Online Coaching & Personal Training FAQ's

Our online personal training package allows you to benefit from the skills and expertise of an experienced resistance training specialist, no matter where you are in the world.

Once you’ve signed up for online training and completed your fitness assessment form from me, I’ll schedule a 15-minute online strategy call to discuss the overall program with you. This will be based on the information you provided on the form regarding your lifestyle, access to equipment, and goal.

A bespoke personal training and nutrition plan will be created for you to follow independently, whether at home or at your gym.

We will then work together remotely via weekly email check-ins and WhatsApp messaging to support and coach you to your goal.

Two aspects set me apart from other online coaches: my education and real-world experience. My comprehensive education includes certifications from The National College of Exercise and Health Studies, The Resistance Training Specialist Program, The National Academy of Sports Medicine, and The Poliquin Institute of Certified Practitioners. In terms of real-world experience, I have competed at regional and international levels in various sports disciplines. I achieved the Junior 2014 NABBA Mr. Ireland Bodybuilding Champion title and the Junior 2015 Mr. Northern Ireland title. Additionally, I have represented Leinster & Ireland in Irish Athletics for track and middle-distance events such as 100m, 400m, and 2,500m, and in swimming for the 400m freestyle. Furthermore, I have played Leinster schools rugby for several years.

Out of the countless online coaches, who often manage over 50+ clients simultaneously and use generic templates for multiple clients without personalization (even though they promise you it's personalised), I opt to work with a maximum of 20 clients. This ensures that each client receives a tailored training and nutrition plan.

Online coaches and personal trainers nowadays frustrate me, which led me to establish my own online coaching business. Here are four crucial questions to ask before choosing an online coach or personal trainer to ensure you're getting the best fit:

Question 1: How many clients do they currently train?

• If they have more than 25-30 clients, end the conversation there, it's a sign that there is little to no personalization there. Each client typically requires around 2 hours of work weekly for tailored training programs, nutrition plans, check-ins, and queries. Therefore this coach is already at 50-60 hours a week. A coach that says he/she has 50+ clients likely spends less than an hour per week on each client - I wonder how much personalization there is to that lol.

Question 2: What advanced certifications/education do they have related to resistance training and physique development?

• If their certification is basic or completed in a short time, you might as well write your own program and save the money. Consider seeking someone with more advanced qualifications. Just as you wouldn't hire a financial advisor with a weekend certification, investing in your health and fitness deserves expertise - you only have 1 life, so keep it healthy and strong!

Question 3: How long have they been in the industry?

• Experience matters. Look for coaches with at least 10 years in the field, ideally 15+ years for a wealth of knowledge in resistance training and physique development. Finding one isn’t easy but worth the wait.

Question 4: What is their sports/competitive background?

• Consider whether they have a competitive background in sports, especially in physique-based sports like bodybuilding, as this can provide valuable insight into achieving your fitness goals effectively. If the last time they played a sport competitively was in school, then I'm afraid they are about as much use to you as placing more sand in a desert. If you are looking to be in the best shape/health of your life ask yourself this - has your coach accomplished this himself? If he hasn’t how could he possibly know what it takes to get you there?

My online coaching program includes a truly bespoke training and nutrition program designed by myself personally, continuous support through an in-app messenger, daily tasks for accountability, weekly check-ins, detailed feedback, and a monthly video call to address any queries or provide guidance. The highlight is the opportunity to work directly with me, rather than with an entry-level trainer. I take pride in my proven track record of delivering impressive results and guiding clients through their transformation journey every step of the way.

Online personal training takes place remotely and therefore does not involve one-to-one contact with a personal trainer. To reflect this, our online personal training package is set at a lower price point than our in-person training packages.

Ideally yes, but not necessarily, you can train at home or outdoors. Whilst it would be ideal to have all the equipment available that you’d find in a gym, it’s not necessary at all.
If you’re thinking about buying some equipment to keep at home, I’ll be able to advise on the best pieces to suit your personal needs.

