Victoria SandersonGoogle review · 6 months ago
“I’ve been training with Luke for 18 months… At all times Luke is motivational, empathetic and fun to be around… I am now the fittest I have ever been and love my weekly sessions. Thank you Luke!”
Susan’s story
“Here I am, a woman in mid-life, learning that my body is capable of far more than I ever imagined possible, stronger than I’ve ever been and with more than enough energy to meet the needs of each day. How amazing is that!”
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I’d been considering working with a personal trainer for a while and so I emailed my Physio hoping that he might be able to recommend one. He replied to me straight away: ‘I do know a very good Personal Trainer called Luke Hayes. He’s without a doubt the only PT I would recommend.’
It was a glowing recommendation indeed but I was a bit hesitant. I had visited Luke’s website. He looked roughly the same age as my sons but way more intimidating! Despite the reservations, I decided to get in touch with him.
I explained that I wanted to get stronger. As well as experiencing all of the hormonal rollercoaster joys of menopause and what that does to the body (loss of muscle mass, unhealthy weight gain around the middle and a raft of other symptoms), I’d been ill for months with post-viral fatigue syndrome. I was on the road to recovery but my body felt weak and I didn’t have much energy. I was hoping to be able to weight-train my way back to full health and move into the next stage of my life, stronger and fitter.
I was relieved and terrified in equal measure when Luke got back to me to say that he could definitely help me. I was a complete beginner, I’d never set foot in a proper gym before and I had no idea what to expect, I was way out of my comfort zone! But I needn’t have worried. When you meet Luke in person, he isn’t intimidating at all. He immediately puts you at ease. It’s also very clear from the outset that he knows his stuff, not just the theory (he has a degree in Physical Education and Coaching) but also in practice.
Luke created a nutrition plan for me and I started training with him twice a week. He isn’t a ‘shouty’ PT. He coaches in a gentle and encouraging way and pays particular attention to form and technique to ensure you exercise in a safe way. He knows when he can push you and when to ease back. He has heaps of empathy and he totally understands setbacks in a way that only someone who has experienced them can. I have really appreciated this aspect of Luke’s approach. I was afraid that if I pushed my body too hard, it would cause a relapse in the post-viral fatigue syndrome. Luke understood this and has flexed our training sessions around my energy levels, encouraging me to dig deeper when he knew I could and providing the right level of support and reassurance whenever I’ve freaked out about post-viral fatigue returning. Training with Luke is never boring. Aside from the buzz you get from seeing improvements week on week, he mixes things up so that no two sessions are ever the same.
I’ve been training with Luke for about 6 months. As a result: I am stronger than I have ever been, EVER. I can actually do proper press-ups now as well as lift seriously heavy weights! No one is more surprised about this than me! I have much more energy and stamina. I no longer have to go to bed at 8pm in order to get through the week. I cannot even begin to put into words what this means to me. I have lost the fat that had accumulated around my middle and my body generally looks stronger and has more definition.
Training with Luke Hayes has resulted in so much more than a body transformation for me. Here I am, a woman in mid-life, learning that my body is capable of far more than I ever imagined possible, stronger than I’ve ever been and with more than enough energy to meet the needs of each day. How amazing is that! I can’t recommend Luke highly enough. He’s a genius!