LTB Podcast

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Mark Council. Mark owns a gym called Platform Performance, which he opened with a business partner in 2017. We discuss a wide range of topics including how he's staying optimistic amidst the chaos of lockdowns and uncertainty of COVID, why he prioritises professional development & mentorship, and how he ensures he gets the most out of what he invests in, how his gym delivers an 11-star service to their members and much more! Timestamps: [01.25] - How his lockdown is going? [06.32] - Why other people's success does leave clues. [08.10] - Business biography recommendations. [10.15] - Why he's been so willing to ask for help and mentorship today. [14.40] - How he manages feeling like there's too much to do in his business. [16.00] - Business key performance indicators (KPI's) [18.00] - An 11-star service. [23.53] - How he applies the professional development he goes through. [25.00] - Lateral thinking. [29.10] - Mark discusses the harder times he's had as a gym owner. [34.25] - Why he has always focussed on delivering an excellent service and experience to his clients. [38.30] - How his gym, Platform Performance, recruits new personal trainers. [43.35] - Why gym ownership is not a natural step for most trainers. Find Out More About Mark: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.council Platform Website: http://platformpt.co.uk/ Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Claire Winter. In the episode, they have a conversation around creating a more inclusive fitness industry. They touch on what Claire learned interviewing fitness professionals for a piece she created on prejudice in the soon to be released LTB magazine issue 11, why it's so common to feel like you don't belong in the fitness industry as a PT, why every client deserves the blank slate treatment and steps everyone can take to create a more inclusive industry. Timestamps: [03.30] - Some of the things Claire learned in process of speaking to a bunch of fitness professionals about prejudice within the industry. [15.05] - Why is it so common for personal trainers to feel like they don't belong in the fitness industry? [21.40] - Why every client deserves the blank slate treatment. [24.40] - Why all forms of exercise are good forms of exercise. [33.10] - Steps to create a more inclusive fitness industry. [41.20] - How you can read the LTB magazine. Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Olly Jones. Olly is a trainer who has been working with clients since July 2004. Currently, he is the personal training co-ordinator for a gym called The Marlow Club where he mentors trainers and trains his clients. They discuss what it would be like starting as a PT today, why it's ok to change who you want to work with throughout your career, how to improve your client retention rates and defining the term client results. Timestamps: [01.50] - How he got started in the fitness industry. [09.35] - Starting online as a new personal trainer? [16.55] - Why remote coaching through zoom is a viable method for new personal trainers to use to get started. [19.05] - Why it's common to change the direction of who you want to work with in personal training. [27.15] - Why he's managed to achieve such high retention rates. [37.56] - Personal trainers defining client results too narrowly. Find Out More About Olly: Email: pt@themarlowclub.co.uk IG: https://www.instagram.com/olly_jonespt/ Find Out More About LTB: Website: https://liftthebar.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/liftthebar/

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Andy Morgan. Andy is an online coach and author who lives in Japan and runs RippedBody.com and Athletebody.jp. He's been an online coach for over 9 years. Stuart and Andy discuss how he got his first few clients and how he gets them today, why it's worth creating blogs, how to create your first one and imposter syndrome. Timestamps: [02.34] - How Andy found starting as an online coach without doing any in-person coaching beforehand? [07.01] - Did he have any mentors or coaches who helped him when he first started? [10.52] - How he handles imposter syndrome? [15.36] - How he got his first online coaching clients? [22.42] - How he gets clients now? [27.55] - Is a blog a worthwhile thing to do? [33.16] - What should you write about if you start a blog? [37.22] - Has he always liked writing? Find Out More About Andy: https://rippedbody.com/ https://www.instagram.com/andy_rippedbody/ Find Out More About LTB: Website Instagram Facebook

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Cody Hill. Cody is a trainer who works mainly in large group settings. He's run large group outdoor sessions for a number of years for a company called Camp Gladiator. They talk about how he got started, some of the misconceptions that large group training holds from the world of the Bootcamp, how to create better large group sessions, getting more interaction when running zoom workouts, why you should watch your recorded workouts back and much more. Timestamps: [01.33] - Why he started lifting weights? [05.08] - How he ended up starting in the fitness industry? [10.20] - When he realised a Bootcamp wasn't just burpees and train-till-you-throw-up type workouts. [18.12] - What a sample outdoor workout looks like? [21.43] - How he started doing 1-1 PT off the back of running his group sessions? [25.28] - Increasing interaction and a community feel over online platforms like zoom. [33.00] - How important is the quality of trainer in large group training? [39.53] - Would he go into large group training if he didn't have the job he does just now? [47.43] - Skillsets for group training and 1-1. [49.23] - Why you should watch back your recorded online group workouts. [51.23] - Characteristics for doing well in group workouts. Find Out More About Cody: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cody.hill.4 Find Out More About LTB: Website Session X: https://sessionx.com/ Instagram Facebook

