A Solid Push

Trainers. They push, yell, and motivate us to do our best. They have the solid rock abs that we drool over and sweat out our perms to achieve. Trainers are a critical aspect to our fitness success. In honor of Black History Month, I’m going to introduce the world to my trainer.

Natasha Ballard is a 20 year-old exercise enthusiast. She is the CEO and Founder of NLB Fitness, which stands for Now vs. Later Battle. She began training because she “love[s] the idea of teaching others how to be healthy, happy, and change their outlook on exercising.”

Weekly she trains a small group of students, on the Banneker Track in Washington. The participants complete several different routines, which incorporate Ballard’s favorite exercises. The high intensity training sessions that she conducts generally last an hour and a half but the results last much longer.

“I was still sore three days later,” said participant Reshod Hamilton. “I enjoyed it… I would work out with her again.” Hamilton is a sophomore, broadcast journalism major at Howard who is already in relatively great shape. With his favorite exercise being cardio, he constantly sings praises about Ballard and his experience with her training sessions. “She properly motivated me and others,” said Hamilton. “I enjoyed the feeling after and the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping my body.”  

Ballard is a junior, accounting major at Howard University from New York and Connecticut. She is also a brother of Alpha Kappa Psi, Professional Business Fraternity, Psi Tau Chapter.