As a mother of two young children, Emily Hildebrand believed she was too busy to pursue her fitness goals. That is, until she met John Waters.
Waters, the founder of Florence-based 3 Pillars Fitness, is both a personal trainer and business owner who meets clients wherever they are, whether at home or in a training facility.
‘The fact that he could come there while my youngest was two, so she would take a nap, and it was just timed out perfectly,” said Hildebrand. “Had that not happened, if he hadn’t come to my house, I wouldn’t be able to do it, because I didn’t have much family help, and my husband works a lot of hours.”
Waters started 3 Pillars Fitness when he was fresh out of the United States Marine Corps, an experience he said helped him develop a love of fitness. During his time in the Marines, Waters was responsible for managing the Body Composition Program, a physical fitness initiative designed to help soldiers who were out of shape meet the military’s demanding standards.
Motivating Marines became a calling card for Waters. As he delved into different physical fitness programs in the Marines, Waters told LINK nky that he found helping people reach their potential to be deeply fulfilling.
“I really enjoyed that aspect of just being out there, encouraging Marines to give it their all,” he said. “You could really tell what someone’s about to give out of gas, and you just say the right thing or do the right thing, and it helps them just give a little bit more to help their time.”
Waters explained that his three pillars for fitness are mind, body and spirit, which are meant to help clients build strength, endurance, resilience, and inner balance. On the business side, his pillars are communication, creativity and vision. Each of Waters’ pillars is derived from his personal experiences in the Marines, as well as incorporating holistic wellness principles.
Waters, who appreciates Eastern wellness philosophy, integrates several of its principles into his training programs. His signature offering, “Thrive and Vibe,” combines high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, and strength circuits with yoga. The aim is to foster a sense of community among participants.
“The three pillars are a double-edged sword,” he said. “There’s one side, there’s mind, body and spirit, which is what I really try to focus on with my clients, and then it’s the other side in terms of what it means to me to actually try to do what it is we’re doing and try to hopefully create something meaningful.”
Waters’ versatility enables him to reach a broader customer base. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Waters created a training model that allows him to meet customers where they are, allowing for greater convenience, privacy and flexibility. This model has become an appealing choice for clients such as Hildebrand, who mentioned she has grown to value Waters’ motivational prowess and fitness expertise.
“Whatever your goal is, you just tell him very specifically, like, this is what I am after, and he will figure it out and help you get there,” Hildebrand said.
Waters, aiming to stay at the forefront, said he intends to integrate the newest technology and training methods into his business to facilitate growth.
“We’re thinking is there’s going to come a point in time where just having the information on hand won’t be enough, and a lot of that is going to really come down to your ability to create community,” he said.
For more information about 3 Pillars Fitness, visit facebook.com/stayfocused3.
