Success stories 

Meet some of the people who I have worked with over the years and learn their stories. They come from a range of backgrounds and have all had different goals and situations. Don’t forget to scroll all the way, there are a lot of success stories in this section.

Keith, 30, Tampere/ usa

1 to 1 Personal training

“I met with Kjartan through a mutual friend when I first arrived in Finland”

At that time, I weighed about 103 kg/225 lbs. I had horrible dietary habits, which mainly involved eating around 1 meal per day, and taking most of my calories in via a “liquid diet”. I felt horrible, and most of my confidence was completely gone at that time

“My main challenge was a mental block -I had trouble getting out of bed most days”

unless it was to go out with friends for drinks late at night. I had almost no physical activity on a daily basis, except for walking around the city when I couldn’t sleep well.

“We had a very open and honest conversation about where I was with my overall health”

sleep, diet, and mental situation. He was able to put together a plan that not only included working out and diet goals, but a more all-encompassing plan of turning my lifestyle around.

“I saw steady improvement overall. He was constantly in my corner on workouts, but more importantly in other aspects of life”

and was always encouraging me to do the very best I could. It has been about 2 months now since my training plan ended, but I was able to use what he taught me to really motivate myself into a much healthier lifestyle. Following his example, I was able to take an entire dry month, work out on a regular basis, and am even re-forming bonds with positive hobbies in my life. I can now proudly say that I’m almost at my goal weight, and unfortunately have to re-build most of my wardrobe because of this.

"P.s. - if a crazy Scotsman asks you to join him for a swim in a frozen lake, absolutely do so. It will be the most miserable but immediately invigorating experience of your life."

Connor, 31, General manager , Glasgow

Online coahcing

“I needed advice, support and encouragement. In my time I have faced versus challenges, a break up, a change in job, moving flat and ruptured ligaments. I chose Kjartan to help as I had seen and heard of his great work from people I trusted. The support has helped get me on track, adapt my training and overcome dips in motivation.”

In order to build muscle we had to feed his body. This involved figuring out meals and eating habits that got in both high calorie and nutritious foods. But we didn’t work on ‘Growth at all costs’. Yes, I had Connor eat for muscle growth, but food is also needed for so much more: optimal body function, wellness and health. So we made Connors diet abundant in a range that supported him, his goals and his wellness.

In terms of training we gradually increased the intensity of his workouts. Starting on what he could manage and introducing new exercises that he could push himself with.

Connor and I started working together after he went through a break up and he wanted to start working on himself. He had experience in fitness: He is a former soldier, forester and plays a lot of football. But knew best results always come with professional guidance.

He is what we call a ‘hard gainer’ meaning it is very difficult for him to put on weight in bodyfat or muscle. On top of this he worked a very busy job which he put 110% effort into. So with these factors in mind a conventional training program wouldn’t have suited his situation.

Through consistent practice and sticking to the plan Connor got into seriously impressive shape and mastered his training. He loves the gym and uses it to add to his life and wellness.

Nic, 45, Support worker, Cardiff

1 to 1 personal training

“I didn’t like myself at that point and knew I had to do something to help me find myself again, Kjartan has done this for me.”

Nic wanted to lose weight and feel better about herself as she started to lack confidence.

At first she joined a group training program I ran in Cardiff, Wales and then started training with me 1 to 1.

The gym was quite a new and unfamiliar environment for Nic, but training together for a while saw her becoming perfectly comfortable there.

She worked hard, trained with me three times a week and she almost never missed a session. We built up a close relationship and when I moved to a new gym she came with me. Her progress really started to show.

She worked a busy and demanding job and just didn’t know where to start - There was so much fitness misinformation out there she didn’t know what to do or how to do it. So she came to me.

“I have lost nearly 3 stone, but besides that my body shape has changed and I’m starting to like what I see!”

When Nic was happy with her results she no longer needed a coach. My work was done. She shared kind words and wrote me a touching card. We remained in touch ever since.

“Kjartan is the best trainer ever!… I have lost nearly 3 stone, (19KG) but besides that my body shape has changed and I’m starting to like what I see!”

