Fit Bits: Simon Watts helps clients get stronger through reformer Pilates

Simon Watts is a personal trainer, Reformer Pilates instructor and Cancer Exercise Specialist based who runs Yes You Can Fitness in Bury St Edmunds

My fitness story

I qualified as a PT in 2017, and later added qualifications for Reformer Pilates, GP Referral and Exercise for Cancer Rehab. I was motivated to start Yes You Can Fitness by my dad, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018. He was prescribed a 12-week exercise programme as part of his treatment and seeing the positive difference it made to his side effects and general wellbeing, I realised I could help others reap the same benefits. I’m passionate about the power of health and fitness to enable people to live full and active lives. My goal with Yes You Can Fitness is to build peoples’ confidence to exercise - my ethos is to focus on what someone can do, not what they can’t.

Where I work

I’ve recently relocated from London to Bury St Edmunds and established a private studio for 1-2-1 work online and in-person. The studio is equipped with a Reformer Pilates machine, and a range of strength and resistance equipment to help people build up their fitness and come back stronger. Whether someone is recovering from cancer, surgery or just looking to get fitter and stronger, I can help.

There’s a lot of new academic research showing the benefits of exercise on cancer, and I’ve been part of two clinical trials looking at the effects. I work with people during and after treatment for a range of cancers, adjusting sessions according to their treatment schedules, side effects, and energy levels on a given day.

Why I love my job

I love that I get to help people realise what their body is capable of and seeing them gain confidence in what they can do. It’s incredibly satisfying working with people throughout a difficult period in their lives and seeing them get back to doing the things they love.

My go-to quick workout

If I am short on time, then I will prioritise my mobility, and do 20 minutes on the Reformer machine. It’s full body, so I feel like I’ve worked everything and it’s just enough to give me that endorphin hit, which makes me feel good for the rest of the day.

My favourite feel-good long workout

I enjoy training with a mix of free weights, resistance bands and the Reformer machine. It’s a good combination to build strength and work on mobility and flexibility. It’s also kinder on the joints, which is important as we age! All my training sessions are under an hour, unless it’s a game of tennis when I’ve hopefully taken the match to a deciding set.

The energy-boosting snack I swear by

I like to keep it simple – I find a black coffee, a banana and a handful of nuts gives me the boost I need to train, without feeling too full, or experiencing the nasty crashes you can get from energy drinks.

My indulgent treat food

Pretty much every kind of takeaway! Generally, I follow the 80-20 approach, where I eat a healthy, balanced diet for 80 per cent of the time, and then enjoy some of my favourite foods in moderation, for the remaining 20 per cent. I encourage my clients to do the same -it’s more sustainable than severely restricting calories or doing fad diets, which is unrealistic given our busy lives.

How I kickback and relax

Right now, I’m exploring all that Bury St Edmunds has to offer; there’s so much going on here. I’m enjoying sampling the restaurants and pubs (in moderation of course!), learning about the town’s history, and discovering new dog walking routes.

My top tip for anyone who needs motivating to start exercising

Don’t try to do too much too quickly – set yourself small daily goals just to move more, then build that up over time. I think the best form of exercise is the one you enjoy doing – and that doesn’t have to mean going to the gym or out for a run – activities like dancing, gardening and walking are all good forms of exercise. If you enjoy it, you are more likely to stick with it, and it’s that consistency over time which really makes the difference.

Find out more at yesyoucan.fitness or email info@yesyoucan.fitness

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