Nope, I work with people from all over the world. 80% of my clients are based in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, and the remaining 20% are around Europe, the United States and the rest of the world. One of the best things about online personal training is that you can work with me from anywhere in the world.

Online personal training can be incredibly effective. Why spend countless hours, weeks, or even years muddling along from scraps of knowledge here and there when you could head straight to the source and benefit from the most up-to-date knowledge and state-of-the-art progress tracking? We have the tools, knowledge, expertise, and passion to help you turn your goal into reality, wherever you are in the world.

However, because online training takes place remotely, you will not have one-on-one contact with a personal trainer. As a result, you need to be self-motivated to make the most out of your investment.

You'll be logging your sessions either via mobile or desktop, every rep, set, weight used, distance covered, and time taken will be tracked and synced instantaneously using our app which you will have access to. I'll then go through this data and progress made and provide feedback.

This completely depends on the individual; your gender, genetics, diet, training, and recovery play an important role in building and maintaining muscle mass. If you have never resistance–trained before, you will likely find that you make significant gains in your first three months of training.

The longer you train, the rate is likely to taper off. Typically, after an individual has reached a healthy body composition, we would program for a muscle-building phase, with a predicted rate of change of 0.25-0.5% of total bodyweight increase per month. 

This completely depends on your starting point and how hard you are willing or able to go. The heavier you are to begin with, the higher your initial weight loss is likely to be, compared to someone starting at a relatively low level of body fat.  

How much fat you lose also depends on the size of the calorie deficit you create, which depends on your lifestyle, preferences and time frame. For instance, if you have a very busy lifestyle that means you can’t perform much additional activity outside of your gym training sessions, there is a limit to how far you can cut calories without sacrificing health.

Therefore, you may need to accept a slower rate of change than someone who has a lot of free time to perform extra activity such as steps. However, based on our extensive data, statistically, the majority of our clients lose at least 10% of their total body weight in their first three months. 

Yes. You will be guided with both your fitness and nutrition, so you know what foods to eat, how to track your calories and how to maintain a well balanced diet. No fad diets and dramatic calorie deficits here, as long as you are fueling the body with the right foods, the results will follow!

Every workout program is completely tailored to each member's level of experience and ability. Unlike most online workout programs or 99% of ‘online coaches’ that duplicate templates or the same program for multiple clients simultaneously, we NEVER use a cookie-cutter program for our members. Each program is built and designed specifically for you. Some clients prefer to focus on step counts and cardio-based exercises, while others have more focus on strength training using weights.

Most of our exercises are accompanied by a video demo. Furthermore, for any exercise you're still unsure of, you can record yourself performing that exercise and forward it to me via WhatsApp or through the app. I'll then assess your form and provide feedback – ensuring you're mastering your technique for future lifts.

This depends on your goal, preferences and lifestyle. In most cases, we encourage clients to obtain most of their food intake from high-quality, single-ingredient sources, such as lean meats and sources of protein, lots of green fibrous vegetables and healthy fats, like nuts, avocado or olive oil.

This is because such foods not only improve multiple health markers, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity, they also enhance satiety, energy levels, hormonal health and nearly every other physiological process.

However, we also appreciate that our clients are not robots and that they have lives. This is why our trainers work with each client as an individual with unique commitments. While some sacrifice may be necessary to achieve your goal, your trainer will work with you to find solutions and strategies that work for you.

No, 1 month is the minimum contract time. Having worked in gyms for many years I’ve seen just how frustrating it can be for a person to be tied into a contract they don’t want anymore, and I don’t plan to make you feel that way. However, In my experience, 3 months is a more realistic and optimal length of time to really give your training a chance to earn you results.

Your monthly subscription must be cancelled 7 days before the next month starts. Simply let me know that you wish to cancel 7 days before the next payment is due, and I'll cancel it. Once cancelled, you will not be charged again and will be able to continue the service until the end of your current payment period.

Once you've signed up, I'll send you a PAR-Q form and a Fitness Assessment form to complete along with a welcome pack document. Once you've completed your questionnaire and provided your front, side and rear photos, I'll then get started on your plan. I will then have your plan created within the next few days (3-5 days max). This is the time it takes to create a truly customised programme.

