Meet John Patrick Guzman: Active Lifestyle & Mobility Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Patrick Guzman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John Patrick, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
The most difficult decision I have ever made was choosing to take my mother off life support. My mother passed away in 2019 from Ewings sarcoma disease which is a rare bone cancer. She was in and out of different treatments for a long time. Being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 and overcoming it, I assumed that was the end of it. I first heard news of my mother being in the ICU the night before she passed and my fiancé and I were on the first flight to the Bay Area the morning after. I’ve seen her in hospital beds before and it was never a good feeling and thought that we would all be going home the same evening. Little did I know and understand the severity her sickness was and how badly it had affected her body. My mother has been in and out of hospitals for almost 10 years so it almost felt normal, but deep down inside she was struggling so much to stay composed and strong for our whole family.

When I first got to the hospital my mother was already intubated but still somewhat coherent, my brother had told me that she was waiting for me, and shortly after I arrived and told her how much I loved her while kissing her hand, she slowly started to fade in and out of consciousness and it was only going downhill from there. The doctor took my brother and I to a private room to explain that my mother’s time was very short and that we had to make a decision to keep her alive or not. This was not what I was expecting at all and wasn’t to make such a drastic decision, but it needed to be made. I watched my mother take her final breathes and I will never forget it. The hardest decision I ever had to make was sending my mother off to heaven to finally rest and no longer suffer. Knowing that brings me peace.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When it comes to my style of coaching, I see the things that most coaches/trainers don’t. When I first got into coaching my main focus was in strength and conditioning and through the years I still coach strength but with an even bigger emphasis on mobility and recovery. My clients and many individuals who i’ve trained in the past all know me as the “breathing and mobility coach”. I literally teach people how to breathe and to simply stretch their own bodies. I teach the value of breathing and how much a simple breath can elevate your training. Many of us walk around in some type of pain or discomfort, myself included, which is why I preach about the importance of self recovery and what you are doing to take care of your body outside of the gym in order to help your body recover through nutrition, mobility and every day stretches. I’m far from calling myself my own boss. I don’t own a gym and I don’t have an established business or brand. Through all of these years, I’m still trying to figure it all out but I work my ass off and haven’t stopped working since.

It’s easy to look at others and compare their success to mine and what’s helped me overlook all of that is “staying in my lane”. I truly believe in what I do and my value as a coach and online trainer and I’m exactly where I need to be in life. I’m grateful for my health and I’m in love with an amazing woman who gives me the space to grow and be happy. I’m not saying that money isn’t important, but it’s not MY pushing factor or motivation for doing anything. I believe money is energy and as long as people see and believe the value of how I can genuinely help them to be better, that’s success in my heart.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
It would definitely involve some type of physical activity and a lot of time outside. I’ve lived in Orange County for almost 5 years and have grown to love it so much. I’m honestly a really simple man. A great time for me is cycling down the PCH and enjoying the views of the beach. Anything involving the beach really. As corny as this may sound, my fiance and I love having sunset dinners at the beach. We would bring out our beach chairs, light up a J, eat some Trader Joe’s salads and just enjoy the beauty of the sunset. There’s something about the sun that really does something to you, it literally gives you life. The little things and simple joys in life are everything to me. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout definitely goes out to my amazing fiancé, Anne. She is the reason why I am who I am. Anne showed me the true meaning of unconditional love and has always supported me in every endeavor I’ve had in life. From the military, to the fire academy and pursuing a career in fitness and health, she’s been there through it all. She herself is a successful online Health & Wellness coach with values that inspire so many women from all over the world. Her work ethic is unmatched and as intimidating as it can be working alongside her, how much she inspires me to better overcome all of that. As much as she loves and supports me, she’s the first one to put me “in check” whenever my mouth decides to speak before my brain does. We have those uncomfortable conversations about life, finances and our future and have shown me how important it is for me to learn more about myself and how to navigate my feelings and emotions. She showed me that it’s ok to cry and that it’s ok to not be ok. She is incredible in so many ways and(sometimes) still can’t believe how blessed I am to have her as my significant other, mentor and best friend more than anything.

Instagram: instagram.com/jp_gzmn

Image Credits
BARBELL BRIDAGE