Alex Wach is a 28-year-old fitness model and trainer with Wilhelimina models. Originally from Flushing, NY Alex competed in Track and Field in college and is widely known for his Traps.
MM: What part of the fitness industry are you in currently?
AW: I am currently a group fitness instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp.
MM: Where does your passion for fitness and wellness come from and do you have a specialty?
AW: When I was born, doctors told my mother I’d be very weak due to complications during childbirth. My mother therefore always took extremely good care of me such as making me homemade baby food. Growing up, I always wanted to prove those doctors wrong by participating in sports during school and continuing to improve my fitness during my post-collegiate years. Trying to inspire dramatic change and unlocking potential in myself and others drives my passion for fitness. My specialty is Functional Athletic Training and Strength Training.
MM: How have you had to adapt as an athlete since you first started to compete in sport and fitness?
AW: During your teen years and even your early twenties, recovery and diet can be easily forgotten due to the body being able to quickly adapt and bounce back. However, as one approaches the late twenties into their thirties, metabolism slows down, and joints experience wear and tear. At his point, it’s crucial to warm up pre-workout, stretch post-workout, and to eat food that provides necessary nutrients that can promote repair and growth in the body.
MM: Aside from diet and sleep, what are men getting right in the health and wellness industry and what can be better?
AW: Men nowadays are choosing multiple workouts to target their specific goals rather than choosing sole activities such as running and weightlifting. Picking and choosing different disciplines of fitness can create not only a strong body but a function, long-lasting body. Always take time to step back and assess your ultimate fitness goal, the steps you need to take to get there, and if you’re willing to do what it takes to attain that goal.
MM: Have you ever had to overcome an injury or a fitness-related challenge that seemed impossible? What did you learn?
AW: During my senior year of high school, I tore a ligament in my foot. It was a terrible time because college admissions were on the horizon and track would definitely help with college tuition. Even after PT and recovery, I wasn’t able to bounce back quickly enough to qualify for the important meets where colleges would be scouting. Even though I was discouraged and was unable to run as often as I use to, I took on weight lifting, where I discovered a new passion in a different aspect of fitness. I learned that even an injury can be a blessing in disguise or a new lesson to learn.
MM: Outside of diet, what 3 exercises or movements would you tell our reader to do to look their best in their swimsuit?
AW: Pushups to develop one’s arms, shoulders, and chest. Plyo exercises such as squat jumps are a great way to burn calories and stay lean. Bicycles and twists in order to develop those defined abs.
Words to live by?
AW: Whatever goal you set yourself, you’ll only achieve it through hard work, discipline, and confidence.
