Frequent Barriers to Exercise

I haven't got time.

If a client is struggling to fit exercise into their life then we can look at several options. Many people think that the recommended 30 mins a day, 5 days a week needs to be done in 30 minute blocks. Shorter spurts of exercise are just as effect as a continuous block. 10 mins brisk walk, 10mins intense cleaning, 10mins football with the kids...it all mounts up. I will look at your weekly schedule and work in exercise opportunities around your commitments. With organisation, planning and an adjustment of priorities you will be surprised what you can fit in, you'll be surprised the effect it has on your energy levels and you'll be surprised what counts as exercise.

I am too unfit to even start.

Everyone has to start somewhere. I'm a personal trainer but as a youngster I was unfit and I couldn't run for more than 30 seconds continuously. As an adult I decided to teach myself how to run. It only took a few weeks for me to be able to run continuously and within 8 weeks I was running 3 miles. Fitness, once you commit to it, comes quickly. Your body adapts swiftly and the increases in strength and fitness once you start, will leave you feeling so much better. You will enjoy those feel good hormones and an increase in energy that will motivate you to stick with it. Personal training sessions start at your level of fitness and build up so you never have to worry about not being too unfit to complete your session.

I can't afford it.

I'm not going to lie, a personal trainer costs money. As personal trainers go I like to think that I offer very reasonable rates but for people on a budget this could still be out of reach. There are options, I offer block booking discounts which means that if you are willing to commit to your training it can work out much cheaper. If 1 to 1 block booked sessions are still out of reach then I offer buddy sessions which allow you to split the cost between up to four people, combine this with block booking and a session comes in at the price of a nice bottle of wine. If you are serious about getting in shape then you could save money by cutting out take away, junk food and alcohol which would easily cover the cost of your personal training. I will also shortly be offering pay-as-you go bootcamp classes for £5 a pop...worth ever penny. Unsupervised sessions are also an option. Pay for a programme to be designed, have regular text and email check ins to monitor and motivate but you work alone to cut costs on the supervised sessions. It is also possible to do a mixture of supervised and unsupervised sessions depending on your budget and needs.

I find the gym or studio classes too intimidating.

A large part of my job as a personal trainer is to ensure newbies feel comfortable, confident and reassured in the gym environment. It really helps to have someone there with you at the gym, especially someone who is there to take you through a workout, educate you about the equipment, ensure you use correct, safe and effective technique and importantly to have a chat with. Having a personal trainer with you at the gym can remove social insecurities and drastically improve your gym knowledge so you feel confident with your workouts and all the equipment. If you really can't face the gym then I have the home gym option which you can read more about by clicking below. Perhaps you are an outdoor person and prefer to workout in the fresh air rather than inside a gym in which case you can book sessions for your local park.

I have family / work commitments

If you are struggling to get to the gym due to a lack of time and family commitments sometimes it works out better if I come to you. This prevents any issues with childcare and also eliminates the time commuting to and from the gym making it a much more time efficient option for people with busy lives. Please have a look at my home gym option if family and work commitments are a barrier for you. It's likely I can help you get on track with your fitness journey.

I don't know where to start

Beginning can seem daunting, especially alone. If you are a complete beginner or a making a nervous return to exercise unsure of what exactly you need to do, well that's what I'm here for. You can meet me for a FREE 1 hour consultation and we can discuss what you are looking to achieve and how I can help you to get there.

I think exercise is boring

It is simple, you will not stick to an exercise programme which you find dull and uninspiring. When I first started working out I didn't really get that. I thought it was all about motivating myself to do something I hated. I failed several times at various classes because I simply didn't enjoy them, I saw no results, I didn't like going. It was only when I found exercises that I enjoyed that I finally stuck with it and saw results. Part of the initial consultation with clients involves an in depth discussion regarding their exercise preferences. I use a client-led approach when designing any exercise programme to produce a training system built around your likes. If you are unsure about what your preferences are we will try many and varied exercises, keeping the ones you like and ditching the ones you don't to keep your workout interesting and motivating.