Marcin Antonczyk Personal Trainer
Marcin moved to the UK after studying physical education at university. He tells Sundried his tips for staying motivated and about life in his dream job of being a PT.
Tell us about your journey to fitness? Where did it all start?
I have always been into sport and fitness; I started playing football at the age of 7 and when I was 15 I got into basketball.
After secondary school I studied physical education at university. That was when I started doing kickboxing, boxing, and judo. I also got into running and finished my first marathon and half marathon. I became a qualified personal trainer while at university.
After university I moved to the UK, gained more qualifications, and started working as a PT in 2010. That was my dream job and I still love it.
I have gone through loads of injuries (back, shoulders) and they kept me away from training for a long time. My main goal is to keep training injury-free, improve mobility, strength and obviously stay in good shape.
Do you follow a specific nutrition plan? If so, what/when do you eat?
I try to keep a good balance in my diet between carbs, protein and fat. I cook and prepare every meal from scratch. I try to eat every few hours and I am a keen learner of new recipes to keep my diet interesting and tasty.
Talk us through your training regime.
I train 4-6 times a week. My training session starts with the strength exercises and always like to finish it with higher intensity, cross fit based routine.
Sometimes I follow strict training plan and the other time I just train whatever I want. It all depends how I feel and what I feel is good for me at a time. When planning my routine I always think long term … it gives me more flexibility with the whole planning.
How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?
I attend different workshops which are fitness-related and also enrol in different courses. A year ago I updated my Level 3 personal training qualification and 2 years ago became a Body Type Nutrition Coach. In the future I am planning to become a Strength and Conditioning Coach.
What are your top 3 trainer tips?
1. Never postpone anything in your life. If you want to change your diet, habits, lifestyle or just start training and exercises… don’t wait until next Monday or next month…. Do it now. If you feel like you need to start something new, this is the best time to do it.
2. Your training sessions don’t always need to be hard. Always train according to how you feel right now.
3. Don’t always stress out about your goals and numbers on the scale. Be happy!
If you could only do one workout for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Squats. They're great for the whole body and posture. If you do more than 10 reps it makes your heart work harder. You can do them with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebell or just body weight.
What are your training aspirations?
After years of training I have understood that you should look after your body and make it the best possible. My main goals are to make my body healthier, leaner, and stronger to so that I can overcome any difficulties.
Why work with Sundried?
It is a pleasure to work for a company that shares the same values that I do. Great ethics, quality and really good range of products.