Ever wondered what goes on in the day-to-day life of a fitness trainer? Francheska Martinez, 29, is a functional strength coach with a passion for functional movement. She lives in Austin, Texas, and divides her time between home, working with clients and the local coffee shop.
Here, Francheska lets us in on her typical day, from sunrise to sunset…
7:30 – Wake up naturally
“I wake up to the sun on most mornings and the first thing I do is say hi to my dog, Yoshi. She’s a two-year-old American Bully and she’s full of energy!
“I’m not a fan of alarms (unless I need to be somewhere early) as I like my body to wake up naturally. I find that I have much more energy if my body wakes up when it’s ready to. In the winter, I definitely sleep for longer!”
8:00 – Water, coffee, stretch and breakfast
“I’m a firm believer in making sure you hydrate before you caffeinate. I like to drink ½ a litre of plain water before I make my frothy oat milk cappuccino in my mocha pot. Water helps to wake me up; it flushes out any toxins and if I don’t drink water before my coffee, I don’t feel refreshed and alert. Sometimes, I’ll add a slice of lemon to my water to make it even more refreshing!
“While sipping on my coffee, I lay my mat out, put my headphones on and mobilise my body, ready for the day ahead. I’ll start with some easy head rolls. I’ll lunge, drop into some walk-outs and just generally make sure my body is awake and feeling a little looser. Sometimes I’ll go into an animal flow, which is one of my favourite ways to move.
“For breakfast, I’ll tuck into pasture-raised eggs, sometimes with sausage, bacon or potatoes. I also love fresh fruit, like juicy kiwis. Fruit tastes great and is an easy way to make sure I’m getting plenty of vitamins and minerals.”
8:30 – Barefoot walk with Yoshi
"Barefoot walking is something I got into at the beginning of 2022, when I made morning walks a non-negotiable. It’s great for connecting with nature and to help me feel more grounded. The gravel ground I walk on can get painful, but I think my feet have become used to it now. If you’ve never tried barefoot walking, I really recommend it. Maybe start on grass first, though!
“Yoshi loves a walk and, more often than not, she’s the one taking me for a walk. By the time we get home, Yoshi is ready for breakfast, so I’ll make sure she’s fed and happy before I hop in the car and drive to my first client.”
9:00 – Off to training sessions
“I drive to my first client's home listening to my favourite playlist on shuffle in the car. It’s the perfect curation of feel-good songs to get me hyped and focused for the work ahead.
“I train two clients before 12 and I've been working with them for two years.
"My client Amy, who is in her late 50s, is what I consider to be a role model when it comes to embracing fitness and movement as part of your lifestyle. Her primary fitness goals are to stay fit and supple enough to play with her grandchildren, taking them on bike rides, squatting down to play, and literally running around after them.
"Working with clients who are eager to take care of their health, and who are ready to make the commitment to building strong, mobile bodies, is truly inspiring to me."
12:00 – Time for lunch
“I eat a similar meal for lunch and dinner. I think what many people are surprised to find out when they talk to me is that I don't restrict myself with food. I have a dairy intolerance, so I try to limit dairy-based foods but, apart from that, I really do eat a mix of everything.
“I love food and eat a primarily wholefood diet filled with meat and fish, grains, fruit and vegetables. Today, I had chicken, rice, broccoli and a side salad. I like a big lunch so that I don't need to snack before dinner, plus I want to be fuelled for my workout later.”
12:30 – Workout and create content for online
“Time for my workout. I train at either my home gym or ONNIT Gym five times a week for about one hour each time. Today, I programmed a full body workout incorporating kettlebells, slam balls and the Olympic rings. Kettlebells are, hands-down, one of my favourite pieces of equipment. They’re so useful for functional movements, as well as mobility and strength.
“I’m really focusing on improving my hip mobility at the moment. This past summer, I was really focused on making upper body strength gains and didn’t challenge my hips as much as I would like.
“At the gym, I also film various content, either for my online platform or social media. I offer a number of programs, primarily based around the use of kettlebells and primal movements.”
14:00 – Computer work, emails and DMs
“It’s time for some screen time. One of my favourite spots to work from is a place called Cosmic Coffee in South Congress, Austin. They do the nicest coffees, and the food here is delicious and so pretty.
“While I'm here, I go through my emails and answer Instagram DMs, too. I love responding to people, offering advice or encouraging people to follow my workouts. I try to respond to everyone.”
17:00 – Clock out and a hot bath
“It’s important to me that I have an end point to my working day, otherwise I would never stop! I head home at 5ish and, if I’m feeling sore, I’ll run a hot bath. I’ll drop a bath bomb in and then sprinkle CBD-infused Epsom salts in. This really helps my muscles relax and I find it helps me wind down after a busy day, too.
“I stay in the tub for about half an hour; sometimes longer if I get really engrossed in my book.”
18:00 – Stretch and roll out feet, relax
“I’m on my feet a lot in the day and I feel them tighten up as the day goes on. Rolling them out with a lacrosse ball for 10 minutes really helps relieve any built-up tension – and helps to ease tightness in my legs too.
“It can hurt sometimes but it’s also super-relaxing. After this, I’ll relax for a bit with Yoshi, or read a book, or call a friend. I’m normally a bit sleepy after my bath.”
19:30 – Dinner, Netflix and chill
"I am a huge empanada fan and would have them every day if I could! Tonight, I had minced lamb and veggies, rice, and sweet plantain. I do enjoy cooking, but I tend to make quite simple dishes that are easy to put together. I try to put my phone away when I eat and really focus on my food.
“After dinner, I’ll get sucked into Netflix. I’m watching Love is Blind at the moment. It’s such a guilty pleasure, and I would 100% recommend it!”
20:30 – Self-care
“This is a priority for me every single day. I think when you’re a trainer or a coach, you spend so long guiding others that it’s easy to neglect yourself. I like to put on some comfy clothes and pamper myself. I'll moisturise thoroughly and then either use a gua sha [a jade face-scraping tool that promotes lymphatic drainage] or put on a face mask.”
22:00 – Lights out!
“At 10pm, it’s lights out. I need a good nine hours of sleep so I can function at my best – plus I love to sleep so much. It’s when your body recovers and becomes stronger, so if I want to keep seeing results from my training, then getting good-quality sleep is vital.
“Night!”