This week Paul Bradley meets up with Paul Smyth, the Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor who perhaps should have been a detective!
Hi Paul, thank you for this interview. How are things generally?
Thanks for the invitation and hello to all your readers. Things are good, busy and about to get a lot busier over the coming months.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, please – where you’re from, where you developed the interest in personal fitness, etc…
I am originally from South Africa, moved to Ireland in 1993 with my sister and mom, who is actually a Letterkenny lady. Being raised in South Africa, and having the climate that goes with it, sport and the outdoors played a huge part in my life.
Arriving in Donegal I joined Letterkenny Rugby Club for a number of years and represented Ireland in the World Karate Championship in London in 1997. I volunteered as an athletics coach with Finn Valley AC, an important part of the juvenile training here involved strength and conditioning.
It was at this stage of my life that I decided to make sport, coaching and fitness the main focus of my career and set about gaining the appropriate qualifications in order to open my own business on a professional level.
How is the Personal Training business different from being a fitness instructor for a group?
The Personal Training business is very dynamic, no two days, or even two hours are the same. My clients come from a huge range of backgrounds, with a variety of needs. I regard myself as a coach. I provide the guidance, the knowledge, the teaching and support to help my clients achieve their personal goals, while also providing a private and safe environment where my clients can offload the everyday stresses that life can bring.
I do offer group classes as well, numbers are kept small in these fitness classes as I am more about offering a quality service than having a large quantity of participants that you can’t keep an eye on.
Is that a job that changes with the seasons? Is there a bikini-body rush, then quiet, then a pre-Christmas rush?
You’ve nailed it Paul! I can’t really say that there is a rush of New Year’s fitness resolutions in January, but I’ve noticed new faces making contact in December and wanting to start the new year by already having their fitness journey up and running.
After that, yes the bikini bodies kick in when the summer holiday is imminent, with the little black dress and Christmas party goers in full attendance from October onwards.
The summer months can be a little quieter, especially on those rare summer evenings where we’d all rather be having a BBQ or heading to the beach, including me! I usually cut back in my working hours over the summer to spend more time with my family.
How did you move into Physical Therapy? Were you sporty, or were you a good communicator interested in fitness?
Yes, as mentioned earlier, sport is ingrained in your DNA in South Africa so as the seasons change so did the sport that I was involved in.
You’ve made a good point there Paul, communication. I would say this is invaluable in my profession, as well as being a good listener, especially in the Personal Training side of my work. You’ve got to listen to your clients’ needs and respond appropriately. I believe I’ve built up a great rapport with my clients, they know they are walking into a space where they will receive a professional and confidential service and I really appreciate the trust that everyone who trains with me, has in me.
What kind of issues do people come to you with – getting fit, losing weight, or ageing well..?
Losing weight, or what I term fat loss, is the number one reason that the majority of clients make contact with me. The age profile that currently trains with me ranges from 11 to 74!
Within that I could be providing strength and conditioning to juvenile athletic, GAA, football and swimming participants; general strength work for recreational cyclists, runners, hikers; and joint strength and mobility work to those clients where this is a priority.
That being said, I’ve ladies in their 60s who could run circles around the average 20 something man!
It can be hard to tell what’s happening these days – there seem to be more sedentary lifestyles and obesity even though there also seem to be more people taking an interest in fitness and sports. What does it look like from where you are? Is there no middle ground anymore?
I think the middle ground is still there. Yes, we as a nation have become more sedentary within certain younger age profiles, and obesity is on the increase in this country in particular.
I believe some of the reasons for this could be the lack of knowledge around nutrition, specifically the quality and quantity of the foods we are eating. However, we’ve never had as many opportunities to get ourselves back into a healthier, fitter, sustainable lifestyle.
There are countless walking groups, swimming groups, greenways, footpaths springing up in our communities which are accessible and available to everyone regardless of age and ability. As for clubs and gyms, there are now options for everyone almost everywhere, all you’ve got to do is take the first step to becoming a healthier, fitter version of you.
Are you seeing people misled or confused by health-focused social media experts or influencers?
Don’t start me, Paul! These so-called experts and influencers almost always have an agenda. They want you to buy their specific product or training programme while at the same time they will slate everyone and everything else out there.
Your readers need to be wary of these misleading influencers.
When it comes to losing body fat, the solution is simple, you need to use up more energy through physical movement than the amount of energy you’re consuming through eating and drinking. Move more, eat less. Simple? Yes. Easy? Not always.
What motivates you personally to do the work you do – isn’t it quite grueling?
The hours can be long, I’ve got to work where there is the greatest demand which is generally early morning and then evening times, but I love what I do. No two clients are the same, every conversation is different, I love helping people achieve their goals, and helping them to become the best version of themselves.
Be honest now, do you ever just go out and fill yourself with chips and beer (“I’ll get fit again tomorrow!”)?
100% Paul! We were fortunate enough to get away to Spain for two weeks during the summer and I made the most of the down time. I’m not a big beer man but give me a good red wine and a bakery and I’m your man!
The kitchen is closed in my house on a Friday night, so I look forward to the odd takeaway, I just earn it by training a little more the day afterwards.
How do you encourage people who might think they’re too old or unfit to do anything about it?
Age is irrelevant. Each one of us can begin doing something that is relevant, appropriate and sustainable to us.
The simplest and easiest way to start is by opening the front door and going for a walk. Never underestimate the power of a walk, both physically and mentally. I currently have two ladies training with me who never did a day’s exercise until they walked into my gym, and they are in their mid-sixties.
Are you optimistic about our future health?
Yes, but. The availability and variety of fitness options has never been greater. However the availability and variety of low-cost, low-quality food, combined with a lack of nutritional guidance is also very prevalent.
I’m not here to preach, I can only speak for myself and on behalf of those who train along with me. We want to be healthier, we want to be fitter, we want to be independent for as long as possible, we want to see our children and grandchildren grow up and play a role in their lives.
If this sounds appealing to you, then take the first step towards becoming a better version of yourself.
Quick Fire
Books?
Lee Child, David Baldacci, Jo Nesbo – I should have been a detective!
Perfect night out?
Sunset dinner at a quiet beach bar with my family
Music?
My daughters are heavily influencing my music at the moment, they’ve got me into alternative rock, nu-metal, and most recently jazz.
What do you look for in friends?
Loyalty
What angers you?
People who slam on the brakes when they see a speed van, even though they are doing less than the speed limit.
How do you relax?
Running, cycling or hiking the hills of Donegal, or lying on a quiet Spanish beach.
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