Personal training in Singapore mediocre: celebrity coach Gavin Watterson

Watterson training a client at Ultimate Fitness. (Photo courtesy of Gavin Watterson)

The standard of personal training in Singapore is 'mediocre at best', according to celebrity trainer Gavin Watterson, who has worked in the island-state for seven years.

'There are few world-class trainers here and Singapore is still a good few years behind producing good coaches and trainers, where people appreciate that you get what you pay for. People in general are not willing to pay for quality training,' said the Briton with 22 years of fitness experience.

Watterson, 40, added: 'Having personal training here is more of a fashion accessory. Most people who hire a personal trainer just want 'fluffy' training and are not really bothered about getting results. People mostly use the gym as a release from the guilt of leading an unhealthy lifestyle with the rich food culture.'

In conclusion, he observed that Singaporeans are 'still a little ignorant toward health, nutrition and fitness'.

This despite the staggering diversity of fitness options in tiny Singapore, which houses around 50 gyms under international brands like California Fitness, True Fitness, Pure Fitness, Amore, Fitness First, Virgin Active, Gold's Gym, Anytime Fitness and Celebrity Fitness. There are also over 20 lower-priced heartland gyms like GymmBoxx, The Gym Nation and ClubFITT, and hundreds more boutique gyms, hotel gyms, condominium gyms as well as studios offering specific exercises such as yoga, Pilates or combat sports.

As for personal trainers, it is difficult to put an exact number to it, but there are probably thousands (including freelance), according to cumulative figures from the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics and Fitness (FISAF), American Council on Exercise (ACE) and Sport Singapore which all offer certification in personal training.Photo courtesy of Gavin Watterson

Why he's 'better'

However, Watterson warned that achieving good fitness and health is not just about going to the gym.

' What we put into our bodies is very important, as well as sleep and stress reduction,' he said. ''We are all different and need to be trained differently. As a rule of thumb, clients do not need trainers to put them on any machines. I favour free weights for their numerous advantages.'

Watterson's approach is to assess individual factors like imbalances and weaknesses before customising a workout programme according to specific requirements.He has a comprehensive questionnaire with over 100 questions on medical history, lifestyle, diet, activity levels and goal-setting that all his clients have to fill prior to training.

And it is such attention to wide-ranging detail and customisation which many personal trainers in Singapore lack, claimed Watterson.

Singapore actor Keagan Kang underwent Watterson's R28 programme. (Photo courtesy of Keagan Kang)

Star appeal

Watterson first started lifting weights at 14 and became a national bodybuilding champion four years later. Although he worked in countries like Turkey, Brazil, and the US, it was in his native UK that he helped train world-class athletes from sports like like judo and rowing.

He then took up a gig at a now-defunct Singaporean gym in 2007 before going freelance and later setting up his own place, Ultimate Fitness, in Boon Keng in 2012.

During Watterson's time here, he wrote two books - Reboot Your Body and Ripped in 28 Days - and was a regular guest on radio station KISS92 FM as their health and fitness guru, on top of contributing to various magazines.

He was also a personal trainer to the celebrity likes of Miss Singapore 2000 Eunice Olsen, Paul Foster, Keagan Kang, Julian Low, Rebecca Spykerman and Cheryl Miles, while also guiding the National University of Singapore's rugby team and the Australian International School's elite swimming squad.

Ultimate Fitness eventually shut its doors in March this year and Watterson left for India at the end of April, but not before giving me a taste of his training programme.

Singapore celebrity Paul Foster's before-and-after transformation under Watterson. (Photo courtesy of Gavin Wa ...

Putting it to the test

I spent seven weeks with Watterson, which included going on his 'Ripped in 28 days (R28)' accelerated fat loss programme. This was a strict plan I had to follow on my own, with specific instructions on eating and twice-a-day training (each session not longer than 15 minutes).

In the mornings it would be weights and resistance training while high-intensity interval training occupied the evening sessions. Once a week, all the participants in the programme would meet at Watterson's gym for him to demonstrate the following week's workouts.

I eventually lost 3kg and 4.2% body fat after over a month-and-half of controlling my diet and putting in the hours to work out.

But most helpful for me was the gain in knowledge of nutrition - for example, having to eat 'good' fat tolose fat. Many people tend to wrongly avoid all 'fat' like the plague, but there are good fats in the likes of avocadoes, fish oil pills and coconut oil which are actually useful in helping your body to burn fat.

All in all, I'd say that any weight loss plan requires discipline and commitment, and thefeeling of going hungry is normal as we reduce portions and cut out our favourite comfort foods.