AUTHOR
My journey in the fitness industry began in 1998 with studies in Sports Studies and Health Studies at Worcester University. After graduation, I further honed my skills by completing a Diploma in Personal Training & Sports Massage. Over the past 20 years in the industry, I've had the pleasure of working for several colleges, educating and supporting learners. This included setting up and developing gym facilities for students, instructors, and sporting academies. I also gained extensive sports coaching experience during an 8-year stint working with a rugby team. My role ensured the physical fitness of both their senior and youth teams, providing valuable experience in rehabilitation work. In 2006, my career transitioned towards education and assessment within the private adult education sector. Taking on the role of a Fitness & Sports Massage Therapy Lecturer, I delivered a wide range of courses in both areas while assisting in the development of both tutors and curriculum. As I've progressed, a strong desire to maintain the highest standards of education and delivery has led me to my current role in quality assurance. Beyond my professional pursuits, my passion for health and fitness extends to personal challenges. Over the years, I've been an integral member of several hockey teams, completed marathons, and even competed in Athletic natural bodybuilding. These experiences have pushed me to my physical and mental limits.
The 82-Year-Old Who Quietly Changed the Conversation Earlier this year, The Washington Post profiled Juan López García, an 82-year-old ultramarathon runner from Toledo whose physiology has caught the attention of researchers across Europe. His VO₂ max sits at a level typically seen in healthy adults decades younger. His aerobic capacity…
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There’s a moment many of us as fitness professionals will no doubt recognise. A client shares that she’s pregnant, and almost overnight the training conversation changes dramatically. Heavy lifts disappear. Confidence wobbles. Sessions quietly turn into cautious walking, light stretching and a general sense of “let’s not do much, just…
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Rates of mental health difficulties among adolescents have risen sharply over the last decade. Anxiety, low mood, poor self-esteem and emotional dysregulation now show up regularly in schools, sports clubs and gyms. Social media pressure, disrupted sleep, reduced unstructured play, academic stress, long screen time and fewer opportunities for physical…
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For years, conversations about heart health in fitness have leaned heavily towards cardio workouts. Step counts, heart rate zones, weekly mileage & aerobic capacity are all terms you will have heard when discussing the cardiovascular system. Strength training on the other hand, often sits to one side, framed as something…
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Getting people to start exercising is rarely the hardest part of the job. Getting them to keep going is where most us as fitness professionals feel the strain. Clients sign up with good intentions. They want to feel better, move better and see progress. Then life intervenes. Energy dips. Confidence…
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