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This site is all about personal training and reaching your fitness goals. But I think it's also important for you to get to know me and to feel comfortable working with me. I want you to feel comfortable reaching out at any point during your programme - especially if you're doing online personal training - and asking questions or sharing concerns. Your fitness goals can only be achieved through teamwork. I'll provide the necessary tools for you to work toward them, but it's up to you to listen to your body and to make sure the workouts are right for you. That's where you must feel like you can call on me. So, in the interest of getting to know each other, here's a bit more about me... Once upon a time...I was a kidI've always been keen about sports since I was a young boy playing with friends and family, whether it was tag, football, swimming, basketball, cycling races, or any other contests. Although I wasn’t coming in first place all the time, the enjoyment and the determination to be better always kept me going. Being active was just always a big part of my life. I was introduced to more competitive sports as I got older. I received my first medals and awards for various sporting events in both the athletic field and the pool, even though I was a late starter to competitive swimming. I also became obsessed with martial arts and focused all my efforts on Tae-kwon-do. I felt the satisfaction of working toward and then achieving my goals as I won competitions at the national level. Practising martial arts gave me incredible confidence, helping me to overcome my insecurities as a kid and teaching me what I could achieve when I worked hard at it. University is a great place for athleticsWhen I entered university, my attentions turned toward the water and I embarked on my career in Marine Biology. In order to get more involved in my studies, I started SCUBA diving lessons. I began with many pool sessions and eventually headed out to open water, which I learned was a luxurious 3 degrees Celsius in Scotland! During university, I was also heavily involved in the sport of underwater hockey (yes, that is a sport!). Our university team didn't do too well against other universities, but we came together as a team with a single goal in mind. Eventually, we were ranked second in the league, and many of my teammates carried on in the British and Scottish national teams. Never one to stick to only one endeavour at a time, I was also a member of other sporting teams including Capoeira and kook Sul wan. University was such an easy time to stay fit with countless activities to take part in throughout the year! Adulting is hard...But all good things must come to an end. Eventually, I graduated and my sporting activities also dwindled in number. That's when I found myself in a different body...as so many of us do by our mid-20s. After a disappointing football team tryout when I realised how poorly my fitness had become, I decided to get serious about getting back into shape. Looking back now, my gym routine was appalling. I'm lucky I didn't get hurt! I ended up purchasing a DVD routine, which really helped in terms of guidance and motivation. But it actually only worked for the time that I dedicated to it - and then there was no accountability when I stopped pressing the Play button. I lost my motivation and the DVD just faded into the pile of DVDs and video games on the shelf. In 2012, I decided to get back into what I used to truly enjoy, which was the water. I traveled abroad to complete my Scuba Instructor certification and I became both a PADI and an SSI professional. Teaching scuba diving was an incredible opportunity for me to share my passions of being in the water and marine biology. I was able to not only teach others about marine wildlife, but also how to respect it and to protect it. Teaching someone to dive is about mechanics and safety. Teaching someone to love the underwater world enough to become a conservation steward is another level of commitment; it was my favourite part of every scuba course. Unfortunately, in working in the dive industry, I was simply unable to get to the gym. The schedule and the impact on your body just doesn't allow for a regular workout routine. So when I returned home to Scotland ("home" is a whole other story we can get into next time!), I was anxious to hit the weights and to get myself into a solid routine. It was in following this personal passion to stay active and in struggling to understand how to best design my own programmes that I found myself becoming a certified personal trainer. I've done the DVDs, I've done the trending workouts, I've participated in countless sporting activities, and yet, I struggled to know the best workout routine to do to achieve my goals. So I learned. I learned so much that I became a certified personal trainer. And now - just as I did as a scuba instructor - I'm sharing my passion and my knowledge with anyone who wants to learn. And my favourite clients are the ones who learn not just the mechanics of lifting and cardio, but who find a passion for fitness and for living an active lifestyle. Whatever your goals are, at least now you know a bit more about where I come from and what drives me forward. Now, it's your turn. Reach out and tell me where you're at with your fitness and where you want to be. I'm always striving to achieve more and I plan to do so for my entire life. How about you? Jonathan Clarkin is a REPS-Certified personal trainer offering online personal training programmes and in-person sessions. Achieve your fitness goals working with a professional, whether you've never stepped foot inside a gym or you just need that extra guidance to reach new fitness levels.
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