Exercise Referral & Personal Training for Long Term Conditions in Herne Bay

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Caroline Cowley 
 
2 days ago
 
 
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Over the summer, I did some strength exercises at home, mostly shoulders and arms, to build my confidence. I enjoyed it, and my upper body got stronger, but I struggled to keep it up.

I've got osteoarthritis in my hands, lower back, neck and hip. I worked around it at home as best I could, but hip pain meant I mostly avoided lower-body exercises.

I'm on Mounjaro, a weight-loss medication, and I've been able to reduce my dose down to maintenance while keeping my results, which I'm really proud of. But I'd read that without dedicated strength training and the right nutrition, you can lose muscle and affect bone health, so building strength and making sure my nutrition was where it needed to be were big reasons I started at the gym.

I started with the 30-day trial, training in Ben's small group strength sessions at his private studio on Station Road. I live locally in Herne Bay, so being able to walk there is a bonus.

Ben adapts the exercises around my arthritis, and he's helped me find the balance between pushing myself and not pushing through pain. He's also added exercises I wouldn't have thought to do, such as balance movements, hopping, light jumping, and slamming exercises.

On top of that, he's given me personalised exercises to do at home for my hip, bum and lower body that complement the ones we do in the gym.
As I'm post-menopausal, it's good to know strength and power exercises support and strengthen my bones as well as my muscles.

I try to cook most of my food from fresh ingredients, and the 30-day nutrition and lifestyle course has expanded my knowledge and given me new meal ideas and simple ways to ensure I hit my protein and fibre targets.

I wanted to get stronger, more flexible and have more energy day to day, and I can feel the training is moving me in the right direction.

I've stayed on after the 30-day trial, and I'm looking forward to continuing to work toward improving my lower-body strength while working around the pain.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Paul Huckstep 
 
4 days ago
 
 
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My wife Jackie found Ben on Facebook and dragged me along. We'd both been members of another gym, but without any direction, we weren't getting much out of it.

I was into bodybuilding in my younger days and have always enjoyed lifting weights, but a demanding job and family life made it harder to keep up.

I'm in my 60s, and I've noticed a drop in my strength. I'm a bathroom and kitchen fitter and can spend hours at a time on my feet, carrying, lifting, and working in awkward positions, so I want to stay strong and keep moving well, especially with a big family holiday coming up next year.

We started with the 30-day trial and train as a couple in a small group at
Ben's private studio in Herne Bay. I've stayed fairly strong through my job and the odd gym session, but felt my general movement and mobility were getting worse.

Introducing exercises that challenge my balance, core and flexibility, while keeping a close eye on my form, seems to be really helping. We train twice a week, so ticking all of that off in each full-body session appealed to me.

We both enjoy cycling but haven't been on our bikes for a while, so the cardio in our sessions is a good step towards getting back on them.

I was diagnosed with diabetes several years ago, and I'm always looking for ways to manage my eating habits and blood sugar levels around my job and busy life. For quick snacks, I'd often reach for sweets at work, which I knew wasn't always the best option but gave me the quick burst of energy I needed.

Since starting at Push Pull Health, I've been more conscious of my snacks and meal timing, which has helped limit spikes and afternoon crashes.

The vegetarian diet Jackie and I have been trying has helped with this too and encouraged us to eat more fibre and protein.

My energy has improved, and I'm moving around better. My original goal was to look like Tom Hardy... There's still work to be done, but we've made progress!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Jackie Huckstep 
 
4 days ago
 
 
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My husband, Paul, and I were both members of another gym that had everything we needed, but we had no direction. Most visits ended up as some time on the rower, a few weights, maybe one or two machines, and then home, so we wanted structure and a clear plan.

I'm post-menopausal and have osteopenia, so building my bone strength was one of the main reasons I wanted to start strength training. I've also broken my left ankle three times, and I have repetitive strain in my right wrist.

I came across Ben on Facebook and liked his honest, don't-take-yourself-too-seriously approach to exercise and the idea of training somewhere relaxed and private, rather than a busy gym. So we signed up for the 30-day trial at his private studio on Station Road in Herne Bay.

It's an easy drive from Whitstable with off-street parking, and we train as a couple in a small group with another husband and wife.

Every session is structured and adapted to me, so I know exactly what I'm doing and why. To help increase my bone density and strength, Ben has added light jumping, skipping and slam-based movements into our sessions, which I hadn't done for years or thought my ankle would tolerate.

Balance work is also helping strengthen the muscles around my ankle. To manage my wrist, Ben adds stability foam pads to take the pressure off, adjusts the weight and equipment when necessary and encourages me not to push myself through pain.

During the week, I mostly eat well and avoid processed food, but on weekends I can fall off the healthiest wagon. Paul and I have recently been trying a vegetarian diet and using HelloFresh for our weekly cooking. We're eating more healthily, and it's carried over into the weekends too.

