Most gyms will try and sell you a membership, which really only gives you access to fitness equipment, and as an enticer they may discount the joining fee. This is much like renting a car in a foreign country without a map. You can drive wherever you want but you may bypass many of the great attractions.

At Personal Best Fitness you can have the car and the map with all the bells and whistles ensuring that you start a physical activity program that gives you the results you want, reduces your pain, helps you lose weight and gives you a better quality of life.

Noel’s wife Jane had been at Personal Best Fitness for a couple of months and suggested that he start too as she felt very comfortable in the non-intimidating environment. When Noel started at Personal Best Fitness his blood pressure had spiralled out of control and he was 20kg overweight. He could barely put his shoes on in the mornings due to back and shoulder pain from years playing football and cricket.

“I had not done much for some years and the whole health and fitness thing had been a constant battle for years and I knew I needed help if I was to lose weight, reduce my blood pressure and be able to move freely without pain.”

“I thought that the pain I was experiencing was what happens when you get older and have played a lot of sport. I was becoming frustrated that my body would not do what I wanted it to do and with Meniere’s disease my balance was becoming a real challenge. There is no way I want to be in a wheelchair in my 60s.”

Noel, like most people, was aware of the benefits of going to the gym. He knew that he needed to learn how to look after his hips, back and shoulders by regaining some mobility, improve his balance and reducing his blood pressure for the long term as his role of State Director of Mission Australia involves a great deal of travel and he sits for much of the day.

“I needed someone who could improve my fitness, motivate me both when in Hobart and interstate and educate me on why and how, rather than just tell me what to do and this is exactly what the personal training programs at Personal Best Fitness have done for me.”

Noel has lost 10kg, his blood pressure is normal and his back and shoulders feel great.

“I now have the discipline to keep active even when I am travelling.”

It’s never too late to take control and put yourself on a path to better health as Noel has done.

“After having a hip replacement at age 56, my goal was to be able to snow ski again. I have been in many gyms, but none like Personal Best Fitness, it’s like it is someone else’s lounge room, but with gym equipment in it, it is relaxed and inspiring. Both Julie and I feel right at home. I had complete faith in the program that Ange and Marc, my personal trainers set me, they have that great skill of being able to differentiate between when I needed to be encouraged, made accountable or challenged.”

“I have spent a great deal of time in my professional life, motivating people, both Ange and Marc were amazing in the way that they motivated me to establish an exercise routine and work towards my goal of skiing again, which I achieved only 6 months after my hip replacement. The other great benefit of having an ongoing personalised program is that I lost weight and my trousers are much looser now.”

“Following a serious work-related injury which required major back surgery, I thought I would be unable to resume normal activities both at home and at work.

Determined to return to normal function, I attempted my own ‘fitness program’, but the strength and knowledge was just not there to enable me to successfully achieve my goals.

I was referred to Personal Best Fitness and an intensive rehabilitation program was developed. Commencing with exercises in the pool and continuing on to ground exercises and the use of the gym equipment, including weights, I noticed a huge difference in my strength and ability to carry out daily duties without discomfort.

The rehabilitation program was so successful that I have now returned to work and am able to perform most normal daily activities.

I found the staff at Personal Best Fitness, especially Matt Lamb who was allocated my case, to be professional, relaxed, friendly and encouraging. Attainable goals were set with regular reviews and assessments.

I wish to thank them and Matt in particular, for assisting me to achieve my goals, and for being equally as determined as myself to reach them. I would not hesitate to recommend Personal Best Fitness to those in a similar situation.”

“Personal Best Fitness has provided me with motivation that I had never previously been able to achieve. This came from personal approach and “tailor-made” programs. I had previously attended aerobic classes, circuit programmes at gyms, swimming sessions and felt I’d tried everything and not achieved much, and therefore lost interest and motivation.

A program which was designed for me and related to my strengths and weaknesses, and which was reviewed on a weekly basis was the answer to achieving success. I started to enjoy activities that I previously found difficult. I also took on training which I never thought that I would, i.e. running. I always thought running was a crazy thing to do that wrecked your joints. However, through proper instruction on technique and correctly fitted specified running shoes I am now addicted and enjoy it more than any other type of training. It was a gradual progression from walk/run intervals to being able to run continuously for an hour, and competing in fun runs.

