The man behind the fitness
Matt Appleby Fit20
Matt Appleby
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My background
My background is in IT and financial services, where I spent almost twenty years building a career. I was always good at what I did, but it never truly fulfilled me. I often struggled to achieve the right balance and my health suffered as a result.
Around twelve years ago I discovered yoga, which set me on a path of self-discovery. It ultimately led to me changing direction in my career and my outlook on life. Coming from the corporate world, which can be quite stressful, yoga helped me to recover from poor physical and mental health.
A huge life lesson came in 2016, when I suffered from burnout. Back then, I was working full time, I had just become a father, and I was immersed in an intensive training course to become a yoga teacher. It was a dark time, but it made me realise that I needed to make some big changes in my life. It took me a long time to recover, and whilst doing so, I decided my future lay elsewhere. Whilst I returned to IT for a brief period, I soon quit corporate life and I began to teach yoga in 2017.
My fit20 story
I was a customer of fit20 before becoming studio owner at Fox Valley in 2019.
I joined my first gym at sixteen, and throughout my late teens and early twenties I didn’t really know what I was doing and I definitely over-trained. Towards my late twenties, I’d learned much more about fitness and focused on functional sport-specific training. When I discovered yoga and Pilates I changed my approach to training yet again.
After becoming a father in my mid-thirties, I quit the big box gym that I was a member of. As I was training to become a yoga teacher, I felt that I didn’t also need to work out at the gym. Given that it took me a couple of hours a few times a week to get there, change, and actually do a workout, before showering, changing again and driving home—time spent in the gym was a luxury I didn’t have as a new dad.
Still wearing rose-tinted glasses (yoga was all I needed, right?!), a couple of years passed. As I was going to be a dad for the second time, I went to buy a new car seat for the baby; however, I found that I couldn’t pick it up without struggling. It dawned on me that despite being very active and ‘fit’, I had definitely lost strength in that relatively short space of time. I didn’t know what to do about it—I certainly didn’t have the time or inclination to take up a regular gym membership again.
I joined fit20 in 2018 as a customer and achieved great results within just a few months. Whilst I was a little sceptical at first, it ticked all the right boxes for me. It’s innovative, time-efficient strength training with expert guidance. It’s very safe and alignment focused. My strength improved a great deal, as did my energy levels and posture. I was soon able to pick up both my kids at the same time, which felt great!
I am so grateful to have discovered fit20 at just the right time. As I approach my forties, I’ve never felt stronger. The programme is a real game changer!
fit20 is a wonderful compliment to regular yoga practice and the most mindful way I’ve come across to train for strength. When I saw how well it could work alongside my yoga practice and teaching, I looked into the business opportunity. I became studio owner at Fox Valley in 2019 and haven’t looked back since.
Why fit20 is different
At fit20 we adopt a ‘less is more’ approach to strength training that perfectly fits my philosophy around teaching yoga. Society and social media portray a different picture about what we ‘need’ to do to keep fit—always encouraging more, ‘no pain, no gain’. At fit20, we’re changing perceptions around how best to remain fit and healthy.
The real appeal for me was fit20’s consistency and holistic approach towards training for health and longevity. You become fit and stay healthy—for life.
We’re different from regular gyms on a number of levels. We adopt an efficient and effective evidence-based method that delivers great results. We push you a little further each week, ensuring progressive and consistent improvement.
fit20 training is ideal for busy people, seniors, amateur athletes and those who dislike sports or gyms. We help a broad range of people—from women in their fifties, to busy executives and small businesses who all train together. The common factors amongst our members is that they lead busy lives, they really value our professional coaching and, above all else, they love the results they achieve that enable them to live healthier, more fulfilled lives. Real results are achievable with just one high-intensity training session a week.
The best thing about fit20 is that it eliminates all the excuses for doing high-quality training consistently. And consistency is key! It works because our members love the convenience of the training and the personal attention they get during each and every session.
Our members generally begin to feel better within a few weeks. They notice stronger muscles, improved cardiovascular fitness, and a better posture and body shape. In short: they have more energy and stamina to go about their daily activities.
I’m grateful that we haven’t had to make any changes since reopening the studio after lockdown. The way we train already meets social distancing requirements: sessions are always by appointment, and they’re carried out on a 1:1 basis under the watchful guidance of our expert personal trainers in our private, members-only studio. It’s more like a laboratory than a gym and one of the safest environments available to train in.
The fit20 workout offers complete training: it’s both preventative and curative. It not only strengthens your overall health and vitality, it specifically helps to improve your ability to fight viruses and protects against the impact of infection and disease.
Try the 20 minutes that changed my life. Book your free session here
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