Do you feel fighting fit when it comes to your speaking skills or are you more on the ‘ring shy’ side of things if asked to step up a podium?

For years I associated the phrase “no pain no gain” with exercise videos made by Jane Fonda – an advocate of the ‘feel the burn’ school of exercise – in the 80s.

Silly me. It turns out that this catch phrase wasn’t original. The US patriot and founding father (and inspirational speaker) Benjamin Franklin coined these words back in 1758 in his essay ‘The Way to Wealth’.

Who knew?

But here’s the thing, just as those who promote fitness may learn a thing or two about how to inspire more of us to turn up at gyms by paying attention to great communicators – who use the power of their words, stories and imagery to motivate people towards action…

…Those who’d like to feel more confident about their ability to inspire others with their words can learn from fitness gurus too.

There are more parallels between the worlds of personal trainers and speech makers than you may realise.

And in today’s interview, you’ll hear why as Eamonn O’Brien speaks with one of Ireland’s leading personal trainers, Matt Corbett of Kiwifit.ie,  about helping people to break through barriers of uncertainty (and more) that get in the way of achieving the results we want. And there are lessons in all of these ideas that all speakers can take to heart.

What Every Speaker Can Learn From Personal Trainers

Listen in as we chat about:

• Overcoming the most common obstacles that stop people from getting the results they want.
• Physical and mental challenges that need to be overcome
• Why you can get in your own way by making assumptions not based on ‘knowledge’
• Why little and often wins every time
• The single most important thing you need to boost your physical and mental well being
• The power of fueling your actions with the right kind of ammunition
• What is at the heart of feeling more motivated
• And more.

Over to You

Please feel free to share any questions, comments or opinions you have about today’s podcast.

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Full Transcript of Interview

Eamonn O’Brien:  Today, we’re going to be talking about fitness and what you can learn from personal trainers when it comes to your speaking.

We have with us Matt Corbett.

Matt is an expert in all manner of things physical: physical exercise science, neuromuscular therapy, weight loss, muscle gain, injury rehabilitation. He’s a fellow who can get you in shape.

Tell me a little bit about the world of trying to get people fit. I imagine many people come in your door and they’re mad keen to get fit. Then for many, it doesn’t quite happen.

In your experience, what stops people?

Matt Corbett:  Probably the biggest thing that stops people from getting results is not committing time and allocating time for their fitness.

Whether it’s two hours a week or five hours a week, if they commit their time and stick to it, plan it, stick it in their diary, then they’re a lot more likely to succeed.

The people that struggle are the people that always come up with excuses for not doing something. I’ll find the people that commit, they do the hard work.

I always say to my clients that the hardest part of the workout is getting through the door. Once you’re here, it’s easy.

Eamonn:  [Laughs] So if you make the commitment at the outset, that’s going to make a world of difference.

Matt:  Yeah.

Eamonn:  Is there anything else you think that makes a difference?

What are the challenges, if you like? What are the physical and mental challenges that get in the way?

Matt:  One of the biggest mental challenges I see is people who don’t see immediate results.

They find that they’re looking short term, that they’re not seeing the bigger picture. They jump on the scales each week, and they’re not seeing the 2- or 3-kg drop that they want to.

Probably the big thing is, look at the bigger picture. It’s not just about weight loss. It’s about reducing blood pressure… all the things you can’t see, health benefits and sleeping better and all that sort of thing.

People need to look at those benefits as well as the scales. The other thing is, as I said, look long term. It might only be ½ lb, but it’s ½ lb in the right direction. If you continue over 6, 12 months of losing half a pound every three weeks, then eventually, you’ll lose more.

Eamonn:   If you put the time and the effort in, you’re going to get a better result.

Matt:  Exactly.

Eamonn:   But you do have to commit to that, I suppose. [chuckles]

Matt:  Yeah. Probably another thing that people would struggle with is they look at what they want now, as opposed to what they want the most.

For example, out for dinner, they want a glass of wine with dinner. They want them because it’s immediate and now. But the thing they want the most is something over a longer term.

Eamonn:  Tell me, is that a matter of knowledge? Is that where people maybe don’t really connect the dots and see that this has that consequence?

Matt:   Yeah, I think you’re right. They don’t realise the consequence, and they think, “Oh, it’s just one glass of wine.” Tomorrow it’s, “Just two biscuits.” The next day it’s, “Just a bit of this,” sweets or whatever.

So gradually, over the week, it all adds up.

It’s the same as the weight loss. A little pound here gradually adds up if you lose it. But also, a chocolate bar here and a glass of wine there are all going to add up over the week as well.

Eamonn:   So we can almost undermine ourselves before we start.

Matt:  Exactly.

