After a devastating sports injury his junior year on the Syracuse University cheerleading squad, Chris Arboleda focused on his recovery and found a new passion in helping others.

Arboleda, a second-year graduate student studying exercise science, balanced being a full-time student with his job as a personal trainer and being a member of the Syracuse University cheerleading team. He reflected on traveling with the basketball and football team and going to the Final Four game his sophomore year. Unfortunately, while training in his junior year he tore his meniscus. He had to quit the team.

He felt himself suffer a depressive-like state after his injury.

“Exercising, something that had become a big part of my life, had to be put on hold,” he said.

Arboleda did not let his injury consume his life. He spent time recovering both physically and mentally. The following semester he interned with SU’s Director of strength and conditioning, Veronica Tearney. He also spent time interning at several physical therapy clinics and learning about how to exercise post-injury.

But he didn’t think he would become a personal trainer when applying to college. Rather, Arboleda imagined he would dual major in business and psychology. Some schools scouted him for soccer. Ultimately, he chose to attend SU for exercise science. He began his freshman year working in the dining hall to support himself financially, until a friend of his on the cheerleading team convinced him to work for Archbold Gymnasium.

He started work at Archbold as a fitness center attendant and was eventually promoted to supervisor. The classes for his major piqued his interest, leading him to get his certification in personal training and CPR.

“The fact that no two clients are the same … It’s like their own little puzzle, and I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with them and what I can do to help fix what’s broken or just help improve any goal they might have,” Arboleda said about his job.

His job as a personal trainer entails meeting with a client, speaking about their goals and capabilities and then creating a custom fitness program for them. With this, he then meets with the client two to three times a week to train.

A few months after his first client had left him he received a message from the client, thanking him for giving him the motivation and skills to lose more than 30 pounds.

“That made me realize this is why I love doing what I love doing. … In a way I’m helping change people’s lives,” Arboleda said.

After graduating, Arboleda hopes to go to medical school and get his Ph.D. He plans to continue his passion for exercise, but with a shifted focus to the scientific aspect of exercise.

Published on February 28, 2017 at 7:28 pm

Contact Chloe: cjgreenw@syr.edu