I'll measure your progress via many metrics, such as progress in strength (progressive overload), measurements, scale weight, improvements in endurance, and of course, assessing body composition changes via progress photos. Progress photos are done once a week on a Sunday, other metrics like strength and weight we'll track weekly.

No, only you and I will have access to your progress photos. The progress photos and transformations you see on my social media platforms are all at the consent of clients who want to share their fantastic progression.

Is there ever a good time to turn your health and fitness around? A huge benefit of this service is that it’s highly adaptable to your lifestyle, time constraints, health concerns, and energy levels. Whatever obstacles you have, I can help you to overcome them. After all, that’s what all this is about.

I would strongly recommend checking your health and fitness budget before committing to online PT. I’m no financial advisor, and I’m certainly not here to tell you how to spend your money, but I do know that the value people get from this service far outweighs their investment. If you’re struggling financially at any point, we can try help in some way.

Here’s what a previous client had to say on this matter:

“While the initial cost of training might seem high, when you think about the level of training and education that an advanced PT has, and their total 1:1 focus on you and your fitness development, it actually represents great value for money, especially when you think about the fact that you are being shown ways to help keep yourself fitter and healthier for the rest of your life.“

100%! I’ll be available on the training portal every day to communicate with you. I’ll post feedback weekly via your check-in, whether it requires a thumbs up or more detailed coaching, plus you can ask questions or leave comments for me via the instant messenger function or through my personal coaching WhatsApp number. At the end of every month we will have a 15-minute video call to help you answer any questions/concerns you might have. One thing I do NOT do is hand-holding: you can’t rely on me to convince you to go to the gym or constantly remind you to follow your nutrition plan. You are 100% accountable and responsible for your thoughts and actions… and that’s a good thing!

During normal working hours, I tend to get back to people within an hour, outside of working hours, this can be longer. But even on the weekend, I'll certainly get back to you within 24 hours. In short, I'll get back to you as quickly as possible.

There are 2 ways to do this. Feel free to choose either option that suits you better.

Option 1: fill out the getting started application form (CLICK HERE) Once I've received the form I'll go through it in depth and respond back to you via email within 48 hours to schedule a suitable time for a 15 minute strategy call. On the call, we will discuss your biggest fitness challenges, training history, lifestyle, diet, and so much more so that I can get a deeper understanding of the right Physique Protocol for you.

With all this Information we’ll then formulate a roadmap to make sure you move towards achieving the results you have always wanted!

NB: There’s absolutely no obligation to sign up for anything, and I can’t guarantee you’ll be accepted as a client because of the limited clients i can accommodate. I can however promise a friendly chat where we’ll get to know each other, you’ll get the opportunity to questions, and come away with a little more clarity and direction on your goals.

Option 2: If your 100% certain you can commit to online coaching and want to speed the process up and ensure I don't get booked out, go ahead and purchase the online coaching package immediately (CLICK HERE) that suits your budget the most. Once purchased, I'll be notified immediately and I'll send you over 3 documents. A Par-Q form and Fitness Assessment form for you to complete along with a Welcome Pack. Once I've received the form I'll go through it in depth and respond back to you via email within 48 hours to schedule a suitable time for a video call that will go over the plan, app login details and any help you need.

Looking forward to working with you!

It's got all the same benefits as online coaching with me except you get the benefits of an in person training experience too!

There are 2 ways to get started. Feel free to choose either option that suits you better.

Option 1: fill out the enquiry application form (CLICK HERE) Once I've received the form I'll go through it in depth and respond back to you via email within 48 hours to schedule a suitable time for a 15 minute strategy call. On the call, we will discuss your biggest fitness challenges, training history, lifestyle, diet, and so much more so that I can get a deeper understanding of the right Physique Protocol for you.

I'll recommend the appropriate Personal Training package that best suits your goals and timeline. With all this Information we’ll then formulate a roadmap to make sure you move towards achieving the results you have always wanted!

