Ever since starting Balance The Grind, I’ve been very excited to do this interview. Daniel has been there from the start of my training grind, helping me reach new heights every week in lifting, nutrition and plenty more!
As the Co-Founder of Fit Club HQ, along with his brother David (who we’ll also be talking to soon), the Head Trainer at Fitness Forum and soccer player, Daniel was the perfect person to talk to about balancing the grind.
We had a great conversation with Daniel about their goals for Fit Club HQ, his passion for personal training, time management, juggling out everything in his life and more.
Enjoy the interview and make sure you follow Fit Club HQ on Instagram and Facebook for training tips and motivational posts.
1) What got you into personal training and how long have you been doing it for?
My love of fitness and sport got me into personal training. I’ve been involved in sport since I was 5 years old and went to a sports high school.
This meant that most of my teenage life revolved around sport and I didn’t end up focusing too much on other subjects, knowing that my future would definitely involve fitness.
Also, I’ve always been extremely interested in being able to change someone’s physical condition based on training methods, so I love exploring new training styles and how they impact the body.
2) As the co-founder of Fit Club HQ, what are your goals for the company?
We want to eventually open a studio that caters to everyone and their fitness goals. Our main passion is running group fitness sessions for the general person, but we’d love to have specialised things such as yoga, rehab, sports team conditioning, youth programs, etc so we really are a fit club for everyone!!
3) Your younger brother, David, also got into personal training. How has it been having him along your side?
It has been fantastic. We are so like minded that we feed off each other really well, plus we get along great so it makes work so much more enjoyable.
4) What sort of training are you doing at the moment?
I currently have a groin injury at the moment, so my current routine is a 4 day upper body strength training split with 2 days of lower body rehab in between.
Whilst I’m injured and not playing soccer, I am trying to use this time to make maximum strength gains, as it is harder to do that while I’m putting in a lot of energy to my soccer training and games.
5) What’s a typical day like for you during soccer season?
A typical day is waking up at 4 am and getting to work at 5:15 am. My morning is my busiest period, so I am normally booked back to back from 5:30 am until lunchtime. I try to schedule my appointments so that I can give myself time for an hour session, followed by a quick refuel (lunch).
I then go into my afternoon appointments until about 5 pm. I will then either go to soccer training or to run our Fit Club HQ outdoor bootcamp session, depending on the night of the week. I normally get home between 8-9 pm and I’m in bed by 10 pm.
6) If you had to choose one exercise to do for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Definitely a man maker! A man maker involves using two dumbbells. It incorporates two push ups, two renegade rows and a squat press. It is an unbelievable whole body routine that will build whole body strength whilst getting the heart rate right up!
7) With so many things to juggle – work, your own training, soccer, girlfriend – how do you make sure you balance out everything in your life?
I am always scheduling everything. I know exactly what I’ll be doing throughout my day and most of the time my entire week. I don’t leave anything to chance, or it will never get done! Time management is so crucial.
I rarely watch TV and would much rather read up on new training methods and nutrition strategies for example or spend time catching up with my girlfriend or mates. When I have a cancellation at work, I use that half hour to write out programs or session plans, so my time is not wasted.
8) What do you think is the most important thing to do to make sure you achieve that balance?
Always make time for yourself. I’m so busy during the week that I leave at least one day on the weekend where I don’t schedule any work. I go out with my girlfriend or spend time with my family for example.
It is great to work hard, but crucial that you don’t burn yourself out in the long run. Ensure you always have a day in the week where your mind can switch off. That way, when Monday comes around, I’m ready to tackle the new week.
9) Do you feel like you’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices along the way, or get the feeling that you’ve missed out on other things?
I have had to make sacrifices, but I guess if you didn’t you would never know how much you really want something. I remember not having any alcohol or cake at my own 21st as I had a big game the next day!
I missed a lot of birthdays and events due to having games on Saturday nights, but if I didn’t do that, I believe I would regret it as I would never have known how far I could’ve gone as a soccer player.
I have had to make sacrifices, but with these it means I can live my life with no regrets about what could have been. It’s up to you about what you prioritise. As long as you feel it’s the right choice and worth the sacrifice, there won’t be any regrets.
10) What do you think have been the biggest lessons you’ve learnt from the beginning of your fitness journey to now?
Definitely that everyone is different, so what works for one person may not necessarily mean it will work for another. That is what I love about personal training. It is personal. It’s not simple.
It is like a science that you constantly have to experiment with to get the maximum benefits for a particular client. There are general rules and formulas, but you have to modify a lot of it based on the individual. When you are successful with that person, it makes it so much more rewarding.