My goals were to build muscle, tone up, lose a bit of body fat, and improve my fitness. I'm already making progress on all of them, and I feel much healthier because of it.

I'm looking forward to building on what I've achieved in just 30 days.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Paul Brown 
 
7 days ago
 
 
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We came across Ben while looking for a trainer for my 14 year old daughter. Since working with Ben for about 6 months she has become stronger and fit for her football. Ben tailors the gym around what we need and how best to improve her. When she was injured Ben sent us and showed us how to manage her recovery and explain the exercises to us. Ben is very good at his job and puts in a lot of time with us changing dates and times to suit my daughters very busy footballing schedule
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 William Shanahan 
 
12 days ago
 
 
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After having two hip operations and suffering a stroke I have struggled with mobility and balance issues. The thought of joining a gym was daunting but I found Push and Pull Health in Station Road, Herne Bay.
I arranged to meet with Ben and the first thing I noticed was the cleanliness and equipment in the gym.  After discussing various health issues I decided to book personal 1-1 sessions.  I feel I am really benefitting from my sessions and would highly recommend Ben.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Arnold Giles 
 
26 days ago
 
 
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 Dreams Estates -Kent 
 
40 days ago
 
 
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I run my own business, so time's always tight.

I got to the stage where I knew I needed to sort out my exercise and diet routine before the dad bod took over completely.

A mate recommended Ben and Push Pull Health, so I started with 1-1 sessions before moving into small-group training once I'd got the basics of my form and technique sorted.

I'm not a huge fan of busy gyms, so the private studio was a big selling point on Station Road, easy to get to from work in town. There's off-street parking too, so I don't waste time hunting for a space.

Training first thing in the morning means it's done and dusted before the working day even starts, rather than something else to squeeze in later when I'm knackered.

It's also made a big difference in my energy and focus throughout the day. I've noticed a significant reduction in stress, which has led me to make better choices around my nutrition.

The personalised coaching is what's kept me showing up, rather than following some generic plan I'd have given up on after a few weeks, as I've done in the past.

I've wasted money on supplements before and been told to cut out entire food groups or persuaded to try another quick fix more times than I can count, so having someone actually explain what matters and what doesn't, without demonising any food, really helped me cut through a lot of noise that's out there!

The accountability side made the biggest difference, though; having someone to check in with kept me consistent in a way I hadn't managed on my own.

30 days in, and I'm already noticing the difference: I'm more consistent, I feel more capable, and I finally feel like I'm on top of my routine and moving away from a dad bod!
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Fiona Bohan 
 
50 days ago
 
 
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I'm only 12 weeks postpartum and, after having a C-section, I reached out to Ben at Push Pull Health as I was really struggling with things like lifting the car seat into the car due to poor upper-body strength. I did plenty of walking and some pelvic-floor-focused ball work during pregnancy, which definitely helped.

However, I do regret not trying more strength-focused prenatal training too, as it's made getting back into my day-to-day routine harder than it might have been.

Since I started training with Ben, I'm already noticing a real improvement not only in my upper-body strength but also in my core and confidence, making simple things like lifting a car seat much easier. I was worried about doing the wrong thing too soon after a C-section, and not really knowing when it was safe to start again, but Ben took the guesswork out of that completely.

My body hasn't felt like mine in a while, and slowly strengthening my core alongside everything else is helping with my mum-tum and rebuilding my confidence. I've never really enjoyed lifting weights before. However, alongside swimming and attending classes when time (and the baby) allow, I've come to appreciate just how important and rewarding getting stronger can be!

Ben has been brilliant from the start — he's incredibly patient, explains everything really clearly, and takes the time to make sure I'm comfortable. Everything is tailored around my recovery, and I never feel pressured to do more than my body is ready for.

Ben has also offered additional support outside sessions through an easy-to-use app that's been really useful for extra home workouts and tracking daily habits, giving me a clear programme to follow when I'm not at the gym.

The nutrition advice has been a huge bonus too, and it has really supported me while breastfeeding, especially in maintaining my milk supply and getting the right balance of nutritious foods for this period in my life. I didn't want to do anything extreme or jump into a crash diet to shift the baby weight, so having proper guidance that actually works alongside breastfeeding has meant a lot. Ben has given me simple meal ideas and quick, easy recipes that I can actually make as a busy mum!

I love that it's a private studio, so I feel comfortable working out at a slower pace while I recover. It's also given me a real reason to take an hour for myself without feeling guilty, which isn't always easy with a newborn. Being able to get to the gym on Station Road easily from home has made a real difference too.

I've already gained enough confidence to start considering the small-group, strength-focused sessions, which I honestly didn't think I'd be ready to consider so soon!

