Ben Shepherd Personal Trainer

Ben is a personal trainer who lives and breathes fitness. He talks to Sundried about life in the fitness industry.

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

I have taken part in Tough Mudder and I even made the highlight reel on YouTube! I have played rugby competitively for the RAF and my local club. I even tried my hand at bobsleigh for the RAF.

Have you always been into sport?

I have been into sport from a young age but my true fitness journey began with sports science studies and from there I moved into personal training. My time in the military also increased my love and need of fitness.

What are you fitness goals now?

My goals now involve being fit for purpose! I am a firefighter so being fit and strong is a necessity. I also play rugby so remaining healthy and injury-free is paramount.

What's an interesting fact about you?

I’m related to a Victoria's Secret Angel!

What advice would you give your younger self?

If I could go back in time and advise my younger self it would be to stretch and train smarter.

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

I don’t follow a specific nutrition plan, but I do track what I eat to keep an eye on calorie intake. I also ensure I’m eating my macros correctly. I try to eat healthy whole foods and I drink plenty of water.

How do you keep your clients motivated?

When training clients I aim to keep them motivated by keeping sessions tailored. If it’s not personalised and specific to the client it will not be effective or enjoyable.

Talk us through your training regime.

My training regime consists of 4 days lifting with 4 days involving cardio/functional training. My lifting days focus on four main aspects:- deadlifts, chest press, pull ups, and squats. Then I add isolation work for smaller muscle groups fluidly as I feel/need. Cardio/functional training varies and will generally involve rugby training, biking and barefoot running using Sundried’s barefoot running shoes.

How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?

I’m always reading to keep my fitness knowledge current, I listen to podcasts and audio books, especially when out running.

What are your top 3 trainer tips?

1. Eat healthy whole foods
2. Drink water
3. Keep moving

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

Pancakes! All the pancakes!

Why work with Sundried?

Sundried appealed to me as I fell in love with their ethics and their great quality products for an affordable price.

Favourite fitness quote:

“Your body can stand almost anything. It’s your mind you have to convince!”