Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Nguyen.
Hi Angela, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
About 10 years ago, my family and I signed up for our first 5k run. For some reason, I gave myself the goal to run the whole thing. I didn’t know how to properly train for it, so I didn’t. I didn’t know how to properly warm up before the run, so I didn’t. After running the whole way, and being extremely sore after it. I came up with the idea to train for and run the Twin Cities Marathon.
Googled my way to finding a “couch to 26.2 miles” to follow and I skipped every single “strength training” day because I didn’t know how to strength train. I thought all I needed as a female was the cardio to stay healthy.
That led me to run the marathon two years in a row and that second time, I started to incorporate and learned how to strength train in addition to my running.
Again, good old google led me to learn strength training movements. I would spend my lunch breaks googling, reading, or working out in the gym within my 9-5 jobs office.
At some point, someone made the suggestion that I should compete in a local bodybuilding show. I had zero clue what that even meant. So I started googling information on them and it sparked my interest as a good goal to work towards.
Since then, I have competed in multiple bodybuilding shows where eventually I earned my IPE Bikini Pro card and also qualified nationally. As exciting as that was, and I had thought I accomplished all I set out to within the fitness industry.
I was then introduced to my now coach and owner of the American Strength Training Center. He helped me realize that all of my googling of information over the years, left a lot of room on the table for needing to learn more. When everything went virtual during covid, I found value and the effectiveness of in-person coaching and training.
He also saw potential in me to have the natural drive to coach. Not had gone to college, and have had the same corporate desk job for the past 20 years. I knew if I wanted to coach, I would need more than just his guidance. So while shadowing and mentoring alongside him (street smarts I call it), I also started to get the book smarts and credentials needed to coach.
Today I am a year into coaching clients and I am realizing that it is my passion I have for bettering myself, that has driven my eagerness to continue to learn, and it is now very rewarding to take all that I apply to my clients day to day.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle I had/have is the idea of chasing my passion when I only know working for a corporate 9-5 setting. Over time, my consistency in the health and fitness industry has built trust in the clientele I have now as I made the focus on career changes.
I juggle chasing the dream while working a corporate job. All while being a single mom to my wonderful 9-year-old, Olivia.
As you know, we’re big fans of American Strength Training Center. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a Strength and Nutrition Coach within the doors of American Strength Training Center, one of Minnesota’s elite training centers.
At American Strength, we focus on the whole picture. From how you move in space, to how that will affect your movement under a bar. We also focus on corrective exercise with proper use of soft tissue mobilization, understanding your ranges of motion, and correct technique amongst the different lifts.
What makes us different is that we are not just a gym. We are a training center. We focus on the whole picture from corrective exercise, to building strength and nutrition to achieve your goals.
American Strength is proud to be affiliated with USA Powerlifting as a Silver Regional Training Center. Additionally, the gym plays host to multiple USA Powerlifting-sanctioned events every year.
I am so proud to be part of a team that actually cares about the whole picture and the client’s goals.
We are not here to just make you sweat. Better yet, clients will say “Angela I didn’t even sweat today.” But our session was focused on how they can move well not just in their lifts but in their everyday movements.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I have always said that my countless 2nd and 3rd place trophies from bodybuilding show to bodybuilding show, sum up my life perfectly.
Every time I thought I gave it everything I got, I would always fall short of that win. This forced me to find the wins in the smaller victories that add up along the way.
I wouldn’t say it was “luck” but I do feel very fortunate to have been introduced to my coach and now mentor for both my coaching business within his walls, as well as having a coach for myself that will continue to push me to be better in not only my training but guide me with my approach I continue to take with my clients.
Pricing:
- Individual Strength Training Sessions – Contact for details
- Monthly Strength Training Packages – Contact for details
- 1:1 Nutrition Coaching – Contact for details
- Cupping + Mobility Sessions – Contact for details
- Programming – Contact for details
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.americanstrengthmn.com/angelanguyen
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angela_nguyenzel
- Other: http://www.americanstrengthmn.com/