Couldn't recommend Ben and the private studio enough, especially for anyone returning to exercise postpartum and looking for a supportive, knowledgeable and personalised approach
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Janine Browning 
 
75 days ago
 
 
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I met Ben at an over-60s talk he did around the importance of strength training and retaining muscle and power as we age.
I've always liked exercise and already do pilates and swim on a regular basis but wanted to add some strength-based exercise into my routine.  I had started going to a gym but got bored and lost motivation and needed "something" to give me a push - Ben has been that "something".
Push Pull Health is a private studio on Station Road, Herne Bay, with off- street parking.
The personalised sessions have helped improve my exercise form and, with the added structure and consistency that's been missing previously, has reduced the guesswork from past routines.
I've gained a much better understanding of nutrition, calories, portion sizes and why a high-protein diet is important to help me reach my goals. This has also helped me reduce mindless snacking, which has been the hardest habit to break.
Thirty days in, I feel I'm on my way to achieving my goals, including improved tone, muscle strength and losing body fat thanks to Ben's knowledge and encouragement.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Tina 
 
75 days ago
 
 
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I heard about Ben and Push Pull Health at a talk 'Getting Stronger After 60' that I attended.

I haven't set foot inside a gym for many years and the thought of it was quite daunting but after listening to Ben's talk I joined Push Pull Health for the 30-day nutrition and lifestyle course, which includes four gym sessions.

It's a private gym studio on Station Road (with off street parking) which made me feel more comfortable about going.

Recovering from knee surgery Ben has adapted the sessions for me, which means I've still been able to do everything that's asked of me.

Thirty days in, my knee is doing ok, and I feel better in myself, which was really all I was hoping for going into this.  It's also started making me think more about everything, not just training.

I am motivated to continue working toward my goals of getting stronger, fitter and toning up. Thank you Ben.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Bayview Management Incident Reports 
 
99 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. 
I'd been watching my friend Pauline make real progress with Ben over the past 18 months; better mobility, more energy, so I decided it was time to give the gym a go myself.

I'm post-menopausal, in my late 60s, and had a few things going on: high blood pressure being monitored by my GP, a long-standing shoulder issue, and the occasional bout of lower back pain and sciatica. I was also keen to keep my cholesterol in check through diet and exercise and avoid going down the statins route if I could help it.

The sessions at Push Pull Health on Station Road did exactly that: Ben paid close attention to form and technique from the start, introduced exercises to build my core strength, and adapted things where needed.

I try to do as much cardio and aerobic exercise outside the gym as I can, so the strength-focused training complements that nicely.

Like many women my age, I'd heard about the decline in bone density that occurs during menopause. Ben explained what happens to your bones during and after menopause, the drop in oestrogen, and what that means for bone mineral density in the long term.

We introduced some power-specific exercises: slams, skipping, and jumping; movements I'd never had the confidence to attempt previously.

I'd been following an intermittent fasting approach for a while. Still, my eating was erratic, going too long without food and then overdoing the carbs.

The 30-day nutrition course helped me kick-start some motivation around that. No dramatic overhaul, just small realistic tweaks that actually work around a busy lifestyle.

My goals coming in were to build some muscle tone, lose body fat, and get fitter. Thirty days in and I can already feel the difference.
For women in their 60s in and around Herne Bay and Whitstable who've been putting it off, sometimes it just takes seeing someone you know make progress to give you the nudge you need.
  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Richard Salsbury 
 
112 days ago
 
 
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I'll be honest – I'd written off personal trainers entirely. Everything I saw on social media was either someone telling me to get up at 4 am or implying that if I wasn't seeing results, it was a mindset problem.

I'd also had a bad experience with a PT years ago who pushed me too hard, where I felt constantly injured.

I wasn't in a rush to repeat it.

My wife spotted Ben's content online – no-nonsense, no judgement, and refreshingly honest about how exercise can be a massive pain in the arse. That's what struck me, and it was enough to make me come in for a chat at the Push Pull Health studio on Station Road.

I'm a man in my mid-50s and had been through prostate cancer treatment, so I needed someone aware of that without making it the entire focus of every session. Ben got that balance right from the start, and the sessions were tailored entirely around what I needed.

Ben also helped me make a few tweaks to my diet, which, alongside the training, made a noticeable difference to how I felt day-to-day.

I'd been doing electric mountain biking, which, whatever anyone says, does take something away from the cardiovascular side. Since starting the 1-1 personal training sessions in Herne Bay, I feel stronger all round, not just in the legs. My energy is better, my mood has improved, and I've lost a fair amount of weight and toned up.

The sessions are also genuinely enjoyable, which previously they never were. Good music, we take the piss out of each other a bit, and I can be myself.

Too busy? You can make time for your health. Too unfit? You start where you are. Terrified? I would have been the last person to recommend seeing a PT based on my previous experience. Just come and have a chat first; it's nothing like you think it will be.
  
 
 
 
 
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 Google rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 65 reviews