Trainer Spotlight: Tramayne Richardson
By Traymayne Richardson
Meet Pongo Power personal trainer Tramayne Richardson!
Not only is Tramayne a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, she also has a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in Dietetics.
Tramayne, what are your current interests and areas of expertise?
I’m really into strength training right now, and for mental therapy, I dance. As a result of my dance background, flexibility will always be of importance to me. I believe in wellness as a lifestyle and love exploring fun and healthy ways to eat and move. As a culinary school graduate, I also love testing out new recipes during my down time.
What inspired you to become a personal trainer?
I started dancing in middle school, and while in high school I began instructing dance classes. I continued to teach dance during my college years, and while in college I majored in nutrition & dietetics. My first career position was working for a non-profit founded by Dr. Oz called Healthcorps.
During that time, I taught high school students in the areas of nutrition, fitness, and mental strength. We covered everything from milk alternatives to the many components of sleep, and we participated in various forms of workouts.
In 2011, I became a personal trainer at an Anytime Fitness near the high school. My years with Healthcorps trained me to become a better educator, nutritionist, chef, fitness instructor, and event planner. That position made a lasting influence on my life- it allowed me to connect the dots between nutrition and fitness.
How do the benefits of physical training in the gym translate into everyday life?
The benefits of training are endless. Activities of daily living are easier to achieve, and training also reduces the potential for chronic disease. Physical training causes the brain to release endorphins, and endorphins block pain, allowing the body to feel better. Workout sessions provide us with energy which increases alertness and concentration, allowing individuals to become more present in the moment, which also increases productivity.
What is your favorite part of being a personal trainer?
I love being a motivator and connecting with people. Helping individuals reach their goals brings about a certain satisfaction for me that I can’t find anywhere else. It is very rewarding to witness my client’s hard work and dedication translate into weight loss, muscle building, posture corrections, increased endurance, etc.
What is your sport or training modality of choice?
I like to switch things up. Some days I like to take my cruiser out, and while I’m into going for a 4-mile jog, I’m equally interested in leg pressing 300 pounds. I’m also interested in Yoga and flexibility as a result of my previous dance experience.
If you could give only one piece of advice to someone brand new to fitness, what would it be?
Measure your progress during the journey and celebrate small victories while continuing to create new goals.
What makes you unique as a personal trainer?
Taking a holistic approach to health means that nutrition and fitness are interconnected. My past and current experiences in nutrition, culinary arts, dance, and personal training are what make me unique. As a Nutrition Agent for the LSU Ag Center and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer at Pongo Power I get to wake up every day and live out my passions for life.
Meet the Author
Tramayne is a Louisiana native and has a B. S. in Nutrition & Dietetics from Southern University A & M College. Her background in nutrition and dance led to her interest in fitness. Tramayne's experiences in nutrition and fitness expand over ten years and are the driving force behind her building a career dedicated to promoting self-care and inspiring healthy change.
Tramayne loves to work on the foundational principles of her client's workouts. This helps her to ensure proper technique and alignment are present for her clients’ success. She hopes that her love for movement and nutrition leaves a lasting impression on her clients so that health and wellness may become a lifestyle and not a temporary fix.
“Putting in a little hard work today is most beneficial for your future self.”
If you'd like to train with Tramayne, shoot her an email at tramayne@pongopower.com!
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