IN THE NEWS: Behind The Mic Feature - Chris Tye-Walker
Welcome to the latest installment of one of the newest Barry’s blog features, Behind the Mic, where we ask some of your favorite trainers the awkward questions so you don’t have to. It’s time for Master Trainer Chris Tye-Walker to sit in the hot seat.
Barry’s: Why did you decide to join the Barry’s family?
Chris: I didn’t decide to join the family…the Barry’s family found me completely by chance!! I was late to class and it was a Monday. At this point I was a professional track athlete and hated the thought of double arms. So during what would have been my treadmill section, I went outside to do some circuits. Unknown to me, co-founder of Barry’s, Rachel Mumford, and Weho Manager Alycia Stevenin came with me. I led them through 2 rounds of circuits and after class they came running out to stop me from leaving. They said some really great things about how I trained them and offered me a job as one of their trainers. I started the very next week with 3 classes in Weho and now 8 years later I’m Master Trainer and so i guess they say the rest is history.
Barry’s: What do you enjoy most about training?
Chris: Without sounding too cheesy, I’m obsessed with the client’s journey. To me, it’s a privilege that someone entrusts me with their health and fitness, so I take the job so seriously. Seeing the sweat pouring off them and hearing them swear at me and call me crazy during class, to then having them leaving feeling amazing after class and to return telling me it was the best hour ever makes all the hard work worth while on my part.
Barry’s: Do you remember the first time you got Barry’d? What was it like?
Chris: It was in Sherman Oaks – Derek Degrazio popped my cherry. It was fun and I’ve never looked back since.
Barry’s: If there were an impending Zombie Apocalypse, which one exercise would you focus on to be best prepared?
Chris: Sprints, Sprints and more sprints. If you’re fast you can get yourself out of any zombie chasing apocalypse. In my class it’s always hard and fast to prepare for anything life throws at us.
