Marilynn
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I have been doing individual training sessions with David Richards for almost a decade in several venues—indoors at Glassworks gym, outdoors on Jesus Green, and online during the Covid lockdown. Whatever the context, David is an exceptionally talented and knowledgeable trainer. He is extremely attentive to posture and form—he attends carefully to each movement to ensure it is done safely and effectively so each repetition of an exercise pays off without risk of injury. He carefully balances strength training with stretching. While he never pushes his clients beyond their limits, he manages to make each session more challenging than the last so that you are always gaining in strength and overall fitness.
David has a level of expertise you would expect to find in a physiotherapist, so that he can work with any orthopedic issues a client might have; he has helped me to safely recover from knee surgery and shoulder surgery, for instance. Finally, he has a supportive and enabling nature that is quietly encouraging: personal training sessions with David are as relaxed and non-judgemental as they are rigorous. No two sessions are ever the same, but each and every one contributes to your overall fitness and sense of well-being: Each session is a gift.
Nicky
David is a wonderful personal trainer, who has all the qualities one could ask for. He is extremely knowledgeable and happy to discuss and explain how the exercises work, why he has chosen particular exercises for you, the anatomy and physiology behind these things, and why it’s essential for mental and physical well-being. He is also an amazing teacher: thoughtful, motivating, kind, and caring. Of course, he is an amazing sportsman, that goes with the territory. There is also the variety and flexibility in his choice of where and what to do: we can train at home online, in the gym and (my personal favourite) outdoors, and every session is different, but all using carefully crafted techniques that are based on the best, back to the essential basics and adapted accordingly. That’s quite a feat when you consider that I have been doing personal training with David 3 or 4 times a week since January 2019.
In an age in which we are becoming increasingly reliant on the amazing new technology that can be generated through Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as E-gym machines that take into account the relevant weights and heights needed to operate most efficiently, these attributes of human kindness and expertise are all the more important, namely having someone who cares about your mental and physical health as much as you do, and making you feel that the time and energy spent is worth-while.
David has many additional qualities that make everything that bit more special. I leave it to you to find the ones that resonate best for you. For me, it’s that he is always so calm and reassuring, tailor-making everything for me, be it helping me through covid or cataract surgery, tolerant of my obsession with bird watching and my anxiety around some boisterous dogs. When I exercise with him, I feel as if it’s a collaboration rather than a personal trainer telling me what to do. That’s a very special quality that David gives, and one I shall always treasure.
Rosemary
When I first went to see David for personal training I was mid 40s. I was suffering from physical pain and some restriction o fmovement. I also realised
I needed to do something to develop and maintain muscle mass as I got older.
David focussed on tackling my physical problems by working to develop the
muscles to enable me to use my body more effectively and this in turn
reduced my pain. If I experienced pain in sessions he used his extensive
knowledge to find ways to adapt my movements so I could continue to do the
exercises with no pain. He gave me exercises to do outside the sessions
which increased my mobility and further reduced pain.
Working with David has had a much wider impact than I had expected. I
initially just wanted to stave off the decline of middle age. I had not expected
to be stronger than at any time previously in my life. However, my developed
and toned muscles have improved my overall strength beyond my
anticipation. This in turn has made me feel more confident about my body. My
increase in strength has made general life easier: I can rely on my body to lift
heavy things, my stamina has increased and I can beat my 21 year old son in
an arm wrestle!
David is extremely knowledgeable, being able to offer advice on
musculoskeletal problems and to adapt exercises for any physical issues. He
is also able to advise on nutrition and exercise outside the training session. I
know that all the exercises I do with David will be safe for my body.
I would definitely recommend David as a personal trainer. He works with me
to clarify my training aims and will always have suggestions for how to achieve
a goal. I am extremely grateful for all he has done for me and for the way he
prioritises his clients. He is consistent and reliable which is really important as
it enables continuous improvement. He is relaxed and supportive but pushes
me and doesn’t let me shirk!
Barbara
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David is brilliant. I have been having weekly sessions with him since January, and I always look forward to them. The sessions are never the same, always tailored to my abilities but challenging and intense at the same time. David has a wide range of expertise, and he is always happy to explain things in detail and give the reasoning behind the various exercises. He always goes the extra mile, from helping with even the smallest details of each posture to taking extra time to make sure that
everything is covered. He is always reliable and professional.
For me, the results have been impressive. A year ago, I had a very serious spinal injury operation. For months, I could only move assisted by a walking stick. I cannot believe what a difference these sessions have made, and I am very grateful to David for making it possible for me to progress so
successfully.
I cannot recommend him highly enough.
John
I am in my 70s and David has trained me for 10 years, usually twice a week. He uses a variety of exercises designed to improve my all round fitness and state of health. When I started training with him my main concerns were leg and knee injuries from skiing but he built up general strength so these were no longer a concern.
A few years ago I developed leukaemia and was scheduled for a long stay in hospital for high-risk treatment. David made sure I was at peak fitness before admission. I believe that this was a key element in the success of my treatment. Post treatment David has worked with me to regain my fitness. Even after leukaemia, a stem cell transplant and extensive stays in hospital I am currently stronger and fitter than I was 10 years ago, before I started working with David.
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'Alicia'
I have been training with David for several years. He is a highly experienced, professional
and conscientious trainer. He employs an integrated approach which combines physical exercise, well-being and nutrition. He devised a personal training programme for me based on my own fitness objectives and goals. We train twice a week – one day in the gym and one day outside. This balance works out well for me and provides a flexible schedule that is varied, stimulating and challenging. He knows how far to push me without over-doing it, and he gets the balance just right. The training sessions are varied and never monotonous. He
also trains online which provides an alternative training option, which can be very useful especially if you travel abroad or prefer to stay in your own home.
I have seen significant changes in my strength and my ability to achieve specific goals – from running a 5km fun run to a marathon and attending ladies’ boxing classes. He has given me the confidence to achieve my personal objectives. He also helped me to recover from a shoulder injury. His patience, guidance, and encouragement were invaluable. I have now fully recovered.
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In addition to his personal clients, David also coaches professional and amateur athletes. He is a highly respected individual and a pleasure to work with. He has a wonderful personality
and a great sense of humour. I enjoy my training sessions with him weekly. I highly
recommend David as a personal trainer.
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