Come and join the clan

Garry, 29, Business partner, Highlands

Online coaching

Garry needed help. He was (and still is) a father with a busy home life and worked a very intense job which often had him travelling for days on end. He felt deenergized, struggled with sleep, food and following his hobbies. He worked hard as a family man and capable worker but when it came to getting into shape, mentally and physically, He needed help.

He and I had gone to school together in the Highlands of Scotland. While breath taking views and countryside are abundant, gyms are in short supply. So I started by building a comprehensive workout plan using the weights and equipment he had at home. We started there and expanded and progressed over time so that it wasn’t overwhelming or difficult to maintain.

Soon Garry started to feel results and then see results. He really came to enjoy working out and his strength increased so he joined a gym in the next town. From there he continued to put the work in. We used a number of methods: mostly resistance training but also mobility, HIIT and Cardio.

We still work together sometimes when he needs new material to work on but mostly knows how to train, workout and eat to maintain his results. Which is my main goal as a coach: To train my clients to train themselves so that one day they no longer need me.

As well as this we worked on what Garry did alongside his workouts, mostly diet and other habits. Working days were busy and needed to be fueled, as did workouts. So Nutrition needed to be tweaked to allow for this and also ensure body-recomposition, AKA, enhancing body shape by reducing bodyfat and building skeletal muscle.

Because of his time commitments it was easier for him to outsource his health, shape and fitness needs to me so that he didn’t need to worry about them and just follow the instructions I gave,

JAY, Vehicle Paint Technician, 25, bATH-uk

Online coaching

“I needed to get my health back on track. I wanted to feel healthy and active more than just looking healthier. I wanted to grow; learn to one day have the knowledge and motivation to be able to do it on my own. Lockdown had a massive impact on how unhealthy I had become and that was just the tip of a couple years of not knowing how unhealthy I was getting. I needed a push”

What did you need and why did you need it?

Why did you come to me for help with that?

Back in Cardiff where I first met you, you were always encouraging me to go to the gym. The only person I thought that could push me to exceed my targets was yourself! One of the nicest, understanding blokes I’ve ever met! Brilliantly funny and extremely down to earth, so it was a no brainer really!”

How did it help and how was the process?

“You’ve helped me to find a love for fitness! Helped me understand why I’m doing something and how to perform exercises with correct form. Helped me with nutrition, especially with you nutrition guide! Helped me to understand what and why I was eating specific foods! The process was easy and very rewarding!”

“I feel much more confident in terms of achieving my targets and goals for strength, weight and nutrition. I can confidently move explore different routines and exercises on my own and plan my workouts and routines to target what I need”

How do you feel now?

Anything you’d like to add?

“Kjartan you are a legend and absolute specimen of man who’s willing to push others to achieve more than they can! Thank you for aiding, advising and encouraging me to grow and exceed!”

“Thanks for the kind words, Jay. It was a real pleasure to work with you”

Lara  21, Softwear developer, Cardiff 

1 to 1 personal training

“For a long time I had tried to loose weight and get a really toned physique only to yo-yo and never really have much success. I needed help and accountability to push me to loose weight but also build muscle.”

Training with kjartan has transformed the way I look at the gym, I enjoy training, I regularly go at least 3 times a week because I want to not because I have to. The process was incredibly fun it was like training with a friend, I was pushed hard and wanted to be in order to get the best results and I got just that. Through putting in a lot of hard work and having kjarten to guide me and teach me I transformed my body into what I had always being trying to achieve. - How you feel now/ how its helped you now. I wish I still had kjartan to train with as since covid I had a bit of a backwards step in my fitness journey but none the less through all the knowledge he gave me I am now very able to do weight training myself. That’s why training with kjartan is great you will be set up for life in being able to train yourself and ensure you continue to have great results.

I chose kjartan for a few reasons, he was very friendly and approachable in the gym as well as having some great client results published. Also he was very affordable for myself as a student

“If you’re unsure whether to give it a go, I say go for it. I got into the best shape I’ve ever been in when I trained with kjartan. I went from 0 knowledge of how to weight train to now knowing everything I need to confidently walk into the weights section and have a killer workout.”

Are you ready for your success story?

