“I understand that people want to feel like they get a workout, but it's pointless if you’re just strengthening the same muscles, and not working on the weak ones that need attention. So, finding the weak muscles and challenging them there is a very important part of each session.”

Q & A Session with Will Daugherty

Q: What is your favorite part of the private sessions you do?

A: I really enjoy learning a client’s goals, and then, breaking those goals down into easy steps they can take to quickly reach them. Seeing the satisfaction in their faces and the differences in their bodies once they have reached their goals is my favorite part of my work.

Q: What is it that makes your work unique?

A: My specialty is definitely having an athletic background which I use to incorporate advanced fitness concepts and adjustments into private sessions.

I understand that people want to feel like they get a workout, but it's pointless if you’re just strengthening the same muscles, and not working on the weak ones that need attention. So, finding the weak muscles and challenging them there is a very important part of each session.

I’m also an avid distance runner, so I love hearing people say they can't run because it hurts their knees (or back, etc.) and then changing something in their form that makes running, not only pain-free but enjoyable again. When you mix Pilates and stretching with your cardio, it can make the biggest difference in your running life; you will absolutely run with optimum health for the rest of your life.

Q: What are your 5 best attributes?

1. Patience with clients who are either hesitant to try new things, or who are somewhat skeptical about Pilates and stretching in general.
2. Experience with top-level athletic disciplines and organizations helps me understand the commitment other young athletes have to make to their sport. I feel I can help them understand better ways to adapt when some of their training may suggest they need to sacrifice their health for the betterment of their team or sport.
3. My running experience is definitely a positive attribute. When I compare my running experience before I met Sydney, with my tight body and lack of body awareness, to my running experience now, the difference is like night and day. Now I’m glad I can pass that experience on to other runners.
4. I also think being a guy has its benefits for many reasons, but two important ones come to mind. First, like most men (and some women), my muscles are particularly tight and so I understand and can address the issue of chronic muscle tightness that much better.
5. Second, having a little more brute strength allows me to better stretch people who may need a little extra help.

Q: Who do you find yourself working with most often?

A: I work a lot with current and former athletes. They really understand the benefits of Pilates and stretching and are dedicated to correcting any problems, or issues that the rigors of their chosen sport may have caused them.

Q: What are your biggest challenges when conducting a personal training session and how do you overcome them?

A: My biggest challenge (and reward) is working with people who have injuries. Sometimes, if those injuries are age-related, I might feel a little nervous about pushing them too far, so I do a ton of research on their particular injury to make me better able to address the issue and keep their sessions as safe and productive as possible.

Another challenge is the mental wall. Sometimes people might say something hurts as they are struggling with an exercise. I’ve found, in some cases, that they are actually having trouble accepting the fact that they need more strength in this particular area, and they are using an injury as an excuse to avoid challenging themselves to go to the next level.

In these cases, I practice patience and put myself in the client’s shoes. Then I help them ease into the idea that they really can go beyond their perceived limit. This way, I’m able to help them achieve their goals and I gain a much better understanding of the problem and can help future clients even more.

Q: Anything else?

I think I understand how lucky I am to be working with the best fitness professionals Chattanooga has to offer, and I’m grateful to have learned from the best studio-owner/person I have ever met.

Click here to schedule a private session and start working with Will now…

Will's Bio

Will has been an athlete his whole life. He was a star football and soccer player in high school, and after his playing days were over, he got into weightlift­ing and distance running.

He worked at the North River YMCA, where he deepened his under­standing of weightlift­ing and exercise. Then, Pilates fell into his lap in 2010, and he has had a passion for it ever since.

He’s studied exten­sively with Sydney Craig, owner of Pilates Tonic, and completed the Pilates Foun­da­tion Workshop, Pilates Excel and Cadaver Lab with 2nd-gener­a­tion teacher Rebecca Leone, and been person­ally trained and educated by stretch master Kit Laughlin in contract &release techniques.

Will loves helping others discover the benefits of Pilates and stretching!