Alice Beasley

Age: 38

Profession: Professional dressage rider and coach.

I started working with Paul because my Physiotherapist recommended his service as one that could help with the problem I was experiencing.

I’m a competitive dressage rider and because I was riding very big, and very powerful horses, I began struggling with shoulder pain due to the forces being generated. Unfortunately this was negatively effecting my performance throughout 2015. 

After that, my Physiotherapist, who did a great job at strapping my arm and keeping me competitive throughout, recommended a different approach to handling the problem, and that was to simply get the muscles stronger.

Before now I had always become stronger just through riding, and doing my sport. This was the first time I was unable to achieve my outcome through practice alone, and understandably I was a little sceptical about going to the gym to lift weights. 

I hadn’t actually been in a gym before, well, I had walked into one and straight out again. But I went along and found I liked the environment, its a nice friendly gym and I didn’t feel too intimidated. For somebody who is normally non gym based in their sport this was important to me.

A feature of PB Strength and Fitness Mentoring that was very important to me was the option to train one to one and not in a group, which I personally prefer as I am very used to training that way, and feel the attention to detail and focus on what is needed to be better.

It turned out that my mentor’s (Paul’s) attention to detail and ability to focus in on what I needed to gain from the experience was great and a real benefit as I hadn’t used any gym equipment before training with him. On a side note I particularly liked that Paul was very interested in what I did for a sport and how what we where doing could improve my performance.

I soon found I preferred using the free weights over the machines as I found the machines quite boring, and feel that free weights challenge the body in a much more functional and holistic way. Physically we where just at the point when I was beginning to notice a distinct difference in my riding, when I had to stop due to illness. But I was feeling better, and most importantly I was pain free for all of the competing I did in the 2016 season.

Working with, and continuing to work with, Paul has been a good experience, i’ve found it very interesting learning about nutrition and how you build strength through proper training. I’ve actually been able to apply some of the concepts over into what I do with the horses I train, which has been valuable knowledge.

Finally I have already recommended the service to various friends and clients, and for me its because Paul applies the basics well and is interested enough in me to develop an understanding of my sport, which I know will benefit my clients. I think Paul’s very passionate about what he dose, and generally in life, people who are passionate about what they do are better at it.

P.S. The most memorable thing to me is that I actually enjoyed the gym, which I didn’t think I ever would.