In the Digital Age, it’s fair to say that anyone with access to an Instagram handle fancies themselves as something of a personal trainer these days. Where fitness goals used to be worked on in private, today they’ve become fodder for followers to view in real time, watching someone complete gym exercises from the vantage point of a phone propped delicately atop a dumbbell. But while it’s one thing to be a gym junkie and another to be a certified trainer with the knowledge and understanding to match, few can rival the expertise of Gunnar Peterson, who is perhaps the most respected personal trainer in the world.
Peterson’s resume is an extensive one. He’s worked with David Beckham and Tom Brady, is F45’s Chief of Athletics, and for those who tune in to the occasional episode of The Kardashians only to marvel at the sudden fitness transformation of Khloe Kardashian, you have Peterson to credit for that, too. Central to Peterson’s training philosophy is a holistic approach to movement, with sessions targeting cardio work and strength training, while also working at all three planes of motion and change of direction. The reason for this is that Peterson wants his clients to perform functional movements that not only increase your fitness and get you the body of your dreams, but also serve you for the things you do in real life, too.
In a recent interview with GQ UK, Peterson expressed how attitudes towards fitness have evolved over the years, with most men wanting to be lean today, as opposed to those who simply are trying to get huge. And when it comes to fitness, workouts should help you in the pursuit of your dreams, not be driven by aesthetics alone. “One guy I know wanted to improve his golf game. He didn’t mind getting a little leaner, he didn’t mind that he looked a little better, he didn’t mind that he had a little more cardiovascular fitness, but he loved that the pain came out of the rotation when he swung a club because he was super stiff, and he probably put 20 something yards on his drive. That’s a big thing,” says Peterson.
But just how does one get lean? According to Peterson, you just have to lift weights. “Stop worrying about getting big. Just lift weights,” explains the trainer. “You have to train under load. You have to do more in your workout than in your work. So: if you’re a business person and you carry a backpack or a briefcase to work and it weighs 10 pounds, start training with 20 pounds. It’s going to make your life easier and you’re going to get leaner. Remember: muscle is active tissue, fat is inert. Muscle costs your body, muscle pays for the party. Muscle is burning all the time. Lifting weights means, post-workout, you’re burning calories at that higher rate than after a straight cardio workout,” says Peterson.
It won’t surprise you to learn that Peterson’s top tip when it comes to getting lean is consistency. “You have to be consistent with your training, you have to be consistent with your nutrition and you have to be consistent with your rest and recovery,” he explains. “Getting your nutrition dialled in, drinking more water than you think you need, work on your rest, and training regularly. Every workout doesn’t have to be crush, kill, destroy, but it should be challenging.”
