MARK TREGILGAS IS CARDIFF'S ANSWER TO MR MOTIVATOR
In January 2007, Mark Tregilgas set up his own personal training business - 'Fitness and Motivation', after gaining a Diploma in Personal Training with Lifetime. His decision to become a personal trainer came after Mark completed a 10k race in February 2006. Two years later, he hasn't looked back and life couldn't be better for the Cardiff entrepreneur.
On average what is your daily routine?
"An average day is hard to find these days but I'm not complaining because I love the variety that comes with being a personal trainer. One morning I could be up at 5.30am taking a young businessman through a punishing outdoor circuit training course before he begins his day, and that afternoon I could be working with an older client using a Swiss ball and light dumbbells in the comfort of her living room."
You must have some daily rituals that you stick to?
"Yes. I always get up and have breakfast even if it is 5am! I make sure I get some exercise and drink plenty of water - I basically practice what I preach."
How has your daily routine changed over the past year?
"I have got a lot busier and taken on a wider variety of clients so I'm constantly on the go - sometimes I can see up to six clients a day, working six days a week. When I do get some spare time, I'm always conscious of keeping on top of the promotion of my business, so I may do some leaflet drops or update my website and research new ideas and techniques to keep on top of recent health and fitness developments."
Which part of your day do you enjoy the most?
"I don't want to sound cliché but all of it! I absolutely love what I do and the variety that it brings. Currently, I have a few clients that I've worked with for a while and got them to such a fitness level that, when we do outdoor interval sessions together I get a wonderful workout too! I suppose that is what I enjoy the most - getting paid to workout!"
What's the main reason someone contacts you?
"Most people want to lose weight or improve general fitness. More recently, I have started to work with people who suffer or who have suffered with anxiety or depression and are using exercise as a tool to increase their confidence as well as their wellbeing."
Has there been anybody who you've worked with that has been particularly rewarding?
"Yes. In April 2007 I received a phone call from a very concerned father whose 27-year-old son had been battling alcoholism, drug addiction and severe depression for a number of years. He told me that his son was living as a virtual recluse and that his psychiatrist had recommended he do some exercise. It was actually the psychiatrist who found my details on the internet and passed them on to the family."
And where did things go from there?
"I met with a very nervous, overweight and very unhealthy man called Andrew for the first time in a coffee shop and basically spent an hour gaining his trust and counselling him. From then on we started training three times a week in the gym using weights initially at a very slow pace. Andrew's main concern at the beginning was to feel better emotionally rather than physically. On the first session, he was physically sick because of the shock to his body and told me he "hated me" but thankfully he persevered."
Is it clients like this that keeps you motivated?
"Of course - and as cheesy as this sounds, fitness is my life, my buzz is feeling great, challenging myself and others. Going on a Lifetime course has opened my eyes to so many opportunities. I'm constantly looking to keep things interesting and the fact that I've always had to battle my weight since I was a child keeps me training hard. I know how wonderful fitness can make you feel and that's the motivation for me and the motivation I pass on to my clients every day."
For more information on Mark and 'Fitness and Motivation', visit www.fitnessandmotivation.co.uk.