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Dylan Smulders Personal Trainer

Sundried Ambassador Personal Trainer

Dylan grew up in South Africa and is now Head Coach at a prestigious gym in London. He talks to Sundried about all things fitness and nutrition.

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

Growing up in South Africa, I have always been passionate about fitness and sport. Having tried most sports from MMA to water polo I have always wanted to try and stay in the best shape possible. It all started at age 12 at home with a few free weights in my bedroom and I am now the Head Coach and Master Personal Trainer at Virgin Active in Paddington. Working with my team and my clients is my passion, I love making a difference in people’s lives as well as my own. 

What are your training goals now?

I am currently training purely to stay functional and fit. I do not train for aesthetics but purely so that I can overcome any task thrown at me both physically and mentally. Having completed open water swims and runs I feel the next challenge may need to be a triathlon. 

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

When I was 12 I accidentally cut off my finger when an iron cast table fell on top of it. I still have it though! The finger and the table! 

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

I used to train purely to see how heavy I could go and to try prove things to other people. Burry your ego and do it for yourself! Not to impress others. 

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

I do not follow any specific plan at the moment but I do try to eat as healthily as possible during the week (staying away from carbs). I don’t drink fizzy drinks and try to stay away from anything high in sugar.

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

Make training your hobby so that it does not feel like a task. Training should be both fun and rewarding so find a way to have fun whilst getting the results. I can often be seen getting my clients to bowl over foam rollers with a medicine ball or listen to “sing along” music to keep them going! Each person needs different styles of motivation so find out what motivates yourself or your clients and drive success through that. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing change. 

Talk us through your training regime.

I train 5 days per week on a split routine. On a Monday I train chest and biceps. Tuesday I do HIIT. Wednesday is leg day. Thursday is HIIT. Friday is back, shoulders, and triceps.

How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?

Everyone you meet has something that they can teach you. Talk to other fitness professionals as well as read and do your own research. Don’t believe everything you read!

What are your top 3 trainer tips?

  1. Don’t train alone.
  2. Set clear goals.
  3. Rest and reward is just as important as training.

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

Smoked salmon.

Why work with Sundried?

I believe that with the way the world is at the moment we are in desperate need of ethical,- guilt-free clothing. The quality of Sundried's clothing is better than well known brands and you feel like an absolute champion when you put it on! Sundried means you can train, feel great, look great and save the world at the same time! What’s not to like?

Favourite fitness quote:

"If it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you."

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