Brent Brinkmeier is the Assistant Director of Operations and Fitness at LEVEL Wellness, where he keeps the day-to-day running smoothly while constantly leveling up the fitness programs. He’s passionate about delivering high-quality care through a team-based, multidisciplinary approach—and it shows. Before joining Level, Brent spent 14 years as the founder and one-man powerhouse behind On the Brink Fitness, building the business from the ground up. He also led a team of 16 personal trainers as Fitness Director at Prairie Life Fitness in Cool Springs, where he created the “30 Days to Ironman” program, an indoor triathlon challenge that trained everyone from weekend warriors to a 93-year-old client recovering from a hip replacement. When he’s not changing lives in the gym, you can find Brent enjoying science fiction, darts, martial arts, golf, and gaming—both board and digital.
I started cycling in high school for my aunt who has Multiple Sclerosis. We did two-day, 150-mile fundraiser rides every fall. In my late 20’s I started weight training, spinning, boxing, and yoga. As I got more familiar with how things worked, I started filling in to teach classes if the instructor wasn’t available. I found that I really enjoyed teaching people the science and mechanics involved in good training. I officially got my first job as a certified personal trainer with Body Design in Orlando, Florida. That team taught me all the little things you don’t get from a personal training certification. That is where I became a good, well-rounded trainer.
The combination of services. As someone who has talked with people for years about the need for a holistic approach to health, having all these disciplines under one roof is truly amazing. Many people use multiple practitioners for their health, but those experts rarely interact or share information about the customer that could be beneficial. I am looking forward to every client having an in-house health team.
Resistance training is not great for weight loss. Working with weights is one of the single most important things you can do for your overall health but using it strictly for weight loss will leave clients disappointed. You exercise for 4–6 hours per week; you sleep, hopefully, up to 56 hours/week; and your body runs on the fuel you provide 24/7 or 168 hours/week. Which do you think is going to have the greatest impact? Don’t use this as an excuse not to do resistance training, simply a way to appreciate its strengths and weaknesses.
The surprise achievements. We frequently check weight, fat versus lean percentages, measurements, etc.; and clients know to expect those milestones. The real fun is when they tell you about something in their daily life that was way easier than it used to be. Being able to get the 40-pound bag of dog food instead of the 20-pound bag because now you can lift it. Working in the garden and not being exhausted and sore the next day. Those are by far the best moments.
A 20-minute power nap.
“Feel Invincible” by Skillet and “A Warrior’s Call” by Volbeat.