Calvin Richard
MARBLE FALLS — When it comes to strength and fitness training, Calvin Richard follows a simple motto.
Go hard or go home.
“It simply means work as hard as you can, right where you are,” Richard said. “I do not expect a 68-year-old golfer to keep up with an 18-year-old football player. But working hard at his individual fitness level will still give him the results he desires.”
Born and raised in New Orleans, Richard (pronounced ree-shard) owns the Verus Strength & Fitness exercise center, 708 Industrial Blvd., Suite 101, where he is also the director and coach for clients determined to improve their level of physical fitness.
“Verus is a derivative of the Latin word ‘veritas’ which means truth,” Richard said. “It is where our slogan ‘True Performance — True Results’ comes from. We are also a faith-based organization. We believe the word of God is truth. If you perform to the best of your ability, train hard and have a disciplined diet — God will bring you the results.”
For four years, Richard was the head strength and conditioning coach and assistant athletic trainer at the University of New Orleans. However, more than six years ago, hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced him to relocate his family to the Highland Lakes.
The roots of his exercise enterprise in Marble Falls go back to April 2008, when Richard opened a fitness “boot camp” for several members of his church, the Smoking for Jesus Ministry.
“When they to began lose tons of weight and look better, their co-workers and other members of the community began to notice,” Richard said. “Once they knew it came through Verus Strength & Fitness, people began to ask if I could open the program to the public.”
After several months of operation at his church, as well as the The Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes, Marble Falls Unit, Richard opened Verus and his “True Warrior Elite Sports Performance Training” to the public in February 2010.
“Our training includes a healthy-eating plan and access to high-quality food supplements,” Richard said. “We have built athletes who dominate their sports at the middle school, high school, collegiate and professional levels.”
Non-athletes must also work hard to improve their physical fitness and eating habits, he added.
“I train everyone like athletes,” Richard said. “Medical research shows diet and exercise can prevent 85 percent of disease and illness. If more Americans would exercise and eat right, we could make drastic changes in the pharmaceutical and health-care industry.”
To help his clients burn calories and build better health, he urges them to exercise with free weights, kettle bells, mallets, medicine balls and other exercise aids, he added.
“Most people enjoy flipping the tractor tires,” Richard said. “They are tough, but they leave you with a great feeling of strength and accomplishment.”
Richard can be reached at (830) 265-8225 and his website is www.verusstrengthandfitness.com.
Question: What do you believe is necessary for personal and professional success in any aspect of life?
Answer: Trust in God, faith, prayer, humility, hard work and a hunger and a drive to excel at anything you set your mind to accomplish. Once you believe a certain goal is right for you and it is attainable, you must commit to making it come into fruition through good and bad times.
Q: How would you describe the connection between strength and fitness training and the spiritual realm?
A: The body, mind and spirit are the complete person. Weakness in one area will carry over into the others. We tend to set limitations and boundaries on what we can achieve. But we are stronger than we think when we rely on a personal relationship with God. There are tons of Bible scriptures that talk about strength, hard work, training and discipline. They can be very helpful while achieving your overall health and fitness goals.
Q: What can be done to sustain business and residential growth in the Highland Lakes area?
A: We should all work hard to support one another in our local business community before reaching out to Austin or San Antonio. We have a lot to offer. We are growing stronger as a community. As Austin continues to grow, we as a community need to grow, too, as well as maintain our distinct culture and identity.
Q: How would you assess the current business climate in the area?
A: It was getting a little scary for a while. Several businesses were shutting down. I believe we are moving up now. You can drive around now and see new businesses popping up and putting up now-hiring signs. My clients talk about their family and friends moving to start a new job or their own business in our area. That speaks mountains for our us.
Q: What do you anticipate in the future for Verus?
A: We plan to add some late-morning classes some time early next year. We expect them to do well.
Q: Do you believe minority entrepreneurship and business participation will increase in the area?
A: Yes. Small businesses are growing. People are taking their training and experience and making the leap to start their own small business. It takes strategic planning and drive to do well, no matter what obstacles you may face.
Q: Who motivated you most while growing up?
A: My father Calvin J. Richard Sr. He will soon turn 64. He worked hard to provide for our family. He was a father figure for my friends who were raised by single mothers. He didn’t do a lot of weight training. But he still runs and does calisthenics. His pants size has been the same since his 20s. He is too frugal to buy a bigger wardrobe (laughs), but he is healthy.
Q: What other achievements are you most proud of?
A: I was captain of my tennis team at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. I am married to my beautiful wife Courtnaye, and we have three beautiful children.
