Police officer turned online coach, Gary Carpenter, specialises in helping his former colleagues improve their health and fitness. He’s offering Federation members a discount on his services, but what’s actually involved in being coached by Gary, and how do you know if he’s the right trainer for you?
We caught up with Gary to find out more and began by asking him to explain how he works.
People normally contact me when they want to make some form of change, usually around their physical health, but mental health can also be involved. I receive their application, and the first thing I do is jump on a call. It’s not a hard sell - I'm not a salesperson in the slightest - it’s about getting an understanding of what that person is looking for. We talk through the programme, what I can do, and how I can help them.
If that person decides to sign up, we will discuss the finer details on our next call. The programme lasts four months, so we consider long-term goals but also concentrate on the first four weeks. Most people want to lose a few pounds, feel better, and get into a better routine but some have an event in mind, like a marathon.
We then discuss exercise, shift work, and habits. We look at what they like and don’t like doing, and we incorporate their shifts so that we can formulate a programme tailored to them.
So, do I need to have access to a gym to be able to work with you?
You don’t have to train in a gym; you could do it at home. The most important thing is being realistic. I don't want people to turn around and say, "I could do five days a week," and then do nothing. I don't want to set people up to fail. If you can commit to two or three days a week, that’s perfect. Even one day is something. We can always incorporate more movement over time.
You mentioned habits; tell us more about that.
We will discuss how much food you have in a day and how we can incorporate positive habits, such as drinking a pint of water every morning. We might also discuss electrolytes and supplements and track food and protein intake. But some of it will be different from what people might be used to because everything I do is about supporting police officers.
Yes, you touched on shift work earlier. As a former officer yourself, you must understand the challenges your clients are facing.
I did 12 years of shift work. In fact, I spent almost 17 years in the police, so I know the stresses, I know the tribulations, and I know that things get in the way. There are lots of health and fitness coaches out there. They do a fantastic job. But if they don't understand policing, that can be a problem. They're going to expect you to do things that are just not right for you. They’re not going to understand the impact of being warned for court or staying on to deal with an arrest.
There are some incredibly important things to think about for police officers. What their role is in policing, how busy they are, what shifts they work, what their home life looks like, and whether they have a family. What we’re trying to do is build sustainable routines and habits. It’s not a quick fix or a fad. The idea is that they come on board, they learn something about themselves, and they create habits that fit their lifestyle, and then they continue to do that for, well, hopefully forever.
The weekly check-ins we have as part of the programme are part of creating and maintaining those changes. This is incredibly important. My clients have a form to fill in each week, and they have 24 hours to do that, considering that many of them work shifts. Not only is it the client's accountability - it's a great way to see how they’re doing and for them to be honest with themselves – but it also helps me to coach them for the next week and give them further goals. One of the first questions on the form is, What's your win this week? And that could be a simple thing such as, I walked in the gym. Great. That's a great win because some people have severe anxiety about the gym.
Aside from the shifts, are there other common problems or challenges you see in this client group?
There are a few. One is just how busy people are. Cops are incredibly challenging to coach, and I mean that in the nicest way possible. It's partly because we have a mentality around how we deal with things. We're quite upfront and to the point, which I like a lot. But cops work all over the place, potentially mixing earlies, lates and nights, so you're tired at different times of the day and week. That's why it takes some time to get into the rhythm and the routine and to build it in.
There’s also a lot of peer pressure at work. If it's someone's birthday, if someone made a mistake, they're bringing in cakes. You might bring in food you’ve prepped, but if the rest of the team is going for ‘dirty refs’, you’re going to feel a bit left out or pressured into getting a takeaway, too.
The other one is the anxiety I mentioned. I don't know if I expected it, and I think it depends on the person, but I see anxiety around the gym in a lot of people. That’s incredibly challenging for a coach to deal with, but it can be done. It boils down to far more life coaching techniques and strategies than just health and fitness. We’ve got to understand these limiting beliefs and self-doubt before we can help people exercise and become fitter.
What is it you enjoy most about being an online coach?
I love seeing transformations. Those moments when people realise they've made a change and get a win are the best thing ever because it's all on them. I might have supported them, but they've done the hard work. That's the best thing about it: the job satisfaction.
If you’re ready to make changes to your lifestyle, Gary is ready and waiting to help you. He is offering members of BTP Federation a 20% discount on online services. Find out more here.