My name is Josh, and I am proud to be a fitness professional on M3’s roster.
My love of exercise began early on--I was an active kid, growing up right here in Waunakee, always outside playing with my friends around the neighborhood. We rode bikes, ran, climbed trees, and did all kinds of active play. A big part of my childhood was adventuring and being outside and moving.
Another big part of my childhood was learning from my dad, who was and still is, a phenomenal swim coach. He taught me a lot of things in the water over the years, and developed me into a good swimmer. The most important thing I learned from him, though, was to help and care about others by being a good coach. Just as he did, I will always strive to learn more and be a better coach to whoever I get the pleasure to work with.
As I moved into and through high school, I never took the weight room seriously. I had misconceptions about resistance training: I would get hurt easily, that I didn’t need more muscle to perform better in the pool, or that it would actually slow me down. Looking back, I wish I could tell my younger self the truths I know now about resistance training. It is amazing the potential we all have to perform well in whatever we want to, with the right guidance and/or education.
It took 18 years for me to put MYSELF in a weight room. It took 20 for me to do so comfortably. I was always a smaller, skinny guy growing up; going to the gym was intimidating and at times, disheartening. I would feel like I was so far behind in muscle mass to my peers that I would never be able to “catch up”.
I was blessed to have developed a good work ethic from my time as a swimmer, and I used that to put in work that, on certain days, I definitely did not want to do. Over time, I saw myself get bigger, put on pounds, and get stronger. It is hard to describe the joy you can get from reaping the rewards of hard work and consistency. With that, I was hooked.
Coaching was logically the next step for me. I had fallen in love with "moving with purpose", and I wanted to spread it to others. I had already had experience with some informal assistant coaching with my dad, as well as running my own swim lessons for the kids (ages 4-14) in Oregon. I had just moved out of my dad’s and was looking for a full time job when I was able to get one as a coach (and manager) of a training program at a popular franchise gym.
I was soon introduced to Margo, who was and still is a fantastic mentor. She taught me a lot of movements, variations, and methods. The thing I cherish the most that she taught me was to truly love and take care of the people that trusted me enough to call me their coach. To treat them like I would a family member asking for help. Her level of empathy, and her ability to connect with her clients, are truly unmatched in today’s world of one-size-fits-all online fitness programs and gym contracts.
Over the two years we first worked together, we grew and maintained a successful training program for the franchise gym we were working in. We both wanted the freedom, however, to program for our clients individually; to make sure everyone got the work THEY needed. Eventually, we outgrew the franchise gym and moved on to a more one-on-one setting, where we both separately continued to develop our skill and knowledge in this field, as well as lasting relationships with our clients.
Today, I am proud to be a part of the training space she has worked so hard to develop. My mission is to be the coach that will help anyone move toward the goals they have, whatever they may be. It is also to be caring for and helping people in whatever communities I can. I strive to be a coach for everyone.
Thank you to all of my clients, past and present, for helping deepen my passion for moving, problem solving, and teaching.
Josh Lohmeier
Fitness Professional, NASM PES
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