21 FAQs

When you want answers:

1) Why did you start TEEM?

I recognized that I could train individuals outside of a gym. I never wanted to train anyone who was a part of the same gym in which I worked. So, I knew there was a larger population out here that could benefit from a niche.

The will to step out is alive and well in this industry. However, I do continue to train some clients in a gym at which I have worked for several years. TEEM began because I knew I could work my creativity in addition to working as a part of other entities.

2) Do you have a facility?

No. But, none is needed. I also had a website, which will make a return. 

It crossed my mind several years ago, but it never caught on. In-home and outdoors always felt right. The right move. With more social media and video conference opportunities, virtual training is a hit. All three modes work. Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter = most active) works as a vehicle for promotion. No facility needed.

3) When did you start TEEM?

August 2009 in Cambridge, MA

Ah, it was the right time. I was working, in grad school, and a couple of years into marriage. Now, I am back to training in the Washington, DC.

4) When did you start blogging?

Around 2005 or early to mid-2006.

It all began with my email listserve on aol.com. Those emails have disappeared, unfortunately. I transitioned the email platform to Gmail and Blogger, inviting individuals to join the list. At its peak, the list had about 400 people.

5) Where did you train in Massachusetts?

Apartment gyms, inside individual apartments, multi-purpose room, outdoor parks, the gym in the building where I lived. 

It worked well and was growing until I moved away and had to make adjustments and to adjust to change, which continues to evole.

6) You moved, but couldn't you have kept your clientele?

No and yes.

Yes for the possibility. No, because the clientele I had thrived in-person. With a trifecta platform (in-home, outdoors, and virtual and their combinations), you receive training preferences. Some like the gym. Others can succeed off a screen though it is a significant adjustment.

7) How long have you been training people?

Since October 2003.

My career began in the gym with my only work experience in the field stemming from serving as an assistant coach with the, then, Penn State Lady Icers during my last three years of college.

8) You coach ice hockey. How long have you coached?

Since 2000.

I was a junior at Penn State when I asked Coach Joe Battista who was the head coach for the Penn State Icers at the time, if I could assist with the women's team. I have had some years off, but it all started in 2000. The 2022-2023 season will mark my 16th behind a bench and 7th season as a head coach. Five seasons have seen me serve on two or three staffs in one season. For three seasons, I served as a head coach for two teams.

9) How did you come up with the name TEEM Performance Training?

I wanted an acronym and something to do with training athletes that also attracted non-athletes.

In one of my early listserves, I shared an excel sheet with various names I had contemplated. Recipients voted. After further review, none of the names stuck. TEEM was not on the original list but stuck with the t-e-a-m theme. Performance Training embodied athleticism and training for the non-athlete of any skill level.

10) What does the acronym stand for?

Train. Energize. Empower. Move.

Train one-on-one or with a group, team, camp, or clinic. Energize through good nutrition, rest & recovery, play, laughter, with family and friends, to name a few. Empower yourself or someone else, volunteer, share a workout, read, write, to name a few. Move when you don't feel like, play, hike, walk, change an ergonomic set-up, go out, love your spouse, to name a few.

11) In addition to training, do you sell any other products?

Yes, and they are a work in progress: shirt, socks (maybe), silicone wrist bands. Books are in progress. That's it, for now.

The shirt in the photo (not me pictured)...do you like it? Because you can get one. The wrist bands in the photo (below)...do you like them? Because the orange TEEM one stays. Every year, a new theme pops up on a new band design. The blue is for 2021, but you can still have one. If you do not like a product that is given to you, then the rule is to share it with someone else. Capiche?

12) Where do you see outdoor training success going?

It will increase given the right introduction.

Outdoor training is a TEEM niche. It works well for someone with a gym membership. However, you can certainly succeed with outdoor training. 

The biggest barrier: weather. 

The biggest predictor of outdoor training success: you.

13) Where do you see in-home and virtual training success headed as well?

They will also increase when given the right introduction. In-home and virtual training are a part of a good and newer wave of human performance. They are needed.

In-home training individuals hold a different persona than in-gym ones. They can thrive in workouts in the comfort of their own home.

14) Have you ever held fitness seminars?

Yes, at UMASS-Boston, Wellesley College, and in Natick, MA.

I want to bring these back in some capacity. They are for you, the customer and potential trainee/client.

15) What should someone do if they think they do not have enough time to train their body?

Stay actively calm and know there is enough time. You can always begin the process by walking, running, or riding a bike. Then, the workout part follows.

I guarantee there is enough time. You have 15 to 30 minutes everyday to do something. It comes down to motivation over not enough time. Sometimes, you do not have the motivation because you may lack the knowledge to train your body. But, knowledge is right here at your fingertips. So, the underlining struggle: motivation. Let me help you with that part.

16) What are some good motivators?

• Nature
• Observing/noticing other people who move/workout in your neighborhood
• Surrounding yourself around active individuals or those who regularly take care of themselves
• Surrounded by safety
• Taking advantage of nice or opportunistic (e.g., snow for skiers) weather
• Having a good coach
• Children and other supportive family
• Watching the Olympics and athletes
• Exercising your faith

The above names a few. But, as a rule to live by...if you struggle with moving your body, then observing others moving their bodies tends to help.

17) Do you work more with athletes than non-athletes?

Both groups are on the list right now. Everything started out with non-athletes taking the reigns, but more athletes have started to surface. 

It is expected that the general population will see a good opportunity to get or stay fit. But, as athletes recognize the potential to improve overall athleticism, hopefully a lot more will join.

18) Do you have camps or clinics?

Not yet. Fall 2022 for drop-in clinics and more on a blog post and social media those clinics.

As I will continue to mention: You do not have to belong to a gym in order to workout and get results. Yes, it is common and etched in the minds of individuals. However, you should think and act outside of the box, which is the idea of drop-in strength & conditioning clinics for young athletes. Where? Outdoors at selected fields.

As far as camps are concerned, they can occur in the summer, most often, or throughout the year.

19) What other backgrounds in the industry do you have?

I have worked in public health - I would continue to do something in that realm. I have also done work in recreation. In fact, my master's thesis focused on play and recreation.

It's important to have multiple skills in this industry. As you can see, I like to write as well. So, authorship is on the horizon - there are a few pieces that have already been written. 

20) What can customers expect from TEEM?

Customers can expect the following:

• Access
• Versatility 
• Fun
• Results: athletic development, goal achievement
• A willingness to create
• Lower costs
• Individualized training because it's a niche
• Thorough training (not just physical)
• A different experience than solely using a normal gym
• Training in adjunct to a gym membership (if you have one) 
• An arsenal of inspiration, ways to motivate, knowledge

You all are used to the physical aspect. You expect it. But, as a coach, specialists, and trainer, in agreement with other professionals who share these titles, the focus differs for clientele. The focus in question may include physical, mental, spiritual, behavioral, intellectual, and other als. 

21) How do you trust your customers?

Customers should know what they want in terms of service. If a customer is a gym-rat, then the gym is for you. If a customer is willing to see that she can get results from in-home, outdoor, virtual sessions, camps, clinics, plans, and seminars, then those opportunities are available here.

Honesty travels a long way in relating to change and in relationships. Trust what you want. Speak it as introduction, but don't talk the talk too much.

I will also say this...with 19 years of experience in the field, I can detect when a person will want training, how long they may last as a client (will they be a longevity client or temporary one?).

_____________________

I hope this information helps you progress the process!

Derek | @teemptraining derekteempt@gmail.com