FITNESS STUDIO OPENS ITS DOORS
A unique new Blairgowrie fitness studio has opened its doors to the people of east Perthshire and beyond.
And head coach of Skirmie Park-based Evolved Training, Andrew Usher, is hoping the facility can produce a future star of the martial arts scene.
Tailored personal training, performance coaching, strength and conditioning, along with one-to-one sessions for boxing, kickboxing and martial arts are being offered.
Andrew, a talented martial artist himself who also holds boxing coaching qualifications, is excited to see what the future holds for this fresh venture.
“I’ve been involved with martial arts since I was four and would say I’m a lifelong martial artist,” he explained to the Blairie.
“I’ve coached a couple of champions and have also worked with a couple of UFC fighters.
“I still love martial arts and kickboxing, so I don’t want to give that up. Initially this was going to be a personal training studio, but martial arts is in my blood.
“As you hit your 40s competitions are no longer what you want to do. It’s about the next generation and that’s what is exciting for me here.
“If we’ve got a young male or female who has some serious talent, it means they can come here and not only just get the physical technical side of stuff, they can also get speed and agility, plyometrics, strength and conditioning - the other side they need for the professional element.
“It would be good to get a couple of people to the next stage.
“We’ve had people going away and picking up medals at kickboxing tournaments after training with us.
“It’s nice, but I always feel it’s their journey. I don’t ever want to steal anyone’s thunder.
“You help them get there, but at the end of the day they stood on the mat and did it.”
While providing a helping hand to the next generation is of great importance, this will be a facility open to all ages and abilities.
“We’ve set up a place where anyone at any point in their life can come and be assessed,” said Usher.
“A lot of times people go and see trainers or physios and are just given a sheet of exercises and told to go away with it. We don’t want that.
“It’s more of an intimate, smaller space so that anyone in is getting top-end coaching all of the time.
“During the day it’s all personal training, sports massage, high performance and speed and agility training.
“Then at night we have the likes of boxercise, circuit classes, kickboxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu.
“I’ve coached kickboxing for a lot of years and have always preferred to have smaller numbers. You get better coaching and progress is better.
“I’ve got 72-year-olds who come in for kickboxing and private lessons. I see a lot of elderly patients put the 20-yearolds to shame.
“I have an older lady who comes in who lifts and does pad sessions. She has a great personality and wants to keep fit and healthy.”
Functional movement screening and sports massage is also available on site.
Andrew concluded: “I do a lot of martial arts, sports coaching, personal training and sports therapy.
“So it made sense to create a place where you can come in the door and go from A-Z.
“We’re going through a soft opening and are still gauging what the appetite for the programmes are.
“We’ll adjust as we go.”