Meet the… Personal Trainer

Zuidas is best known as Amsterdam’s business district, chock-a-block with skyscrapers and scores of offices. More recently, however, the district has grown into a veritable urban neighbourhood and a great place to live and hang out. Many businesses have also discovered Zuidas, and with their arrival, the district has added a wide range of services and amenities, including shops, schools, fitness centres and places to drink and dine. Powering each of these establishments are entrepreneurs and employees with their own special, personal stories that we’re eager to share with you.

Richey Speelman (23) is a personal trainer at Clubsportive in Zuidas. He talked to us about the path leading to his dream job and his take on personal training. We also found out about Richey’s favourite cheat meal and what he does to stay in shape.

You’re a personal trainer. What brought you to Clubsportive? “Before the pandemic I was working as an account manager at an IT firm, selling products to people over the phone. When Covid started, I went looking for a job that was a better fit for me. I’ve been playing sports all my life – footballing at the AFC and other things. I thought that alongside doing athletics myself, it would be fun to coach other people. Through my network I wound up at Clubsportive a year ago and started as a personal trainer there.”

How does personal training work, and how do you figure out what kind of training is best for people? “As a personal trainer, I adapt workouts to a client’s wishes. That could be losing weight, building muscle or training for some goal, like an upcoming triathlon or race. I always meet with clients first to look at how achievable their goals are and to map a timeline.

Richey Speelman

It’s normal for people who are just starting out with fitness to have loads of questions for our trainers. And you’ll find they’re really proactive about helping.”

What does your own fitness lifestyle look like? “As well as coaching others, I train hard myself. I typically work out seven or eight times a week; mainly boxing and strength training. Of course, outside my healthy diet and busy workout schedule, I have cheat days as well. On cheat days I enjoy a burger and a milkshake from Five Guys. I love my life as a personal trainer because it’s so varied. Everybody’s got different goals. Getting to know all those different people is what makes my job so much fun. Clubsportive welcomes everyone and we’re happy to show you around the gym. So, who knows? Maybe I’ll see some new faces from Zuidas here at Clubsportive in the near future!”

HELLO YOU HAP&TRAP @ ZUIDAS

17 June 2022 The new culinary cycling event of Zuidas was a true spectacle! With a lightning-fast sprint through the Claude Debussylaan and a finish on Mahlerplein, it became immediately clear who really is the fastest company of Zuidas. But it was also an enjoyable afternoon for the non-sprinters: with stalls from local catering and retail, a bar, stage and DJ, it truly was a party for everyone.

SPECIAL A WELCOMING WORKPLACE

PERFORMS BETTER

For this special feature on diversity and inclusion, we wanted to shine a spotlight on Michiel Kolman. Employed at the academic publishing company Elsevier, he also co-chairs Workplace Pride, an organization that has been championing LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion for over ten years. Michiel advocates for diversity and inclusion in company workforces in order to make them welcoming to LGBTIQ+ staff. He speaks from experience when he says that employees who feel actively included perform better on the job.

Why is workplace diversity and inclusion so important? “Organizations and companies have a moral obligation to ensure all of their staff can be themselves and that the workplace climate is inclusive. Moreover there is a clear business case for diversity & inclusion: companies perform better, are more innovative and creative. To put LGBTIQ+ workplace inclusion on top of the agenda is important and this is where we come in. Among other things, Workplace Pride hosts a variety of conferences where organizations can connect with and learn from one another, also e.g. through a global benchmark. Workplace Pride’s mission is full workplace integration of the LGBTIQ+ community worldwide”.

What message would you like to give companies in Zuidas? “In Zuidas, we are working with a number of players already, including Baker McKenzie, Van Lanschot Kempen, ABN AMRO, AkzoNobel, Accenture, the Municipality of Amsterdam and EY. It would be brilliant if more organizations in Zuidas joined Workplace Pride, through which employers can give added visibility to their LGBTIQ+ staff. We are one piece of a broader diversity policy that’s vital for every organization, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute both through Workplace Pride and at Elsevier.”