Swimming became more enjoyable because my programs involved various exercises in the pool which broke the monotony of just doing laps.

One of the most important factors of Personal Best Fitness was being able to continue on programs during times of injury. Previously, injuries had meant a cessation of activity and therefore a decline in fitness and frustration at having gone backwards. However with Personal Best Fitness the programs were altered to avoid using the injured body part and still maintain my fitness level.

After 13 months of Personal Best Fitness I suffered a sudden acute life-threatening event which was devastating after what I had personally achieved in regard to my fitness. However, once again my personal training program was reviewed and rehabilitation was commenced in consultation with my physician. Therefore my return to previous fitness levels was achieved gradually and steadily and my confidence regained.

Personal Best Fitness has provided me with a much higher level of aerobic fitness, and amazing increase in strength, excellent recovery from injuries, a commitment never before realised and the bonus of a better looking body with some weight loss.”

“With a little reluctance I signed up for a ten-week stint with Personal Best Fitness after a knee injury. I was more than a little frustrated at not being able to perform my usual sporting activities (squash, running and Tae Kwon Do) and was having difficulty with conflicting advice as to how I could get my knee right.

That was over one year ago now and although my knee is long since ‘right’ I am simply too fearful to stop the sessions. This represents not so much as a fear of Amanda (although there is a bit of that), but more a fear of the ‘bubble of positive results’ bursting.

These results include:

Rehabilitation

I have come to realise that this is a complex and tricky business with lots of conflicting advice being offered. In this field one has to know what they are doing, with considerable skill being needed to judge when to forge on and when to back off. Amanda has very expertly guided me through a difficult process.

Fit for Life

I had considered myself fairly sporty, hence thought I knew a fair bit about sport fitness and training. I have found out that I knew very little and what I knew was not appropriate for an ‘ageing sportsman’. Although I still do a little ‘road pounding’ I have discovered the benefits of the pool (never was much of a swimmer before) and the importance of stretching and flexibility.

A gym program has to have method and planning. I have learnt a much more structured and rounded approach to fitness which is not only body friendly, but, more importantly body protective, I believe affording me the chance to maintain physical fitness and sport, hopefully into a ripe old age.

Work and Lifestyle benefits

It has been great to get my knee right and see positive things happening to the ‘post 40s body’, but perhaps the main reason that I continue ‘personal best training’ is its surprising effect on how much better I cope with my busy work and life schedule. My hours remain too long, but there is still a little spring in the step at the end of the day. I feel much better and intend to stay feeling that way!”

“We were led to Amanda by word of mouth from a friend who had experienced Amanda’s training and recommended that we take advantage of her skills.

Initially my wife went to see Amanda to get help with her desire to lose weight. Amanda took a detailed history of Heather’s lifestyle and level of activity and designed a program aimed at increasing physical activity, reducing inappropriate eating habits and changing the focus away from pure weight loss on the scales to a healthy attitude of balance between exercise output and dietary input.

The balance is one of the key features of Amanda’s approach and which is incorporated into her help for me when I requested she give me guidance in my self-designed running program that I had been doing for many years, she showed me how variety in training was fundamental to improvement and also essential to maintaining gains made. She skilfully mixed activities, which I had not previously used to increase my interest and keep me motivated.

Her extensive and detailed knowledge of functional anatomy and physiology expressed itself time and again as she would introduce a stretch or activity to improve a particular area of weakness.

I decided to go snow skiing after a gap of 25 years and she tailor-made a 6 week program which meant that I had not only a successful skiing holiday but also I had an injury free experience and surprising endurance on the slopes.

She also designed programs for our children who had needs as varied as skiff sailing, tennis, cricket, hockey and teenage weight gain.

All these programs were successful and after 4 years we have a family fully accepting of the importance of regular physical activity, the need for care with what goes in the mouth and general belief that being fit is a good feeling and the rewards will be seen in the long term by reducing the risk of ill health.

Amanda is a person who with skill and intelligence interprets and reacts to clients needs and desires all the while with the overarching plan of improving health and well being and risk reduction of unhealthy lifestyle.

One could extend her role description to that of ‘Life Coach’ as she incorporates her experience of life and her subtle use of psychology to encourage and help her clients to a happier and healthier life such that we do not see an end to our desire to continuously avail ourselves of her time. She is a leader in her field and an example to all.”