NB: There’s absolutely no obligation to sign up for anything, and I can’t guarantee you’ll be accepted as a client because of the limited clients i can accommodate. I can however promise a friendly chat where we’ll get to know each other, you’ll get the opportunity to questions, and come away with a little more clarity and direction on your goals.

Option 2: If your 100% certain you can commit to a personal training package and want to speed the process up and ensure I don't get booked out, go ahead and purchase the most relevant personal training package immediately (CLICK HERE) that suits your budget the most. Once purchased, I'll be notified immediately and I'll send you over 3 documents. A Par-Q form and Fitness Assessment form for you to complete along with a Welcome Pack. Once I've received the form I'll go through it in depth and respond back to you via email within 48 hours to schedule a suitable time for a video call that will go over the training and nutrition plan, your app login details and training session details.

The next step is to book your first training session at a gym of your choice. The first training session will run about 90 minutes, which allows us 30 minutes in the beginning to discuss the program layout, flexibility issues, and a gym-floor movement screening.

This provides vital information for us to optimise your training and nutrition plan going forward. 

Once the program is underway, each session involves a brief review of your progress before getting stuck into a challenging training session that pushes you to the limits of your abilities.

We don’t waste your investment in us by watching you warm up on a treadmill or spending half of your session stretching and talking. We make use of every single minute, focusing on targeted movements that leverage resistance training to provide unrivalled body composition results.

Looking forward to working with you!

The personal training sessions can take place anywhere in Dublin, at a gym your currently training in ideally. If your not training in a gym, we can organise a recommended well equipped gym that is local to you or nearby that can provide the training you need for the duration of your program.

Resistance training is a skill, and like any skill, it requires time, patience and the right knowledge to get it right. Each exercise has a unique skill component and, while you could theoretically learn without guidance, it’s far safer and more time-effective to learn how to perform each movement properly from the outset.

Investing your time with me is an opportunity to leverage my unique know-how and expertise to take a short-cut to results that would require years of trial and error to achieve on your own, if you achieve it at all. Not only that, as your personal trainer I'll have the knowledge and experience to match the intensity to your abilities while providing a visceral training experience that pushes you to the edge of your comfort zone.

Research also shows that having a support network and a sense of accountability is critical for success in achieving health and fitness goals.

A personal trainer provides the tools to do this, which simply cannot be matched when training alone.

This completely depends on the individual; your gender, genetics, diet, training, and recovery play an important role in building and maintaining muscle mass. If you have never resistance–trained before, you will likely find that you make significant gains in your first three months of training.

The longer you train, the rate is likely to taper off. Typically, after an individual has reached a healthy body composition, we would program for a muscle-building phase, with a predicted rate of change of 0.25-0.5% of total bodyweight increase per month. 

This completely depends on your starting point and how hard you are willing or able to go. The heavier you are to begin with, the higher your initial weight loss is likely to be, compared to someone starting at a relatively low level of body fat.  

How much fat you lose also depends on the size of the calorie deficit you create, which depends on your lifestyle, preferences and time frame. For instance, if you have a very busy lifestyle that means you can’t perform much additional activity outside of your gym training sessions, there is a limit to how far you can cut calories without sacrificing health.

Therefore, you may need to accept a slower rate of change than someone who has a lot of free time to perform extra activity such as steps. However, based on our extensive data, statistically, the majority of our clients lose at least 10% of their total body weight in their first three months. 

The very first training session we do will last 90 minutes which allows us 30 minutes in the beginning to discuss the program layout, flexibility issues, and a gym-floor movement screening.

This provides vital information for us to develop your unique training and nutrition plan going forward. 

Every other training session will last 75 minutes. You will be expected to be warmed up with light stretching to not waste any time for our 75 minute work session. This is critical to your success and to maximise your resistance training session.

How frequently we train together completely depends on your lifestyle, budget and preferences. However, most of my clients train on average three times per week, allowing us to maximise progression with effective recovery.

This depends on how many times a week you like to train, how much time you have available and your goal.

