Travon
Failure is part of the process. If you never fall short, you’re not aiming high enough.
Travon
Personal Trainer (he/him)
Education: M.F.A. in Poetry and M.A. in Literature from McNeese State University. B.A. in English from Westfield State University.
Certifications: NASM Personal Trainer, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist, NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist, NASM Nutrition Coach, USTFCCCA TFA Applied Strength Coach, ARC CPR, First Aid, and AED Practitioner, NCMW Youth Mental Health First Aid Practitioner, HRiA BEST Initiative Youth Worker, and QMT4T Active Bystander Trainer
Personality: Caring and competitive
About me
I became a personal trainer because I experienced so much physical wear and tear as an athlete that I had to reinvent my relationship to fitness. Between rehabbing countless injuries and prioritizing exercises that reinforce daily movement patterns, I learned two important lessons: true strength encompasses mind and body, and functional is always favorable. Now, as a personal trainer, I strive to help people do what they love for as long as they can.
I love personal training as a means of inspiring, and being inspired by, others. My biggest passion in life is strengthening communities by strengthening their members, and I believe that having a deeper connection to movement improves how we navigate the world. Whether we’re learning to correct our steps, or tighten our grips where it matters most, functional fitness adds intention to how we move, and are moved by, those around us.
The story that still fuels me to this day is when my first client officially started seeing results. “I can finally hold my daughter without my arms getting tired,” he said, with the biggest grin on his face. There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing I helped someone reclaim moments they’ll cherish forever.
I help each client to remove the guess work from their wellness journey. After talking through their goals, I take care of the movement analysis, fitness programming, exercise instruction, recovery strategizing, nutrition coaching, and sport psychology. All the client has to do is commit to showing up with a positive attitude.
Clients work with me to continuously challenge themselves. I help them discover their limits, reach their potential, and then keep reaching.
Specialties
Endurance and strength training, injury prevention, rehabilitation, weight loss, muscle gain, and confidence building.
Philosophy
I encourage clients to always feel comfortable providing feedback during our sessions. The best trainer-client relationships consist of honest two-way communication where each person’s expectations and needs can be met. If a particular movement or coaching style doesn’t work for you, just let me know. I pride myself on being flexible and fostering inclusive learning environments through demonstrated self advocacy, cultural awareness, and trauma informed care.
Despite what any internet search or product advertisement tells you, there is no secret to success. Every feat is a journey during which shortcuts are dead ends, detours are inevitable, and the scenic routes are worth remembering. There will be days when you’re exhausted from work and don’t feel like exercising, but those are the most important days to show up for yourself. Motivation may vary, but discipline lasts a lifetime and beyond.
Outside the gym
I recently moved to southeast Portland from Boston, Massachusetts. Outside of the gym, I enjoy competing in disc golf tournaments, sampling jazz records, drafting lyrical poems, and solving Sherlock-style murder mysteries with my partner and our two cats.