Heather Keltie

Age: 55

Profession: I worked in a global sales role, running a team, involved in the education industry (Has since retired).

Paul was recommended to me by one of my riding coaches. I ride horses, and I fell off frequently. However, it was not just the riding I was struggling with. My work can be very sedentary due to the amount of travel and meetings I undertake, which means I sit down a lot. As a result when I went to do active things I found I just didn’t have the strength and fitness needed to do what I wanted, frequently resulting in lower back pain, a place I experience problems.

My riding coaches often told me that I needed to improve my core strength, which I didn’t think meant doing much more than sit-ups and the like. My dressage coach however recommended I learn the barbell lifts, and undertake a gym based program as a really good way to improve my general strength and core strength. That’s how I came to work with Paul through his service,’ PB Strength & Fitness Mentoring’.

Using this service has been really interesting, my primary reason for coming was to do with my riding, and without a doubt I feel much stronger on my horse, much more able to sit and balance regardless of what its doing under me as I now have the core strength to allow me not to fall off.

There have been lots of other benefits around my general day to day activities though. For example simple things like lifting shopping bags, carrying things around the house or in the garden, and climbing stiles when out for a walk with my dog, are just much easier and I just feel generally much, much better.

I wouldn’t have been able to do this on my own because without Paul I wouldn’t have the motivation to get up early in the morning, to go to the gym, or the knowledge to do what I need to do. The most beneficial feature of the service for me was the close instruction that comes with the 1-2-1 training.   It makes me feel secure when doing the exercises.

This feeling of security has led me to what I feel is my most memorable achievement in the gym. That, I think, is lifting my own body weight in the deadlift, you feel really proud when you do that… and I also like being able to chat with my son and son in law, about how much I can lift compared to them.

I would definitely recommend ‘PB Strength & Fitness Mentoring’ to others, particularly older riders like me who have lost that strength over the years. But also to anybody who’s getting older, because you really feel the benefit of the added strength that comes from the barbell training. 

That strength is something you lose over the years unless you work at it, and if I can maintain this level of strength going forwards I feel confident going into the later years in my life.