Rod Ketchens will not bark orders, yelling at his clients to lift more weights or run more laps.
No, the certified fitness coach and owner of RK Solid isn't anything like the personal trainers you see on TV.
"I've had clients who expected me to be jumping all around like the trainers on (NBC's) 'The Biggest Loser,'" Ketchens said, inside the fitness studio at Four Seasons Health Club. "They think trainers are gonna be super-intense and the pounds are gonna drop off immediately.
"There are no quick fixes when it comes to getting fit," he added, shaking his head.
Ketchens, 48, began weightlifting at the age of 11.
"That's when I got my first weight set," he remembered. "I started lifting weights as a way to stay out of trouble. Instead, it changed my life."
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A competitive track and field athlete as well as a former football player at Morningside College, Ketchens has won numerous body building competitions, including Mr. Iowa (three times), Mr. America and Mr. USA, before capping off his amateur career to become an International Federation of Bodybuilding Professional Body Builder.
In addition, he's been featured in such magazines as "Muscle Mag," "Flex," "Muscle and Fitness," "Iron Man" and "Muscle Media 2000."
It's fair to say that Ketchens has the credentials to "pump you up."
This is the time of the year when Ketchens and crew are at their busiest.
"We'll see a big uptick in business from people vowing to get in shape for the New Year," he noted. "By Valentine's Day, that number will steadily decrease."
The reason for the drop-off is because people have unrealistic goals. When they don't see immediate results, they become discouraged.
"It's best to concentrate on one short-term goal (for instance, losing weight) and one long-term goal (maintaining a healthier lifestyle)," Ketchens said. "That makes New Year's resolutions achievable."
But first, you need a game plan.
"Joining a gym can be intimidating, especially if you haven't been exposed to exercise in a while," Ketchens said. "A personal trainer can walk you through a program that is right for you."
According to Ketchens, RK Solid clients can come from all walks of life and in all ages.
"My youngest client is 4 and my oldest client was 84," he recalled. "In every case, the goal may differ."
"For senior citizens, it may not be strength training as much it's increasing bone density," Ketchens said. "Men may want muscles, women may want a toned body, while kids may merely need to burn off some steam."
Gabriela Brabec can relate.
A former soccer player, the Sioux City Hotel front desk clerk joined Four Seasons in order to stay in shape.
"I never lifted weights before I met Rod," Brabec, who is also Ketchens' girlfriend, explained. "Now, I have more energy and feel so much better as a result."
That's exactly the result Ketchens wants from all of his clients.
"Despite what you see on TV, a personal trainer won't turn you into a fitness model overnight," he said. "But we can show you ways to keep fit and develop a healthier way of life."
