Key takeaways
It’s not easier because it’s our job. Being a fitness coach doesn’t mean we’re paid to film ourselves working out. Behind the scenes, it’s like any other business: a full day behind a screen on clients, admin, sales and marketing. If Jake films a workout, it’s because he was training anyway. All three of us trained long before we worked in fitness, and if fitness were only easy for people in the industry, they’d be the only ones training. If anything helps us, it’s accountability, so find yours.
Comparison is just an excuse. It’s easy to look at someone else and decide they’ve got it easier: more time, no kids, a flexible job. Jake does it too, with younger business owners who can work 14-hour days. But it changes nothing. If you want to feel strong and be there for your family, you still have to do the work.
Own your situation. Your schedule is largely your own making, and there’s always room within it. On a 9–5, that might mean splitting a workout into three, doing squats in your living room, or training after the kids are in bed. Many guys never readjust after starting a job or having kids. The old routine stops working, and nothing replaces it.
Shrink the task. When you don’t have 30 minutes, take the 15, 10 or even 5 you do have. A short session in the moment counts. Waiting for a proper slot usually means nothing happens.
Missed a day? Use the rest of the week. A missed Monday isn’t a failure, because Tuesday is still there. Don’t cram missed sessions into one day. Just pick up where you left off.
Protect a time slot and tell your family. Joe trains before breakfast with zero compromise. Jake keeps 8:15–9am free of calls. Talk to your partner about it. The conversation you imagine is almost always harder than the real one.
Something has to give. Usually it’s not family time or work, but the TV, the scrolling or the late nights. Going to bed earlier is what makes an early workout possible.
Bring the kids into it. Train with them in the room, use the play park, or turn it into a game of crawling and chasing. Kids grow up seeing movement as normal, and carrying them to the beach or chasing them round the garden counts.
Be a good boss to yourself. Most dads put themselves last. Would you treat an employee the way you treat yourself? Looking after yourself isn’t selfish. It’s what lets you show up for your family, and it’s what they’ll learn from you.