Soroush Jozani – Build a Strong Mindset to Become the Best Version of Yourself | Hardworkout Magazine

Key takeaways

- Soroush Jozani has worked in the fitness industry for 14 years and says he has delivered more than 14,000 personal training sessions.

- Jozani bases his coaching on a concept he calls CID: being coachable, managing your inner dialogue, and practising deliberately one skill at a time.

- A CrossFit box has no mirrors, which according to Jozani makes it easier to focus on learning skills rather than on appearance during training.

- Jozani is a co-owner of the equipment company ata and of CrossFit Asker, and the two share premises in Hvalstad so the box doubles as a showroom and testing ground for ata equipment.

- His advice to people who lack motivation is to set the bar as low as possible, start with something as small as a short walk, and build from there.

Soroush Jozani has been part of the fitness industry for the last 14 years, and the 37-year-old has held many different roles throughout these years. He still has many balls in the air, and he is motivated by being able to help others become a better version of themselves.

Since Soroush started as a personal trainer 14 years ago, he has delivered over 14,000 personal training sessions, and he has worked with all types of clients, from completely ordinary people to elite athletes at a high level, mainly within crossfit.

From Inactivity to a Burning Passion for Physical Activity and Health

Soroush is a cheerful and engaged man, who always wants to bring out the best in everyone he works with, whether as a coach, lecturer, or mental coach.

He is passionate about helping people realize their dreams and bring out their potential.


What is your background in training?

How did Soroush get started in the gym?

-I was inactive throughout my upbringing, until I was around 16-17 years old. Then I signed up at a gym, as like all other boys my age, I wanted to train to build muscle. The training gave me a sense of achievement and made me want more, so I trained regularly from then on.

-After training for a few years, I felt that I was stagnating with my training and then chose to take a personal trainer education to learn more. I was about 23 years old at that time.

How has your career developed since then?

-I worked at Elixia for 2 years, before I spent the next 6 years as a PT leader at Asker gym, where I eventually also became a gym owner. In recent years, I have also worked as a lecturer at the academy for personal trainers (AFPT).

How would you say the environment in a crossfit box is, compared to a regular gym?

How does a CrossFit box differ from a regular gym?

-A crossfit box has fewer members, more camaraderie, and stronger relationships. Since the training is based on a group class concept, with hard and skill-demanding workouts, it builds bonds and a positive environment.

Do you think the crossfit environment provides a healthier body focus?

-There is body focus in all training environments, and it would be naive to say that some parts of the fitness industry do not have any body focus, as everyone wants to look better. A crossfit gym has no mirrors, and that can make it easier to focus on learning things, rather than how you look while training.


A Man with Many Irons in the Fire

What are you working on today?

-Today I am involved in many different things, and for the past 5 years, I have been working on building up the various companies I am a co-owner of.

-I am a co-owner of ata, which we started in 2014 under Asker gym, focusing on competence, but shifted the focus to training equipment when I got a job at AFPT. Since 2019, ata has been its own company.

-At ata, I have the role of sales manager and work with clients who are opening gyms around the country, as well as clinics that want to develop in the training front and companies that see the importance of making training accessible for tenants.

-Our vision is to create a stronger generation.

-I was also involved in starting Crossfit Asker (CFA) in 2019, which in recent years has had premises in the same building as ata in Hvalstad. This has given us the opportunity to have the entire crossfit box for CFA as a showroom for ata training equipment, and in that way really test the quality of the equipment we have developed.

-Today I am the competence leader at CFA, where we, through our competence center, are focused on helping all our members achieve their goals based on their conditions, by building up their physical, mental, and social health. The mental aspect is very important for reaching your goals, not only in terms of training but in everything you wish to achieve in life.

-In addition to this, I still work as a lecturer and mentor at AFPT and worked as a coach developer at NOR3F (Norwegian Functional Fitness Association) until the summer of 2023.

-In February 2025, we will open a crossfit box in Ålesund as well (CFÅ), as one of the owners is moving there, and we all want to work together. We believe that it is the people in the company that are the company. When you are as lucky as we are to meet people with the same values, you achieve more if you stick together.

Soroush also works as a consultant for the operation and management of gyms and gives lectures on performance and mindset. An active man with many irons in the fire, who is passionate about bringing out the best in everyone he works with.


The right mindset is the most important training tool

Can you tell us a bit about your mindset?

What does CID stand for?

-The foundation of everything I have worked with is based on the concept of CID; Coachable, Inner dialogue and Deliberate Practice, and is something we focus a lot on in our competence center at CFA, and soon also at CFÅ.

Coachable; Be willing to learn and receptive to feedback, in this way you will develop and become better.

Inner dialogue; Have a conscious relationship with how you talk to yourself.

Deliberate practice; The ability to learn one thing at a time and keep your focus on it. Work on that one thing until you master it, before you focus on the next thing. Use positive self-talk and feedback to reach the goal you have set for yourself.

-By focusing on these things, you will become stronger both physically and mentally.


Motivation and the role of the coach

When I ask Soroush what motivates him the most, he quickly points to his 5-year-old daughter.

– My daughter is my biggest motivation. I want to give her an active upbringing and show all the positive benefits physical activity has and create good values.

What do you think are the most important reasons to train?

-The most important thing about training is increased quality of life and feeling better about yourself. Physical capacity is much more important than material things, and an active lifestyle will give you a better life, both physically and mentally.

How would you inspire others to stay physically active?

-Everything starts with yourself, so by keeping yourself active and making yourself strong, you will positively influence others by having those around you copy it.

What is the best part of working as a coach?

-The best part of working as a coach is being able to build up the mindset of the client and help them see the potential they have within themselves.

-I have worked with many different types of people throughout my years as a coach, and I have also worked with athletes who have reached the CrossFit Games, which is the biggest achievement one can attain as a CrossFit athlete. It requires a lot of mental willpower and discipline to get that far, and it has been very rewarding for me as a coach to be a part of their journey there.

What would you say to those who struggle with motivation to train?

What should you do if you struggle to find motivation to train?

-Don't make it so complicated. Set the bar as low as possible and build on that. Start small and take one step at a time. Focus on doing your best and building on that. The most important thing is just to start somewhere. It can be anything from going for a short walk to a certain number of steps per day. And then you can do a little more each day.

Soroush is an inspiring person to talk to, and if you are interested in hearing more from him, you can find several podcasts where he talks about everything from business, coaching, training, health, and mindset, to how you can succeed with training, whether in the role of a coach or as an athlete.

Instagram: coachjozani