Former hip hop artist turned fitness trainer Kawanna Lewis set up her own bootcamp to help other people transform their lives just like she did.
Kawanna started her fitness journey after she agreed to help her trainer from the church and run his social media and in return, she would be his apprentice.
Now she runs Trap Bootcamp where she tailors each participant’s journey around them and their lives but also incorporates the no excuse, no nonsense ethos in every client’s plan.
Kawanna explained why she wanted to become a fitness trainer, revealed how rewarding it feels to help people on their journey and told of her plans for the future of Trap Bootcamp – including VR workouts.
Why did you want to become a fitness trainer?
Training and fitness chose me. I am a former hip hop artist, and my dream has always been to be on stage and share my gift with the masses. As fate would have it, I needed to lose a few pounds in order to feel confident in myself for auditions.
I was a former athlete, and I was coaching after school sports at the time. I was referred to a trainer from my church. As you will soon see I am a multi-talented person, and I was good on social media. Therefore, he trained me in return for me running his social media.
After a while I realised how much I enjoyed working out and asked if I could apprentice under him. He agreed and trained me for two years. I decided to get certified, and the rest is history.
Did you always want to go into the fitness industry or was there another career path you were thinking of going down?
I for sure knew I was born to be a star! My father had been successful as a member of a famous funk band called Lakeside. I just knew that I was supposed to be on stages with the likes of Lauren Hill and others like me, but fitness changed my life. I decided to share my gift of helping others transform their lives as I did my own. I now run a fitness company, called Trap Bootcamp.
When and why did you set up Trap Bootcamp?
This developed my passion to create a program that would affect a mass amount of people, like you, to do just that. I was inspired to help people understand the true gift of moving their bodies and that there was more to working out than “being snatched.”
My mission was to guide individuals on a journey tailored to the goals that would position them to transform their lives with a renewed mind and expect an overflow of change that would positively impact the lives of others around them from the inside out. To me, trap was more than music but a way of life that everyday people strived to make it through and get out of to live better.
Offering trap music as a part of the experience was a way to do something different where people could connect with a resonating message behind the music. A message that motivated them to never feel the need to settle on doing what is best for them and their being and to push through to a better self.
What makes Trap Bootcamp stand out from the rest?
Our differentiators are our no excuse, no nonsense approach to fitness. We provide detailed, individualised experiences for each client. I am experienced and have transformed my own body, therefore I know what each client is going through and can identify with each of them. I am certified in different functional fitness styles, which helps when a client wants to try a variable training experience.
What does one of your typical training sessions look like?
Online and in-person training begins with the introduction of the type of workout. 5-10 mins of movement prep and cardio warm-up. The body of each session is composed of movement in seven planes of motion.
Next, we move into core stability, and we add in any postural corrections that the client may need to work on. We end each session with 5-10 regenerative cool-down composed of yoga and static stretching.
We check in at the end and set our goal for their regeneration day, and I find out if life is putting any pressures on them that is preventing success. If it is, we come up with solutions together, to get them on the right track.
What does the future of Trap Bootcamp look like?
One of our goals is to redefine the fitness industry. All fitness gyms aren't created equally and the majority of trainers are provided very little support to ensure their success. I am a fierce advocate for supporting the goals of fitness professionals who have the desire to operate their own business but perhaps lack the financial resources. Our goal is to help other trainers. In an effort to keep our plan to myself, I won't divulge how and when, but we intend to help a lot of people create their dreams.
The TRAPFIT Xperience - (FUTURE ENDEAVOR) The TECH Meta Universe Gym (VR workout Experience Class) with a mission to disrupt the fitness industry once again by creating innovative products and experiences that create lasting change in people’s lives The TRAPFIT Xperience is an immersive technology that pairs resistance training, gaming principles and high intensity cardio, for people trying to reach their health and fitness goals.
How rewarding does it feel knowing that you’re actively helping people on their fitness journey?
I am a proud mother of two young adults, and I have poured into them, and they are evidence that all my hard work is not in vain, I sincerely feel like I am fulfilling my purpose with Trap Bootcamp. Lives have and will be changed because of the gift and skill God bestowed upon me. What a blessing to know you are making a difference every day. This is better than any Grammy I could have dreamed of in my past.
Words by Lucy Roberts for Female First, who you can follow on Twitter, @Lucy_Roberts_72.
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