Gary Mahabir: The Fighter, The Philosopher, The Coach

What do you get when a 54-year-old ex-fighter and gym vet starts talking about Muay Thai, burnout, business, and breathing through your midlife crisis?

You get Gary Mahabir — one of the most dialed-in trainers I know.

Gary’s been coaching for 30 years. We met back in my Equinox NYC days, and since then he’s worked at the top gyms in the city, trained CEOs, ran his own studio in Brooklyn, and built a loyal online following without being a slave to social media. He now focuses on coaching men over 40 both in person and online through his platform mahabirfitness.com.

In this episode of The Personal Trainer Experience, Gary breaks down what it really takes to train men over 40 — not with six-week shred BS, but with real conversations about pain, purpose, and why most guys are scared to say what they actually want.

We talk about how to keep clients accountable, how to coach through setbacks, and how to rebuild when life punches you in the face (new city, new gym, new career… he’s done it all).

This episode covers:

• The real psychology behind “my back hurts”

• Why coaching men over 40 takes more than workouts

• Starting over in fitness — and life — without losing your edge

• Getting and keeping online training clients (without becoming a content zombie)

• Coaching with empathy, intensity, and self-awareness

• Stories from Muay Thai fights to LinkedIn rants and everything in between

Whether you’re a new trainer or a seasoned vet, this episode is packed with insights on building a sustainable personal training career, mastering client relationships, and staying relevant in a crowded fitness industry. If you work with men over 40, coach online, or want to avoid burnout while actually helping people — this one’s for you.

🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.