ABOUTCOACHRICH
I walked into the Elizabeth New Jersey PAL (police athletic league) boxing gym in what was a dark and musty sweat filled basement as a nine year old. The sounds of heavy bag chains rattling and the speed bag humming along echoed throughout. The pop, pop, pop of well placed and precision like jabs was like a fire cracker going off in my ear. A athletic looking man wearing glasses poked his head between the ropes calmly offering instructions to the fighters sparring as they punched and counter punched, slipped and moved side to side with composure and grace in the center of that blood stained boxing ring. A dimly lit light bulb above the ring casted shadows making the entire scene look surreal to me. The gym was a buzz of energy, sound, movement, power and conditioned athletes unlike anything I had ever seen. I was immediately hooked and at that very moment at the age of nine I knew I wanted to be a fighter.
Hello my name is Richard Seymour. I am a former amateur and professional boxer turned fitness & nutritional consultant, lifestyle and contest prep coach as well as former NPC Mens physique Overall Champion and current IFBB Mens Physique pro. After retiring from the sport of boxing and wanting to pursue my life long love of fitness and nutrition, I immersed myself in the fitness, health, nutrition and gym culture. I started my coaching journey working with fighters and in the group fitness category teaching "Boxing for fitness" as well as numerous conditioning classes throughout gyms in Pennsylvania.
I started to master my craft by offering my services to clients to work one on one for free, in return I would gain valuable experience and knowledge. I obtained personal training certificates with ACE & ISSA in 1993 however was quickly disenchanted after realizing I had learned more in the gyms, working with clients, trial and error and being surrounded by amazing mentors then these text books could have ever possible taught me. I learned there is no education like real world experiences when it comes to the diversity, variables and unique circumstances of health and fitness.
I took a brief break from working with clients during my time in Aeronautical school, once I graduated in 2002. I took a job in the helicopter industry and quickly returned to coaching. My journey took a life changing direction as I began working with US military vets who were dealing with both physical and physiological injuries.*** It was during this period I began traveling the United States working one-on-one with clients and continuing to offer my services free of charge while learning there was a definite physiological component to body re-composition when working with clients and I needed to learn more***
I began to establish myself among the fitness community and with my peers as a coach who produced results. I worked briefly in 2005 with an elite group of USFS Smoke Jumpers based out of Las Vegas Nevada who were willing to give a training protocol I created and called H.I.G.T (High Intensity Group Training) a try. It was a success. In 2007 I went to work in Angola Africa in the Helicopter industry. It was during this time I decided to start working one on one with clients on a much broader stage online and begin to charge for my services. I was ready, I had years of practical experience under my belt, I was confident in my abilities to help others reach their personal health, lifestyle and fitness goals and so I created Abfitt .
I launched Abfitt Blogspot (check it out its still up and loaded with tons of free information, interviews and workouts from myself and special guest writers from around the world in the fitness industry) and was immediately up and running coaching clients from around the world online. In the years since I have continued to grow and learn working with over 900+ clients if not more. I truly have lost count. I have developed the “Abfitt Philosophy”, a unique training, nutrition and lifestyle philosophy that encompasses my nearly 25+ years of practical hands on experience working one-on-one with with clients.
The Abfitt philosophy is molded into each clients customized training & nutrition plan. Teaching lifestyle, training and nutrition thats real world, healthy, sustainable and carries with the client long after they leave. I push each and every Abfitt client to realize "you are capable of so much more"! In 2013 I started coaching and prepping physique competitors. In the years since I have coached over 200 contest preps and nearly 80+ champions in all classes in the NPC (locally & Nationally) OCB, and the NGA organizations. I have also coached competitors to realize their goals of becoming professionals in the OCB, NGA, Nspire and the IFBB.
My coaching style is taken from the lead by example template", I have stood on the shoulders of giants and without my mentors over the years I would not be where I am today. At 49 years of age I live my life by maintaining the highest standard of health and fitness possible myself. With so many wonderful and talented coaches available to serve you, I want to personally thank you for choosing me and officially say welcome to Abfitt ! Now let's get to work!!!
Coach-