Craig Burton Interview

Damien: What inspired you to want to help people improve the quality of their lives through physical fitness?

Craig: I have always been fascinated and excited by the potential of the body, and its impact on what I call human essentials like effective communication. As a child I was mesmerized watching sports stars and actors perform amazing acts with grace and power, all seemingly effortless. This led me on a journey to find out how we could all achieve what I call Peak Performance. This inspired me to study Sport Science and Psychology at university, while training in martial arts and performing in theatre. As a coach I get such a satisfaction facilitating someone in the achievement of their health and fitness goals which ultimately leads to a transformation in the rest of their lives.

Damien: How do you integrate your martial arts, body training and physical theatre interests into your personal training?

Craig: Each discipline has elements that encourage freedom, suppleness and natural strength as well as promoting health and fitness.

As a coach the more methods of training I know or more tools I have to connect with a client the more effective I am. When you are training functionally you have to be present which leads to a physical confidence through connection to your body. I believe those individuals who go to the gym and follow a routine of jumping on say a cross trainer, and then maybe lifting some machine weights, are losing awareness of their body’s potential.

I incorporate physical theatre by analyzing how efficiently somebody moves and how balanced his or her posture is, to then implement the most effective way to create an open body through training. Theatre taught me the importance of physical expression in conveying a thought. When you think that our body language alone has the ability to attract or repel – which makes over 80% of someone’s first impression of you – then you realize it is very important to have that control and awareness.

Damien: How would you recommend people get started on a fitness program in 2006?

Craig: I recommend the following steps:

1. Goal setting. Start by asking questions that inspire you. What is your ultimate fitness/health dream? Goals need to come alive so I suggest people initially dig a bit deeper in their goal setting and find their motivation behind it. How will feel when you lose those unwanted kilos.

2. Create a plan. Just turning up is not enough. After finding out your goal you need to find the most effective way to get there. Otherwise, if you don’t get results early on you may simply give up. Practically speaking I recommend people develop a program that incorporates the three essential aspects of health – functional strength, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility.

3. Follow through. Develop strategies that make success inevitable. Training with a buddy, or making a pact with someone are great ways to reinforce commitment.:

Damien: What are some simple, easy to follow dietary tips that people could follow to start feeling healthier in the new year?

Craig: Here are 4 simple tips towards a healthy diet:

1. If it has a label (=processed food), don’t eat it

2. Eat small and balanced portions frequently (e.g., five to six meals per day, each meal consisting of protein, carbohydrates and some healthy fat). Snacking increases your metabolism and keeps your blood-sugar levels steady. If you eat regularly your body thinks “hey, I don’t need to store as much of this food as body fat, because I am getting this regularly”.

3. Rotate your foods. Eat from a variety of foods to get maximum nutrients and reduce toxicity levels. This is especially true for meat.

4. Drink plenty of water, at least 2 liters per day. Fruit juice doesn’t substitute water, as it’s full of sugar.

Damien: You have a black belt degree in Zen Do Kai. What's the most important thing that you have learnt through your martial arts practice?

Craig: I believe martial arts is a great teacher for life. When I began training about 1 in 100 people would achieve a black belt and it wasn’t about talent, it came down to dedication and persistence. Only those who kept turning up regularly even after being knocked around a bit the day before where the ones who succeeded. Martial Arts teach people how to cope with challenges and remain focused on the goal.

Damien: What approaches do you take to get the very best out of your clients?

Craig: To be effective and ultimately make health and fitness a part of a clients permanent lifestyle, requires creating a connection or hitting the right buttons in them. The approach is always unique as no two people are alike, but there are foundations. For example I conduct an initial interview to understand their current physical situation that includes a comprehensive health and fitness assessment. Through setting up the goals together we finally come up with a plan of action that suits their needs and personality.

Damien: What sort of results have you been able to get with your clients?

Craig: Measurable results are the backbone of my business whether it being through weight loss, postural correction or improved general health and fitness. But my aim is to ultimately coach and empower my clients so when they attain their goals it’s for life and they are 100% confident in knowing how to eat, move and live healthy.

Damien: How can a healthy mind and body help people to express themselves more fully in the world?

Craig: If communication is 80 % body language, then it is imperative that we have awareness and ultimately a control over how we choose to present ourselves.

Watch the posture when you feel happy versus sad or depressed. The way we hold ourselves can have a dramatic impact on our mood, and vice versa.

Just like a child without blocks, individuals with healthy minds and bodies are more open to the world around them. This leads to an authenticity in their expression, which I believe promotes positive, honest relationships with themselves and others around them.

Damien: Do you think anyone can live an inspired life?

Craig: Absolutely. I believe an inspired life is a life with purpose. It’s a choice. We all have this potential energy inside us, we simply choose to express it to various degrees. There are two kinds of people in life: those who say: “Well here I am!” (those who take life by the horns) and those who say: “Ahh, there you are.” (those who sit back and watch life go by).

for more information on Craig see http://www.craigburtoncoaching.com