What I Learned at the STRIVE Conference

Real Lessons for Trainers from the STRIVE Conference, and let me tell you something: my brain is buzzing, my notes are packed, and my standards just got raised.

This post isn’t fluff. It’s the real stuff that can take you from surviving as a trainer… to thriving as a business owner, leader, and high-impact coach.

Let’s break it down by the powerhouse speakers I heard and what you can take away from their playbooks.

🌻 Alex Bruce – Olympian Focus + Engineer Precision

Alex Bruce is a 2012 Olympian in badminton and now works as a structural engineer. That combo? It’s exactly what you get when grit meets structure.

Big takeaway:

"You can’t build a world-class career on a weak foundation."

Alex reminded us that training at an elite level while earning an engineering degree doesn’t happen by accident—it’s about systems and standards. Her ability to maintain excellence in two high-pressure environments proved that structure isn’t a preference—it’s a necessity.

✅ Apply this:Treat your week like a training cycle. Plan your days. Set work blocks. Audit your habits. Most trainers wing it—but winners engineer it.

Ask yourself: Where are the gaps in my daily routine? Where am I winging it instead of engineering it?

🧠 Neural Nitro – Ben McDonald

Ben is a powerhouse—30+ years deep in coaching and teaching. But his magic? He makes the brain-body connection feel electric.

3 Nuggets That Hit Hard:

1. The Life Trifecta:

   • Cardio = Longevity

   • Strength = Quality

   • Cognition = Joy

2. Breath + posture + rhythm = better brain function

3. Movement isn’t enough. Integration is what matters.

"It’s not just what you do—it’s how you connect it."

Ben's message was clear: train your clients' minds as well as their muscles. Build programs that create coherence between how they breathe, move, and think.

✅ Application: Add a rhythm or cognitive challenge to warm-ups. Try having clients count backward while doing step-ups. Train the mind while you train the body.

Also—start asking your clients about stress, sleep, and how their minds are performing. That's where the real breakthroughs happen.

🪠 Lee Boyce – The Trainer’s Toolbox

Lee’s been in the trenches 18+ years and is one of the most published fitness writers on the planet. But what stuck with me was this:

“Being in the fitness business means being in the people business.”

Lee speaks from experience, not theory. He’s written over 1,200 articles, teaches at Humber College, and speaks worldwide. And yet, his focus is still on connection.

He closed with a 4-part framework every trainer needs to memorize:T.E.S.T.

• Trust

• Enjoyment

• Safety

• Theory

If your coaching doesn’t deliver all four—you’re replaceable.

✅ Application: Audit your sessions. Are they fun? Safe? Grounded in theory? Earning trust?

And more importantly—do your clients feel seen? Or are you just running them through

reps?

💪 Olivia Geraci & Maida Comic – Debunking Women’s Fitness

These two are not playing around. They’re rewriting how we think about women in fitness—starting with ditching the scale as the holy grail.

Key Truths:

• A dream body starts with realistic expectations.

• The menstrual cycle must be factored into training.

• “Pink tax” isn’t just about prices—it’s about messaging and pressure women face online.

Maida and Olivia showed how social media has warped women’s expectations of fitness. The dream body gets marketed—but the process gets ignored.

The goal isn’t smaller. It’s stronger.

✅ Application: Educate clients on training with their physiology, not against it.

Include menstrual cycle check-ins. Teach about strength gains beyond aesthetics. And yes—challenge your own biases.

🧠 Benji Arhen – The Mind Muscles

Benji had us all shook with this truth bomb:

“Mental fitness isn’t just mindset. It’s the vehicle.”

He laid out the seasons of life:

• Survive

• Strive

• Thrive

And the tools to train your mental muscles:

• Meditation 🧘🏾

• Visualization 🕁️

• Deliberate hardship 💪

• Journaling ✍️

• Reflection 🔍

Benji also broke down the science behind mental imagery, self-talk, and how athletic performance starts in the mind.

✅ Application: Pick one tool and build it into your daily routine like it’s your next superset. For me? I started journaling my biggest wins and biggest lessons every night.

Final Thoughts: Cut Through the Noise

You don’t need more trends. You need more truth. STRIVE wasn’t just inspiring—it was a hard mirror.

It showed me that the best trainers today:

• Don’t just train the body—they train the brain.

• Don’t chase attention—they build authentic connection.

• Don’t scale chaos—they structure success.

I came back with new tools, tighter focus, and one burning question:

"Where can I show up 1% better—every single day?"

Because that’s the game. Not overnight success. But daily excellence.

If you’re a personal trainer who’s tired of guessing and ready to grow, this is your signal.

🚀 Read more about the workshops, my biggest “aha!” moments, and how I’m applying these lessons daily at mannyfraser.com

And if you’re ready to THRIVE instead of just survive?

🧠 Start training your brain like you train your body.💼 Start treating your career like a business.🔥 Start showing up with purpose—not just a pump.

Let’s grow.— Manny Fraser Founder, Gym Sales Coach | @themannyfraser