Name: Chuck Stephens
Title: Managing Editor for Muscle and Fitness Magazine and owner of Chuck Stephens Intensity Training.
Years Active: Over 20
Clientele: Professional athletes, swimsuit models, Playboy Playmates and fitness competitors.
What led you to become a professional body builder and fitness competitor?
I was in the instructor program for the President and first lady back in the late ’70s and early ’80s during high school and I learned how to train. After I graduated, I started body building professionally while managing Gold’s Gym in Clear Lake while going to chiropractic school. I followed up with my internship at Steeple Chase Family Health Care Chiropractics but I didn’t feel comfortable in the field of chiropractics. I began to place all of my energy towards my weights and managing different health clubs and before I knew it, I began to win competitions and during that time I became Mr. Muscle Beach.
How did your career at World Gym lead to you starting your own company?
When you manage a health club, you can only make so much money and the only way that you can get out of being a manager is if you own your own club or get out and work for yourself. I got the opportunity from the World Gym Houston Franchise owner to run seven of the Houston facilities with over 400 trainers. When World Gym got bought out by 24hr Fitness, I went to some sponsors and financial backers who helped me open the One to One facility where I have been training for 17 years. One to One was created by personal trainers and is designed for personal trainers who are in need of a place to train and grow their clientele.
When did you notice your brand start to expand?
At World Gym I had a client who was opening up Darque Tan and they wanted to do a marketing deal with the gym. They decided to host a Ms. Darque Tan contest where the contest winner would get to be the face of Darque Tan. Since I was one of their main sponsors, I ended up training a lot of the girls who won the competition. Once the word got out about my training program, I began to receive more requests from pageant girls and competitive fitness competitors.
What is your ultimate goal as a trainer and fitness coach?
If you go to any health club or vitamin store in the world and mention the name Arnold everyone in the industry knows that you are talking about Schwarzenegger. My goal is to be just as big! I want the name Chuck to be on the same level as the name Arnold.
https://www.chuckstephensfitness.com/ https://www.facebook.com/chuck.stephens.fitness
