NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For Robert Thomas, known across Middle Tennessee as Trainer Rob, fitness was never just a hobby. It was a constant presence, one that followed him from childhood gym floors to leadership roles in corporate America, and eventually back to the weight room where he found his true calling.
“I was introduced to the gym around seven, eight, nine years old, because my father was a bodybuilder,” Thomas said. “I was always in the gym with him.”
Growing up surrounded by weights and seasoned lifters left an impression, even if bodybuilding itself didn’t immediately spark his interest.
“I just wanted to be strong,” he said.
That early exposure shaped how Thomas viewed movement, strength, and discipline. As he got older, those lessons stayed with him, sometimes without him even realizing it.
“I used to watch him [my dad],” Thomas said. “And as I got older, I started working out and I remember the techniques, the form, and everything to the point where when I got older and I was in the gym, I found myself helping others.”
Thomas remembers watching his father compete in bodybuilding shows and even recalls him bringing home top honors and awards.
As a student-athlete playing football, he naturally stepped into leadership roles in the weight room, helping teammates refine their form and approach training correctly. The instinct to teach, guide, and lead would later become central to his career.
Originally from Arkansas, Thomas first arrived in Nashville in 2016. Although he is now considered Nashville Fit Magazine’s Best Personal Trainer for 2025, there was once a time his day-to-day job looked very different.
“I worked in the juvenile justice center system,” Thomas said. “After I graduated with my bachelor’s, I ended up transferring from a facility in Arkansas to Tennessee.”
At the same time, he had already been training clients since 2014, though not consistently. Believe it or not, there was once a time where fitness was considered a luxury only the elite could achieve. Times like that made it hard for Thomas to find consistency in that field.
“I was just on and off with it because people weren’t really taking it serious,” he said. “So it kind of discouraged me.”
That discouragement led him to pour himself into his full-time career, climbing the ranks in the juvenile justice system and working extensive overtime.
Despite his success in the corporate world, something was missing.
“It was hard working with corporate America and just going through the trials and tribulations of being unappreciated,” Thomas said. “I always had a great work ethic. I was always the one that was working a thousand overtime hours.”
But that life became too exhausting to sustain and he knew he needed to switch gears.
“It just kind of makes you sit back and process and think like, ‘Well, what’s next?’” he said.
Thomas recognized one of his strengths has always been to train people, not just in a gym, but training in all facets.
“I was always in a leadership role, so I was always teaching and training new supervisors.”
That realization and the time off of personal training gave him the confidence to revive his passion and start working for himself once again.
That renewed commitment paid off.
Thomas went on to be named Nashville Fit Magazine’s Best Personal Trainer, an accolade that he had seen come across his social media feed in the past.
“I was training at Fitness 1440 and that’s where I first met Justin Crunchfield,” he said. “I ended up following him on social media, and I saw on his profile he was a two-time winner for Nashville Fit Magazine.”
Once nominations opened, Thomas was surprised to see his own name thrown into the hat for a chance at this major title.
“It was just shocking how much my name was getting tagged,” he said.
The support was overwhelming and he says it still feels surreal to be awarded in this capacity.
“It was really heartwarming to see the support that I got and to see the votes that I got,” Thomas said. “It was a speechless moment.”
More than validation, the award fueled his drive to enter 2026 growing more to continue making a lasting impact on our city.
“It most definitely motivated me and most definitely is pushing me to go even harder this year,” he said.
Ask Thomas what sets him apart, and he doesn’t hesitate.
“I’m a very tough trainer,” he said. “My actual nickname as a trainer is Mr. Zero.”
The name isn’t symbolic, it’s literal. “I can have a client do 30 reps and if they mess up on 29, they going back to zero,” he said.
A tough personal trainer is necessary, but Thomas says it isn’t always a serious time and ensures he is still being fun, humorous and upbeat with his clients.
“They know it’s just tough love. They know it’s just motivation,” he adds.
But it will always be about authenticity and community to Thomas. “I’m not that trainer that just want to take your money,” he said. “I want you to get these results and I want you to be healthy.”
Thomas believes in leading by example and says you have to look and feel the part to be able to advocate and help others.
“I was training seven days a week and even Holidays, I’m training,” he said. “I stay in the gym. I might as well put a bed in the gym” he laughed.
By holding himself accountable and pushing himself, he understands the discipline and motivation it takes to see the results you want.
That includes his nutrition. “I’m vegan,” he said.
While currently living in Nashville and following a plant-based diet, he loves to visit Nashville fitness hotspots that propell him and his clients to greater achievements.
He currently trains and works out at The Lab Training and UFC Gym Hendersonville, both of which he credits for their support.
Those interested in working with Trainer Rob can reach him directly on his Instagram or website.
He also welcomes calls and texts and can be reached at 615-920-3119,.
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