Emma Ludlow Personal Trainer

Emma is a powerlifter who also runs a health and fitness blog. She talks to Sundried about life as a personal trainer. 

Please tell us about sporting events you have taken part in or have coming up. 

Last year I started competing in powerlifting and came fourth in my weight category at the British Championships. I have also won gold medals at regional level. I am currently training for a South East regional competition and hope to qualify for this year’s British Championships.

Tell us about your journey to fitness? Where did it all start?

I began gymnastics training at age six and progressed to trampolining, athletics and swimming. I’ve always been sporty, but I got really serious about fitness when I joined a gym run by personal trainers. Whilst there, I learnt about kettlebell training and the benefits of weight training for women. The London 2012 Olympics inspired me to change career (I used to be a journalist) and make my passion for fitness my business.

What are your training goals now?

I train primarily to get stronger and would particularly like to hit a 100kg squat in competition. I narrowly missed a medal at the British Powerlifting Championships last year, so would really like to make the medal rostrum this year.

Tell us one unusual fact we wouldn’t know about you:

I’m obsessed with 80s music and even named my personal training business after an 80s band (Swing Out Sister).

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and shout about your business and talents. If you don’t champion your career, no one else will.

Do you follow a specific nutrition plan? If so, what/when do you eat?

I’m a fierce opponent of fad diets and try not to be too regimented about food. However, I follow the 80:20 rule, eating a healthy, high protein diet 80% of the time and treating myself to a little of what I fancy 20% of the time. With my active lifestyle, I find eating five small meals a day keeps hunger at bay and controls sugar cravings.

What do you do to keep your clients motivated? Do you have any top tips to keep motivated?

Seeing progress is such an important motivator. When I first meet my clients, I ask them how they would like me to track their progress. I then give them regular updates, whether that’s taking measurements, weight, loads lifted or before and after pictures.

Talk us through your training regime.

I do four weights sessions per week in the gym: two upper body and two lower body sessions. The sessions are built around the three key lifts: squat, deadlift and bench press. I also do two 25-minute HIIT sessions per week for cardiovascular fitness and weight maintenance.

How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?

I write a successful health and fitness blog which has made it through to the finals of the UK Blog Awards 2018. I’m regularly researching posts, so I make sure I keep on top of new studies and fitness news.

What are your top 3 trainer tips?

1. Be consistent. Looking after your health is a lifetime commitment, not a temporary measure.
2. Accept that success will require hard work.
3. Eat real food. The only way to be sure of what’s in your meal is to prepare it from scratch.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Protein cheesecake

Why work with Sundried?

I like Sundried’s ethical brand values and low carbon footprint. Sundried’s activewear is practical, functional and looks fantastic.