Voice of the Athlete: Ethan Morlan
We had the opportunity to interview Ethan Morlan, a bodybuilder, trainer, and fitness model who is inspired by the athletes he trains. His struggles are shared by many. Let’s listen to the Voice of the Athlete: Ethan Morlan.
Voice of the Athlete: Ethan Morlan
Question 1: Have you been involved in team or individual sports? How did this impact your career decisions?
Voice of the Athlete: Growing up, I participated in team sports until around 3rd or 4th grade, but I did not have a strong interest in them at the time. My parents intended to keep me out of trouble. As a child, we moved often, which made school awkward at key points. My father has been bodybuilding since he was young, and he tried to get me in the garage gym with him, but it didn’t stick until I was older.
I didn’t find my way back to the gym until the last half of my junior year in high school, all because a friend dragged me to the gym with him. That’s when I took off running with bodybuilding. Sports did not have a significant impact on my life until I transferred in the middle of my senior year in high school and joined the wrestling team as a first-year student to meet new friends.
Question 2: How did you decide to become a personal trainer?
Voice of the Athlete: I fell in love with the sport of bodybuilding, competed, transitioned to powerlifting to develop mass, and then returned to bodybuilding, which eventually led to personal training.
In 2017, I was in a car accident, and since then, I have not powerlifted or competed. I transitioned to personal training to help athletes grow physically and gain confidence.
Question 3: What do you enjoy most about being a trainer?
Voice of the Athlete: When it comes to personal training, there is a great amount of satisfaction. There is nothing greater for a trainer than seeing it “click” with clients. Their success motivates me to follow my personal success.
Question 4: How do you help the athletes you train stay motivated on days when they don’t feel like training?
Voice of the Athlete: I have found that leading by example motivates most, but sadly not all. I believe everyone has their own motivation and/or motivational triggers that inspire them. All I can do is try to find those triggers to evoke inspiration within a client.
Question 5: What advice do you give your athletes about maintaining focus when under pressure?
Voice of the Athlete: Consistency is key. As long as they try their best, they can do no wrong. Ensuring they have the ability to reflect back, knowing they tried their best, and that’s all that matters. Understanding that there will always be ups and downs, and the goal is to have more ups than downs.
Question 6: What is the biggest fear you or your athletes face, and how do you help them keep pushing forward?
Voice of the Athlete: I cannot speak for others, but my biggest fear for them and myself is injury. More importantly, my fear for them is to have to deal with a hip injury like mine. My injury is due to the nature of rehabbing. The hip joint is dynamic as a whole and a complex structure.
Question 7: What does a day in the life of a bodybuilder look like?
Before dealing with my hip, a day in my shoes was calculated with all my social media and readings generated from professionals and the resources they look to for improvement. I would read new theories and techniques for both my clients and myself fueled by a neurotic addiction around competing and how to achieve the Olympic stage. I focused on a lot of reading from top dietitians, Olympic coaches, doctors, and therapists.
Bodybuilding gave me a sense of purpose and a feeling of accomplishment where nothing else I tried when young could do the same. It was and is an addiction that most likely won’t ever leave my thoughts.
Question 8: What was your most memorable moment in competition?
I believe it was my first or second bodybuilding competition, my smallest show and my most memorable. I was 19 or 20 years old. It was a small show with only five competitors including me. All five of us were lined up waiting to walk out. I remember there was a kid my age who did not realize the spray tan cost $100. He did not have the funds. We started talking. I asked him why he didn't ask anyone for help. I knew there were others like me who overprepared and would gladly give him money to get a tan. Without the tan, he appeared as if he was Casper. Why are we painted dark? The tan helps us look leaner as the darker color draws the eye inwards towards the obliques and transverse muscles of the abdomen.
I remember telling him not to worry as we were about to walk out and that no matter what he will place top five if anyone asks. He scanned the line realizing either way he would place, and this helped ease his nervousness. I told him if anyone asks how many were in his class to say, "There was enough".
Reflecting back to moments like this gives me joy. Competing is such a rush, and everyone is so kind and excited not only for themselves but for you. You work so hard for moments like that, where it’s useless to think of anything but joy and excitement because this is the chance to showcase your hard work and the dedication that is often unseen or ignored in day-to-day life.
Question 9: Do you practice visualization?
Visualization is a big component in the psychology of it all. Having a strong visual of where you want to go fuels my drive. I don’t know if I will put the money and time back into competing to get to a national qualifier again or for a pro card in the coming years. I will continue to practice visualization.
Question 10: How did you get involved with fitness modeling?
That’s a loaded question and hard for me to answer. I grew up very skinny and aphonically afraid to really shed my shell. Fitness modeling goes hand in hand with bodybuilding. Aspirations to go pro have been in my mind for over a decade. Fitness modeling was a way to track progress.
Question 11: As a fitness model, how do you handle the pressure of staying in top shape at all times?
There are moments of weakness that everyone deals with, big or small. I struggle from time to time with eating healthy. Even though it’s been a part of my habit for over a decade, it still happens. My coping mechanism is to have cheat meals or a binge meal periodically. This helps offset any feeling or not being normal like the rest.
Question 12: What is the most mentally challenging part of being a trainer and model?
Voice of the Athlete: To be candid, it's the judgment. I witness on a daily basis how those who don't know me look upon me with false assumptions. The assumptions could be, "He is fit, he must be a meathead" or "He is only into himself, just look at him." The false assumptions cause a lot of emotional turmoil. It makes it hard to date due to this false assumption. Mentally, it can make you feel isolated from those who don't know you personally.
Question 13: What is the greatest piece of advice you've ever received?
Voice of the Athlete: Don't be afraid to fail. Never lose yourself in your progress. Stay humble and keep focused.
Question 14: What advice would you give your 12-year-old self?
Voice of the Athlete: I would tell myself to be more extroverted earlier on. Live without fear of what others think. Keep your eyes and heart focused. My focus started at 15 years of age or so. If it were when I was 12, I would be farther along naturally. And possibly even evaded that uninsured motorist who caused my accident.
Question 15: Who are your role models, both in and out of sport?
Voice of the Athlete: I look up to a lot of bodybuilders and coaches from as early as the 70s and on. I can't say there is a role model other than my parents. I value anyone as a role model who puts their heart into their sport or training.
Question 16: What is the next step in healing your injuries and moving past the fear of re-injury?
After my car accident, I was in severe pain for 2 years. I kept trying to push weights when the doctors were telling me it was all in my head. After going from doctor to doctor and specialist to specialist, the tear in my right hip was finally diagnosed. I was in severe pain during that time. There is always a risk for a re-tear. If reinjury occurs, it would be hard to deal with emotionally. It takes hard work to push through the fear of getting back under the bar to squat or over the bar to deadlift. This is how I do it. There are three steps.
Step 1: take each training day as it comes. Step 2: accept my current state, whatever that may be. Step 3: continue pushing myself to the best of my abilities and to acknowledge the bad days instead of suppressing them until I break.
Ethan has shared some valuable life lessons that he has learned through his fitness journey. Firstly, he encourages us to live without fear of what others may think. Secondly, he advises us not to judge a person based on their appearance or looks. And thirdly, he urges us to let our passion for our sport inspire and motivate others to pursue their goals. These are powerful lessons that can be applied not only to fitness but to all aspects of our lives.
We want to extend our gratitude to Ethan Morlan (@ethan_morlan) for being a champion and role model for athletes, and for sharing his inspiring journey as a powerlifter, bodybuilder, and fitness model. His experiences and challenges resonate with many of us, and his courage and mental fortitude serve as examples of how sports can shape our identity and worldview.