email protected]