Today we’d like to introduce you to Blake Allen
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Looking back, my story was a relatively tragic one at times to say the least. But experience has shown that with uncomfortable action and the energies of other supportive, loving human beings, that something very beautiful can always grow.
I’d like to make it very clear, that under no circumstances am I in any way “special” or “unique.” Pain is such a relative experience that we all feel quite personally. But pain can always be a “touchstone to progress.”
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 11. With multiple flare ups requiring hospitalization throughout my adolescent and teen years, I missed a lot of school and began to feel increasingly more disconnected, not only from my peers and family members, but from myself. This is where my addiction to opioids started, with a most valid reason and a rather large appetite, my substance abuse continued into my 20’s. I found myself dropped out of college, either attending inpatient drug rehabs or incarcerated, with brief periods of abstinence from substances in between. But never really capable or perhaps willing to be entirely honest about my situation or the deep seeded traumatic response that would very cyclically rear its head. At the top of the list of things that made me feel hopeless was my physical health and constantly being afraid of being in pain.
During one period of remission and abstinence in my mid 20’s, I found myself at a local training gym in Waldo, (Kansas City, MO) called F3 Fitness. This was my introduction not only to physical and mental well being, with fitness as a catalyst, but the beginning of a relationship with myself that I am still working to nurture today.
At age 30, because of Crohn’s inflammation and neglecting my health, I had a total colectomy and had to have my colon removed. Since all of my disease had only effectively resided in my colon, removing it was expected to help resolve all of my symptoms and get me living pain free and healing up.
What actually happened is a couple days after surgery, my small intestine presented signs of inflammation and I was unable to eat or drink due to gastroparesis.
Doctors eventually released me with the plan of home healthcare as they felt they could no longer do anything to help me except, keep me “comfortable” and feed me via IV line.
To put it lightly, I would not accept this and told them I would figure it out my self.
So how did I get here?
How does this once hopeless, opioid dependent, emotionally unstable, invalid of a Crohn’s patient get to be what my surgeon describes as “perhaps the healthiest, fittest person I have ever done surgery on” after a minor re-sectioning of the small bowel a few years ago.
All I can really say is this: there is something very special that occurs in the brain when you are in full blown opioid withdrawal, and the pain of bleeding ulcers and cramping distension of not being able to get anything out of your small intestine for weeks, combines with the emotional turmoil of a lifetime of running from trauma and neglecting your mental, physical, and spiritual health. A sort of “make a way” or die attitude develops.
It has taken relentless trial and error and education, to figure out what and how I can eat to get my stomach to cooperate with me. Throughout this process a typical 9-5 was going to be difficult, so the scheduling freedom that came with being a self employed personal trainer was quite attractive. I went back to school to study physical therapy and quickly found that, though interesting to me, a career as a personal trainer was ultimately my passion. I started taking clients in my parents basement. I still train most of the few brave souls that decided to give me a chance to be their trainer throughout 2021-2022. Armed with a few dumbbells and a pack of resistance bands we got to work! I have since transitioned to working with clients at “The Gym KC” in Kansas City, MO. I still also train a few clients out of my home gym (with a few more options for equipment) I am in recovery from drugs and alcohol and have found exercise to be a most a necessary ingredient to anyone trying to improve physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Fitness and wellness are certainly my passion and I am a personal trainer because of my interest and ability to strengthen the human body, in what I like to consider a safe and effective way.
But, I am a successful personal trainer today because of the quality human beings that trust me with their bodies and their willingness to show up, get stronger, and meet their true self, each and every day.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My own health has been perhaps the biggest struggle along the way. Helping others get healthy has allowed me to be far less self absorbed with my own health challenges and consistently directs my attention to what I “can control” instead of feeling so powerless in my own body, or unique. We all have our reservations when it comes to positive change. But together, WE DO get better. One rep, one day, on healthy choice and lifestyle change at a time.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I like to keep fitness as simple as possible. Most people razzle dazzle themselves into inefficiency in the gym. (To many exercises, too little intensity, program hopping) I believe my job as a personal trainer is to firstly address any and all concerns someone may have around joint pain or instability. We do not train around the problem and their is no reason to be in pain if you are willing to put in the work. Secondly, to find the approach to basic movement patterns with exercises that fit the clients body and goals best, so that we can get stronger and change the body composition with progressive overload. I am proud of my ability to apply a touch of creativity to a rather simplistic approach to looking, moving, and feeling your best. I also like to help people tailor their eating behaviors to what works for them and help them cultivate an honest, balanced relationship to nutrition and hydration that is sustainable for a lifetime.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Don’t touch your face with your hands.
Furthermore, Covid reminded me that things can get a little weird when people are afraid. That I have a responsibility to help other people feel safe, and extend the same courtesy others have shown me.
Pricing:
- $75 2+ workouts a week
- $85 once a wek
- $60 couples or multiples
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thegymkc.com
- Instagram: blakeallentraining
- Facebook: Blake Allen Fitness
