Personal trainer Dylan Rivier’s balanced approach to fitness

Personal trainer to the stars Dylan Rivier’s approach to fitness has recently shifted away from “full-throttle” workout sessions to finding balance.

Bondi-based personal trainer to the stars Dylan Rivier has seen his fair share of full-throttle fitness sessions on the sands of North Bondi over the years, with his clients only too happy to push themselves to the brink of exhaustion in the pursuit of their health and fitness goals.

With a client list that’s included Pip Edwards, Gyton Grantley and a host of models and influencers who call Bondi home, Rivier says he knows how seriously his clients take their fitness goals, and how hard they’re willing to work to reach them.

But just as the tide changes at Bondi, so has Rivier’s approach to fitness shifted in recent times — and it’s something we should all keep in mind as we try to stick to our New Year’s Resolutions for 2022.

Personal trainer Dylan Rivier has shifted his focus when it comes to health and fitness. Picture: Richard Dobson

The full-throttle attack is out. In its place? Balance.

“Without a doubt it’s about balance,” Rivier says.

“In my experience, too much of anything is detrimental to your health. The idea of health and fitness is certainly not defined by how much you train or how well you eat.

“The idea, in my opinion, is to make lifestyle decisions that you can maintain forever. Don’t deny the things that make you happy in life, just make sure you take a balanced approach. Life is short and it’s there to be lived.”

Rivier’s other big tip for sticking to your health and fitness goals this year? Forget the fads. The classics are classics for a reason.

“The fitness industry is a funny one. I’ve been around long enough that I’ve seen it both change and stay the same,” he says.

“At the end of the day, there’s only so many different ways you can squat, lunge, push, pull — so called innovation is simply a variation.

“There’s a reason why the classic exercises are still used. They work!”

Dylan Rivier on …

Training for your mind

Dylan Rivier believes sleep and meditation are important. Picture: Christian Gilles

“The mind is a huge part of your overall wellbeing and, for me, training is meditation. If I’m unable to train, I find my mood noticeably different and on the flip-side of that, when I train I feel fantastic.

“The other important thing to learn is that it’s OK not to be happy 24/7. Somewhere along the line, society got caught up in the relentless pursuit of happiness. We’re not meant to be happy all the time! It’s fine and healthy to be sad, scared, confused.”

Not denying yourself joy

“Don’t deny the things that make you happy, as long as it’s done in a measured and balanced approach. That one burger isn’t going to hurt you!”

Sleeping it off

“Sleep is where all the good stuff happens. It doesn’t all happen in the gym or on your run, it

happens after you’ve done your session, after you’ve filled your body with nutrients, and slept.

“I have very few electronics in my room. I don’t touch my phone for 30 minutes before bed and switch off all notifications overnight. I never watch TV in my bedroom or work on my laptop. I think that those are really important when it comes to quality of sleep.”

* Dylan Rivier is a Bio-Oil Skincare Oil ambassador and Bondi-based personal trainer

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