In the crisp London autumn of 2018, my fitness journey was going strong.

Fresh off the academic high of earning a degree in strength and conditioning, my days mostly involved the discipline of training and meticulous nutrition.

I had one burning ambition: to sculpt a physique that was as strong as it looked.

During a regular leg day at my local gym, filled with the familiar clanks of weights and the encouraging murmurs of fellow fitness enthusiasts, I decided to go for a personal best.

The goal was clear: a personal best barbell squat of 150kg.

The first set went great.

But in the second set, just as I was powering through the third rep, a jarring pain shot through my knee—something wasn’t right.

This pain wasn’t just physical; it struck a chord with my confidence.

As a newly appointed personal trainer at Nuffield Health, I prided myself on my knowledge and execution of training techniques. The injury felt like a betrayal by my own body.

Seeking solutions, I turned to Nicola Parkes, a renowned physiotherapist from New Zealand at Nuffield Health.

With her insightful gaze and years of experience, Nicola quickly unearthed the crux of the issue: my quadriceps were like steel, extremely strong, but my glutes were undertrained.

Her diagnosis was a revelation.

Despite my diligent training, which included glute exercises, I had been overlooking the nuances of form, especially in exercises meant to target my glutes.

So, it wasn't precisely the 150kg squat that caused the injury. The accumulation of my leg day routines had been nurturing a dangerous imbalance. The 150kg squat was just my body's final straw.

Under Nicola’s guidance, I went back to the basics. I vividly remember the humbling experience of performing single-leg hip thrusts with just my body weight, feeling the burn in my glutes in a way I never had before.

Each rep was a step towards recovery and a deeper understanding of my body.

This experience reshaped my approach to fitness. It was a strong reminder that true strength lies in the weights lifted and using perfect form.

I emphasise this lesson by guiding others in their fitness quests through my 1-2-1 online coaching. It’s not just about achieving personal bests; it’s about nurturing a strong, balanced, and resilient body.

Suppose you’re eager to embark on a fitness journey prioritising form and results. In that case, you can inquire about my 1-2-1 online coaching by clicking here.

Let’s lift not just weights but also your standards of training.

Speak soon,

Leo

P.S. The images below, from left to right, are:

• When I first got the injury

• Doing Nicola's rehab exercises

• Performing a quadricep extension pain-free after a few weeks

• Eventually, making excellent leg progression again, but with much stronger glutes this time