Best of Newcastle: top 10 personal trainers revealed
In a field of strong competition, here it is — the top 10 personal trainers in Newcastle as voted by you.
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Whether you’re sweating it out on a gym floor, hitting the sand at the beach or working out in the comfort of your own home, personal trainers are the people that motivate you and inspire you to reach your healthiest and happiest.
When we asked you to nominate your favourite personal trainer, you didn’t hesitate.
We compiled the shortlist and then put it back over to you to vote for the best in Newcastle.
The top 10 personal trainers were described as encouraging, supportive, understanding and enthusiastic.
Their positive vibes made their clients look forward to their visits and they have created more than an exercise space; they’ve built communities.
Here they are — the top 10 personal trainers in Newcastle as voted by you.
10. Gene Kelly, PT 2 Your Door
When Gene Kelly decided to become a personal trainer a decade ago he could not have guessed he would go on to create a successful mobile training service travelling all of Newcastle.
“Initially I just wanted to pursue something I was passionate about,” he said.
“I had no idea I would go on to build a successful career in the industry. Things worked out great.”
Over the years, as Gene evolved so did his business — from a young guy looking to gain muscle to a focus on optimising energy and mental health.
“These days I’m all about teaching others how to manage their health and fitness despite being time-poor due to other real-life responsibilities,” he said.
“More recently I have also begun mentoring trainers new to the industry, which is a great opportunity to give back.”
Gene said he loves the “entire lifestyle” that comes with being a PT, despite it requiring strict discipline.
“I absolutely have to practice what I preach because I have so many people looking to me as the example,” he said.
“This means optimising all areas of my life beyond exercise such as sleep, nutrition and even my mind with things like meditation.
“It takes a lot of discipline to stay on the path but leading by example is the #1 way to inspire change in others and leaves me feeling like the best version of myself.”
Gene said being on the list of best personal trainers in Newcastle was “a buzz”.
“But the thing I’m most grateful for is how excited my clients were to vote for me,” he said.
“It seems as though they really do think I’m one of the best and they were more than happy to take the opportunity to say some kind words.
“I get a great sense of appreciation from that.”
Ebony has trained with Gene for a year and said he was “more than a PT”.
“I am 10kg lighter but more importantly, I am fitter, healthier and body positive,” she said.
Another client, Tania, said Gene makes fitness “a family affair”.
“It’s not just short term goals but making plans that will last a lifetime,” she said.
April said Gene offered a “wholistic view of your fitness and wellness needs” and was “motivating and empathetic”.
Born and bred in Newcastle, his mobile PT service means Gene experiences all parts of his beloved region.
“I never forget to take it all in,” he said.
9. Jacqueline Achilles, Anytime Fitness, Gateshead
Jacqueline Achilles was “a little bit shocked” to discover she was nominated for the best personal trainer in Newcastle.
“I still don’t know who nominated me so I’ve been drilling a lot of them (clients) because we’ve got a lot of good sarcastic banter in the club,” she said.
“ … No one’s owned up to it.”
The PT at Anytime Fitness in Gateshead said she was “super pumped” to be nominated for the list.
She loves the variety that comes with being a personal trainer and the friendships she has made along the way.
“It’s always interesting because not everybody is the same,” she said.
“I’ve got a really broad mix of age categories and health specific clients.”
Caitlan has trained with Jacqueline for five years and said she was “an amazing PT because she motivates everyone to reach their goals and is extremely energetic and supportive”.
8. Kelsie Grezl, Kelsie Grezl Personal Training, Adamstown
When Kelsie saw a gap in the fitness industry for mums wanting to train, she decided to do something about it.
Her Adamstown studio caters to mums who can bring their little ones with them to training.
“We have a strong demographic of mums and bubs at our gym so as crazy as it might be having kiddies running around, I wouldn’t change it for a thing,” she said.
Kelsie became a personal trainer six years ago because she wanted to pass her love of exercise to others and “help them create the best version of themselves”.
She said the best part of her job was “seeing my clients’ amazing transformations, not only aesthetically but mentally”.
“Nothing beats seeing a client gain that inner confidence,” she said.
