TESTIMONIALS
DON'T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
At the wrong side of 40, years of being a couch potato, bored with paying extortionate amounts to a gym I hardly ever used, totally fed up with being unfit and out of breath even running up the stairs, out of the blue a groupon deal came along in September 2011 which spurred me into action.
I turned up at bootcamp one sunny Saturday morning, very nervous, feeling sick and dreading what was in store.Everyone looked so fit and healthy and I thought I would never manage an hour of intense exercise. After my first session I felt so motivated and encouraged by Gavin, I couldn’t wait to go again although my body ached all over.
At the beginning I couldn’t run at all, not even a mile, which seemed like a marathon to me. 8 months on, I have ran theManchester 10k in a reasonable time and intend to do it all again next year but even faster. Maybe even a half marathon may be on the cards. Not in my slightest dreams did I think I would ever be able to do anything like this.
Without the positive support and constant motivation from Gavin, even when I moan that I ache so much after a gruelling session , I would not have been able to achieve so much in such a short space of time.
I cant believe I have stuck at bootcamp 3 times a week and certainly wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy all the differentchallenges Gavin throws at us at each session. Every session is different and really good fun. There are times when Ithink I really cant do anymore but everyone motivates each other so I grit my teeth and get on with it. It is a massive confidence boost at the end of the session to exceed your own expectations.
Not only do I feel much fitter and have lost heaps of weight but I have made lots of new friends who. like me have a common goal – to get fit and have fun outdoors, whatever the weather!!!
Sara
Beginning of January, 2012. At only a few years away from being 40, the father of a 3 year old and a slightly larger than it should be belly, I decided it was time to get fit.
Not being the sort of bloke who could spend an hour staring at a wall or MTV as I plodded along on a treadmill in a gym, I was looking for something a little more exciting, and ideally outdoor based. Then I spotted a good Groupon deal for bootcamp.
I still remember the morning of the first camp. Stepping on the scales before I left the house (16stone), I felt very nervous. As I donned my brand new and very clean sports kit, complete with new bright white trainers, I wondered what lay ahead. Would I make a fool of myself? Would I be left behind? Would I survive?
Upon arrival I was very impressed. Gavin quickly introduced himself and made me feel like I was ‘one of the gang’. The other boot camp regulars were extremely welcoming and friendly and the other (200 or so?) Groupon voucher holders soon got chatting, forgetting any prior worries!
To say the first session was hard would be an understatement! My muscles hurt, my lungs felt like they were going to burst, my new clean sports kit soon got covered in mud, BUT, I was smiling! I knew I would come back for a second time!
Now, 3 months later, I’m still attending! I am now 2 stone 2lbs lighter – weighing in at 13stone12lbs. Family and friends CONSTANTLY comment on how much fitter I am looking (which makes me feel great) and I feel much more confident and energised. The change in my fitness level has been amazing, and this has also led to me paying much more attention to my diet – and improving my nutrition massively too!
For anyone thinking of joining bootcamp, I would strongly recommend it. Gavin and the other trainers are extremely welcoming and very encouraging. Through support and (lots of) humour, they will make you work hard and challenge yourself to your own limits. It is hard work, but the feeling of achievement once you have finished is immense – and one that is shared and celebrated by everyone in the group!
But be warned – that shiny, white and clean new sports kit? Not for long!
36lbs and still counting……
In November 2011 I gave birth to my 2nd little girl and was still carrying baby weight from the first baby back in 2008; however this time I had set myself the challenge of getting married just 17 weeks later in March 2012.
Over the new year period I knew I wanted to do a kind of boot camp related thing to help me shift the weight for my wedding but was un-sure on committing and then on the 2nd January Gavin answered my prayers by posting a deal on Groupon for new starters to join him at Sale water park……the deal was not to begin until the Wednesday but I rang and begged him to let me go that day otherwise I may just never do it.
My first night was so hard, I became best friends with the M60 bridge running over it 5 times I was amazed that i managed to do it, but the adrenalin was pumping and everyone was so supportive and Gavin was really helpful and understanding knowing that I had only given birth 6 weeks prior. The following two days were painful but I got back on the horse ‘so to speak’ and here I am now with a little help from eating a little better and Gavin and the gang at Motiv8 I would not have felt so great or looked great on my wedding day…..up to now I have lost 36lbs dropped 3 dress sizes and I am still going for it I love boot camp so much and it has really changed my life making the simplest of things easier like running around after my three year old, up and down the stairs with the washing and even more so another holiday as I am very much looking forward to joining the gang boot camp Ibiza in October.
