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Welcome to our search for New York City's hottest trainer. Over the coming weeks, we'll profile twenty-two smoking candidates who work at local gyms and studios. Once you've gotten to know everyone, we'll host a March Madness-style showdown in which you get to vote for your favorite.
Photos by Driely S
Antonio Freeman has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, and currently, you can find him teaching Diesel Bootcamp classes at Crunch. His motto? "Train hard or go home." We'd argue that it's one worth adopting, since biceps like that don't build themselves. After the jump, we talked to Antonio about how he became a trainer, as well as what kind of strange delicacies he ate while learning Muay Thai in Thailand.
What prompted you to become a trainer?
I moved to New York to model and would go down to the track to keep in shape. For months, I saw these two overweight women who were putting in the effort but unsuccessful at reaching their weight loss goal. One day I stopped to talk to them and after hearing their struggle, I developed a nutrition and workout plan for them to follow. After a few months, not only did it work, but one of the women actually told me it changed her entire outlook on her life.
At that moment, I knew that I wanted a career that let me make such a profound impact other people's lives—and I've never looked back. I thought I wanted to be a computer programmer, but after going to college and sitting at a desk for hours at a time I just knew it was not for me.
Describe your training style. Are you a drill sergeant?
My training style is about having fun using your own body weight. Using just a little weight to train hard. I'm laid back but definitely an in-your-face drill sergeant. I love helping my clients/students achieve the shape and bodies that they want. I love doing cardio interval full body and core synergistics to get the heart rate up, and push the body as hard as I can.
Tell us a fun fact about you.
I'm a country boy who loves the outdoors, including fishing, hiking, and just taking the family on long bike rides. I'm trained in marital arts and love to travel! I've been to Thailand, where I learned Muay Thai and Thai massage. During my travels, I've eaten a lot of crazy food—like chocolate covered grass hoppers. In Korea I ate raw meat and earth worms, and lots of other crazy things.
Check out a description of Antonio's Diesel bootcamp class below on the Crunch descriptions page, or book him on your own through his website below.
· Crunch [Official Site]
· Crunch Gym [Twitter]
· Antiono Freeman [Official Site]
· All Hottest Trainer 2013 Contestants [Racked NY]
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