Interview with Archie Skordas
My interview partner was Archie Skordas. He is now the managing director of Fitagon GmbH.
Fitagon is the exclusive importer and training management TRX Switzerland. Archie Skordas and his team educate and train TRX trainers
How did you get into TRX
"Well, I'm a sports scientist and I worked as a fitness instructor in Winterthur for 6 years, with a focus on personal trainers. And as a personal trainer, I always wanted to cater to the client. But since many don't like to train in gyms or are on the road a lot, you have to look at what you have available, such as training tools, time and location. With these factors, I can tailor a workout to you.
Before TRX came along, I recommended that my clients work a lot with elastic bands as well as medicine balls, i.e. functional training. This is because you can see results quickly and also because the body itself is fitter. That's why functional training is so important, because all the movements you train there are also used in everyday life.
On the internet I had found the sling trainer, which is a rope with a big loop at the end. This product caught my interest and I tried it, however, I found that it was not fully developed yet. For example, you couldn't use it everywhere and it was very complicated.
Then I found another product called Jungle Gym, it comes from a good company, is similar to the TRX and I ordered that from America. Again, the problem was that the product was not fully developed. Especially in terms of the training part of it, meaning I did a course on it, but everyone used it a little bit differently. And it wasn't really practical either, because the strap was way too long, so it was hard to find exercises that fit.
After that I discovered TRX, so to speak. I liked the method and by chance I was one of the first from Europe to find it. In 2005 the company TRX was founded in America and from 2006 the first employees joined. In 2008 the website was built and there I found it on the Internet. And for me it was a super solution because the weight, the training location, the training and how to work with it were no problems. My clients had fun with it, and you could also see progress quickly. I attended the first TRX training in Europe ever, which was in England. There I met the guy on the TRX DVD`s (the instructor on the training DVD`S) and told him I wanted to bring TRX to Switzerland. That's how I came up with the TRX."
So you guys really brought the TRX to Switzerland?
"Yes exactly."
And are you guys the only ones selling the TRX?
"Well we are the exclusive importer, but we have many sellers/retailers. And we are also the ones who organize trainings. But yes, we brought that to Switzerland."
How did you use it in the beginning?
"I tested the TRX with my customers and they had fun as well as good physical progress. That gave me hope that more can come from the TRX. That it really is something I want to work with.
Then I got the TRX more and more involved. And became an employee of TRX USA for 2.5 years. At the same time the sales in Switzerland was going on.
Today I am no longer an employee of TRX USA. But only do TRX Switzerland."
I keep hearing about new fitness centers offering TRX. Have they all come to you?
"Fitness Park Winterthur was the first fitness in Switzerland to offer TRX training through us. It was also the first to offer TRX Group Fitness.
Now we have four or five different training locations where we do the trainings. And yes all the fitness centers that offer TRX in Switzerland today came to TRX through us and also did the trainings with us."
How has TRX impacted your life?
"Little by little I had more and more to do with TRX. However, I then stopped working as a personal trainer and became an employee of TRX USA, as I said. Today I only work for TRX Switzerland and I have enough to do with that."
Do you have a big demand?
"Yes very much. It is becoming more and more popular in Switzerland. To date, we have trained about 1000 people through courses (STC) in Switzerland. That is, we train the trainers, who in turn train everyone else.
Sales are also going very well. Since the equipment doesn't cost too much, more and more people are interested in it. It's like a gap in the market. Suddenly you don't have to pay 3000-5000 francs for a piece of fitness equipment. Low budget, high profit, so to speak."
What do you think the future of TRX looks like?
"Maybe you noticed that there is not too much reading about the TRX yet. I don't think much will change from a device standpoint. But what will increase a lot is the know-how. It's so complex, on the other hand, so one-sided. I think we've only discovered the tip of the iceberg called TRX knowledge. Same thing with suspension training. No, TRX is on the rise now."
Herewith I thank you very much for this interview and wish you all the best for the future.