About me

Reading time 5 mins

Hello!

A little bit about me. I’m a nutrition-qualified personal trainer and a lifelong lover of being active. My patience and calm temperament are just two things I’m known for. Getting the best out of athletes is another. I live on the border of SW / West London in W4 and have spent years honing my skills and sharing my expertise in rowing and weight training.

My journey into rowing…

.. began following a house move close to the Tideway Thames where I responded to a “Learn to Row” ad. This decision profoundly impacted me, as I share in my post – Why rowing is a great sport and the best exercise for you. Now I’m a competitive rower racing in local regattas, British National Champs, Henley Master’s Regatta plus high-profile head races both on the Thames and internationally with the Mortlake Anglian & Alpha Boat Club.

My other passion…

.. for over 33 years has been weight training. I learnt my skill in, what I like to call, a ‘proper blood & guts’ gym, surrounded by Mr UK body builders plus a female world-class powerlifter. Over the years I’ve also trained in a variety of disciplines including boxing, Pilates, yoga, spin, TRX, road cycling, and 5k to 1/2 marathon running. However, weight training remains my core practice for maintaining fitness, strength and body shape. The combination of rowing and weight training has allowed me to achieve the perfect blend of cardio work and strength conditioning, enhancing my power-to-weight ratio and performance in both single and double sculls.

I decided to make my expertise ‘official’ by studying for the Level 2 Gym Instructor and Level 3 Personal Trainer qualifications (CIMSPA endorsed). Plus I’m a British Rowing-qualified indoor rowing coach. I’m also honoured to be part of a select group of 40 coaches chosen for a new British Rowing coach development initiative. This programme has provided invaluable support and resources for coaches like me making a difference at the grass roots level of rowing.

My ethos..

.. for training clients, whether they are experienced athletes or new to exercise is simple; listen, have attention to detail, ensure they enjoy it and be passionate about their goals. One client wants to preserve their ability to continue rowing in their 80’s; another wants to win gold medals at national and international masters level of rowing (and does!). For some it’s about the end result; for others, they want to feel supported in their development. I tailor my approach to suit their individual needs.

My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing athletes make noticeable improvements and genuinely enjoying their training.

Regarding my articles…

.. they are all original (i.e. devised and written by me!) and as factual as possible. My dad once had a blog and would start his posts with the phrase “and this is the God’s honest truth….”. He’s Irish. Which means this statement was usually followed by a tale so tall, so unbelievable, that it made you wonder if it just might actually be true. He wrote ghost stories thinly disguised as Irish folklore and I can confirm his musings didn’t contain a grain of truth. They were, nonetheless, highly entertaining.

I, however, have a responsibility and desire to be as objective and accurate as I possibly can. Delivered in a simple, practical way, I’ll share my knowledge for obtaining and maintaining good health, exercise guidance and constructive nutritional advice.