Synthesis (syn-thi-sis): "The combining of several unrelated parts to form a complex, functioning whole."

As I look back over the last 26 years of my existence, I can definitely say that these words have always been a key theme and, interestingly enough, have many parallels with my approach toward health, nutrition, fitness, and life.

But more on that later.

So, who am I?

My name is Jeron Kerridge (Jayrin Cay-rij for the phonetically challenged), although I'll answer to any of the bastardizations of its spelling or pronunciation that I will probably never stop hearing.

At this point in life, I am a Portland-based, bodybuilder, strength coach, boot camp instructor, blogger, and generally awkward kind of guy, although I would like to think I'm actually pretty cool at times. I have worked in the fitness industry for over 6 years, and have done everything from working as a front desk girl to a sleazy membership salesman at a large, corporate gym before finally ending up with the awesome opportunity I have now as a trainer and blogger.

A few things to know about me:

• I just married my beautify wife, Shayna, after having been engaged for over 3 years.
  
• I own a Pomeranian named Louie, who you can frequently see hanging out the window of my black, lifted SUV. Talk about interesting head turns.
  
• I am relatively self-deprecating, a tactic I developed when i was younger to deflect anxiety over not being accepted. So don't be surprised by the fact that I don't take myself too seriously sometimes.
  
• I was homeschooled.  So, if I have any true social skills, they are to be considered an act of God. (See point #4, self-deprecation).
  
• I still sleep with the blankie I had when i was a kid.  Just throwing it out there before it surfaces in an E True Hollywood Story or something.
  
• I'm half black, but didn't seem to get any of the good stuff.  Nope, can't jump, dance, or play basketball.  I don't even have a cool voice.
  
• I slap the bass every weekend at church, but I can't really read music.  Fake it till you make it.
  

To be honest, I was never really all that into health and fitness. 

In fact, I was kind of a chubby kid growing up (my mom still loved me, so watch it).  I hated to run and I was far from coordinated, so I sucked at sports and pretty much continued to use this excuse to avoid anything all that physical for quite a while after that. 

I was also asthmatic.  Still am actually.  So, between that and the brain surgeries (let's just say I've put a couple of Pfizer employees' kids through college), I've had my share of 50 pound weight fluctuations, the most recent and largest being 70 pounds.

Unlike most other trainers, I also didn't get into this business because of a history of athletic success or a philanthropic love for helping people.

Sorry to disappoint.

It was actually drinking, driving, and jail time that opened the door to the fitness world.  They say God works in mysterious ways, right?  Witness.

When I was 18 years old, making all of the wise decisions that a homeschooled kid can make when spending time around other dumb kids, I managed to total a car, hurt my best friend and little sister, and earn 6 months in jail.

I stopped going to college after I got out of jail because it was too far of a commute to make without a driver's license, and my probation required that I was either working or in school, making it a priority to find a place that would hire a kid with no work experience and a felony.

The only place to answer my application was a gym, and I began working as a membership salesman.

Fast-forward a couple years, after I moved to Portland and got back into school, and you will see Jeron, now working the front desk at the gym and walking around at roughly 250 pounds after being dumped by his second girlfriend. 

It was at this time that I hit myself upside the head.  "What the hell are you doing?"  (Which I probably said out loud since I regularly talk to myself).  All I really knew was that I desperately needed to prove something to myself. 

I needed to prove that I was worth something, that I could accomplish something impossible, and that I had what it takes to stick it to anyone who doubted me.

Enter competitive bodybuilding.

Now, I understand that the "pissed off teenager with something to prove becomes a meathead" cliche has been done.  So don't write me off yet. I was also committed to being absolutely perfect academically, and nearly killed myself (figuratively) doing it.  I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Communication from Portland State University.  I'm a meathead and a nerd, so get it straight.

Anyways, bodybuilding became my vehicle to become stronger physically, emotionally, & spiritually.  It was the first thing that I had done where I had to face my demons head-on, to continuously compete with myself, and to develop unrelenting discipline. 

It was perfect for me.

After losing 70 pounds to compete in my first show (where I placed 3rd without any formal guidance), the fitness manager asked me to become a trainer.

Seeing as I was going broke trying to live off of front desk girl income it seemed like a decent alternative.

So I worked as a corporate trainer for a while until that, too became miserable.  I simply got tired of being yelled at for not selling enough protein cookies and water bottles, working thousands of hours to make ends meet, and having no control over how I trained my clients.

I left the big box gym shortly after my 4 year anniversary, and haven't looked back since.

I didn't start SBI with a clear plan, only a vague vision: Synthesis.  I wanted to utilize all of the seemingly disjointed parts of my personality (the sarcastic ADD child, the OCD 4.0 student, the writer, the comedian, the sporadic tourette's victim, the passionate, and the semi-offensive) to accomplish something great by helping others to change their lives through fitness like I had.  I wanted to share my newfound love for fitness by teaching others. 

This was the synthesis of SBI.

I carried this same philosophy into my business.  My training is a synthesis of styles, methods, techniques, and tools that are combined to create YOUR PROGRAM and YOUR LIFE, not anyone else's.