Let's hear from the Coach! Sponsor Focus: Kinetic Sports

I've mentioned my incredible coach, Ash Tuck, in previous posts and am thrilled to have him on the blog, giving a little more detail on his company, Kinetic Sports. Over to you Ash...

Hard intervals, pyramid sets, time trials: just some of the “fun” Thursday night sessions we routinely sink our teeth into on ‘The Hill’ at Bitton Road Runners. It was during one of these sessions that I first met Rob, immediately trying to gauge his ability and deciding that I could beat him to the top of the 17% incline that we all love to hate - not because I was that much fitter or stronger than Rob, but because I’m horribly competitive!

That competitive edge is one of the main driving forces behind my business: Kinetic Sports. It’s not a case of world domination or trying to get enough athletes on the books to live my life on a yacht, but rather, applying a process of self-improvement with each athlete we work with, allowing them to understand how they best operate with what they’ve got and getting them to be competitive with themselves.

I, like many other young lads, had dreams of playing professional football…Fast forward to 2005 and I’m leaving school as an average Sunday league player and my best sporting achievements include top 5 finishes in the regional Cross Country Championships at schoolboy level. That’s OK though, I still love taking part in and watching pretty much any sport going.

By 2007 I was a qualified Personal Trainer and Sports Massage Therapist living in Reading and working with those wanting to improve general heath and fitness. I was also assisting Reading Athletics Club with strength and conditioning for specific events and providing the all-important sports massages after training sessions. This pattern continued for almost 10 years with a relocation back to Bristol somewhere in the middle.

I then continued working face to face with clients in gyms whilst getting involved with a major commercial job helping to launch a chain of 24hr gyms across the UK. It only took me 24 months to realise that the one-to-one coaching with athletes is where my heart truly lies.

It was also in that period that I gave up playing football (a couple of regional cups had satisfied me enough) and I turned back to running. Naturally, I moved up the distances until I’d completed a 50miler. It was at that point a friend of mine convinced me that Ironman was a good idea. Believe it or not, we’re still friends!

Along the way my skillsets – especially the knowledge in strength training and mobility I gained from personal training and the sports massage qualification – have allowed me to develop areas that endurance athletes often neglect. Keeping athletes injury free and improving their mobility and strength are at the top of our list at Kinetic Sports.

Thirteen years of working with people on an individual basis has also shown me that there are ways to strike a balance between the training and a busy schedule - if you prioritise the right things.

Our team is made up of three professionals: I’m responsible for coaching and providing sports therapy, we have another therapist, Kaisha, and a nutrition coach, Anna. We’re all endurance athletes and try provide as much of an empathetic service as we do a professional business.

When Rob mentioned his plan to complete 500 race miles in a year, culminating in the Marathon Des Sables, all to raise money for Chloe, I was extremely excited to be involved. Not only is it a wonderful cause, but I can make sure he’s doing his homework for an achilles injury of his I treated earlier in the year!

Thanks Ash - inspiration indeed! Learn more about the Kinetic Sports team on their website and grab plenty of training, fitness and nutrition tips on their Facebook and Instagram pages.

To donate to the #Quest4Chloe cause, please click here: DONATE NOW.