Introducing: Cycle with Trev
“Watching my riders get closer to their fitness goals every workout” is Coach Trevin Blair’s biggest source of inspiration.
Military Officer. Future Aviator. Traveler. Cycle Coach. Trevin “Trev” or “T” Blair has taught cycling classes for the U.S. Army in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait while serving as an Officer. Now based in South Carolina, Coach T trains remote, has launched his first on-demand programming, including Southern Bounce I & II as well as his Latinx Full Body HIIT.
Coach Trev - tell us a bit about you. You’ve posted, “My heritage is so important that I never travel without my home flag.” Can you share some key aspects of your heritage that define who you are?
My cultural heritage has undoubtedly helped to shape and define the man I am today. I spent most of my early life growing up in Guyana. It's a relatively quiet country on the northern coast of South America where just about everyone in our village knew who you were as well as your family. It's the embodiment of the phrase "it takes a village to raise a child." Growing up close to or in some cases below the poverty line, I truly understood the value of hard work and perseverance. I walked to school every day, helped my mother on the weekends to run our shop, shared a room with my three siblings, and helped to raise my younger brothers and sister. Some days were harder than most but we continued to make the best of the life God has granted us. Now at the age of 33 and looking back on those memories I tend to smile, for without those experiences I just wouldn't be me.
Tell us about you: your story and journey to becoming a coach, and a subsequent fitness leader within the U.S. Military.
My journey to becoming a coach started quite naturally around 7 years ago. It began when I started taking friends along for runs, and then transitioned to me coaching them for their first 5K or half marathon. I was an avid runner in high school and maintained my love of running and overall fitness well into adulthood. When I joined the military, I was able to merge two things I love: physical fitness and helping people. As a leader in the military we have the underlying responsibility to be role models for our Soldiers, peers, and communities. Maintaining my own physical fitness and coaching are just one of the many opportunities I'm given each day to be that role model.
Pictured: Coach T’s first riding crew - the U.S. Army in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan.
As it happens, since your own coaching career has progress, you've started to train up a new class of coaches - what are your top tips to help them succeed?
Yes! Thus far I've worked with 3 amazing coaches who were all new. My top tips would have to be the following:
Mix it up! The beauty of coaching is that you have a ton of resources that make for endless possibilities. A simple addition of a few new songs or moves can create an intense workout and awesome ride.
Let your personality shine! If you're light-hearted, be light-hearted; if you're intense be intense; if you're silly, then be silly. Our coaching styles have more to do with who we truly are and not who we try to be.
Learn the basics, then never stop learning! Once you grasp the fundamentals of coaching, it doesn’t stop there. Each day is an opportunity to learn or try something new. So keep an open mind.
Lastly, enjoy the ride! Every session helps to take someone in your pack closer to their fitness goal. Take comfort in that and keep going.
How about being a coach in a military context? What does it take to design military-grade workouts and the total experience? Your wolfpack is a community where physical fitness and leadership are already superior - leading your pack sounds daunting!
Yes, the physical demands placed on our military community can be a challenge for just about anyone. I utilize a combination of high intensity and varying levels of resistance to create an inclusive experience for everyone. Classes are designed to challenge the most superior of athletes, meet the demands and rigors of a super-Soldier, or provide a fun workout for everyday, casual riders. So whether you are a super-Soldier pushing the boundaries of your peak performance or just want to have a fun ride, there's something for everyone.
Let's get personal: as a coach, what are your top sources of inspiration? What has motivated you to get to where you are today?
Hmm. This is a tough one. Inspiration for me comes in many forms, and from countless sources. I've pulled inspiration from my fellow coaches, new music or a different genre to incorporate in a workout, and even the Struct Club app. My biggest source of motivation comes from everyone I have helped get closer to their fitness goals. Getting up at 5:00am some mornings isn't always easy, but whether I'm coaching 50 students or 1, if they're up, then so am I.
Today, you can get a great sweat at home, on-demand with Coach Trevin on Struct Club!
We love your training snippets on IG! What does your day-to-day wellness routine look like? Can you highlight some of your key priorities?
If I had to think of my day-to-day wellness routine over a period of 1 week it would look something like this: My day-to-day wellness routine has to be pretty fluid based on work schedules and any unplanned situations that arise throughout the day. I find that if I look at my routine from a weekly perspective I can better adjust to changes in my schedule. At the most basic format, my weekly routine goes as follows:
Work out 3-6 days a week (30mins - 3hrs)
Meditate 2-3 days a week (5 - 30mins)
Stretch or do Yoga 2-4 days a week (10 - 20mins)
My key priorities are things that don't necessarily revolve around fitness, but have the biggest impact on my overall wellness. Things like:
Drinking a good cup of herbal tea after meditating in the mornings, which helps to calm and relax my mind before starting the day, or
Taking a cold show some mornings because it sucks but helps me build my own mental resiliency.
I make it a point to dedicate at least one day from the week to focus attention on my mental and emotional wellness.
Lastly, I cannot stress the importance of sleep. I give my body and mind enough time to rest and repair. Some days its 6 hours and some days 9, but I make it a priority to rest as needed.
On a serious note, can you share an example of a major obstacle you've encountered along the journey and how you overcame it?
About 11 months ago I injured my foot while training for a marathon. Not only did it sideline me from my race, but my overall fitness took a big hit as well. Running was my main means of maintaining fitness, before I discovered indoor cycle. After taking two or three classes, one of my mentors suggested that I give instructing a class a go. Fast-forward to now, and I'm one of the lead indoor cycle instructors, leading 3-4 classes a week, and in the best shape of my life.
My point is this: you may not always be able to do the workout you want, so do the workout you can. You never know it may lead to something awesome!
Lightening round! Give us your top pick for each of these:
Motivation Mantra: If you can't do the workout you want, do the one you can... but give it your best!
Signature Move (in class): Standing Chest Press
Spirit Animal: Eagle...because I was born to fly baby fly!
Walk-on Song: Dirt Off Your Shoulder by Jay-Z
If there's anything about using Struct Club that has aided you and you feel inclined to share, we'd love to know!
When I first had the idea of becoming to an instructor, one of the first things I did was try to find an app to help make creating classes easier. After much searching, it just so happened that Struct Club was launching at the same time I was to teach my first class. I'd like to think I was meant to discover Struct Club and their amazing staff. Working with the app and team has been a pleasure. It has been fun to watch how my instructing style and the Struct Club app has been evolving since launch. I love the fact that they continue to innovate and explore more ways to improve the experience for every Struct Club user. Keep on rocking team Struct Club!
Thank you so much, Coach T! Get more inspiration by following Trev on IG at @cyclewithtrev and @trevitrev06.
Catch Coach T on IG at @cyclewithtrev and @trevitrev06.