We are fitness enthusiasts with a passion for the outdoors, adventure and the beauty of nature.Our expertise include running to strength training and everything in between.
Gym
We started a gym near our hometown with an aim to bring together the community to show that health and fitness should always be enjoyable, challenging, rewarding and done in an environment full of welcoming and supportive like-minded people.
Competition
We have both competed at high a level in a range of sports.
We have brought our knowledge of sports performance together to drive forward our approach to personal training and group training within our gym, and now to many others through this course in the beautiful French alps.
Why nature
We love our active lifestyle, enjoy exercise, and love adventurous activities. Being in the fresh air is great to create a sense of calm and clarity. The tranquil surroundings are great for mental health. Having a break away from the routine of life is relaxing and inspiring.
We have created serene fitness adventures to incorporate our love for the outdoors, the stunning views in the alps, and our passion for health and fitness training. We want to show our clients how to use the natural landscape to improve their mental and physical health.
We enjoy using our surroundings to improve our own general health and fitness with hikes, walks and running, alongside activities such as paddleboarding, cycling, swimming and team sports.
Listening to the gentle breeze, or bird song, while enjoying a fitness pilates session is one of the best ways to start your day!
The altitude makes a huge difference to oxygen intake and therefore how much we can physically exert ourselves, altitude training is great for general health gains, but also fantastic for sport performance.
Gavin
I started training when I was just 11. First it was Judo and mainly because I wanted to lose weight, I saw myself as a fat kid.
Very quickly I realised how competitive I was and by the age of 14 I had started competing. I was a black belt by 17, I fought for the GB Squad and also became a British Judo Association qualified coach.
I needed fresh challenges though and I was attracted by the rigorous training and tight discipline of kickboxing and during my time in the sport I had a number of full contact bouts winning most of them.
By now I was in my early 20s and decided to make a huge change to my own training. I started training and then competing in strongman competitions travelling all over the country for the thrill of competition.
I was taking part at a national level in my weight category and I went on to win many events. I also competed in powerlifting, crossfit and obstacle course races, but only for fun. I loved the thrill of competing, the buzz of a victory and the friendships, camaraderie and support you gain from being involved in sport.
After 15 years of competitive sport and many personal achievements. I turned my attention and my competitive instincts to business and opened a gym, where I have been using my knowledge and experience to help others achieve their own physical and sporting goals.
My career has always been in the health and fitness industry, I never wanted to do anything else. I started working in a sports centre, teaching multiple sports to children, adults and families. I then gained my personal training qualification and started to work for a military preparation college as a physical training instructor.
I enjoyed teaching a Btec in a classroom, but couldn’t wait to get outside and put the students through a series of physical challenges to help them attain their own goal – which was passing the forces selection process.
Never afraid of a challenge, it was at this time I started my own personal training business, and took the big step to become a full time PT shortly after.
In 2018 I opened my own gym and continued to work with many clients over the coming years. I found it hugely rewarding to work with older people for example and with those taking their first steps into the gym, people who wanted to train for general health benefits like prolonging life, improving mental health and losing body fat.
Kate and I have been working together for the last three years and we have gone from strength to strength. I’m very proud of our achievements to date and very excited to be able to pass on knowledge and experience on to many others through Serene Fitness Adventures.
- Level 3 in personal training
- Level 3 diploma in personal training
- Advanced level apprenticeship in advanced fitness
- Level 3 higher sports leadership
- Level 2 in fitness instructing
- Level 2 diploma in instructing exercise and fitness
- Level 2 tutor in community sports leadership
- Level 2 Judo coach
- Non contact boxing and pad work instructor
- Sport coach UK - coaching methods and communication
- Sport coach UK - equity in your coaching
- Sport coach UK - how to coach disabled people in sport
- Coaching methods and communication
- Fitness instructing level 2
- Personal training level 3
- Nutrition for healthy lifestyle
- Advanced nutrition for sports & athletes
- Spin instructor
- Fitness pilates instructor
- Aqua aerobics
- Group exercises instructor
- Kettlebell class instructor
- Armageddon instructor
- Athletics coach
Kate
In primary school I was very sporty. I was always in the netball team and always did well in cross-country and I loved sports day.
I started swimming every morning from the age of 16, I loved having that as a fixed part of my routine; getting up and out of the house each morning for a walk, a run, or just to be out enjoying the sunrises and the outdoors is important to me. It’s my time to lose myself and have clarity.
After a couple of years of swimming, I decided to start attending a gym and joined the classes. Initially it was great but I fell into the trap of doing too much of the same thing and not eating enough calories. This turned something healthy into something very unhealthy and before I knew it I was very deep within an eating disorder.
I knew I didn’t want to stop training – it was my passion – so the only option for me was to learn the rights and wrongs of training and the importance of good nutrition. I suppose looking back this is when my fitness journey really began.
I studied for my level 3 personal training qualification and at the same time did a course on nutrition for a healthy lifestyle and advanced nutrition for sports performance. I loved every second of learning and gained so much. Not only that, I was implementing everything I was learning into my own daily training. Importantly I was eating right, enjoying food again and seeing real benefits in my own performance.
Before long I was the fittest and healthiest I had ever been, was excited to be able to start helping others and was confident I could help people achieve their goals in the right way.
Turning fitness into a career started at a gym when I began teaching classes. After a while it was time to take the next step and start my own personal training business and operate my own classes. Fast forward a few years and I now run Rye Bay Fitness with Gavin as the lead personal trainer and class instructor. I have found my niche and specialise in HIIT and spin training.
It’s been the most rewarding decision I have ever made. My passion lies in helping others achieve their goals by sharing my expertise and teaching classes that I thoroughly enjoy. Seeing clients achieve their goals, grow and gain confidence is truly remarkable.
I have taken part in many types of training over the course of my fitness career, including weight training, CrossFit, obstacle course racing and endurance sports. However, I found that I was being drawn towards the world of ultra marathon running.
It’s been hard, but very rewarding. I enjoy working on my mental toughness and pushing myself beyond what I think is possible. I have completed several 50km, 100km, 100 mile and 24 hours races and I have realised I have found my niche in sports.
I initially began my journey solely with the aim of completing these races and now I see myself as a serious and competitive athlete. I have numerous podium finishes and have set female course records. I am capable of consistently occupying the top spot at most events, owing to the implementation of proper structure, discipline, adequate training and adequate fuel.
Gavin and I bring together our desire to help others in all aspects of health and fitness. We have created Serene Fitness Adventures to bring together like-minded people to share our experiences in amazing surroundings.
