Tommy Carter

My journey in fitness started as a young teenager when my dad took me and my brothers to the gym with him. From the beginning, I always loved being in the gym—the smell of it, the feeling of the knurled dumbbell handles in my hands, and the sound the iron plates would make when you slid them onto the end of a barbell. I was pulled in and in love with the whole experience. It was (and still is) my happy place.

I lifted weights throughout high school, and in my first year of college, a friend started giving me nutrition advice on building strength and muscle and recovering from my workouts more effectively. My progress accelerated, and my passion for training grew deeper. A year later, I joined a powerlifting gym in Albany, NY, called Albany Strength. The gym was filled with elite-level powerlifters, and I was fascinated by their level of strength and the intensity and focus they brought to their training sessions. I was fortunate enough to be mentored and guided by a group of lifters who taught me so much about training.

After college, I worked a corporate job in New York City. Every day, I counted down the hours until the workday was over so I could go to the gym. A friend noticed how passionate I was about fitness and suggested I get certified in training and start doing it as a side job. I took her advice, got certified, and began working at the gym I belonged to at night. That was a huge turning point because I discovered how rewarding coaching others is. It was the first time in my life I felt truly passionate about the work I was doing. From that moment, I decided to make fitness my career and open a gym.

My purpose in coaching is to help every person find a higher quality of life through greater health. Fitness has had a positive impact on my life, and I want the same for others. Immortal Fitness has become a hub for self-improvement and a place where people feel supported by the staff and their fellow members. I'm really proud of that.