April 17, 2017

Meet PD Shirgir of First Form Fitness Studio in Milton

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to PD Shirgir.

PD, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started in the fitness industry by chance really. I always enjoyed working out and lifting weights so I thought it would be cool to work for a local gym. I was 20 at the time and taking a break from college, really because I knew it wasn’t for me at the time. I decided to take on a sales job at the local golds gym that had 4 guys already selling that were almost twice my age. They were very territorial and didn’t spend much time teaching me, so I took it upon myself to go get it. Within being there for a month I had taken over the sales manager position and was well on my way to an awesome and fun job that paid pretty well at the time.

After about 2 years, the opportunity started to look like more of a dead end, so I quit and decided to go back to college. Knowing that I took very well to the industry and I needed more flexibility with my work schedule I decided to get certified in Personal Training. Training would just supplement my income as I progressed through school, but it ended up becoming a passion. I have amazing clients that were as much of help to me as I was to them. I was able to start large boot camp classes at the local park while training clients out of their home. I think honestly things happened to easy for me. Not that I didn’t deserve it, but there were things about myself that I knew needed work. And in some way the easy path wasn’t making me make the changes I needed.

Coincidentally, I became very sick with meningitis on Christmas night. I spent a week in the hospital with pain that words wouldn’t do justice. It took me almost 2 years to fully recover from it physically, mentally and nutritionally. Suffice it to say there weren’t many clients left after the amount of time it took for me recover. I was lucky to have the handful of clients that I did stay with me through the process. The process helped me really look within and find the answers that had always alluded my decision-making process. I learned to treat a lot of my physical ailments after my illness. I learned a lot about my own headspace when I spent hours alone at home trying to get healthy. It was the best thing that could ever happened to me. I truly believe I wouldn’t be where I am today without trials and tribulations that seemed insurmountable at the time.

I graduated college and decided that I want to stick this whole training thing out and go all in on me. I started training at a CrossFit facility and within a couple months became a coach. I was exposed to more athletes than I ever had an opportunity to train and really started to create my identity in the industry. Movement and mobility, the two things that forever had hampered me were the things that became my specialty. I wanted to expand my reach with my new-found confidence in my skillset. I started training at a small studio before I eventually took the leap to open First Form Fitness. It was truly a progression. Nothing I made huge plans around.

Everything happened the way it did because I made decisions empirically. My thought process isn’t one that works for someone else well. It was only a matter of time that everything fell into place. I decided one day that I was going to go for it, and asked a fellow trainer I worked with Zack Jones if he wanted to join me. He did and we were off. We found a place within a week, and basically decided to sign the lease. No hesitation. A large group of our clients came with and for the last 6 month we have focused on being a leader in the community in spearheading health and fitness. We just recently started a 6-week weight loss challenge that has produced amazing results. With the help of coaches Wes Carter and Zack Jones, handfuls of clients lost over 20 pounds or 5% body fat in 6 weeks or less. Truly amazing, and we are dedicated to produce more results for our community!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Since opening the business, not one day has passed without challenges. However, all of that is to be expected, opening my first business is gonna come with the unexpected. Just like in life we have to be mentally prepared to handle stressful situations, every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. much like how we coach our clients, we don’t grow with adversity. don’t run from it, face it head on

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about First Form Fitness Studio – what should we know?
First Form Fitness is a training studio that specializes in movement and mobility. We want to teach our students the value of proper movement patterns and functional mobility. We use unique techniques to improve range of motion, tension. and common lifestyle aches and pains. we program specific to clients and strength and conditioning goals, meanwhile putting form and technique at the forefront. We train building strength in proper positions and how to functionally and safely move through life and the gym.

What I’m the most proud of is the culture we have developed in our community. every client knows that our standards for movement our high, and your long-term health is the reason. We want to instill an attention to detail in out clients inside and out of the gym. in movement and in thought. its important people realize that what we are looking for is long term happiness, which is a state of mind not a destination. The habits we build in the gym are the same approach we want to take to how we approach life. I think our overall attention to detail is what sets us apart.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I’ve certainly had a lot of people positively influence my progression to this point in life, Of course my parents have always been there for me whenever vie needed them. I can’t thank them enough for that. All of my clients have been influential and played a role in my success because they have allowed me to learn through teaching them. One in particular who has trained with me for years believed enough in me to help fund my venture. His name is Mark Maksimik. He’s a client and most certainly a friend, much like many of my other clients. Beyond training I think my business is about honest, transparent and authentic relationships.

Pricing: