Mark is not only a Specialist level Biomechanics Coach™ but also one of our UK leading Education Provider, Master Trainers.

This nomination is in recognition of his outstanding professionalism and superb delivery of our education programmes in Liverpool!

Here he shares his story...

Biography in Brief

I started my fitness career after leaving the military in 2007; I instantly loved it and threw myself right into it, which put me in a position to open a studio in 2009. Since then I have worked from the studio as a Personal Trainer and Biomechanics Coach™. At the studio we follow my method of MOVE-EAT-TRAIN SUSTAIN and the biomechanics assessments are pretty much the first thing that every new client will do, Biomechanics Coaching™ underpins each client’s training right from the first session.  As well as the work from the studio and within Merseycare NHS Trust creating and delivering physical health projects for a wide variety of mental health units and the local community.

What made you choose Biomechanics Coaching™?

I had done a lot of educational courses and research to try and improve how I trained and helped my client’s before choosing Biomechanics Coaching™. I had recognised that pretty much every client that came to me were not “physiologically perfect” and I could see how this would influence their movement and in turn, either had or could lead, to issues and injuries. I found that everything that I was learning could be applied with clients at the appropriate times but there was nothing that just pulled everything together as I was finding unanswered “gaps” in everything that I was learning, which I started to find frustrating. I came across an advert for the Biomechanics Diploma ™ and after a couple of conversations with Rachel I was intrigued. After the first 10 minutes of my first workshop I knew I was in the right place!

What do you specialise in outside of Biomechanics Coaching™?

To my clients I’m a Personal Trainer but where I specialise is coaching lifestyle changes to improve quality of life though physical activity, which I realise, is what we all do to some degree! I just make it clear to my clients that whatever their goals are that I am there to facilitate the changes no matter how big or small and only by doing that will they achieve their personal goals and sustain them. Because of my work at studio and in the NHS I have an extremely diverse client group, so improving someones quality of life through physical activity can range from engaging with people for weeks and sometimes months just to get them to even considering exercising, to training people for expeditions and marathons. The outcome is relative to the client but being part of their journey and seeing how far they have come, to me, is thrilling!

Where would you like to see yourself ten years from now?

I’d like to be a more involved in the education and career development of Biomechanics Coaches™ and other fitness professionals. Along with that I’d like to develop a hub for a network of Biomechanics Coaches™ and Trainers here in the North West.

What would your advice be to anyone thinking of becoming a Biomechanics Coach™?

Simply.. just do it!

My experience is that it’s a real “through the looking glass” moment once you start with Biomechanics Education and often it will challenge you, and possibly some of your long held beliefs, but your come out of it the other end on a completely other level as a fitness professional. So do it, keep you mind open and your notepad and pencil handy!

On your journey to where you are now what have been you achievements?

Personal

(Cheesy comment alert)… The achievement of just being happy! Often we are dealt a hand in life that you either didn’t want or expect, it’s what you make of it that matters, if you can still smile along the way then you achieved a lot.

Sporting

The one that stands out the most was an ultra-marathon; it was to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the operation to capture Pegasus Bridge. We ran the route that the gliders took from RAF Tarrant Rushton in Dorset to Bénouville in Normandy. It took me 14 hours, it was an amazing event and  we managed to raise funds for a memorial to be placed there remembering every member of the unit involved in the operation, of which there were only 4 still alive.

Career Highs

I trained a team to run 5 marathons in five days, none of them would of described themselves as runners prior to taking this on, in fact on the first team run (3 miles) only 3 of the 8 managed to get all of the way around without walking. I spent 10 months training the team and by the end of the training and the event they had not only changed physically but most had changed in other ways that had further reaching positive impact on their lives, we are also became and still are really good friends.

Tell us a secret or something interesting about you that not many people know about?

Most mornings I start the day with a cold shower. I started doing this a few months before an expedition to Greenland, I felt that my life was getting a little bit too comfortable and I wanted to introduce so minor hardships, this was one of them and it stuck. I would recommend giving it a try, you do actually get sort of used to it after a few days and if you need to be sharp for an early morning meeting this defiantly gets you into focus quickly!

Brief Case Study

I was working with a 28 year old female client who was a teacher. Due to pain in her knees she had gone from running and exercising 4-5 times a week to now struggling to get though a full day at work due to her job requiring her to be standing most of the day, this was having a major impact on her quality of life. Following an assessment and with the prescription of some anti-spasm exercises she had reported a significant reduction in the pain in her knees within 4 weeks while in work. Within 3 months I had her back in the gym following an exercise programme, which was her main goal.

DO YOU WANT TO LEARN WITH MARK?

Website: <a href="http://banhus.co.uk/classes/biomechanics-trainer-workshop/">www.banhus.co.uk</a>

Contact: mark@banhus.co.uk