Kelsie said being a finalist in the search for Newcastle’s best personal trainer was “extremely humbling”.
“It gives me confirmation that not only am I changing peoples lives, but we have created an amazing community of clientele,” she said.
Kelsie’s client Zoey said her PT was “so motivating, caring and dedicated” with a focus on mental health views too.
Prue said: “Since I have I met Kelsie I feel so much better within myself mentally and physically!”
7. Matthew Chisholm, Fit 180, Sandgate
In the space of a year, Matthew Chisholm moved to a new town, opened a gym and his second child was born.
It has been a hectic but successful time, and adding to the list of accomplishments, he has finished seventh in the search for Newcastle's best personal trainers.
Matthew opened Fit 180 in Sandgate at the start of the year with his partner Lauren.
“We had our second child and opened up within two months of it,” he said.
Fit 180 offers group fitness classes and the promise that no two days will be the same.
“For me I love versatility and I love the different styles of training, I don’t like doing the same thing twice,” Matthew said.
“ … The guys that I have they seem to love it and love that it’s always different and unique.”
Matthew said enjoying the session was key to successful training.
“What I focus on is a happy and healthy lifestyle,” he said.
“I want them to enjoy what they’re doing … their mindset and their positivity in the world is more effective for me”.
One of his clients, Adam, said the best advice Matthew had given him was: “Everyone has good and bad days, it’s important to keep on moving.”
Gabrielle went from “not being able to lift my arm over head to being able to lift 20kg” with Matthew’s help.
Catherine said her strength had “improved 1000 per cent” and cited the happy atmosphere as one of the reasons Fit 180 was so special.
“(I) can hear the laughing before I get into the gym every day,” she said.
6. Maddison Hoadley, Kelsie Grezl Personal Training, Adamstown
Maddison has only been a personal trainer for a short time but has already made a huge impact on her clients, who voted her into the sixth spot.
Maddison became a personal trainer in January after seeing the impact training had on her own life.
“Training changed me physically and mentally, in a way it saved my life,” she said.
“I wanted to do that for other people.”
Her favourite part of the job is “seeing people proud of themselves”, helping them “transform both their bodies and minds” and step out of their comfort zone.
“Our gym is super popular with mums and bubs and being a mother myself I love the family friendly community we’ve created,” she said.
Maddison said she was “stoked” to be named a finalist in the best personal trainers in Newcastle.
“Seeing my name on that list made my heart so full,” she said.
“Thanks to anyone that voted for me!”
Cass, a client for nine months, said Maddison “always pushes you”.
“Even when you don’t believe you can do it on your own, she believes in you,” she said.
Kyah said she was a very motivating PT.
“She just has such a positive attitude and always makes my day,” she said.
5. Tiffany Smith, LM Fitness, Belmont
A lifelong love of dance led Tiffany Smith into her career as a personal trainer and into the fifth spot on the top 10 personal trainers in Newcastle.
She began her career as a PT in 2010 and works at Crossfit Lake Macquarie where she has plenty of long term clients.
“Most of my clients I’ve had for six or seven years … it’s been so good to see their journey,” she said.
Meeting all types of people is a highlight of the job, which she said is about “much more” than exercise.
“When they come in it’s not necessarily about fitness either — a lot of the time it’s about their mental health and their wellbeing and the social side of things too,” she said.
“So I guess as a personal trainer, it’s not just a personal trainer that you are — there’s so much more than that.”
One of her clients, Bonnie, said: “I’ve never met someone so accommodating, intelligent, diverse, patient and generally dedicated to health and fitness of her clientele.”
Tiffany did not realise she had been nominated for the best personal trainer and said she was “still just blown away by it all”.
4. Ellen Travassaros, Mind and Body Performance, Cardiff
A bad experience with a personal trainer may be enough to put some off exercise altogether — but not Ellen Travassaros.
She turned a negative situation into fuel that drove her to become a personal trainer herself, with a mission to give her clients the opposite experience from their sessions.
“It showed me what I didn’t want to be,” she said.
Now Ellen runs Mind and Body Performance, which offers women’s group fitness classes, private training and holistic health and wellness consultations.
