Meet Coach Matt McKinley
Matt McKinley is a Nashville-based personal trainer and head coach at Integra Fitness Nashville, where he leads client training and coach development. With nearly 15 years in the industry, he began in Issaquah, Washington, before moving to Nashville. Matt describes himself as a “coach to the coaches,” mentoring other trainers while maintaining his own client roster. His coaching philosophy has evolved from a heavy emphasis on maximal strength and big bilateral lifts to a more flexible, client-centered approach that prioritizes sustainability, enjoyment, and pain-free progress.
“Some people just don’t want to lift heavy weights all the time. I’m a firm believer that people need to get strong, but there’s lots of different ways to make that happen.”
Matt's approach to working with hesitant or resistant clients is patient, curiosity-driven, and non-pushy, focusing on phone conversations, thoughtful follow-ups, and explaining how his programming meets people where they are rather than forcing commitment. When clients resist advice, he avoids the "I know best" stance and instead leads with questions, education, and collaboration. Sometimes finding one small habit they will follow and builds from there. For clients with big aspirational goals, he digs into the "why" behind the goal, uses pre-mortem planning to prepare for setbacks, breaks outcomes into daily process-based habits, and has honest conversations about whether goals realistically fit their lifestyle and confidence level.
"You don't want to tell them what to do, but you want to just help guide them, make them make the decision, but you're just kind of the guardrails to help them get there."
For aspiring or stalled coaches, Matt's number-one piece of advice is that the learning never stops, warning that getting a first certification and then stopping education is a recipe for not reaching full potential or building a lasting career. He recommends continuing education through certifications when possible, reading books on training and behavior change, following credible voices on social media without making it the only learning source, listening to top podcasts, and finding a mentor early who will show you their system, give feedback, and help you avoid common mistakes. His own career trajectory reflects this philosophy, crediting his first boss as a great mentor who forced him to grow through challenging situations while teaching him what to read, who to follow, and how to build a long, fulfilling career without stalling.
"Getting your first certification and then being done learning forever is a recipe for not reaching your peak full potential or actually building a career out of being a trainer or a coach."
Connect With Matt
Instagram: @Coachmatt_mckinley
