Balance The Grind is all about learning how to find a happy medium for everything in your life. In our ongoing interview series, we will be talking to people from all walks of life about what they do on a daily basis to achieve that balance.
First up is Ray Anand, a very good friend of Balance The Grind and founder of Maverick Health & Fitness, a personal training company focused on helping their clients achieve their goals through integrated and functional training.
We talk to Ray about functional training, what he’s trying to achieve with Maverick Health Fitness, balancing the grind, his favourite exercise and plenty more!
Enjoy the interview and make sure you follow Maverick Health & Fitness on Facebook to learn more about what they do.
1) As the founder of Maverick Health & Fitness what is your goal with the company?
I want to reach and educate as many people as possible on the benefits of being fit and healthy. Poor lifestyle habits and the consequent disease states such as obesity an diabetes to mention a few, are more apparent across all age brackets now more than ever.
This needs to change and through my business I’m aiming to help people create this change and influence others around them to do the same. It only takes a few small changes at a time before your on your way to a fitter and healthier you.
2) How did you get into personal training?
I’ve been actively engaged in personal training for over 2 years now and have enjoyed every minute of it. Its allowed me to grow and evolve as a person and trainer.
It all stemmed from a moment of self reflection. I was at a point in my life where I needed a change and a challenge. I wanted to do something that I was passionate about and that has always been health and fitness while at the same time making a difference to peoples lives.
From that moment I began my journey to where I am today not just a personal trainer but the proud founder of Maverick Health & Fitness.
3) What sort of training are you doing yourself at the moment?
I love being outdoors and training in the elements. Like my business and how I train my clients the focus is on functional integrated exercises.
The beauty about this type of training is that I can continually change my workouts so that they are totally different from the last. I believe that to be able to teach this type of training I need to be actively engaged in it.
This helps with the way I teach and design sessions with clients as it allows me to relate to how they handle different exercises and how I can modify them as needed while maintaining the exercise objective.
4) What would be some examples of functional integrated exercises?
These are exercises that reflect the body’s natural movement patterns such as push ups, sit ups, squats, lunges, running etc. and many different variations with and without the use of equipment.
An emphasis on multi-planar exercises which refers to the three planes of motion are incorporated in this training too. These are the Frontal Plane (side-to-side movements), Sagittal Plane (forward and backward movements), and Transverse Plane (rotational movements).
By having this approach to training it provides a complete workout involving major muscle groups and movements through every plane of motion.
This in turn creates a balanced training method that allows me to help my clients increase overall function, improve movement patterns, and decrease the risk of injury.
5) What are some of the challenges you find in training other people?
Adapting to a clients personality style is important in terms of motivation and communication techniques.
Everyone is different and they respond to things in different ways so how I approach clients also has to be in order to keep them continually stimulated and responsive.
Clients with injuries and varying capabilities will influence how the training sessions are planned. I make sure that I always pay attention to them at all times and listen to what they are telling me both verbally and physically.
Exercise selection with appropriate progressions and regressions are vital to assist them in meeting their goals and objectives.
6) On the flip side, what have been some your most fulfilling training moments?
My most fulfilling moments are those where my clients begin to realise their potential and I can not only see their confidence grow but their self belief and determination to push themselves even further is more evident.
This often coincides with when they see progress in their training and themselves, realising that their hard work and dedication is paying off.
7) With so many things going on – your job, running a company, your own training – how do you achieve balance in your life?
For me balance is key to being happy and motivated. I’ve needed to adapt my training around my clients and to fit it in regardless of time or location. Thats the great thing about the training I do, that it allows me to do it anywhere.
Making time for family and friends can at times be difficult but is important as their love and support encourages me to continue on my path.
Having a social life outside the realm of the business allows me the opportunity to relax and have fun as well as refocus on my objectives.
8) Do you have a trick or particular method to ensure you’re as organised as possible?
Being systematic and methodical in terms of setting aside time every day or every few days to do the books and look over other aspects of the business. Keeping a diary and taking notes has helped to ensure that I don’t miss anything and stay up to date across the board.
9) When it comes to nutrition, how do you make sure you’re eating right while always on the go?
I plan and prepare meals ahead of time. Usually this entails purchasing food for the week and preparing smaller meals which I spread out throughout each day to keep my energy levels at a steady level. Doing this ensures I always eat the right foods that are nutritionally beneficial to my body.
The food and drinks I consume daily need to cover a variety of food groups so as to allow ample amounts of each of the nutrients present to be absorbed into my body that are essential for good health.
10) What’s your favourite go-to meal when short on time?
A tuna salad or an omelette full of vegetables. These options are great as I can constantly add to them as I please. Best of all they’re quick and easy to make.
11) If you had to choose one exercise to do for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
One word: burpees!
Its a full body exercise thats a great workout for your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings and abs and not to mention great for burning fat. It combines strength, explosive power, conditioning and endurance.
Regardless of fitness levels their tough and thats what you want. You can do them anywhere at anytime and perform many different variations.
11) What have you learnt about yourself during your fitness journey?
I’ve learnt that through persistence and determination there is nothing that I can’t accomplish.
Like training if you put in the hard work you will reap the results. This is what Maverick Health & Fitness is all about.
