About the Boot Camp Instructors
Chief Drill Instructor Simon
I spent 9 years working in a sales industry, becoming more unfit, larger and unhealthier as every year went by. I decided to embark on a change of lifestyle and wanted to follow a path where I would feel energised and have more zest for life.
I studied martial arts as a child and teenager and decided to get back into it. My first Kickboxing session left me really understanding how long it had been since I had done anything physical…I went back week after week and slowly but surely noticed that I was getting fitter, more toned and a hell of a lot more confident in my appearance and physical ability.
In 2004 I decided to become a personal trainer and completed a Diploma with Premier Training International. I started my personal training and sport therapy company, Activ8-Fitness in 2005 and worked with a wide range of people looking to achieve goals from being able to run about with their grandchildren in the park to winning the Premiership trophy!
I have completed some awesome challenges including
- 1st Dan Black Belt in Kickboxing and freestyle Karate
- Completed the 2007 Ironman race in Switzerland (15hrs and 44mins, but only just, as you have 16 hours to do the whole race!!)
- Two Tough Guy races in Birmingham
- Licensed skydiver in both the UK and USA
My message to anyone that is looking to improve any aspect of their life is 'YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT' if you need help or encouragement then - get it, otherwise take the first step on the most worthwhile journey of your life… you won't regret it!
Drill Instructor Lou
I began my personal fitness journey as a beer swilling, cigarette smoking university student with an aversion to exercise. I only wanted to lose a few pounds, but once I discovered how good a healthy diet and regular exercise made me feel, I wanted to tell the world! In the last 12 years I have quit smoking, lost nearly 3 stone, cured my asthma, completed numerous charity races, the Ultra-Fit Clubsport Gold Challenge and the Toughguy Challenge, achieved a bucket-load of fitness qualifications, and become a member of the Schwinn Indoor Cycling UK National Team.
After many happy years training myself, and my friends & family, I decided to take the plunge and start my own business. As a Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor and Health Coach, I now help others to achieve optimum health & well-being. My experiences helping clients to recognise and modify their own positive & negative health behaviours, identify motivations and barriers, and achieve their personal goals, inspired me to achieve my MSc in Health Psychology. I now work designing health behaviour interventions to tackle obesity and increase physical activity and healthy eating in large populations, but I continue to teach classes and train people, as I love seeing the instant and enduring rewards of a healthy lifestyle develop in my clients.
My goal is for my clients to enjoy the journey, as much as the results, and teaching Boot Camp gives me the opportunity to continually create new exercises and challenges, so that each class will have something you love!
Drill Instructor Wayne
It was my first week at secondary school when my P.E. teacher picked out the fat little ginger boy to play prop forward in the Rugby team. Soon I was hooked on sport, in fact it was the only thing I liked at school. When I left school there was a period of time when I forgot about sport and concentrated on partying and generally abusing my body. Then one day I saw a Ju-Jitsu lesson (a bit like Judo) taking place through the door of the town hall. The next week I joined - that was twelve years ago and now I am a second dan black belt and the senior instructor at Banbury Ju-Jitsu club. As well as my martial arts I play squash on a weekly basis and I'm a keen sea and white-water kayaker. Furthermore, I enjoy mountain biking and snowboarding. I have completed high altitude treks in both the Himalayas and the Andes mountain ranges. In recent years I have completed numerous 10k and half marathon races. In 2006 I decided to make my passion for sports my career and took a Premier diploma in personal training. I now enjoy helping others to attain their own fitness goals. On their own a person will only push themselves to 80% of their ability. With my help we will get the other 20%. See you in the mud!
