Don’t let David Cheal’s straight-laced looks and chiseled cheekbones fool you. Peel back some layers, like his shirt, and you’ll find a love of tattoos, hard work, and hustle. Read more about this Equinox Tier X Trainer originally from Salt Lake City in this week’s Lovers & Fighters blog post...
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YORK ATHLETICS: Where are you from? If not Boston, how long have you lived here?
DAVID CHEAL: I am from Salt Lake City, UT originally. My love of fitness and the outdoors developed there. I’ve lived in Boston for 6 yrs.
YORK: Where did your passion for fitness start/originate and what made you decide to be a health & fitness instructor/motivator full time? What was that journey like for you?
DAVID: I became hooked on marathons at an early age and dove right in with performance training and local athletic competitions. My love of foot and bike races lead me to study Exercise Science in college and graduate from the University of Utah with a BS in Exercise Physiology. Shortly after graduating, I moved to Boston and started personal training at Equinox.
YORK: You’re a Tier X Trainer at Equinox – what does that mean?
DAVID: I’m a Tier X Coach at Equinox, an elite lifestyle management program with a holistic approach to high-performance living. The focus is on mastering movement, nutrition, and regeneration in tandem. I am so proud to be a part of a program with an enormous impact on people’s quality of life and overall health.
YORK: We talk about our brand ambassadors being fighters in that they understand that hard work and hustle (#lovethehustle) are what makes things happen. How do you relate to the word fighter and what motivates/drives your hustle?
DAVID: Fitness is a cutthroat industry and only fighters survive long-term. I excel in competitive environments and enjoy working in an industry that rewards physical and mental endurance. It’s a rewarding career choice if you’re willing to put in the effort to succeed.
YORK: What’s the one piece of advice you give your clients when it comes to fitness goals?
David: Consistency is key. Set manageable goals and work on them daily. This isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. The goal is to change your lifestyle and develop healthy habits.
YORK: When you’re wearing a shirt, you look like a regular guy (that’s in great shape, haha). When your shirt comes off, it reveals a whole lot of tattoos. How many do you have and what drives you to get so much ink?
DAVID: I have so many interconnecting tattoos, they’ve merged into a human body mural. I’m not sure where some of them end and others begin. They form a non-verbal narrative about my life and my journey so far. I love tattoos, sitting down for them, on the other hand, is (quite literally) a pain.
YORK: The YORK team has their share of tattoos. Our marketing director describes her tattoos as storytelling markers of time. Do your tattoos have a story – like East Coast kitty, for example – or do you just love the art?
DAVID: I have a tattoo of me dressed as a cowboy as a kid. I begged my parents for a horse but as a kid in the suburbs, it wasn’t happening. I never got the horse, but I got a sweet hat and boots out of the deal. To me, the tattoo represents the youthful lust for adventure that I still carry with me well into adulthood.
YORK: What is one of the most personally rewarding things you have ever done?
DAVID: Marrying the girl of my dreams in downtown Boston at Old South Church
YORK: Describe what a perfect day would be like for you.
DAVID: My ideal day would be spent exploring a new place (preferably by the water) and eating and drinking the whole time, perusing museums, shops, and architecture.
YORK: How do you make a bad day, better? What do you do when you're stressed to chill yourself out and regain balance?
DAVID: When I’m having a difficult day, I try to get outside and go for a walk somewhere in our beautiful city of Boston. The sun on my face and the ocean breeze always seems to calm me.
YORK: Do you have a quote that really resonates with your life?
DAVID: “In this life, we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.” — Mother Teresa
I’ve learned when trying to achieve an outcome or a goal I’ve set for myself, I need to have patience and accomplish things one step or task at a time.
YORK: What is it about YORK Athletics that resonates with you?
DAVID: YORK Athletics isn’t afraid to try something new, do things in a different way, and approach everything with a confident hustle. I approach my life and career in the same way.
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David Cheal is a Tier 3 Trainer at Equinox in Boston and a YORK Athletics brand ambassador since YORK's inception in 2016. To learn more about David or to set up a training appointment with him at Equinox, follow these links:
David Cheal on Instagram: @rundavid
Equinox Boston Franklin Street
Photo cred: Buck Squibb