Hi Everyone!
I’m thrilled to announce and welcome Matthew as the newest member of the Forever Active team! With his extensive experience in fitness and wellness coaching, and a genuine passion for helping adults stay strong and active, Matthew brings fresh energy and expertise to our community. I’m excited for you to meet him and experience his thoughtful, motivating approach to training!
I invite you to get to know Matthew better through this introduction where he shares his philosophy on fitness, healthy living, and inspiring others to move with confidence at every stage of life.
Take good care!
Uli
1. What inspired you to become a personal trainer, and what's your overall philosophy on health and fitness?
My journey into health and fitness started as a way to take control of my mental health. As conversations around mental wellness became more open, I discovered that the more consciously I approached my daily habits—like eating, exercise, rest, and managing stress—the stronger my mental and emotional health became.
What started as physical practice soon became a way to build awareness and resilience far beyond the gym. Adding weight to the bar wasn't just about strength; it was about dissolving limiting beliefs and proving that consistent effort could create change in every part of my life.
Today, after two decades of practice, my philosophy centres around what I call the "3 P’s":
- Patience — Goals often take longer, demand more, and challenge us in unexpected ways.
- Perseverance — No matter the setbacks, we stay the course. We don't abandon goals; we adjust our approach.
- Positivity — A negative mindset magnifies every obstacle. Choosing gratitude and belief in ourselves keeps us moving forward, even through life’s turbulence.
2. How do you approach creating personalised fitness plans for clients with diverse goals and needs?
I approach training from a holistic health coaching perspective, using the biopsychosocial model. This means I see each person as a unique individual shaped by their biology, psychology, and social environment.
Fitness plans are designed to address the whole person: lifestyle habits, physical conditioning, dietary preferences, recovery ability, and mental resilience. I collect key data points to establish a baseline, anticipate challenges, manage expectations, and celebrate milestones that build confidence and intrinsic motivation.
3. Can you share a success story of how you helped a client overcome a significant health or fitness challenge?
One of my most rewarding experiences was helping an older client recover from hip surgery. We met only a couple of times a week, focusing on rehabilitation exercises that gradually rebuilt her strength and mobility after a long period of being bedridden.
While it wasn’t a flashy transformation, regaining the ability to move without pain gave her back a sense of independence—and hope. She later sent me my first-ever client Christmas card along with a heartfelt referral, a moment that left a lasting impact on me.
4. How do you motivate clients who have lost their way or are struggling to maintain their fitness routine?
Motivational interviewing plays a critical role from the start. During assessments, we establish a deeply rooted "why" that becomes our emotional anchor when motivation wanes. I often use the "5 Whys" technique to dig below surface-level goals and uncover more meaningful drivers.
We also clarify core values. As clients evolve, so do their values—and keeping goals aligned with who they are becoming ensures their fitness journey stays relevant and inspiring.
5. What strategies do you use to help older adults regain independence and vitality through exercise?
We focus on functional movement training, mobility, and heart-rate variability (HRV). The goal is full-body engagement: building strength, protecting joint health, and improving balance and coordination in ways that mimic everyday life.
Every program is customized to correct weak links, imbalances, and compensations. Sometimes the simplest methods—like bodyweight exercises, isometrics, and static holds—deliver the most powerful results, restoring neuromuscular control, reducing pain, and significantly enhancing quality of life.
6. How do you adapt your training methods for clients with health conditions or those needing lifestyle changes due to medical advice?
Each health condition presents unique challenges, which require tailored recovery plans. I integrate biomarker assessments, SMART goal-setting, and a holistic framework to build programs that prioritize both recovery and empowerment.
Whether addressing metabolic health, psychosomatic issues, or age-related conditions like sarcopenia, the key is designing programs that evolve with the client while supporting sustainable, long-term change.
7. What's your approach to injury prevention and recovery in your training programs?
Having personally recovered from significant injuries (including a broken back and torn shoulder), I place a heavy emphasis on injury prevention and recovery.
We build joint stability and secondary muscle strength to ensure correct kinetic chain function, while also prioritizing muscle mass to support healthy metabolism, bone density, and hormonal regulation.
Recovery is non-negotiable. Sleep quality, nutrition, and stress management are all addressed to ensure clients come into every session ready to perform—not dragging through exhaustion. A strong foundation inside and outside the gym is essential for both performance and longevity.
8. How do you incorporate mental health and wellness into your fitness programs?
The mind and body are deeply interconnected. While Western medicine used to treat them separately, fields like psychoneuroimmunology, polyvagal theory, and embodied cognition now show how systemic the mind-body connection truly is.
Chronic stress—whether mental or physical—can overload the central nervous system and cause real tissue damage (known as allostatic load). If not managed, this leads to physical and mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, IBS, and chronic pain.
By designing programs that include mindful stress regulation, movement-based emotional release, and habits that nurture the nervous system, I help clients not just build stronger bodies—but stronger minds and greater emotional resilience as well.
If you'd like to meet Matthew and experience his training approach firsthand, feel free to book your complimentary consultation right here