Life & Work with Alex Piccirilli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Piccirilli.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I found my love of movement at a young age through sports. I was a 5 sport athlete for most of my life then went on to be a college cheerleader at The University of Miami where I really started to get into fitness and lifting through athletics. After that, I worked full-time at Nike World Headquarters in Portland, Oregon in brand marketing while I worked as a trainer on the side.

My very first “client” was one of my best friends and watching her go from being intimidated by the weight room and not knowing what to do to doing pull-ups and deadlifts and seeing her confidence and strength grow from the inside out, I knew this was my calling and I had to do it full-time. I then took the leap and put in my 30 days notice at my full-time desk job and transitioned into fitness full-time.

Since then, I have gotten to work with some incredible athletes and people and help them change their lives. After working for many years at Nike World Headquarters as a trainer, I made the jump to Nashville to be closer to my family in Florida and Texas. I am now a Global Nike Trainer and Experience Director at BOOTHCAMP Gym and love getting to help people grow every day!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh my gosh! Haha is anything ever smooth?! Tons of struggles, but I think if you’re doing what you’re passionate about they seem less like struggles and more like challenges that make you stronger. In my house, we have a saying, “Life doesn’t get easier, you just get stronger.” Calling up your parents and telling them you’re quitting your really great and comfortable job at one of the top companies in the world to pursue a career as a trainer is definitely not an easy conversation.

I then went to pinching every penny I could, taking on as much work as I could for experience and trying to grow my client base. It was definitely a grind of gaining as much knowledge as possible and working with as many people as possible and keeping the lights on. And it has all been so worth it. If you’re going through that phase right now – just keep going. You will get through it even if it doesn’t feel like it now.

And of course, Covid was a hard time for gyms and businesses everywhere. I was extremely thankful for the WiFi and the ability to have so many virtual training options, but it definitely wasn’t easy.

And I think a struggle a lot of fitness professionals don’t talk about is the fact you are constantly giving your energy to others. Which is AMAZING. And why a lot of us do what we do. But at first, it’s hard to find the balance of taking time for yourself vs. giving as much of your time as you can to other people. Clients and people expect a certain level of energy from you no matter what you’re going through on a personal level and that can be hard.

Even on the hard days, you have to show up for them because they’re showing up for themselves. You have to look out for your own health so you can show up for others. The way I best handled that is always honesty – letting people know because we are just human! Being as genuine and open as I can with my clients and also knowing how happy and filled up my job makes me – that honestly gets me through the hard times the best and keeps my energy up.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am definitely known for my positivity and my smile! I LOVE hyping other people up and making them feel good inside and out. I specialize in strength training and yoga. I think this makes me and my approach pretty unique. I am extremely passionate about both strength and yoga and feel as though they are massive compliments to each other.

I work with BOOTHCAMP Gym to lead group classes and I train private clients. I work with collegiate and professional athletes on recovery through yoga and mobility. It is such an important way for athletes to prioritize their body for performance and also work on their mindset and take time for themselves to breathe and reset. Being able to focus with a clear mind and breathe are huge assets to take into a game day and that practice starts with mindful movement.

I am also a certified mobility specialist through FRC, a Pain-Free Performance Specialist, and a Nutrition Coach through Precision Nutrition. Overall, prioritizing the way people move and fuel to keep them healthy and feeling good for as long as possible! I try to make health and wellness feel a little less daunting and stressful – we already have enough stress in our lives, the process of being healthy shouldn’t be!

Your wellness journey should feel sustainable and easily integrate into the rest of your life and that’s why I’m here!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I have always been extremely driven and determined ever since I was a little kid. When I set my mind to something I will work as hard as I can to get it and won’t give up no matter what obstacles are thrown my way. I love goal setting and writing goals down and I think that definitely helps!

While I’m working towards a goal, whatever challenges pop up, I use my positive attitude and determination to get through. We all have hard days, bad days, sad days, and things that happen that are totally out of our control – we can’t let those define us. It’s how we react or get back up from those situations that make us who we are.

My life motto is, “The difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude.” It definitely doesn’t mean I’m happy all the time, but it for sure keeps me going and keeps things in the right perspective for me to achieve my goals.

Pricing:

• $90 BOOTHCAMP 30 Day New Member Special
• And you can contact me for private training or yoga inquiries.

Contact Info:

• Email: contact@alexpicc.com
• Website: www.alexpicc.com
• Instagram: @alexpicc_
• Other: @boothcampgym // www.boothcampgym.com

Image Credits
Dre Joseph Grass, Dillon Vibes Photo, and Madeleine Queen