How David Lloyd Teesside personal trainers change lives for the better
LEISURE
Motivators – David Lloyd Teesside personal trainer ( PT ) supervisor Byron Bowyer ( second right ) with ( from left ) Lucy Mason , Mark Thistlethwaite , Luke Hepple , Emma Overton and Christopher Burns .
FITNESS GOALS
How David Lloyd Teesside personal trainers change lives for the better
PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH WORDS : DAVE ROBSON
Sometimes we all need a helping hand – and personal trainers at David Lloyd Teesside can help transform physical and mental wellbeing .
That ’ s the message from the centre ’ s personal trainer ( PT ) supervisor , Byron Bowyer , as he tells Tees Business exactly what having a PT can do for members . The popular leisure club , on Tees Barrage Way , Thornaby , offers a superb range of facilities and classes .
And , says Byron , by signing up with a personal trainer , members can be confident they ’ ll follow a programme ideally suited to their needs .
He said : “ Anyone can benefit from having a personal trainer – from those first stepping into the gym , right up to elite athletes .
“ The idea is to enhance the member ’ s life performance and improve wellbeing .
“ And it ’ s not always physical – it ’ s about good mental health , too . You get to know your client on a personal level – we ’ re dealing with human beings who , say , might have had a tough day at home or work , so it ’ s important for us as personal trainers to understand that and see how we can help them on that specific day .”
Byron , 29 , of Linthorpe , has been at David Lloyd Teesside for eight years and earned his Level 3 PT training qualification four years ago .
The Teesside club , with more than 5,200 adult members , has a 10-strong team of personal trainers covering all bases .
They include Chris Burns , who last year was in the top 20 of all David Lloyd clubs in terms of sessions delivered , Luke Hepple , who has a boxing background , experienced PTs such as Mark
Visit davidlloyd . co . uk / clubs / teesside
Fitness goals – David Lloyd PT supervisor Byron Bowyer puts member Caitlin Bromley through her paces .
Thistlethwaite and Emma Overton , with her yoga and holistic background , and relative newcomer Georgia Donovan .
Each member gets to choose , via the club ’ s app and the biographies on there , the PT they feel will best suit their needs .
Then it ’ s all about working together to make real progress . And each PT , stresses Byron , is driven to provide the best , tailored experience – including helping members get the most from the gym , tailoring individual programmes and providing lifestyle advice on things like nutrition and general wellbeing .
He said : “ People get personal trainers for different reasons – a common one is someone who wants to get fitter but doesn ’ t know where to start .
“ When it comes to things like weight training , there are risks if you don ’ t do it correctly , so we make sure they ’ re doing the right weights , using correct techniques and doing the right exercises for their goals .
“ Some people might have been sent by their doctor , for example , to improve their muscle mass or bone density .
“ Just getting on the treadmill isn ’ t going to do that , so it ’ s about having someone there who can understand your needs and plan sessions to help you reach your goal .”
Under the club ’ s Kickstart system , every new member receives three , free 45-minute PT sessions with their joining fee .
“ It gives a really good indication what you ’ d get out of having a personal trainer ,” says Byron .
PT sessions cost £ 40 , although signup for a subscription – which involves a minimum of 12 weeks with a personal trainer – and they ’ re discounted to £ 37.50 a session .
Byron said : “ You build up such a good relationship with your client . As a personal trainer , there ’ s nothing better than seeing someone improving and getting fitter and healthier . And if someone stays on for a while , you see that massively .
“ Some of our trainers really have changed people ’ s lives . We ’ ve had people who we ’ ve helped lose eight or nine stones .
“ Some didn ’ t want to step into a gym at first , it was a no-go zone – now we look at them and they ’ re confident in the gym and in themselves .
“ The member always has to do the work , of course , but the support from their personal trainer helps them get where they want to be .”
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