We’re looking forward to introducing you to Katie Prendergast. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Katie, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Outside of work and fitness, I spend a lot of time outside. Right now, gravel cycling is helping me to escape and unwind from the stress of work and everyday life. If I can get a couple hours on my bike a couple days a week, I feel much more relaxed and able to tackle things at work and life in general.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
The short answer is that I am a self-employed personal trainer. The longer answer is that I specialize in strength training for outdoor athletes. If you run, hike, bike, ski, snowboard, climb, raft, or kayak, you are an outdoor athlete, and I can help you get stronger for your adventures.
I’ve been a personal trainer for 10+ years. I’m based out of Push Gym in the Baker neighborhood of Denver, and I also work remotely with clients around the world.
My business is called KPxFitness, which stands for “keep pushing.” The “x” is filler, to be honest. A large, national healthcare brand already owned the domain for “KP Fitness.”
In addition to my personal training certification, I am a Pain-Free Performance specialist and a certified nutrition coach. Many of my athletes/clients come to me after experiencing an injury and want to get back to their favorite activities. The best part of my job is hearing clients tell me things like “I’m able to run pain-free for the first time in years!” Helping people move better and enjoy their sport again is what fulfills me.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I can’t pin this down to a single moment, but traveling has been the most important thing to broaden and deepen my understanding of the world. No matter where you go, you realize that people are pretty much the same. We all want to find meaning and purpose, to connect with friends and family, and to work hard at the things that bring us joy.
I’ve been lucky to travel all around the US, Canada, Europe, India, and Australia. Each of those experiences has shaped how I see the world and how I see my role in the bigger picture.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
If you’ve ever hiked, biked, or backcountry toured, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “type two fun.” It’s the kind of fun that comes from doing really hard things and generally involves some degree of suffering, but it’s fun after the fact. Suffering teaches us that the journey is more important than the destination. It’s important to fall in love with the process of whatever you’re doing because the outcome is never guaranteed. You won’t necessarily feel happy or fulfilled from an outcome for very long, but who you become in the pursuit of your goals is what matters.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I am a very bad actor, so yes, the public version of me that you see on Instagram, or read in my newsletter and articles, or see on the gym floor is the real me.
One of my biggest personal challenges with having a “brand” is that I don’t actually like attention all that much. Part of why I chose KPxFitness as my brand instead of something like “Katie Prendergast Fitness” is that it offered some anonymity.
I don’t want to be a famous personal trainer with a million followers or clients. I just want to provide good, evidence-based fitness and nutrition information to people who want to pursue travel and adventures. I don’t share a lot of personal content, but what I do share is definitely the real me.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. How do you know when you’re out of your depth?
This goes back to the question of authenticity and public self.
When I started my personal training career, I worked at a local box gym and had to take on any client that wanted a personal trainer. This was good because it exposed me to a lot of different people with different goals, but it was also stressful because I felt I had to provide people with what they thought they needed. For instance, some gym members really just wanted a trainer to kick their butts and leave them dying on the gym floor. They thought they had to smash themselves in every workout, and while I knew that wasn’t a good idea, I still felt I had to deliver on their expectation.
Now, however, I take the lead in showing people that workouts should be hard, yes, but exercise shouldn’t destroy you. If a client insists on getting their butt kicked every workout, I know they’re not the kind of person I can work with, and I will tell them so. It’s definitely not “my way or the highway,” but I will just be really honest with somebody that that’s not the service I provide. I want people to come away from our training with a sustainable approach that they can continue for the rest of their lives once we’re done working together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kpxfitness.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/kpxfitness
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