I stepped into what I consider a playground for adults. A guy with a buzz cut wiped his palms on the weight vest strapped to his torso, then shook out his legs.  A middle-aged, heavyset man picked up a bar, tightened his face and began to squat. An athletic-looking man, possibly a college student, with hands on his hips stared up at a set of rings. In the background, an older lady, likely a mom, was lying on a bench pushing weight above her head as a man in a black army cap encouraged her. The scene seemed a bit odd. All these people in different stages of life were under one roof, for what? “Ready? In 3… 2… 1… GO!” Each person began racing through different movements. Nervous and anxious looks melted into solid determination. Heavy breathing ensued, and the winter-chilled room started to heat up.

The man in the black cap came over to me and introduced himself as Kevin Malahy, a personal trainer at Crossfit Native, a gym in Warr Acres, Oklahoma. Kevin is a former Marine who coaches a variety of people from elite athletes to parents to those recovering from injuries. He’s only 27 but has a loyal client base that comes to him because his coaching methods have produced results. Whatever their goal is for working out—losing weight, preparing for boot camp, or staying fit to keep up with their kids, they came to Kevin to put them on the road to fitness success.

Kevin isn’t a big, buff guy who only knows how to yell at his athletes and charge clients for counting their reps. He offers something truly valuable. With a lot of ignorance about fitness today and a myriad of confusing workout scams and diet plans, plus the inertia of our sedentary lifestyle, it’s hard for the average person to get the knowledge and help they need to become fit and strong. That’s where a personal trainer comes in. No… That’s where a great personal trainer comes in.

Health is life, and a bad coach compared to a great coach is the difference between wasting someone’s life and changing someone’s life. My short conversation with Kevin revealed the ins and outs of successful coaching.

While there are various roads to becoming a personal trainer, Kevin found his roots in the Marines.

“I was already working out with my buddies; they would come to me,” he said. “I’d eventually just charge them,” he said. Once he was done serving in the military, he came back to his hometown and pursued his NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association) certifications and became a Level 1 certified CrossFit coach. Although he didn’t attend school to become a coach, the certifications allowed him to legally train in a gym. “Even if you’re getting a degree, don’t wait to start training,” Kevin says. “Get certified, get in ASAP…. I learned more in my first week of training than I did at the certifications. It’s different…. It’s nothing like the textbook,” he said.

Kevin started as an entry-level trainer at a local fitness club. What allowed him to move on to bigger and better things were the results he produced for his clients. “You produce results, you get clientele. [That] gives you a more reputable name, and more people come to you,” he said. While the majority of professionals in this field seek to open their own gym once they build a sufficient client base, Kevin wants to go in a different direction. His goal is to actually specialize, becoming strictly a strength and conditioning coach for competitive martial artists. Currently, his clients consist of everything from professional athletes and military members to struggling overweight white-collar workers and everything in between.

Being a personal trainer allows for a flexible schedule, but also demands sacrifice. “There’s no typical schedule, you work around others,” Kevin says. “The customer is your boss, you work for them.”

While a fitness coach like Kevin may have a few sporadic days off here and there, he also has days that require them to be up at 4 a.m and heading home around 10 p.m. However, working long days at times isn’t as bad as it sounds. The work environment is “very laid back,” he says. “People already come in for a stress relief …. You talk a little bit, warm up, then get them through a workout.” When Kevin isn’t working with clients, he’s making phone calls, sending e-mails, processing waivers and doing other typical “administrative stuff” to keep his business running.

While having the knowledge and the ability to teach is important, real results take place when a coach is motivated to improve the health, happiness, and life of each client. Kevin says that the most enjoyable aspect of his job is when “people follow through with instructions and they get results. Then they’re excited to tell you.” He says a successful trainer is “personable, organized, and tolerant.” It’s imperative that the coach/client relationship is based on trust, he revealed. The coach must really know what motivates their athlete, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to inspire them to grow beyond their imagination.

Kevin considers “keeping people accountable” one of the most important aspects of his job. “Most people you train aren’t motivated, so 90 percent of your job is being a counselor, 10 percent is training.” He must encourage, correct, and instruct athletes to get them past their mental barriers that keep them from succeeding.  The hardest part is keeping clients compliant. “I’ll go about making a diet plan, and people tell me one thing and do another,” he says, adding that it can be frustrating when the athlete is limiting himself or herself by not applying his instructions. Keeping people accountable is also important because people are “walking advertisements,” he said. So obtaining future clients often depends on his ability to keep his current clients in check.

Regardless of the hurdles that come with being a personal trainer/coach, Kevin loves seeing people succeed when they implement what he’s taught them. He conveyed that being a great coach isn’t about being a drill sergeant or showing off your own ability or knowledge, it’s about improving the lives of those who come to you for help. The fruits of fitness his clients see in their lives are proof: Kevin isn’t just a personal trainer; he’s a great coach.