For the vast majority of clients, who are natural (not on either TRT or using performance enhancing drugs) three to four weekly sessions is the sweet spot, as this allows us to target each muscle group one to two times, which is optimal for muscle gain as this allows us to accumulate sufficient training volume to stimulate change. For clients and athletes using performance enhancing drugs a minimum of 4 - 5 days is needed with additional cardio sessions throughout the week to take full advantage of their enhanced recovery abilities.

Yes, it’s more than possible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time, achieving what is often referred to as ‘body recomposition’. 

This change is due to the combination of a calorie deficit to reduce fat stores alongside a training plan that signals to the body to retain muscle.

Because most of our clients are new to resistance training or have not trained to the same intensity as our programs, many increase their level of muscle mass alongside losing fat. 

I started my business exclusively as a personal trainer and resistance training specialist in Ireland, and completely understand that many people prefer the experience of training with a professional in person.

There are a few limitations to Personal Training, however, which is why I created this Online PT service. It’s important to remember that Online PT isn’t for everyone. If you would prefer to have less overall contact but more hands-on support from your trainer in person, then conventional Personal Training is likely a better fit for your needs.

Making the decision to up-level your health and fitness can be a scary thing… but it’s good scary! It’s necessary to come out of your comfort zone in order to grow. Everything in your program will be pre-agreed between us. That means you won’t be asked to commit to more workouts than you can handle, and any nutrition and lifestyle tasks will be drip-fed step by step to empower you to form great habits over time. Consistency really is the name of the game here, and of course, I’ll be there every step of the way to nudge you in the right direction, ready to provide a gentle, loving kick up the bum where necessary. At the end of the day, it boils down to how much you really want to reach your goals. Are you prepared to do what it takes?

If you’re worried about faffing around and wasting time in the gym, then don’t! Your workouts will be designed specifically to deliver the correct intensity for you: you’ll be taught how to select the correct weight for each exercise, how to progress to heavier weights, and I’ll calculate all of your aerobic work, eg running speeds. If you can commit to simply following the instructions provided (including rest periods!), you can be sure you’ll be training at the correct intensity without wasting any time. There’s something very important I also need to let you know right now. Whilst it’s true that to make progress we must come out of our comfort zones, training at extremely high intensity in every workout is not conducive to earning great results. In fact, in many cases, overtraining and overreaching cause more health problems than they’re worth. You can expect to be working at a moderate intensity most of the time, with some tougher workouts strategically placed to earn you better results.

Moving well is essential if you want to see the full benefit from your training and avoid injury, and I know many people have concerns about appearing silly in the gym getting something wrong. Every exercise I give you will be prescribed with your current capabilities in mind. My approach is to meet every client at their current level of capability, which means you won’t be given any exercises I’m not 100% sure you can complete safely.
I employ a range of sophisticated strategies to get you moving really well and teach you new skills organically.
Remember: if a particular movement isn’t working, there’s always an alternative we can use to get the same/similar effect!

Yes, as your dedicated personal trainer and physique development specialist I'll create a a bespoke nutrition and supplement plan that considers your lifestyle, goal, and preferences, designed to provide the maximum return on your investment. The 3 or 4 hours you spend with me as your trainer is only a small part of the story. The remaining 165/164 hours in the week are just as important, and your nutrition is a fundamental pillar of your results.

As your trainer I'll work with you to develop calorie and macronutrient goals specifically tailored to your body composition and goal. I place a high emphasis on the importance of high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, such as lean meats, lots of green fibrous vegetables and healthy fats, like nuts, avocado or olive oil. Not only does this approach maximise the health benefits of your transformation, but it also ensures you are satiated, energised and ready to take on any new challenges.

As your trainer I will also provide ongoing support to make the personal training plan work for you. This may include problem-solving to help you plan for social events and travel. While supplements should not form the basis of your diet, they are invaluable for plugging gaps in your nutrition, which may become more apparent during a fat-loss phase. 

We only recommend supplements that we know work, both from experience and from a scientific point of view.