Skimble’s Trainer Spotlight: Mark Boyd

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mark Boyd

Meet Mark Boyd, Skimble‘s featured Trainer! Our first trainer from Northern Ireland is helping his clients smash their goals near and far. We recently had the chance to chat with Mark and learn about his training specialties, some insider tricks of the trade, and how he focuses on helping his clients sustain their goals in the long run.

Tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from.

Mark: Hi Skimblers! My name is Mark and I’m from Northern Ireland. I was born and raised there but lived in Scotland for seven years when I played some junior football at a pretty good level.

What inspired you to become a personal trainer?

Mark: I’ve been in the gym scene since an early age because my dad and older brother did some bodybuilding back in the day. I would see a lot of people on gym floors with very little knowledge of what to do, so I’ve always been keen to learn and be able to help people in any way I can.

What are your training specialties?

Mark: Mainly fat loss and conditioning. The two go hand-in-hand, there’s no doubt about that! It’s not only important to help clients lose their desired weight but also to retain their goals over time.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mark Boyd

What’s your favorite feature in Workout Trainer?

Mark: The workout creation tools are great! Being able to build personalized workouts for online clients is essential and it’s a key element for them to have audio and visual guidance when they are not working with their trainer face-to-face.

How do you use Workout Trainer as a part of your coaching business?

Mark: I use the app to coach a couple of online clients at the moment. I build their training plan based on their individual goals and we work together online to make sure they stick to the schedule and progress at the right pace.

In your experience, what are some of the benefits of online training?

Mark: Online clients have the benefit of doing their workouts in their own time. I have a few clients who don’t like going to the gym, so online coaching gives me the opportunity to create a full body training plan that can be done at home in their own time. Also, working with a remote personal trainer is usually more cost-effective for the client and can lead to the same effective results as in-person training. 

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mark Boyd

What keeps you motivated to stay fit yourself?

Mark: I’ve always kept myself fit, it’s just who I am! Although now as a personal trainer, it’s a sort of a cliche that you also have to be in shape to set a good example for your clients.

Finally, can you share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…

Mark: It’s not really a secret, but a way I like to work is when I’m planning my workouts I always add in two days of cardio with three days of weights. I personally feel like it’s a good way to mix things up in a client’s training plan and at the same time it keeps them interested and motivated as they get further into their transformation. Also, during weeks 4/8/12 I always do a conditioning week to help establish their new routine!

Thanks for sharing with us, Mark, we’re excited to see what the future will bring for you and your training biz!

Mark Boyd is currently accepting new clients for 1:1 Online Personal Training in Workout Trainer. Get signed up today and let him help you crush your fitness goals.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Online Personal TrainingWant to follow Mark and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the Trainers tab.

Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Verified Trainer like Mark and have access to our coaching tools and more? Get started on Skimble’s Trainer page.

Workout Trainer for Android - Google Play store downloadWorkout Trainer for iOS - iTunes App Store download

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Amazon Appstore Download Badge

Team Skimble

Skimble’s Trainer Spotlight: Mario Miller

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mario MillerMeet Mario, Skimble‘s featured Trainer! With a degree in Physical Education and 23 years of training experience, this Atlanta-based fitness coach may have mastered every trick in the book. We recently had the chance to chat with Mario Miller and learn more about how he keeps himself and his clients motivated to achieve the fitness goals they set for themselves… here’s a hint:

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mario Miller

Tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from?

Mario: I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and have been playing sports since I was 5 years old. As a junior athlete I knew this was what I wanted to focus on when I grew up, so I got my degree in Physical Education and never looked back.

What inspired you to become a personal trainer?

Mario: I wanted to stay in sports and coach people to become better athletes, like my coaches had done for me. And since I love working out, I believe fitness training is another avenue that allows me to inspire and coach people to live a healthy lifestyle.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mario Miller

What are your training specialties?

Mario: As an athlete, I participated in many sports on a competitive level. So I like to incorporate athletic training with the normal/foundational fitness workouts I create for my clients. From my experience, it has proven to be a great way to get quicker results for non-athletes too.

Your profile says you’re an Ironman, did you compete in one of the Ironman triathlons?

Mario: Yes, I competed in the Augusta, GA Ironman. I raised money for Leukemia doing it! I used to watch the Ironman Championship every year when I was younger, so I’ve always wanted to do one myself. Now that I have, I’ve set myself a new goal. I plan to do the Ironman Championship in Kona by the age of 50. Plus, a little golf on the side!

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mario Miller

How did you first hear about Workout Trainer?

Mario: A while back, I was looking for new exercises and workouts online, that’s when I first came across Workout Trainer. The platform had exactly what I was looking for, it was simple to navigate and it had pics of exercises for supported guidance. 

How do you use Workout Trainer as a part of your personal life or coaching business?

Mario: I use Skimble workouts, as well as the ones I’ve created myself. I like to use a variety of both for my own training and to share with my clients, especially when we are not training together in-person.

What’s your favorite feature in the app?

Mario: Easy! The ability to create workouts and add your own personal touch.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Trainer Spotlight: Mario Miller

What keeps you motivated to stay fit yourself?

Mario: It’s my life and my job to keep myself in the best possible shape. Fitness is what I’ve known since I was 5 years old, and it’s stuck with me during my 45 years of age. Plus, I see myself as an advocate for what I do and a product of my workouts. It’s important to represent a role model of what you preach!

