We had the good fortune of connecting with Emmanuel Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Emmanuel, is there something you believe many others might not?
“Do what makes you happy”
Yuck! I find that to be incredibly damaging. Before you call me Grinch, here is why:
Happiness is fleeting like any other emotion. It comes and goes, therefore chasing a fleeting feeling is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. What made you happy at one point might not at another point.
I say do what gives you a sense of pride, purpose, and/or commitment as these are the things that last.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
It’s fairly safe to assume trainers were high-level athletes at some point in their career. I was not.
The gym was the perfect space for a kinesthetic learner like me. Diving into my own physical movement helped me understand my limits and how to overcome them. I had a natural ability to correct my movement by isolating the muscle groups in my mind and by making the adjustment immediately.
This mind-body connection has been the foundation of my career. My process attracted attention at the gym and I realized it might be a great idea to try my hand at a career in fitness. Naturally, I was motivated and watched other fitness instructors, absorbing as much as I could from them. I learned appropriate cues, what exercise groupings worked best for particular goals and how to adapt for injuries. I took all of these concepts and tested them on myself before I started to use them with clients.
Once I got into the field, I noticed that my kinesthetic awareness extended to my clients. I could sense which muscles were giving them trouble during a movement and I would make adjustments to improve their training.
This journey has taken me 10 years thus far and there have been more failures than I can count. There was so much information on physical training and it was critical for me to experiment before programming for my clients. Even with all that prep, there were still many techniques I applied that did not work for certain individuals.
As a fitness professional, it’s easy to become fixated on what didn’t work. When your client isn’t seeing progress, it can be challenging to explain why. I pushed my energy towards problem-solving and gained confidence from my failures.
This period of growth created an interesting niche for me where I started focusing on lifestyle-centric training. A combination of movements that you need with movements that you want. I’m excited to expand this methodology in Miami and provide a full experience to those who want to take their fitness to the next level.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The first day is a quiet sunset walk from 15th Street and Ocean Drive all the way down to South Pointe Park. If you time it right, you can catch all of the pronounced neon colors against the dusk sky. Since this is seen in movies it always leaves a lasting impression when you can experience it in person.
Breakfast is at Dreamer in Sunset Harbour for a pre-workout shake. We then book an hour workout at Anatomy with a quick hot/cold plunge for muscle recovery afterward. Lunch is Cuban food at my favorite spot, Padrino’s in Hallandale Beach.
Mid-Afternoon is a visit to the Vizcaya Museum for a tour of the historic mansion and gardens. This is one of the best Miami attractions that never feels too crowded or too loud.
Then, we have happy hour at PubBelly in Brickell. The drinks and food are a must while visiting the downtown area.
The last activity would be dessert in Wynwood at 1-800-Lucky. Taiyaki NYC has the best ice cream served creatively in a soft fish-shaped cone. The neighboring restaurants play lively music and the crowd is always buzzing with great energy. It’s the best place to unwind with a group of friends in a casual setting.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife Kim.
I always describe myself as a kite in the wind and Kim as the anchor that keeps me from getting caught in the wind. Without that grounding force, I’m unsure where I would be. I’m very grateful to have her.
Instagram: Thisisesmith
Image Credits
Evan Gunville Matt Roy at Anatomy