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes Nik Handley and Anthony Park from PT Mentor Academy. Together they've got nearly 40 years of experience in personal training in a variety of roles and lots to teach. They discuss a range of topics from the world of personal training including what you should be focussing on right now, what they were they both like as new trainers and what it's like looking back, what their message would be to a struggling trainer, turning knowledge into action and a bunch of other lessons. Timestamps: [03.26] - Ant's experience as a new personal trainer. [05.54] - Nik's experience as a new personal trainer. [10.21] - When Nik found his place in the industry. [12.51] - When Ant found his place in the industry. [17.21] - What their advice would be a trainer who is struggling just now. [22.41] - Bridging the gap between getting knowledge and information and turning it into action. [32.41] - Does personal training have an apprenticeship phase? [45.34] - How they would start in the industry if they were starting tomorrow but had all of their knowledge and experience? Find Out More About PTMA: Website: https://ptmentoracademy.com/ Ant's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/antptma/ Find Out More About LTB: Website Session X: https://sessionx.com/ Instagram Facebook

In today's episode, we have a reposted podcast from back in 2017 with Leigh Peele. Leigh is an incredible online coach and author of some excellent books on fat loss including 'Starve Mode' and 'The Fat Loss Troubleshoot'. Stuart and Leigh discuss self-esteem, what helps you last as a fitness professional, teaching your clients how to think critically and reducing the impact of failure. Find Out More About Leigh: Website Instagram Facebook Find Out More About LTB: Website Instagram Facebook

In this episode, we have a reposted episode from back in 2018 where Stuart chats to Eric Helms from 3D Muscle Journey. The conversation is centred around Eric's experiences of being a personal trainer back in 2005-2012, what this has taught him and how it's shaped how he coaches and teaches now. Other topics covered include time management, use of social media, improving introspection, book recommendations and more. Happy New Year everyone and thank you so much for listening to the LTB Podcast! P.S. No timestamps for this one but the interview with Eric starts at 02.10 Find Out More About Eric: 3DMJ Website: https://3dmusclejourney.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helms3dmj/ Find Out More About LTB: Website Instagram Facebook

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes back on Alex Pearson. They go straight into a conversation about some of the things they've done well, not done as well and learnt from 2020. The framework they use is based on James Clear's Yearly reviews available on his website. Find Out More About LTB: Website Instagram Facebook

In today's episode, Stuart welcomes back on Cathy MacDonald. Cathy has been on the show 2 times before (both in 2017) discussing different things related to her current career in communication. Her career prior to that was in Crisis Negotiation for Police Scotland and that's where we focus our attention today. We discuss what her work involved, some of the specific cases she remembers being involved in, what she wishes everyone knew about suicide and what to do if you encounter a situation in which someone is saying they are going to, or are thinking about, taking their own life. Timestamps: [02.40] - What it's like reflecting on her previous career as a crisis negotiator for Police Scotland now she's 5 years beyond it? [07.57] - What the majority of her work was in crisis negotiation? [10.27] - How she would describe how she felt walking into a negotiation of some kind? [19.20] - Cathy tells us about one of the memories she has over losing someone during a suicide intervention. [21.50] - How quickly Cathy would be redeployed after one negotiation? [23.05] - Specific cases that stick out during her time in crisis negotiation? [34.00] - How often you learn the reason someone wants to kill themselves? [35.35] - The core emotional concerns. [38.25] - What does Cathy wish everyone knew about suicide? [45.57] - Suicide statistics deaths in Scotland. [51.00] - What to do if you encounter a situation in which someone is saying they are going to commit suicide? [53.50] - Where to go if you need help. Suicide Resources International Suicide Hotlines: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/ NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/ Find Out More About Cathy: Website: https://www.artofcommunication.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Art-Of-Communication-1126742237340516 Find Out More About LTB: Website Instagram Facebook