This week, we’re talking to Ollie Reeve, a Personal Trainer at Active8 who states that “offering clients help for chronic back pain in Bristol is my passion.”
Ollie, who works from Active8’s Clifton gym, has been working as a PT since graduating from Durham University in 2008 with a first-class degree in Sports Science.
We caught up with Ollie at our Berkley Square fitness centre to find out more.
How did you come to be working for Active8?
“After graduating from Durham, I moved back to Bristol 12 years ago. I have always worked as a PT and after meeting Active8 founder Shane at the new Clifton Origins fitness centre on Berkeley Square in 2020, joined the team.”
What types of clients do you work with?
“My client base is currently around 50 clients, with a 50/50 split of men and women. Some have back issues, while others are working on general fitness, endurance training and weight loss. Ultimately, I work with any client who is committed to their own fitness.”
Do you have any specific skills and qualifications?
“I gained a Level 4 Specialist qualification in treating lower back pain. It is unusual for a PT to have additional skills in this area, but many of my clients have seen significant improvements in their back health after our work.”
How do you treat chronic back pain?
“Chronic back pain can often be traced back to different factors such as muscular-skeletal imbalances, muscles that are not working correctly, and a lack of core strength. I can normally help a client with chronic back pain within a month, and provide strengthening exercises to help them in future.”
Have you seen an increase in clients with lower back pain?
“Unfortunately, yes. The Covid-19 lockdowns kept people indoors and meant a rise in a more sedentary lifestyle for some. Most clients will usually go to a chiropractor for lower back pain, but I am able to work with mechanical issues. Pain is the last symptom of a problem when it comes to chronic back pain.”
What advice do you give clients about managing back pain?
“My qualification is a specific and separate qualification from my personal training experience. It is for the management of lower back pain, so I am able to advise them professionally.”
Do you work with other back pain specialists?
“Absolutely. I often work in partnership alongside chiropractors and osteopaths, to ensure a client gets the best possible service. We are lucky at Active8, as there are in-house specialists (hyperlink with https://active8fitness.com/personal-training/) who can also work with clients.”
What is different about working within the Active8 team?
“All clients go through a thorough screening at the start. The teams at Berkeley Square and Westbury Park are all committed professionals. Offering clients help with chronic back pain in Bristol is my passion.”
To meet our team of trainers and therapists working from the Active8 Bristol fitness centres at Clifton and Westbury Park, please visit here.
To see how we start to tailor a fitness programme for our clients, why not take our online Health Questionnaire here.
To find out more about how Active8 helps clients deal with chronic back pain in Bristol, please mail us at paul@brcjobs.com.