WARO’s Dom Smith talks to his personal trainer, Tom Cowen about what sets him apart from other PTs, his love of theatre and mission statement for what he wants to achieve.
Cottingham’s Tom Cowen is a motivational personal trainer who’s work has been spotlighted, not just locally, regionally but nationally. His ethics around supporting others are admirable, and you can listen/watch the full chat below.
Here, Tom reflects first on his attitude to success, given that he has had numerous newspaper features and national coverage: “To see someone come through the door with weight or mobility issues – for me to help them feel more confident when they come in, is a massive win for me.”
In terms of Tom’s thoughts on how personal training can be of help to someone with a difference, disability or mental health issue, he says: “Fitness is so vast, and I don’t think of disability as a barrier. We can adapt an exercise as needed. We put a system into place that works for you.
“Exercise is so key so that people can feel more positive, and can get a real lift from it.”
Tom has also been open about his own body confidence issues in the past, and states that he’s still not fully overcome them. He comments: “Those issues are always around in certain aspects,” he says. “I used to get bullied, and I empathise with people who struggle. I have clients who are younger, and they’re trying to find their way. When they feel not great about themselves, I can say I have been there before.”
Tom also mentions here that personal training has helped define who he is as a person, and attributes that to the different types of people (from different backgrounds) he meets: “It helps you become a lot more rounded.”
In terms of valuable key skills that help him as a personal trainer, Tom references “compassion” first and foremost: “It’s okay having the business knowledge, but you have to understand people. That comes with time though.”
As a self-described “geek”, Tom gleefully discusses his interests outside of the PT world, and talks about his love of theatre and Marvel movies, however, he says he hasn’t always been so confident: “Until recently, I was worried about what people thought. I don’t live by regrets, but I would have done something in theatre, and been less worried!”
Watch the full chat (where Tom discusses his favourite musicals, movies and wrestlers) here:
Listen here:
For more information on Tom visit:
https://www.instagram.com/tomcowenpersonaltraining/
https://www.facebook.com/TomCowenPersonalTraining