Finally, can you share a secret health/fitness tip with the Skimble community…

Mario: Stay in your lane! The personal goals you have set for yourself, are just that, YOUR goals, not someone else’s. So don’t try to keep up or compete with anyone else’s goals or body shape. Your body is UNIQUE, no one else has it, embrace it, love it and care for it. (That’s Free! 😎)

Thanks for sharing with us, Mario, we’re excited to see what the future will bring for you and your training biz! Good luck with your Ironman in Kona. 

Mario Miller is currently accepting new clients for 1:1 Online Personal Training in Workout Trainer. Get signed up today and let him help you crush your 2017 fitness goals.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Online Personal TrainingWant to follow Mario and other great trainers? Download the Workout Trainer app for Android & iOS, then head on over to the Trainers tab.

Are you a fitness professional? Want to become a Verified Trainer like Mario and have access to our coaching tools and more? Get started on Skimble’s Trainer page.

Workout Trainer for Android - Google Play store downloadWorkout Trainer for iOS - iTunes App Store download

Workout Trainer by Skimble: Amazon Appstore Download Badge

 

Team Skimble

Workout Trainer: 4 Principles for Effective & Sustainable Strength Training

skimble-workout-trainer-strength-training-tips-header

“Strength is the master quality.” Want to move better, without pain? Get stronger. Want to get faster? Get stronger. Want to gain explosiveness? Get stronger. Some level of strength is required for almost any endeavor. Whether you need to hit home runs for a living, or just need to be able to pick up your child without back pain.

People often ask “Can’t lifting weights be dangerous?” Absolutely. If applied incorrectly, lifting weights will leave you injured and nowhere near your goals. But don’t write it off just yet! If you take the time to consider a few key principles, you can guarantee the work you put in will keep you healthy, free from injury, and ready for whatever task might be thrown at you. Skimble Trainer Paul Corsaro provides 4 strength training principles to get you started.

skimble-workout-trainer-verified-spotlight-paul-corsaro_2


1. Quality, Not Quantity

You’ve seen it in the gym, you’ve seen it floating around on social media… The “personal best” lift. In a bench press, the bar drops a few inches, bounces off the chest and doesn’t get locked out at the top. Squats don’t get anywhere close to parallel. It looks like someone’s back might snap in half during a deadlift. While tracking your training load is important, tracking your form is CRITICAL. Sure, you may be able to lift a few more pounds with poor form, but what happens when that poor form results in an injury? What happens when that injury keeps you from any sort of physical activity for months?

For every single lift you perform, concentrate on the quality of the lift over the actual amount of weight lifted. Be mindful of your technique, make sure the last repetition of a set is as good as the first repetition. Don’t let pride or ego get in the way of being healthy. Display patience, treat training as practice, enjoy the results of skill improvements in every session, and be amazed at the results down the line.

Skimble | Workout Trainer - Strength Training Tips


2. Train All the Major Movement Patterns

“Friends don’t let friends skip leg day.” I’m sure many of you are familiar with this saying. How about “Friends don”t let friends skip hinge practice?” That’s a new one, isn’t it? It’s helpful to break down strength training movements into 5 different patterns:

A well-rounded strength training program should address all of these categories. Certain goals may need more emphasis on some categories over others, but every category should be trained in some capacity. Addressing these fundamental movement patterns builds a solid foundation. You wouldn’t want your house to have a shaky foundation, would you? The same applies to your body.

Skimble | Workout Trainer - Strength Training Tips


3. Leave a Little in the Tank

The results of your training stem from what you do in a session, not how you feel after a session is over. It’s easy to feel like you wasted your time if you finish a workout and aren’t gasping for breath, laying in a pool of sweat, or walking out of the gym with wobbly legs. Every now and then, it’s good to push past your limits. But if you do it every day, you’re asking for trouble. Training to utter failure every session impairs recovery, increases the risk of injury, and can negatively impact the rest of your training week. Push yourself and get a good session in, but respect the breaking point. Don’t get near it every time.

skimble-workout-trainer-strength-training-tips-blog-image3


4. If It Hurts, Don’t Do It

“Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body” …or it could be a signal that you are slowly fraying your rotator cuff into uselessness. Far too often, people ignore pain for what it is: a signal that something is wrong. This could be technique or something amiss inside the body. If you experience pain during a certain movement, it’s in your best interest to find a variation of that movement that doesn’t cause pain. If you suspect your form is incorrect, reach out to an expert for some advice or coaching. If the pain persists, lay off that movement until you can see a clinician who is trained to deal with pain. Training through pain may show others that you’re tough, but it may also mean you won’t be training for much longer.

skimble-workout-trainer-strength-training-tips-blog-image4


The First Steps

If you enter “Strength Training Tips” into Google, you’ll get millions of hits. There’s a lot of noise out there, and trying to find specific tips is difficult. What routine is the best? How many sets should I do? How many reps should I perform? Honestly, I can’t give you a concrete answer. Everyone is a little bit different, and different protocols work for different people. A specific tip that worked for someone else may be extremely effective for you, or it may not work at all. Utilize these basic principles and experiment! Find something you enjoy and try to get a little bit better every day. Take your first steps down the road to strength.

Workout Trainer by Skimble: 4 Principles for Effective & Sustainable Strength Training

Workout Trainer: 4 Principles for Effective & Sustainable Strength Training

Workout Trainer for Android - Google Play store downloadWorkout Trainer for iOS - iTunes App Store downloadTeam Skimble