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RB Trainer Takes Fitness to His Clients

Posted on: Tuesday, 16 August 2005, 12:00 CDT

Boston native Chris DiVecchio works among the more typical slices of Southern California life.

He tends the bar and waits tables at Fonz's Restaurant in Manhattan Beach. He is an actor who's trying to make it big in Hollywood. And he's a body builder-turned-personal fitness trainer who goes to clients' homes or the beach to whip them into shape.

DiVecchio, 29, of Redondo Beach, has a bachelor's degree in business from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. He has big plans for his exercise business, 180 Fitness, as he pursues acting on the side.

Why did you come to Southern California?

I came out to act about four years ago, and I'm still aggressively pursuing that. I studied theater starting in prep school and also in college. I took acting classes in Boston after college. I study with acting coaches. I've gotten myself in the line of fire as far as the industry is concerned.

How many auditions have you gone to?

I do 100 in a year, easily. I had a small role in the movie "Dodgeball." I landed a few national commercials.

How did you become an expert in fitness?

I played ice hockey at Quinnipiac University. I started training myself as a way to increase my competitive edge in hockey. I was also a competitive body builder for about four years. I was training other people in 1999, my last year in college. I started training a lot of students at the school gym or off-campus gyms. Training people at their homes is something new.

Why do you train clients at their homes or on the beach?

It takes the part of having to get up and drive to the gym out of the equation. Some people feel self-conscious in a gym. And gyms can be very social places. They may end up talking the whole time and not doing much exercise.

What does your job as a trainer entail?

I like to talk to clients face to face. I come by the house for a free consultation and evaluation. I want them to tell me what they're happy with, what they're not happy with, and where they want to be. We plan out their diet and vitamin intake and we plan out an exercise program. A session lasts about one hour.

How much do you discuss diet?

Diet is the most important thing. The exercise and fitness aspect is secondary. I offer cooking tips and recipes to make healthy food taste good. I learned a lot of this by doing research in training for body building competitions. When you're at the competition level, you have to be very precise in what you eat and when you eat.

What's the hardest food to wean your clients from?

Pizza is a difficult thing to get people away from, including myself. But there are ways to have healthy pizza. You could go cheeseless.

How much do you charge?

One session is $75. It's cheaper per hour if you do a package.

What equipment do you use?

Dumbbells, medicine balls, resistance bands, an inflatable bench, an ab ball. Equipment is very minimal.

What's the best part of your job?

Seeing results. Seeing the clients making progress and seeing the change of their confidence and self-esteem.

What's the hardest part?

Getting people to see that their goals are within reach. Some people have let themselves go so far that they think their goal is nowhere in sight.

Do you become friends with your clients?

When you train someone, you develop a relationship. People will work with you because of you. They want somebody who not only has the know-how and experience in the fitness industry, but they also want someone who is fun and who they can trust.

What are your plans for the fitness business?

The long-term goal is to develop a franchise in the South Bay and then open franchises in other parts of California.

What's more important, your fitness business or acting career?

They offer me different fulfillments. It's fulfilling to see a client develop in training. And I have a true passion for acting, to expose my vulnerability through a character.

At Work profiles a job in the South Bay each Tuesday.

Source: Daily Breeze

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