After spending almost a decade In the Army, Ty Hendon wanted to find a way to still help people.
That’s why he decided to get certified as a nutrition coach, personal trainer and integrative health coach then started his journey as the owner of Defiant Health and Fitness.
For about the last two years, he’s been providing his services virtually. In about a month, he plans to extend his services by having a brick and mortar location at 112 E. 20th St. Hendon and his wife moved to Eudora about two years ago, and now felt it is time to move forward with an in-person location.
As an integrative health coach, he focuses on all the aspects encompassing health, sleep, physical and mental wellbeing.
“I mean, if I could just sum it up, really just to help people. I was in the Army for nine years, so kind of helping people is kind of what I do,” Hendon said.
The journey started after Hendon, who served from 2008 to 2017, went to a veterans’ retreat in Texas. When talking with other mentors there, he realized what he really connected with was helping people, especially as an active person himself.
“So that’s kind of where it all started. And then once I got back, and I took a little more time off from the job, I was like, you know what, I’m gonna try this,” he said.
He took classes at the University of Health and Performance in Arkansas, which is specifically to help transition veterans into the personal training field.
He was able to gain a group of clients by word of mouth, starting with friends and family.
He plans to have individual and small group classes in personal training and have more of an office setting for nutrition and integrated health coaching.
He plans to be in the new space by the end of September.
Hendon has received good feedback from the community so far, including those from De Soto.
With the senior citizen community in the area, Hendon is also open to helping them with their range of motion and helping them move a little better, he said.
Brandon Meyer of De Soto has been seeing Hendon for about a month and is excited for him to have a bigger space to bring clients. Meyer has been working on strength, balance and overall fitness since he turned 40. Working with Hendon has proved more helpful than any of the other workout programs he’s tried, he said.
“I have a hard time with keeping myself accountable,” Meyer said. “I was looking for someone to kind of help develop the plan, tailor it to me, not just following pre-made workouts online.”
Meyer said Hendon focuses on making sure the exercises they do focus on the muscle groups that are needed that day.
Another client, Nate Solis, met Hendon while they were both living in Oregon. He began seeing Hendon for nutrition training and has since started some workouts with him as well.
Solis said Hendon has helped him see substantial results in just the short time he’s been doing workouts with him. He plans to keep seeing Hendon online since Hendon moved to Eudora.
Solis said seeing Hendon take off with his idea and goals is great, especially with how much he can help people.
“He’s a great trainer because he’s relatable,” Solis said. “He doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and he’s very to the point. He’s not trying to sell you something. He’s in this to see people’s lives change for the better.”
Hendon can be emailed at [email protected] or reached at 785-615-8052.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected]
To donate to support our community journalism, please go to this link: tinyurl.com/y4u7stxj
