What was it that made you interested in personal training?

I have always been very active in sports so fitness has been an intricate part of my life.  I really got into working out and taking care of myself when I was in high school. My passion for fitness just grew from there.  Once in college, I focused on Pediatrics but quickly found that I was not cut out for a life of working with sick children.  I love the idea of helping not only children but anyone who wants to better themselves. 

I was injured while playing baseball in college and soon realized that dream had to come to an end.  Although I could not play the sport I had spent my entire life playing, I knew I had to keep fitness as a primary focus in my life.  I changed my focus on a degree in health care to a degree in exercise science, and have not looked back!

Is there a particular style of your training your clients enjoy?

I think everyone is unique and therefore, their training sessions should be the same.  For the most part, I like to focus on bringing the full body into every workout.  The majority of individuals today are looking to lose weight or tone up and this is a great way to reach this goal.  By incorporating the entire body you burn more calories without running a high risk of injury due to overloading a particular muscle group. I also feel that stabilization training is a very big factor in everyone's training program.  If the small stabilizer muscles are not strong then they will be the first to go when stress is added to the body.  I feel it is important to build a good solid foundation before moving on to heavier weight bearing movements.
 
Please give us an example of particular client success story.

Although several people of mine have made amazing discoveries in the capabilities of their bodies, I always revert back to one of my initial clients who still trains with me today.  He was in a severe car accident which nearly killed him. He had to undergo several surgeries and weeks of physical therapy to help with a destroyed foot and knee.  Once released from therapy he came to me so we could help him rebuild the strength in his legs and lose some unwanted weight.  He weighed about 250lbs and could not walk up stairs or carry his trash down to the street.  Today, he has the freedom to do all the above and work up to an hour of cardio 3-4 days a week.  He has a resting heart rate in the 40's and has come off some of his medications.  Also he has almost hit the 50lb mark for weight loss.  Oh not to mention he is 66 years old!

What do you think this client do to create the outcome?

He worked hard, was focused and believed in himself.  I was his guide, but ultimately, he believed in achieving his goal.  He logged his food for me to see and made adjustments where needed.  He did cardio on his days off, slowly at first but then worked his way up to doing much more than he ever thought possible.  Last, he always made an effort to make every session scheduled, which in turn kept him focused and on track to reaching his goal.  

If you're not personal training, how are you spending your day?

Well...my mind never seems to stop!  If I am not at work and not chasing my 3 year-old around the house, then I am working on something.  I do a lot of side jobs.  Ha. I try to keep myself active and busy a majority of the time.

What is a perfect Saturday for you, your wife, Amberley, and your son, Preston?

I love being with my family.  They are the most important thing to me. For the most part we just like to hang out at the house and spend time together or take a small road trip somewhere.  By far, our favorite place to go is Charleston, SC.   Unfortunately, that is not a very convenient weekend destination for us.  We still try to get there a few times a year. During the summer I spend a couple weekends a month playing competitive men's softball.  I definitely enjoy doing that.

When did you decide you wanted to train and what made you decide to do so? 

Years ago, when I trained every day religiously, my friend saw how much passion I had for training and told me about the fitness institute college in Sydney. I took a look and joined their studies. So here I am helping people achieve what I achieved.

Tell us about growing up in Australia?

Growing up in Australia means eating vegemite on toast for breakfast, walking in your flip flops to the local fish and chip shop, turning up to a friends barbie (grillout) with a case of beer and no food and lying on the beach all weekend long. This is life in Australia… it seems much more simple than here in the states.

Tell us how much better it is training in Nashville.  Ha.  Just kidding.  What’s it like working with Americans versus Australians?

Training in Australia was different to here in Nashville. I conducted most of my sessions at outdoor parks as the weather is consistent and allows you to do so. The training here at Lean is much more technical and has more purpose to it I believe. Australia’s are more laid back than Americans I tend to notice. Americans talk food; we talk beer. Americans drive; we walk. Americans complain more but not directly to the person they are complaining about, but to someone else. This is the strangest thing??, ha. Overall Americans are very thoughtful and courteous more than the average Australian. These are the main difference I have noticed coming from the outside and looking in.

What elements do you focus on the most in your personal training sessions?

I focus on core strength, identifying & correcting muscle imbalances and muscle strength & endurance training.

How do you select exercises for each client you train?

Well that depends on the client. Depending on their level they are at and any restrictions they may have, I prescribe each client with their own individual program. A beginner client will start with a full body spread of the workload and progress into overloading the same muscle groups with a variety of exercises.

You tell your clients they’re in for a “flogging”. That’s an Australian term – is it good or bad for the client?

A flogging is a great thing! It means you are going to get your butt kicked. You will get your money’s worth and a great session. A flogging is not for everybody though, ha.

Tell us about your family.

I have an older brother and 2 younger sisters who live near my Mom in South East Australia. My dad lives in Long Island NY. My brother has 4 young boys and one of my sisters has a baby on the way. I live here in Nashville with my wife Brandi and 2 kids, Taylor and Cayden. We have another baby on the way!

If you could get each of your clients to do one thing (other than train with you) for their fitness program, what would it be?

Work on Nutrition more. A lot of people work hard at the training but lack the correct nutrition to get the best result possible.

Are your clients allowed to eat Tim Tam’s?

Only one per week!

What is your background in fitness, both school-related and life experience?

My background in fitness starts with athletics in high school and college, followed by my military training as a rescue swimmer and aircrew.  Following the military I knew that I wanted to compete in something that would be just as challenging as my training had been that's when I decided to train for figure competitions. It was imperative that I stay committed to fitness as I am genetically predisposed to heart disease.

What is the most inspiring trait you see in a client?

The most inspiring trait I see in a client is trust. If I can get them to trust me, they will get the results they want.

What approach have you found to be the best for helping ensure fitness progress?

I have found that a no nonsense yet compassionate approach is more often the best to have.

How does training for your own personal competitions parallel training for your clients?

Training for my own competitions parallels with training my clients in that they observe my body fat changes and are therein encouraged to train harder and eat cleaner

If you could get all of your clients to do one thing that will make them healthier, what would that be?

If I could get all my clients to do one thing that would make them healthier it would be to eat small meals more often.

Okay, you're stranded on a desert island.  Do you want protein or Starbucks?

Does that coffee come with a shot of protein? Ha ha ha