PAUL RUSSELL (coach mustard)
I believe in hot custard on cold pudding and cold custard on hot pudding.
Founder of THE FIT BOX, CHESTAN ROCK & PROJECT TRULOCO
THE FIT BOX
INSTRUCTOR/PT
I became a fitness instructor because I liked the idea of wearing shorts and t-shirts every day and was excited about the ongoing justification to buy new trainers. My simple, if not shallow aspirations, developed quickly into something more meaningful, as I met, was mentored, and inspired by exceptional colleagues, bosses, teachers, and coaches.
TEACHER/STUDENT
In 2006 I found myself at the beginning of a teaching qualification and mentorship programme. Assisting the delivery of PT courses during the day, then working in the gym and training clients at night. I have now written and directed courses and workshops on multiple continents and have been a student for every single year in industry to date.
GYM OWNER
In 2010, I opened a gym, because the gym I wanted to work in didn't exist. The concept was instructor lead small group training, and in 2013 I wrote the UK's first small group training qualification, pulling together all that I had learned so far from delivering 100+ classes a month, and the knowledge and context derived from teaching personal training qualifications.
COACH
I've worked with semi-professional and recreational athletes since around 2005, including dancers, netball, football, basketball, kickboxing, cage fighting, military applications, and obstacle racing. In recent years I have furthered my professional interest in physical performance with a higher degree of education, to push the needle in athletic training.
CHESTAN ROCK
BASKETBALL
Basketball found me via a visit to my school from the England Basketball Captain, which resulted in me playing for the Thames Valley Tigers and during the golden years of streetball, before taking a long break. I returned to the sport in 2013, and was rubbish. But I don't give up easy, and in 2016, I became the oldest player in history to make the men's basketball team at St Mary's University.
FOOTBALL
Enthusiastic, would be the word that best describes my ability on a football field, but I have enjoyed playing Sunday League for most of my adult life, with friends and family, but also taking part in several charity games at the Broadfield Stadium against Crawley Town - on one occasion, playing in the midfield alongside a former winner of TV's Pop Idol with an Olympic medal winning high diver on the wing.
MARTIAL ARTS
I convinced my mum to let me attend a martial arts class. I was 8 years old, and she came to watch my first session. It was also my last session, as she felt my being shown how to kill a man in three different ways wasn't appropriate. Later I found Taekwondo, and kickboxing (with mums approval), and draw from the wider philosophy of the martial arts to this day.
FITNESSING
Owning a gym where you teach 100+ classes a month requires creativity, and in looking for inspiration and ideas, I found kettlebells, IWT's, suspension systems, obstacle racing, escalating density, fitness events, Olympic lifting, unconventional strength, environmental opportunities, concurrent training, and loads more, and I'm still looking.
PROJECT TRULOCO