Meet Ryan Humphries | Co-Owner and Head Coach at Axistence: Training For A Life Of Adventure

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ryan Humphries and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ryan, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe that the most important factor behind the success of the Axistence brand has been the community who represents it. Sure, you have to have great programming and you have to deliver results, but the community (the members) is what ties it all together.

Building a strong community isn’t necessarily an easy task. Like any relationship, you have to put in the work. I think a lot of people just expect to open a gym and for the community to create itself, but as an owner you really have to care about each and every one of your members. If you truly care about every member and you’re hiring coaches who do as well, members will start to see the results their looking for, and they’re going to have a damn good time doing it because they feel seen and heard.

For us, we’ve always incorporated outdoor adventures as part of our community events. Everything from snow-shoeing to ice climbing, to hiking 14’ers to mountain biking. If our members want to learn how to do it, we’ll find the resources and direct them accordingly.

Fitness is a pretty fickle industry. Trainers come and go. People start and stop. Gyms open and close all the time.

Although there’s no “secret” per say, if you truly care about helping someone achieve their goals, and you introduce them to others who are on the same path, the dominos start falling. Had it not been for our amazing community of adventure athletes, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

What should our readers know about your business?

Axistence was created in-part because we felt there was a gap between fitness and outdoor adventure. In order to live one’s most active life, there’s a base level of fitness required, but after that then what? How to you meet people to share in your adventures? How do you learn the skills?

Over the years we’ve partnered with local experts in the realms of everything from wilderness survival to ice-climbing to help ensure our members have the resources needed to take their lives to the next level.

As a community-based fitness business, it’s important that we’re fostering a culture of inclusivity where members feel like they’re not just a face in the crowd. One where the coach not only knows your goals and how to get you there, but also how to do so in a safe and efficient manner. Our small group classes are essentially personal training in a group atmosphere.

One of the many things that sets us apart from the rest of the fitness industry, is that we are not solely focused on “fat loss, muscle gain, or how many calories you burned”. Those results are a by-product of intelligent training and consistency. Our training combines so many different elements from so many different programs because we realize that everything works, nothing works forever, and there’s always room to improve.

In an industry that likes to confuse people with Bootcamps and Fad Diets, it can be quite the challenge to educate people on what they really need to get the results they’re looking for. And to these folks we say, challenge accepted 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

Favorite spots in the city of Denver (and the surrounding area)

1. Red Rocks: An absolute must, and any time of the year. Whether that’s to run the rocks as the sun comes up, just hang out and take selfies, or see a show.

2. FERAL: If you’re in Denver, chances are you may need some new gear. FERAL is a local outdoor gear company located in the Highlands area of Denver is a pretty spectacular mecca of outdoor paraphernalia.

3. Creekside Cellars: This little hidden gem winery in Evergreen is amazing. Also, they have a charcuterie board there that’s the size of a small car.

4. Williams & Graham: This hidden away speakeasy will make you feel like you’ve stepped back about 100 years in the past.

5. Any Climbing Gym: Denver is ripe with climbing gyms, all of which are pretty spectacular.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I believe my success is a direct result of some amazing parenting from both my mom and dad. They’ve always encouraged me to live my dreams. It’s because of them that Axistence exists. I’d also like to thank the first personal training clients I had (some of which are still training will me today, over 10 years later). Their determination and success, gave me inspiration to branch out on my own.

Website: www.axistenceathletics.com

Instagram: @axistence_train_for_adventure

Facebook: www.facebook.com/axistenceathletics

Yelp: Axistence Athletics

Youtube: Axistence Athletics

Other: Personal Instagram: @ryanmitchellhumphries

Image Credits
Lauren Anderson