The latest fitness trends, elite personal trainers, wellness gurus and life coaches are increasingly incorporating mind, body, spirituality and healing into their workouts, for a 360-degree holistic approach. Meet the global gurus changing the game.
Personal Trainer: James Duigan
Location: London (as well as Heckfield Place in Hampshire, UK; Turkey and Maldives)
Best for: Stressed-out metropolitans
Pro tip: “Waking up every morning feeling exhausted isn’t normal – it’s common. People need to be kind to themselves.”
The Approach
Bodyism is a complete wellness brand grounded in the belief that mind, body, holistic health and healing start with self-love – and its founder Australian-born James Duigan is considered one of the best life coaches-cum-personal trainers in the world. He pioneered the Lanesborough Hotel Club and Spa in London, where Bodyism and contemporary wellness principles are integrated into fitness programmes. Designed to combat the stresses of modern life through four pillars: mindset (bolstered by meditation and the notion that for any change to occur within the body, it must first do so within the mind), movement (including yoga, invigorating stretching and boxing classes), nutrition (superfoods and super-charged supplements) and sleep (where the real magic happens). James’s programme is ideal for total wellness and to combat stress-induced burnout. Even A-listers sing his praises; “James has made me lean and frankly irresistible,” says Hugh Grant.
Personal Trainer: David Kirsch
Location: New York
Best for: Ambitious Manhattanites
Pro tip: “Sound mind, sound body.”
The Approach
He may have a large client list of celebrity clients, including Jennifer Lopez and Kate Upton who come to him to get their bodies screen-ready, yet Kirsch is known for his down-to-earth, spiritual approach to health, wellness, weight loss and life coaching. As the founder of the famed Madison Square Club in New York, Kirsch has spent two decades studying the connection between mind, body and spirit – he was one of the first wellness gurus to shine a light on the negative impact that technology, smart phones and social media may have on our lives. The author of five books including the best-selling The Ultimate New York Body Plan, Kirsch’s philosophy is that the highest levels of fitness must incorporate wellness as a whole.
Master Coach: Christine Hassler
Location: California
Best for: Millennials and over-achievers
Pro tip: “There is no ‘there’ and we are never ‘done’.”
The Approach
Hassler worked as a Hollywood agent until her high-achieving, high-pressure life fell apart, at the age of 25. Concluding that she needed to bring more meaning to her life and career, Hassler retrained as a life coach, a challenge that proved much tougher than she had expected. This, however, provided the inspiration for her own programme, which aims to teach how to effectively and productively channel the pressure we put ourselves under, and to overcome our fears and limitations. The author of The 20-Something Manifesto and Expectation Hangover: Free Yourself from Your Past, Change Your Present and Get What You Really Want, Hassler also has a hugely successful podcast called ‘Over It and On With It’, which combines life coaching with spiritual psychology, in order to empower people in every aspect of their lives.
Jocko Willink
Location: Washington State
Best for: Tough Mudder-types and hard-bitten martial arts addicts
Pro tip: “Discipline equals freedom.”
The Approach
Former SEAL Task Unit Bruiser commanding officer John ‘Jocko’ Willink and his Echelon Front organisation promote a lifestyle of ‘Extreme Ownership’, through powerful mind and body techniques acquired on the battlefield. Willink states, “Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges.” He also believes that if you want to achieve something, you need to stop over-analysing and get out of your comfort zone – be it climbing a mountain or tackling work-related stress head on. “The secret is to take the first step and make your body move before your mind has the chance to rationalise”. This no-holds-barred approach to life coaching and leadership instruction has seen the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt grace the ‘holy trinity’ of podcasts as a guest interviewee - The Tim Ferriss Show, Waking Up with Sam Harris, and The Joe Rogan Experience. He also counts executives from Boeing, Microsoft and Shell as clients. And as proof of his own disciplined routine, Jocko posts a close-up of his wristwatch at 4:30am, on Instagram every day.
Need help getting on the road to ultimate fitness, health and wellness or finding the ideal life coach to suit your needs and lifestyle? Contact your Lifestyle Manager for expert guidance
