I got the PM f it. Now I’ll do the same for YOU
OFTEN the first thing people ask me, once the polite chit-chat is out of the way, is: ‘What’s David Cameron like?’ You see, I’m the Prime Minister’s personal trainer. It’s not something I’ve ever shouted about but he has been spotted out jogging with me, so it’s no secret.
Of course, bar telling people David’s a great guy, much is confidential – I’d never divulge the details of any client sessions. But there is an interest in his fitness, perhaps as he is the first PM to be so passionate about sport and committed to exercise. He is an astonishingly busy man, yet finds time to keep in shape.
He recognises the vital role that ‘wellness’ – an interest in staying healthy rather than simply firefighting illness – has in allowing us to remain focused and vibrant in the most challenging situations.
His commitment has been to ringfence money to allow children in every school to receive more and better physical training and sports development. He wants to help every one of you be in the best physical and mental health you can be. And I want to do the same.
But while people such as David who are in the public eye need to look good, for many of the celebrities I train it’s more about feeling energised and fit for their purpose.
One of my friends and clients is comedian Michael McIntyre, who (sorry Michael) is never going to be a person who is 100 per cent committed to fitness. However, before his tours, he does hundreds of small gigs in preparation, yet also finds the time to exercise because he knows it’s vital for him to feel good. My point is this: we can all find time and we can all find the motivation.
I’ve been training clients for 20 years. That’s a lot of time spent understanding how bodies respond and how people are best motivated. Over that time I’ve seen the health of the nation change in many ways. Very many of you are already tak- ing regular exercise, be it cycling, swimming, walking or something more unusual. But it still holds little appeal for some, and is little understood or even feared by many. For instance, those who have been unwell with heart problems, or suffer the pain of joint disease, often believe they can’t exercise when in fact it is probably the best single thing they could be doing.
I want to use this column to give advice and answer questions not just from those who are already bitten by the exercise bug, but from those who are not yet but sense that they perhaps should be. I also want to know about the oddities you find in the fitness world, because it is full of contradictions and confusion.
I want to make you feel that exercise is something you need in your life, rather than something done out of duty. Being well is often a matter of choice – choosing to do something active, or choosing not to have a glass of wine every night. I understand it’s often easier said than done. But I hope to give you a solid push in the right direction.