I would recommend boot camp to anyone who wants to lose weight or just get fit, it works for all not matter what ability, I have made lots of new friends and enjoyed every minute of it and will never look back…..Motiv8 is defiantly for me!!!
Gavin currently trains me between 2 and 4 times per month. I first started Personal Training sessions with Gavin in June 2006 after he was recommended to me by a friend who rated the training very highly.
I have been fitness training at the gym for a number of years, I like to work hard at the gym but find it hard to motivate myself to train that little bit harder and sometimes find the classic excuses to give it a miss. I have trained with different Personal Trainers at the gym and had several training programmes made. These sessions and programmes also lacked that little bit extra and still didn’t work me quite as hard as I would of liked!
This is where Gavin came in, I was assured that with his military background and approach to fitness that I would be worked as hard as I so desired! And so far gavin hasn’t let me down. Even though the sessions are made to push and test me, I surprisingly enjoy them and there is always a fun element there without compromising the hard work. I particularly enjoy a gruelling aerobic session of boxercise with pads and gloves, this gets me hot and out of breath but is very fun different and enjoyable.
There has been a great variety to my training, plenty of advice with exercises and routines I can also take to the gym. The convenience of doing these sessions at home is also a bonus and saves a lot of time so there, is no excuses.
Most importantly my fitness has definitely improved!!!
During the early part of 2006 I was invited on to the ‘The New Paul O’Grady show’ as part of a mother-in-law challenge strand. After successfully completing several bizarre challenges, including going on a zero gravity flight to the edge of space, I thought my time on the show had come to a end.
However Paul O’Grady had other ideas! In September 2006 he challenged me to run the Chevron Texas Half Marathon. To say I was surprised would be an understatement; to say I was absolutely petrified would be closer to the truth! A half marathon, 21.1 kilometers or 13 miles 193 yards to us imperial folk, or as I initially thought – 13 miles 193 yards further than I have ever run! Oh my god!
So with the challenge being the only thing on my mind I needed to get fit, and get fit fast as I only had 16 weeks to the big day. I knew what I needed; I needed a personal trainer with the experience and patience to get me from overweight non runner to lean mean running machine! But obviously I knew that was impossible, until I met Gavin that was…
Over the next 16 weeks Gavin introduced me to stretching, high protein foods, and most importantly how to become fitter and healthier. He devised a tough training schedule and from now on I’d be an athlete. We met each Monday for our one-to-one training session and discussed my previous weeks training. From there Gavin fine tuned my training, set me targets and most importantly kept my morale up.
At the start of the 16 weeks I could only manage to run for 2 lampposts, I guess about 193 yards, so I was just short of the 13 miles I’d need to complete the half marathon! With Gavin’s help and a lot of hard work my distance slowly increased, 2,3,4,5 and 6 plus miles. I was virtually half way, but with fewer than 4 weeks to go I was still a little worried to say the least, Gavin guaranteed me that even thought I’d never run the full distance in training I’d breeze it on the day. To my surprise the day came and went without hiccup, even the 30 degree Texas heat didn’t stop me for completing the challenge – the half marathon.
So to sum up: 16 weeks, countless miles in wet, cold windy conditions, a weight loss of 23 pounds, and one completed half marathon. Oh and of course a personal trainer I can honestly say made finishing not only possible but enjoyable.
In the aftermath of my celebrations Paul O’Grady threw me another curve ball with my next challenge – the full marathon! GAVIN!!
Working in IT and for a food company there is a tendency to eat too much and not get enough exercise so when I volunteered to participate on The Great Tour with the Collier’s cycling team I turned to Gavin and Motiv8 to get me prepared.
The journey from Porthmadog to Machynlleth was the 49th stage of the overall 6,600 km Great Tour charity ride.
The Collier’s team’s 103km section of the route saw us start on Friday (August 20th) in the foot hills of Cader Idris in Snowdonia and a follow a route which climbs to 2,000 metres.
I also volunteered to take on the next section of the ride too which took us to New Quay on the Cardigan Bay coast on Saturday (August 21st). After two days in the saddle we covered 180km – a feat equivalent to a stage in the Tour de France.
Motiv8 were fantastic and Gavin not only helped me with my fitness, setting achievable targets, but also advised on nutrition both before and during the ride. While I had owned a bike I had never done any serious cycling let alone undertake anything of the distance involved. I don’t think that it would have been possible for me to approach it without Motiv8’s preparation.
Motiv8’s assistance didn’t stop with the ride as Gavin helped with a session of stretching and conditioning to make sure that I was left in top condition.
I’ll certainly carry on with the cycling and I’ll most definitely stick with Motiv8 to maintain and develop my fitness.