At 5:30am, before most people are awake, Bentley is already in the gym.
Not because it’s easy. Not because he has extra time. But because it matters.
Bentley owns Elemental Design Company, a design-build shop he started back in 2015. His work is hands-on, physical, and demanding. Like most business owners, his days are full, and he doesn’t have much room for wasted time.
That’s part of why he started training in the first place.
“Jonathan Ball said he wished he started at my age, and I knew I needed work
on myself..”
Sometimes the reason isn’t complicated. It’s just an honest recognition that something needs to change.
What started as a simple decision has turned into something that now impacts nearly every area of his life.
“There are not places in my life it has NOT impacted.”
Training doesn’t just stay in the gym. It shows up in how you eat, how you sleep, how you recover, and how you handle the day ahead. For Bentley, it also means staying capable in a physical job and continuing to do the things he enjoys, like mountain biking and keeping up with the people around him.
But maybe more importantly, it shows up at home.
As a dad, Bentley sees training as more than just taking care of himself. It’s about setting an example.
“Routine, consistency, and dedication can really take you places… but we also have to show the balance of work and play.”
And while the 5:30am start might seem like the hardest part, it’s also what makes it work.
“Yes, it hurts getting up that early… but that’s a brief moment of pain.”
Then something shifts.
“No one needs you at that time. It’s your time.”
That time becomes consistent. That consistency becomes progress. And over time, things start to feel different.
“Everything feels easier, seriously. Riding my bike, throwing my kids around, even washing dishes (never underestimate the importance of a strong
low back!)”
It’s the result of showing up, over and over again.
Bentley isn’t training for a short-term goal.
He’s training so he can keep doing his job well.
So he can be present with his family.
So he can stay strong, capable, and active as life moves forward.
And as he puts it:
“It’s the best investment you can make in everything you have.”
That’s what this is really about.
Not just the workout.
But what it allows you to do outside of it.