Teen trainer helps others reach fitness goals and improve their outlook
Jak Piggott trains people in fitness and mentors them in developing a good mindset. • Photos Submitted
By Tom Victoria
Jak Piggott always wanted more out of life. Now, he’s doing something about it by not only improving his fitness and mindset, but helping others do the same.
“I knew I had a bigger purpose in life, improving myself and others as well,” the Australian said.
Jak, 16, uses social media posts and videos to demonstrate proper form in exercising, diet tips and guidance on how to improve one’s mental outlook.
“My goal is to inspire as many people as possible,” he said. “Not only does it inspire others, but it inspires me. It’s like killing two birds with one stone. I love helping others with their goals, because I know how important it is to them.”
Jak incorporates weights in his workouts.
In addition to providing free content on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, Jak offers paid consultations to help people, particularly youth, better themselves. His goal is to make helping others a career.
Jak’s content includes ways to add muscle, lose fat, improve diet and find motivation.
“The lack of motivation and self-discipline comes from not having a strong ‘why,’” he said. “You do everything for a reason. If the reason is not strong enough, you will not last. That is why you need a strong reason for doing something. That is where consistency comes.”
Jak demonstrates exercises for people wanting to become fit.
Jak used the initial lockdown caused by the government response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) to his advantage, researching fitness via reading books and viewing YouTube videos. “At first, I did fitness for me,” he said. “I changed my own life. I started seeing results pretty quickly.”
Jak noticed improvements in his abs, arms and legs, gaining a significant amount of muscle. Initially, he didn’t tell anyone, including his family.
“I took my shirt off at the pool; my mom was surprised,” Jak recalled. “Now, the whole school knows. I’m not the guy who tells people what I’ve done. You let success do all the talking.”
Working out also improved his confidence.
Jak also teaches people about meditation to better handle life's challenges.
“A healthy body is a healthy mind,” Jak said. “The mind and the body are connected. With one out of place, you can’t expect one to thrive. And who doesn’t want to look good?”
After 15 months of training, he’s developed a shredded physique.
“Now, I’m starting to see a lot of strength gains,” Jak said.
Along with diet and exercise, he focuses on meditation.
“I don’t even know if I could list all the benefits because there are so many,” Jak said. “But here are the main few I see: the ability to not let your thoughts control you, remaining calm and positive even through hard times and to fall into a relaxed state of mind and connect with everything around you.”
He also values spirituality.
Jak added muscle from working out.
“Spirituality is different for everyone,” Jak said. “In my eyes, spirituality is connecting with not only yourself, but with the earth around you. It all starts with you and what you feed your body - food - and the environments you are present in. Impact your spiritual level a lot. Spirituality is one of the main keys to happiness.”
He is one of the better speakers on social media. The content creator said the key to speaking in front of a camera is to start.
“This is something I am still improving on, which most of us are,” Jak said. “But the way to overcome the fear of public speaking or the fear of judgment is to just take that first step. Practice never makes perfect, but it sure does make progress.”
His videos are produced in a professional manner, which he attributes to viewing others.
“I used to and still do watch so many like-minded creators,” Jak said. “I take inspiration from them. They take inspiration from me. We are all in the same game. You can never stop learning and improving.”
He could never be accused of not being tough. Jak used to play Australian football, which has much more physical contact than European football (American soccer) and virtually no padding unlike American football. He still enjoys playing basketball.
Jak advised those wanting to get fit to figure out what physical goals they want to achieve.
“You want to find the person you want to be,” he said.
Jak explained beginners should follow the workouts of those they want to emulate, whether it be someone who is shredded, muscular or another fit body type.
He said it’s also vital to not procrastinate.
“You can say you’re going to start a new life tomorrow or do it today,” Jak said.
He recommended beginners not rush into intense workouts, but rather do 10-minute sessions.
“You start small and build up,” Jak said.
He advised others to employ his method for staying motivated.
“You tell yourself you have to do it,” Jak said. “You have to think about how you’ll feel after doing that task. It really comes down to self-discipline.”
He also dispensed advice to those wishing to become content creators.
“Just be yourself,” Jak said. “If you receive negative feedback, you can’t let that discourage you.”
The link to Jak's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JakPiggott
The link to Jak's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jak.piggott?lang=en
The link to Jak's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pigstarr/