Getting pumped

The pumping music, the steady beat of the treadmills, the slamming of heavy weights as they hit the floor. For part-time personal trainer Braden Woods, the UTS Fitness Centre is a home away from home.

With a degree in marine science, certificate III and IV in personal training and fitness, and a love of coastal studies and diving, 24-year-old Woods lives a high-energy, dynamic lifestyle where good health is more than just a passion, it's a way of life.

"I live and breathe all things fitness. I wake up, and if I don't do some sort of work out or physical activity throughout the day, I feel drained and demotivated," he says.

Such 'healthy' enthusiasm is enough to leave the rest of us mere mortals feeling a little deflated and reaching for the cookie tin but Woods maintains a healthy lifestyle is satisfying and achievable.

"Everyone is different. You just have to find those little clicks that are going to get them switched on and help snap them into shape.

"When I'm not at work, I spend a lot of my spare time doing research and getting up to date with studies being done to make sure what I'm telling my clients is correct."

Having worked at the UTS Fitness Centre for two years, Woods first realised his love of getting physical when his interest in science provided a framework for understanding the biology behind fitness.

"My science studies taught me not only the basics behind human biology but also the skills to more efficiently conduct research," says Woods. "It's enabled me to further educate myself in more specific areas of the industry I may be interested in, such as human movement or nutrition."

As the fourth set of large-scale refurbishments takes place at the fitness centre, Woods outlines what members can expect once doors open to the new additions.

"We've got new change rooms, locker facilities and more showers. We have a wet and dry facility downstairs that's a brand new state-of-the-art system. We'll have a whole new gym floor with squat racks, platforms and other new equipment. There'll also be more rooms, meaning we'll soon have 50 classes as opposed to the 20 currently running."

Woods believes the new facilities will help him better cater for staff and students' needs.

"We're going to have a lot more equipment available, which means more options for people. So when I take my own personal clients, I'll be able to use the equipment that I want to use, as opposed to having to jump around to different exercises. Everything is going to be better quality."

His approach to healthy living ensures he is the perfect fitness advocate. His fitness golden rule?

"Nutrition is the bottom line," he says. "Eighty per cent of your fitness is nutrition, so if you don't target your eating habits with your exercise, you're not going to reach your goals."

The biggest problem Woods encounters – both inside the gym and in his daily life – is demotivation. He says he lives to be that agent of change in people so they can experience greater happiness and self-confidence.

"Some people find it hard to get motivated, while others are driven from the start. It can be challenging sometimes but once you get them going, it's really rewarding."

Provided by University of Technology, Sydney