Meet Evan Strader

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Evan Strader a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Evan, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic came from watching my father over the years do his job.

He always has been a man of action. He is up everyday at 4am and works insanely hard. Callousing his hands daily doing a job that most people won’t.

And he has done that hard labor for many decades. Disciplined is an understatement for him. But, watching my father do that work has shaped my life.

We live by the statement “to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable”.

I apply that every day to my job and daily life. I want to set that example to coaches who work with me and more importantly, to the young athlete that I train. Action and living by action are what separate us from the masses. Those kids watch and learn and I strive to set the best example that I can.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Sure!

I am a strength and conditioning coach.

There are a lot of titles that I can wear with this job. Some may see me as a personal trainer. Others call me coach. Some look up to me as a mentor.

Mentor is honestly the most rewarding title that I have.

Over the years I have worked with numerous types of people from all walks of life. Young athletes (ages 10-18), colleges kids, professional athletes, adults, and elderly.

I am so passionate about watching people change their lives in the gym. It is some of the most rewarding work I am privileged to be able to do.

It’s a lot more than sets and reps, counting, or telling someone to do a certain exercise.

I get to be a part of something bigger. I am a part of peoples lives good, bad, ugly you name it and I’ve probably seen it.

I become invested in the lives of my clients and no matter if it’s getting to cheer on my athletes as they win championships or help a 1-on-1 client as they deal with the emotions that come after going through a divorce. I am part of a lot.

I am privileged that I get to watch no matter who it is. In the end I get to help and go along for the journey of watching people succeed in things they never thought possible.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Forever being a student of this field. So many people you see on social media who train believe that they can throw a workout they’ve done before into a training software and sell it for extra cash, but have never actually coached or trained someone a day in their lives. So I try to make it a point to stay update on research and constantly work on learning the most I can about the body, joints, muscles, their function and how to make it right for the client.

This field of work is based in service. My job is to serve my clients. Make it as fun as a can and be engaging. But like I said earlier I am a part of very high, highs and very low, lows. What can I do for them that no one else is doing. Sending a text to them to check on how they’re doing, grabbing lunch or coffee with them to discuss where they feel like they’re falling off so that we can create a solution.

People get locked up in their heads and it’s my job to help them problem solve.

Resiliency is the last thing this job has helped me with. Because it’s relationship based and I deal with all kinds of emotions good, bad, and ugly. I have to learn to take things at face value, you’re going to get knocked down a lot. But learning how to get up after someone yells at you for not being good enough because they’re having a bad day is something we have to do. And not get emotional ourselves.

Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?

My current employer has by far been the biggest help to me. Ray Zingler owner of Zingler Strength Here in Marietta, GA.

From day one working with him. He’s only ever believed in me. He’s rugged, funny as hell, but an insane mentor to me.

His standards and expectations are high, but he does that because of his belief in me.

I battle everyday with a feeling of not being good enough or not having the knowledge or skillset to be the best for my clients.

He has taught me more than I’ll ever be able to thank him for. Not just about training, but about people, and most importantly about myself.

It’s a different feeling working for someone who no matter what’s going on in his life, or how hard things get He’s right there to pick me back up and tell me it’s fine, you learned, what’s next?

That level of belief and someone to clap for you, but also tell you when you messed up. It’s hard to come by.

He tells me all the time. “Control the controllables.” Things that you can’t control are going to happen no matter what, but being able to control the small thing that you can. That builds confidence and sets up a framework for success.

I truly can not thank Ray enough what how much of a positive impact he has had on me and my family.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zinglerstrength.com/
• Instagram: @Evan_strader_