Eamonn:   [Laughs] Well look, I was saying to you earlier on that dogs don’t really lose our homework; we do sometimes in these things.

You talked about the importance of planning and preparation. What level of commitment does somebody need?

Take somebody who hasn’t been fit for a while or maybe is just starting. What level of commitment do they need to get to a good level of confidence and result?

Matt:   For gym-based workout, it only two or three gym-based sessions a week. They’ll be coming and doing the fitness regime. It only needs to be 30 or 40 minutes, two or three times a week.

What I would say is that for long-term, overall health, is you want to be doing activities six days out of seven. The concept of just doing two or three gym sessions a week is not enough.

When I say activity, it can be going for a walk in the park, kicking a ball around in the backyard with your kids, having a game of tennis, going for a swim. It doesn’t need to all be gym based.

But if you have six days out of seven where you’re active, doing something, moving for 20 or 30 minutes a day, then that’s going to give great health results. It’s going to mean you’re going to move better, be stronger and healthier.

Eamonn:   Going back to the homework side of things, it’s like the kid who leaves it to the last minute to do something, and then wonders why three hours later and exhausted, he hasn’t gotten the results that he wants.

Matt:   That’s right. Taking small steps 20 minutes a day, going for a walk, small steps over a period of six months, you’d probably cover a couple of marathons.

Eamonn:   If there were three things that produce results more than anything else, what would be top of your list?

Matt:   In health and exercise, my big three, top of the list would be sleep. You don’t lose weight. Your health is seriously undermined if you don’t sleep.

Plan your sleep as well. A lot of people are working or watching on electronic devices right up to the minute before they go to bed. It disrupts your sleep.

You need a plan. Switch off the TV, unwind, get yourself into a good routine, and then you’ll have your sleep.

Eamonn:   I’m assuming that’s not just the physical side of things. Clearly, with the mental side of things, that’s hugely important, I imagine.

Matt:   Yeah, mental. In terms of people’s stress and how they deal with stress, having that good sleep period and good sleep routine really helps.

Eamonn:   So sleep would be number one.

Matt:   For sure. Nutrition, again, will be number two.

It’s the same as what you were talking about: planning your nutrition, planning your meals, planning your week, planning when you’re going to do your grocery shopping.

If you break it up same as you would for training… “Right, for the next three days, I’m going to be eating these meals. So I’m going to go shopping for the next three days and get these foods.”

Eamonn:  That’s the important bit actually, because that’s the tie-in back to all sorts of things – including what I do on the speaking side of things – that it’s breaking things down into small, manageable chunks, rather than feeling, “I got overwhelmed when I tried to do this.”

Matt:   That’s right…Because you’re not going to get in shape overnight. You probably won’t even see a significant change in two or three weeks.

But over a period of six to eight weeks, you should definitely see a change. It’s just taking those small steps.

Eamonn:  Tell me, in terms of the bigger sin maybe, what do you think is top of the list, the thing that really kind of wrecks a plan before it gets cracking?

Matt:   I think just not recognising that what you eat is going to have a detrimental effect on your training and your results, alcohol in particular.

Alcohol consumption is just so large, and it’s just such a part of our social interactions. It’s very difficult for people to not drink alcohol. But the effect that alcohol has, in particular, on weight loss, sleep, and your overall health is quite huge.

Eamonn:  Last question. This has to do with, if you like, the mentality of somebody who’s trying to get fit.

What do you think is at the heart of helping people to feel motivated?

Matt:   What I would suggest is have a why. What is your reason for doing it?

I’ve heard lots of different ones. But I find, for example, that these clients I have, women training for their wedding, they will do anything you tell them. They will sleep with a fish on their head if it means they’re going to get in that wedding dress.

Why is it you want to get in shape? Is it to fit in that little black dress, new pair of jeans? Is it for so you can kick a soccer ball around with your kids at home? Whatever it is, you have to tap into that.

Eamonn:  So you don’t have to tuck your belly in when you go to the beach. [laughs]

Matt:   So you look great on the beach, on your daughter’s wedding, or whatever it is; so that you can do your kids proud on parents-children sports day.

Whatever it is, have that reason nearby, whether it’s on the fridge, on the bedside table. So when you wake up, you’ll see it.

Eamonn:  Remind yourself.

Matt:   Remind yourself and just keep at it, because the motivation comes from within.

I can stand there all day and flog the bejeezus out of people. But if it doesn’t come from within, you’re really going to struggle.

Eamonn:  That’s a terrific note on which to end. So it has to come from within.

Thank you, Matt.

If you want to get more details about Matt and what he does and the wonders that he works at his fitness studio, the contact details are below.

As always, if you have any questions, please do get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.