“I’ve always loved being fit and athletic and healthy … I loved training and I loved the idea of helping other people,” she said.
Ellen said her favourite part of the job was the conversations she has with clients.
“They’re amazing, absolutely amazing,” she said.
For Ellen, fostering a sense of community for her clients is a huge part of the job.
“They want to feel confident and it’s really easy to do that when you’re among people that lift you up and support you,” she said.
Ellen has lived in the area for a decade and said she loved being close to nature and the beach and said the people “are awesome”.
“I love that there is a beautiful array of different things in Newcastle,” she said.
Shenae has trained with Ellen for a year and a half and described her as the “type of person you can go to anytime”.
“Ellen genuinely cares about each and every one of her clients,” she said.
New client Melissa said Ellen was “super supportive of your personal goals”.
“She will get you there! (And further!),” she said.
Chelsea said: “Ellen is the most inspiring woman who has help me overcome many fears.”
Ellen said she was “really grateful” to be named a finalist in the best personal trainers in Newcastle.
“It’s an honour really, a privilege,” she said.
3. Mick Davies, Kudos Health & Fitness, Charlestown
It was while living overseas that Mick was inspired to become a personal trainer.
He started going to a gym and attended a nutrition seminar that appealed to his long held interest in health and nutrition.
When he moved back to his hometown of Newcastle, he created Kudos Health & Fitness where he works as a personal trainer and health coach.
He is passionate about helping people become healthy, fit and happy.
“My pop always used to make a toast to health and happiness and I think if we have those two things, that’s the gust of it,” he said.
Mick was born and bred in Newcastle and said he loved the “people, (the) close proximity to everything and the beach”.
Being a finalist in the best personal trainers of Newcastle came as a welcome surprise.
“I felt humbled,” he said.
“I thought it was really cool — there’s a lot of great PTs in Newcastle.”
Leanne has trained with Mick for three years and said he was “tops”.
“When I started I lacked confidence but I feel stronger now, both mentally and physically,” she said.
Emily said Mick was “an all round top bloke” and was “incredibly knowledgeable and motivating”.
2. Shalyn Gray, StreetFX, Cardiff
For sports-obsessed Shalyn Gray, becoming a personal trainer seemed like the obvious career choice.
She started personal training 16 years ago and worked at various gyms in Newcastle before stepping out on her own in 2014 with StreetFX.
“My main aim was to create a completely inclusive environment and community where anyone could come and train and offer a bunch of different things that would suit a variety of people,” she said.
From callisthenics based training to the animal inspired program Zuu, StreetFX offers unique classes to keep clients interested and inspired.
Shalyn said her favourite part about being a personal trainer was “being able to connect with people on a personal level”.
She moved to Newcastle when she was 18 and loves the lifestyle that comes with living in the area.
“I just love how cruisy it is,” she said.
Nathan, who has trained with Shalyn for four years, described her as a “coach, friend and cheer squad”.
1. Simone Brazel, Brazen Fitness at Active Empire Thornton
Personal trainer Simone Brazel has a single message for her clients: be brazen.
She chose the name Brazen Fitness for her business to inspire her clients every day to “be bold and unashamed”.
“My job is to inspire others to ‘make good choices’ and in return they inspire me to be the best version of myself,” she said.
Simone began her personal training career four years ago after initially completing studies simply to further her own experience in the gym.
“I enjoyed it so much and decided to take the path to help others,” she said.
Simone, who trains clients at Active Empire in Thornton, said being a PT in Newcastle allows her to “work with some incredible humans from all walks of life”.
“I love that I have the opportunity each day to make a difference,” she said.
“I love being able to help and motivate people into being the best that they can be, it makes me happy when my clients are happy.
“I’m able to stay motivated as every single client and every single day is different.
“It gives me great satisfaction to see my clients grow and in some cases change their life.”
Simone can now add best personal trainer in Newcastle to her list of accolades after being voted into the top spot by our readers.
She said she was “over the moon that I was nominated let alone a finalist”.
“It is very humbling and heartwarming knowing that my clients value my hard work so much,” she said.
“It makes all the early starts and late nights worth it.”