Single session
£30/ 60 min
- One-to-one in the studio
- Gentle movement screen on day one
- Pay as you go
Personal training · the Blackdown Hills, Somerset
Fitter, healthier, more confident. At your pace.
Private, one-to-one coaching in a fully equipped private gym, tucked away in the heart of the Blackdown Hills. Whether you want more energy, to lose a little weight, move without aches or simply feel at home in a gym, every session is shaped around you.
In the heart of the Blackdown Hills
An easy drive from Taunton, Wellington & Honiton
Parking at the door
Why here
All of the gym. None of the noise.
Big gyms work for some people. For plenty of others, the crowds, the mirrors and the feeling of being watched are the reason they never quite get started. The studio was built for them.
Space to breathe
The drive in through the lanes is half the reset. By the time you've parked, the day has already started to fall away.
Just you and your coach
No queues for the rack, no audience while you learn. One person in the studio at a time, or you and a friend if you'd rather.
Your pace, your plan
Whether you're starting from scratch, coming back from injury or chasing a personal best, we begin exactly where you are.
What we can work on together
- General fitness & energy
- Weight management
- Strength & muscle tone
- Mobility, posture & everyday aches
- Confidence in the gym
- Healthier eating habits
- Returning after injury
- Training for a sport or event
- Staying active in later life
Whatever your age, wherever you're starting
Clients range from people in their twenties to people in their seventies. The aim changes with the stage of life, and the care stays the same.
20s & 30s
Build the foundations
Learn to train properly, fit fitness around work and family, and set habits that last.
40s & 50s
Stay ahead of the changes
Keep energy up, look after joints and backs, protect muscle, and manage the stresses of a busy midlife.
60s & beyond
Keep doing what you love
Balance, bone health, mobility and everyday strength, so walks, gardening and grandchildren stay easy.
Your coach
Calm, patient coaching that actually works.
I've spent years coaching all sorts of people, from nervous first-timers to competitive lifters, in commercial gyms, functional fitness boxes and on the classes I still run locally each week. The thing that makes the biggest difference is rarely complicated: good technique, a plan that steadily progresses, and someone in your corner.
Away from the studio I lecture in sport, so everything we do is grounded in evidence and explained in plain English. No fads, no shouting, no punishment workouts.
- BSc · MA · PhD
- Strength & weightlifting
- Functional fitness
- Nutrition coaching
- Sport-specific training
The studio
Small, private and properly kitted.
A private gym in the hills, with everything you need, from your very first session to serious lifting, and none of the clutter you don't.
“Come as you are. Leave feeling better than when you arrived.”
- Barbells
- Olympic bars, 15 & 20 kg
- Plates
- Bumper plates, 1.25–25 kg
- Rack
- Squat rack with safety arms
- Free weights
- Dumbbells & kettlebells
- Conditioning
- Rower, bike & sled
- Floor
- Rubber lifting platform
Ways to train
Simple, flexible, no contracts.
Ten-session block
£270£27 / session
- A written plan for the days between
- Friendly nutrition check-ins
- A progress review every five sessions
Train together
£20per person
- Two people, one coach
- Lovely for couples, friends or family
- Same personal attention
Your first 20-minute chat is always free. Sessions can be moved with 24 hours' notice.
How it begins
Four easy steps, no pressure at any of them.
A friendly chat
Twenty minutes by phone or over a cuppa in the studio. Tell me what you'd like to change.
A quick health check
A short questionnaire so your plan is safe and sensible from day one.
Your own plan
Built around your goals, your week and anything your body needs looking after.
Train & notice the change
Steady sessions, honest progress, and adjustments as you progress.
Questions
Good to know before you come.
Am I too old to start?
No. It is never too late, and the benefits of regular, well-coached exercise are often greatest for people starting later in life. Sessions are adapted to your joints, your fitness and your confidence, and we progress at a pace that feels right.
I haven't exercised in years. Is this for me?
Very much so. Most people start with little or no experience. We build confidence and technique first, and the studio is completely private, so there's nobody watching while you find your feet.
Where is the studio, and is it easy to find?
It's a private gym in the heart of the Blackdown Hills, an easy drive from Taunton, Wellington and Honiton. You'll get the full address, directions and parking details as soon as you book.
Do you help with food and nutrition?
Yes, in a practical, unfussy way. Block clients get regular check-ins built around food you enjoy, not a strict meal plan you'll give up on.
What if I have an injury or a health condition?
Mention it when we chat. Training is shaped around it, and if something needs a GP or physio first, I'll tell you honestly.
Are you insured?
Yes. I hold public liability and professional indemnity insurance for training in the studio, and I'm first-aid trained.
Say hello
The kettle's on whenever you're ready.
Send a few lines about what you're hoping for and I'll reply within a day to find a time for your free chat.
- Where
- The heart of the Blackdown Hills, Somerset
- When
- Early mornings, evenings & weekends
- @blackdownfitness