Ludumo “9mm” Lamati

Why do you train?

Mental health. I’ve been training since I was a kid. I was very small when I started boxing. I watched my uncles and cousins boxing. They used to come train at night in my backyard.

I love the thinking side of boxing, what you learn about life. How to keep going, how to put yourself in uncomfortable positions, so from that you can push your limits in real life.

I train with the pros because I want to learn more. From having them next to me, I learn from them, I watch what they’re doing. Their movement. The things they do in the gym, it’s what they do in the fights. And they win titles and go all around the world.

That’s my motivation, to keep learning.

We need to grow. For you to grow, you need to get more knowledge about the things you are doing, so you can do them better.

That’s life.

Why do you train clients?

I like spending time with different people. I learn from everyone, just about life in general.

It makes me happy because I’m sharing what I’ve got with people. I help people achieve their goals, learn new skills, grow.

For them, it’s an accomplishment because they have their goals, and I achieve those goals with them.

Helping them change their lifestyle, to achieve their goals, is big.

I feel I’m accomplishing something when I help others, when I get results.

I try to put my clients in a very uncomfortable position in the gym so that when they go out they can push their limits.

What happens when they achieve their goals is the people around them are much happier because they become a different person. It’s easier to live with them. Their daily life is much easier, because of the work we put in in the gym.

The health, the confidence they get in relationships with different people. They walk down each road feeling like themselves. That’s a big change for their lives. That’s what they get from the training we have been doing.

The price of health is training. At the end of the day, they’ve got families. It’s important.

What sort of clients do you get the best results for?

One client down 26kgs in less than a year.

One client had a big hip problem. From the training and the exercises, his hip feels much better.

He was surprised how his foot could get close to his hands in a push up position. “Wow, my foot can really move now.” He was very happy about it. The pain is still there, but he can do exercises and his daily life now. It was 10/10 pain, now it’s 5/10.

What can new clients expect from you?

The first week, the basics of boxing. How to stand, how to balance. The basics, like keep your hands up and the punches.

After that, we start the sweet science.

First thing is results.

Every time they come to the gym, they learn something new, they are improving something. Even if you’ve been with me for four or five years, you’re still going to learn new things.

And I’ll surprise you.

I take my word very seriously. Professionalism. Every day I start at 0500, and I’m never late.

Building a good relationship with clients is important, they know they can trust you, you’re real to them.

Most of my clients have been with me for more than two years. The clients can see where they started and where they are going. They’re enjoying that process. They can see the change. They can’t stop it.

Even clients who have only done weights and that sort of thing who aren’t interested in boxing, now they love boxing.

Clients who have never watched a fight tell me how they go back to watch old Canelo fights.

I prepare my sessions, and I always give it 100%. I don’t remember being sick. I show up every time for my clients.

I have a long term training plan. It’s not just you walk in the gym and come train. No, the planning is done already days, months in advance. From this starting point to that in three months.

I have high expectations. Things I want to see my clients being able to do. I want to see the plan I have for them is working. Every one has their own training plan.

What type of client do you get the best results for?

Weight loss. Health. Confidence. In terms of fighting, I’ve taken guys from zero to lots of white collar fights.

If I don’t feel like I can train someone, I’ll say it. Everyone I accept to train, I know from the first session already that I can help this one.

It’s about understanding who the client is, and adapting.

What kind of challenges have you helped your clients overcome?

People who are struggling with daily basics like, he works too hard, he comes back home he’s very tired, no energy to spend time with the family.

After a month or two, same work schedule, he comes home and has the energy to play soccer with his kid. That’s changing someone’s life.

It makes me happy. Because I see my plan is working.

Not just for them, for me too. Because I need to see results for the work I’m doing.

How hard do you push your clients in a session?

We have different types of clients.

If clients have a busy day and ask to be pushed, yes I’ll push you hard but not to 100%. Because I want you to feel different at the end of the session. Not to be tired, to have energy.

You don’t come to the gym to be tired. I put you into an uncomfortable position but you can still feel the energy at the end of the session to have your day going well.

Even clients that don’t want to push, I’ll still push them, but not to the point that they feel very pushed. That’s the importance of planning the session, knowing exactly what and when based on fitness level. It’s all planning, balancing and adapting.

There is no point pushing to 120% because you might get injuries. What is the point of training if you get injured?

How often do you need to train?

I won’t say every day is bad. It’s a very good thing.

But with the clients’ life, if they can be at the gym with me twice a week, or three times a week. Even once a week, we can get results.

What’s important is keeping the schedule. Keeping that lifestyle.

Clients that are consistent get results.

If it's once a week, be consistent. If it’s twice a week, be consistent with your twice a week.

Professionalism. Always on time. Taking care of clients. Preventing injuries.

Results. First thing is getting the result, guaranteed.

Changing lives. Prepared every time.