Elizabeth Murphy

Where were you before starting coaching?

I have EDS, which causes me ongoing problems with lack of strength and over flexibility. It causes me alot of pain and tiredness plus I felt like I was getting weaker and weaker. I do a very physical job and I noticed it was getting more and more difficult to do. I got to the point where I would need help to get up out of a chair, and I wouldn’t sit on the floor as I was unsure how I was going to get back up. This was affecting my mental health dramatically and I was starting to feel depressed and old.

Why did you choose to work with your trainer?

I have always had ongoing conversations around my weight and had stopped going to my previous trainer as it was becoming aggressively weight focused. I was recommended Johnny by a close friend and got in touch as I wanted to find a way to get strong and engage my muscles properly, using this as a natural way to lose weight almost as a by product with it not being the focus of a workout. I have always been told because of my EDS/body size that certain activities and spaces weren’t for me and I wanted to work with someone to help me challenge that.

What have you achieved so far working with your trainer?

I CAN DO SQUATS (nearly). This might sound like a really small thing but I have never been able to do them and I was always told that my body would probably just not work in that way. But through working with Johnny, he used his endless patience to help me discover that wasn’t true. I can now also get off a chair and up from the floor unassisted, this has massively improved my mental health. It made me realize my body is changing and it is not a lost cause. I have started going out out again, and dancing. I feel less embarrassed and likely to hide my body in public spaces. I haven’t weighed myself in 3 months (maybe for the first time in 25 years) and I just try and trust myself to balance my life better. This is all through training, Jonny helped my identify patterns of behavior and put into focus my priorities. I am so grateful for this. If someone would have told me I was going to go to the gym at 8am, 3 times a week, I would never have believed them. But he made me realize that working out isn’t something to punish yourself with and you can work out to fit around your energy levels - I also went once when I was hungover and he wasn’t even mad (a no go for previous trainers) - this may sound like a weird thing to bring up, but this approach makes me less likely to cancel because I feel like I might have 'blown it'.

By working with my trainer I learned how to

I have learnt how to practice. I have begun to understand that small progression will make big changes eventually - so I guess I have learnt patience as well. I have also learnt to give myself a break, like if all I can do is what I am doing at the time then that’s enough. I have also learnt alot about Linkin Park haha. I feel good, which probably sounds very general, but I notice when I don’t get to training, I get grumbly and stiff. I often wake up and think, I really don’t want to go this morning and as soon as I get in the door I forget that immediately! By the time I am leaving I have forgotten what my negative thoughts that often come in the morning, and can work through the day feeling stronger and more focused. I think having an hour to focus on myself and my body while been guided by someone that I trust really helps me think about the rest of the day in a different way.

Why should someone hire your trainer, and their personality, methods and way of coaching?

I think its really important to work out what you need. I thought I needed a really aggressive and strict trainer. After working with a few I actually realized it was a very destructive thing for me to do. I was so delighted when I met Johnny, in our consultation he really worked hard to understand why I wanted to train and how I wanted to approach it and I felt really listened to and understood - this was such a massive change for me and I left feeling supported. I would encourage anyone to try a session with Johnny as he is so open to helping you think about what you want and why you want these things - and therefore what you need to do to get them. He is really, really knowledgeable about the body and brain and how to keep both these things healthy and happy. He has built a space which doesn’t feel daunting to walk into and I feel like he genuinely very considerate and open to everyone that comes through the door.

If someone is on the fence / nervous / or has fears about starting PT - Why should they take the leap?

I totally understand why someone would feel nervous about training, gyms are scary and you feel like you might have to face some extreme changes to your life/behavior. Also there is a cost implication! But I would say I went to Johnny through a recommendation and I have since recommended him to some of my closest friends. I love Train because it is such a welcoming place to go and I feel like all body types and approaches are welcome and no one is made to feel more valid than others. I have always been plus size, even at my smallest certain gyms and workout spaces can make you feel like you are not welcome or it is not a space for my type of person. It doesn’t ever feel like that at MBS, also there is such a diverse age range. It doesn’t feel like they promote themselves on which client has lifted the most or which client loses weight the quickest! If you’re nervous I would urge you to go for a consultation, that way you get to understand the trainers attitudes first hand and I promise its not as scary as it might seem.