Fitness has given Reggie Kitchen strength and endurance. It has also given him a career and opportunities to give back to his community. He uses fitness as a means of meditation. It’s where he feels a strong spiritual connection. Fitness is not just a routine for Kitchen, but an answer, not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally, and as a trainer in Tifton, Georgia, he seeks to share the power of fitness every chance he gets.

“My goal as a trainer is to be able to connect with as many people as possible, helping and inspiring them to be the best possible person they can be — health-wise, relationship-wise, and so-on,” Kitchen said. “I really believe personal training is more than just a push up or a crunch; it’s a personal connection with people to help them push through not only the workout but life in general.”

Kitchen has worked with everyone from 10-year-olds to individuals in their late 60s. He’s worked with athletes and those who don’t know the difference between a dumbbell and a barbell. The goal for his clients in the end is always the same, however, and that’s to improve their quality of life no matter what their goals are. Knowing how crucial fitness and honoring one’s body can be, Kitchen seeks to introduce it to anyone and everyone who hasn’t truly given fitness a try in a while or even ever.

“The biggest reward is working with clients that have never been to a gym before, and they already had a pre-fixed conception about the gym,” Kitchen said. “A lot of people may think ‘I don’t want a lot of people looking at me,’ or ‘I’m intimidated by the gym.’ I enjoy working with someone like that, changing the way they think about a gym, and now they totally love it.”

One of Kitchen’s recent clients was an elderly woman just seeking to have the strength to pick up her grandkids. Creating a program for her and following her on her strength goals was a rewarding experience for him. “That is a real big accomplishment, to actually see functional work come out of fitness, being able to have a long life, to have an active life,” Kitchen said.

The thirty-four-year-old is a Tifton native, having graduated from Tift County High School in 2000. Now with a business degree under his belt and years in the training industry, Kitchen is changing lives as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor at J & J’s Gym. So far he has put out two successful workout DVD’s: Total Body Sculpt and Total Body Burn. Friends have told Kitchen that Tifton is too small for him, that his knowledge and skill belong somewhere larger like Atlanta or Jacksonville. But Kitchen disagrees. He believes in being there for his community and that success can be found anywhere.

Most recently, Kitchen held his very own Back-To-School Give-A-Way at the LeRoy Rogers Senior Center in Tifton. Over 300 kids stopped by for an event that included free school supplies, a live DJ, and tons of laughter. The Lady Devils Basketball team helped out as well as other community members. Through his own funds and reaching out to many of his clients, Kitchen was able to coordinate an event that made going back to school much less financially stressful for children and their families.

Kitchen also instructs kids at a juvenile detention center in Cordele, Georgia.

“I go out into the detention center, mentor them, run them through an amazing workout, which includes team-building workouts, that way they can learn to work and respect others,” Kitchen said. “We also have fun and sweat, so I really love donating my time and energy towards helping those kids get on the right track and show them a positive mentor.”

What’s next for Kitchen? He’s in the process of becoming a “Master Trainer,” which will allow him to train other trainers on how to be better trainers. He is also working to put out his third DVD: Total Body Tone.

“The DVDs are just another format I can use to connect with multiple people,” Kitchen said. “I also post videos with motivational messages on YouTube. When somebody speaks encouragement to you, you never know what that can lead to. Some people might take it and run with it.”

(Do this simple YouTube Search to see what Kitchen is all about: ‘Reggie Kinchen: I’m Free’)

Whether it’s helping his clients or just helping those in his community, Kitchen is someone to admire.

Side note: Kitchen is all about helping and sharing, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t make time for himself. “I really take working out seriously, not just because of the physical features, but having that time to meditate, talk to God, and just get my thoughts together,” Kitchen said. “I use working out as a sense of peace.”

Reggie Kinchen Pushes Clients to Lift Weights and Spirits

by Sarah Turner

September 2016 | Health & Life