Terrance Wright

Terrance Wright has always been a natural fit as a personal trainer. When he was growing up in Pilsen, he was constantly playing sports. When he got to Chicago Hope Academy, it was no surprise that he excelled on the track and on the football field. And when it was time to attend college and he was being recruited by University of Alabama, he knew his career would in some way be connected to sports.

After time at Alabama, Harper College and North Park University, where he starred on the track team, Terrance started to pick up personal training clients. These clients were individuals and high school teams looking to improve their speed, agility and strength. He learned sport-specific exercises so he could customize training programs for the teams he worked with and he started to coach football.

He was doing what he loved, but he knew he could do more and do it better. “I knew how to be a personal trainer, but I knew I needed a credential to validate what I was doing,” said Terrance. “That’s where Malcolm X College’s PFT program came in—it was a game-changer for me.”

In the spring of 2019 and with a goal of becoming certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Terrance enrolled in classes as part of Malcolm X College’s Personal Fitness Training program. With the help of program director LaMarr Magnus, Terrance picked up the skills and knowledge needed to pass the ACE exam, which he did on his first try.

With some formal education under his belt, Terrance knows the sky is the limit. “I’m taken more seriously as a personal trainer now that I’m (ACE) certified, and that helps me serve my current clients better and attract new business.”

Nowadays, Terrance and his company, Stay Fit by T The Wright Way, are thriving. Terrance runs a boot camp and teaches classes that focus on Pilates, strength training, functional movements, and mobility and stability. He works with mixed martial arts fighters, Uber drivers who suffer from back pain, sports teams, and individuals with diabetes and high blood pressure. Plus, he coaches a sixth grade basketball team and assists on a high school football team.