Mitchell

Crossfit. P90X. Tae Bo. There are a lot of fitness fads out there, but this one’s totally new to us: Amish.

Yes, WTOP reports that the Vida gym on U Street now has personal trainer Bucky Mitchell, otherwise known as “The Amish Trainer“:

[Mitchell] is a personal trainer at VIDA Fitness’ U Street location. He focuses on modern exercises that mimic farm work, as well as Amish nutrition habits and meditation practices.

“People are so fascinated by the Amish culture because it’s that thing they don’t know,” Mitchell, 31, says. “I really get to show people what it’s like, just a small tiny bit what it’s like to live in that. This is what these people do every day and now you get to experience it for just an hour.”

Mitchell, who has lived in D.C. for nine years, grew up in the Amish community until he was 10 years old. That is when his mother decided she wanted to leave.

He entered public school, graduated from college and earned multiple degrees. Mitchell went on to work in banking and immigration reform before he entered the fitness training profession.

Mitchell’s Amish workouts stress side-to-side motions, twisting around the torso, up and down movements and core strengthening.

“It’s taking that (transverse) plane of motion and bringing it into the gym,” he says. “It very much mimics what you would see on a farm.”

Mitchell also teaches clients how to eat better; he recently led a class at LivingSocial’s 918 F Street on healthy eating habits.

Consider me somewhat fascinated, and also preparing for the day that someone turns the old school chain gang into an exercise regimen.