1) Please tell us a little bit about you and your background in fitness. How old are you? How did you start? Why do you do what you do? For how long have you been doing this?
I’ve been in the industry for around 17 years (Longer if you include my first career as a professional footballer). I was General Manager of the Reebok Sports Club Canary Wharf and Third Space. I successfully changed the Personal Training system and managed it for Reebok Sports Club London. Assisted in the acquisition of Third Space. Then designed the Personal Training structure for the business and managed over 120 Personal Trainers as well as introducing an education platform for all trainers.
I now spend more time training private clients and ensuring they achieve their goals. I work with professional athletes and boxers. The professional boxers are taking up a lot more of my time as the demands on their bodies from training and nutrition to achieve weight (in the correct way) have to be managed
I have a beautiful wife and x2 amazing children (boy and girl) My son has recently signed his first professional footballer contact at 12 yrs with an academy and my daughter is a gymnast.
I consult designing Personal Training systems that help both businesses and trainers achieve what they both want. I design gym layouts (I designed the Canary Wharf club for Reebok Sports Club and Third Space).
I teach around the UK for other businesses that what to invest in their trainers learning and helping to provide them with a structure for success.
I have 42 years old and I always had a love for fitness after starting my professional career as a footballer. I have had 22 operations so naturally, you learn a lot about recovery. Or maybe I should say some of the rehab techniques weren’t great so I started researching and paying more interest in moving more efficiently.
I love coaching, both professional athletes and General pop. Helping people achieve a better body composition, improve strength and movement or just help them look and feel better is something most other jobs can’t give you.
For how long have you been doing this? I was managing clubs (Reebok Sports Club & Third Space) then moved back into the managing Pts and coaching clients as I missed that. I designed the layout of the Canary Wharf club and created the PT structure in 2012 which changed the business and the landscape for earning for many PT’s in London. “Best PT’s in London earning the BEST MONEY” was my goal. Just before I left in February 2019 to concentrate on my own business I was close to helping trainers earn £100k pa which was a massive achievement.
2) What is your daily routine?
I wake up early and go to bed late. Most PTs may do the same. I like to be up and in the gym early and if I can train on the watt bike before my first client of the meeting (say 06-7 am). Then if I’m coaching I’ll be back to back till 2 pm when I’ll train for 2 hours. Eat then have clients till 8 pm. Once home I’ll ensure all programs and emails are done before I go to bed.
I also teach and consult around the UK so I may have to write new courses or design a new gym layout, a new PT structure or work with some PT’s that I mentor to ensure that everything is ok with them and their clients. I love seeing young coaches doing well.
3) How does your meal plan look like?
Depending on the time of year and my goal. For example, I know it takes me about 7-9 weeks to get in “holiday shape” that I’m happy with. When I’m in this period I am pretty strict with my food intake etc. I like now over Christmas I’ll enjoy time with my family and eat what I like. I think naturally when Yule been in the industry as long as I have you know how to look after yourself and when you could be going too far.
4) What do you think that people should do to achieve a healthy lifestyle?
Understand that fitness isn’t as difficult as many in the industry pretend it is. Understand your maintenance calories and just eat around that depending on if you want to lose weight (eat in a deficit) or gain weight (eat in a surplus). Then you can enjoy the foods you like. Train to get stronger and move better to improve your fitness level, look better and decrease injury risk. Enjoy it don’t make it hell. Adherence to anything is most important, is it something you can sustain and want to.
5) What are your 5 tips for people to manage their daily meals and exercise?
1. Understand your goal
2. Ensure you can adhere to it
3. For food know your total calories and protein to achieve your goal.
4. Train to move better and improve strength (not to look like a bodybuilder but just be able to move efficiently
5. Make sure you are enjoying training. There are many variations form strength, cardio, combat, 1-2-1, group settings. Just start with something you can stick to and enjoy
6) What is the first thing a person should do if he/she wants to lose weight?
See a coach that can educate them and advise them on their total calories that they can’t go over. You need to be in a deficit to achieve weightless its that simple.
7) Are you for or against counting calories?
If the client wants to lose or gain weight it will be needed. But with General population, a total Calorie and protein total is enough. I wouldn’t get them to weigh their food as on a basic level you can use apps like My Fitness Pal etc that are really helpful. If they follow this with a regular program they should see change pretty quickly (if they can adhere to it). I’d normally see changes in 14 -21 days if clients keep to a simple calorie amount and train with me twice per week.
8) Can you tell us 3 exercises that you recommend for a daily routine?
1. Prep – foam roll, activate the areas you’re going to train
2. Strength – some kind of main strength exercise (compound lift if the client can) lower -Squat, Deadlift, upper Press or Pull
3. Some kind of ESD Energy system development. I really like the Wattbike as its low impact but you really work your energy system while getting a tough resistance/power-based workout. My clients and athletes learn to love this bike. Low-risk high reward
9) What is your plan in the fitness industry?
To help clients and PTs achieve. I’ve managed to be able to help many PT’s over 200 get into the industry and give them a platform. Now I’m helping them find structure through education. For my clients, it’s achieving THEIR GOAL. This is a must and through years of practice education, making mistakes and working with some of the industry best I’m now in a position where I can basically guarantee results if they train twice per week and follow simple food instructions that fit with their lifestyle.
10) Do you have any motivational quotes?
These are quotes I use for clients and PT’s I teach
1″Be the kind of leader that you would follow”
2 “Work hard in silence let your success be the noise”
3“Make a list of what makes you happy, Make a list of what you do daily, compare the lists, adjust accordingly”
4. Keep things simple you don’t have to complicate things. What’s the goal? How do we get there?
Thank you very much for this interview 🙂
Check his Instagram account here
His email is: ben.lewisscc@gmail.com
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