I’ve worked with a lot of people who have had a lot of different goals.

What goals do you want to achieve?

If you’d like to work with me, or book in a call to discuss it go

to the inquires page or apply here.

ASH, 32,  hEAD OF INSIGHT,fROME - uk

Online coaching

What problem did you come to Kjartan with?

Following some health issues I had found my body really out of sync with my mind – I had gained a couple of stone and it was all showing on my belly, which was making it uncomfortable to sit down straight. With my first child on the way I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t at risk of my body letting me down in anyway regarding childcare, playing or any parental involvement. I was also keen to establish healthy achievable changes to my day to life based on my schedules and priorities.

What changes has working with Kjartan made to your life?

I’ve never been a breakfast person, but now I am. I am hydrated, walk 10,000 steps a day and regularly go to the gym. I’ve modified by diet to make sure I am including this I was perhaps forgoing like fruit and making sure it’s well balanced. Within 3 months I was also able to not just loose the round tummy, but actually convert it into muscle and really strengthen my core. All in all, I am a much healthier person than I was just before xmas!

How was Kjartan able to support you?

First and foremost, Kjartan is a top guy – Empathetic and realistic! He understood that health/gym/fitness are not going to be number 1 priority against other things (for some people) and was able to create a schedule that worked around this for me. This was everything from gym, home workouts, diet inclusions, general heath goals and establishing a healthy relationship with breakfast and morning routines. Kjartan supported me on every single change in this regard, and was happy to do so, actively encouraging me to ask questions and refer to his pretty conclusive range of online guides.

Would you recommend Kjartan’s services to others?

“Absolutely and wholeheartedly. He knows his stuff and will help you achieve your goals in a way that suits your life!”

“Before I was a coach Ash was my boss and we’ve remained good friends. ”

Tatu, 27,  Barber, TAMPERE

1 TO 1 Personal Training

“I’d let myself go the past years and didn’t do anything to better my health. I gained 30 kg and was miserable. I got to the point I needed to change something so I could live a more energized life and not feel tired all the time.”

“I needed a coach to keep me accountable that I would actually go and do the workouts so I could build a habit out of it. Also because working out in the gym was never before my preferred way of working out I needed someone to guide me through all the exercizes.”

“I met Kjartan through my work and we got along really well, then I found out he was a coach I knew he was the guy to help me to start my journey because we had talked a lot about our philosophies and work ethics so he knew what I needed. I had a previous knee injury that was preventing me of doing certain things and he found a way to help me with that and I realised I could do a lot even with my injury. Kjartan made sure I always got myself to the gym early in the morning and little by little I started to lose weight by just staying constant. “

“Kjartan is great to work with he listens and helps if you have doubts during the process and helps adjust to the changes.”

“I trained with Kjartan in 2021 and after that I was able to continue by myself because of what he taught me. Now I’m down 20 kg and gained more muscle mass. Even though I’m not training with him anymore I can still ask him questions if I’m unsure of something that I am doing in the gym or foodwise. I highly recommend training with him if you’re a beginner or even if you’ve trained for a longer time.”

Oi, You!

Do you want to start your own success story?

Then get some help , on me, with a free analysis and first five steps

Rick, 51, Key account manager / local politics, Germany

Online coaching

Rick wanted to start now so problems didn’t appear in old age.

He was suffering from lower back pain but also wanted to feel more energized, lose weight and feel confident in his appearance. Working a sedentary full time job as well as doing extra work for his municipality, Rick didn’t know how to fit in the work for these goals or where to start. So he came to me.

We started simple, built habits and used food as an ally.

Ricks is incredibly cheerful and took to everything with a lot of enthusiasm. We started implementing simple practices to increase energy and manage diet. Rick is a superb chef and loves his food. He really enjoys cooking with his god children and teaching them how to cook for themselves (they are actually cousins of mine). It’s a misconception that ‘food is the enemy’, it’s actually the most powerful ally in any body composition goal - if used properly. So we worked with that.

“Lets go lift, bro!”

In Ricks home town there wasn’t much in the way of gyms. But he had a small one and we used what was there, making a habit of visiting it following the plan I’d made. Ricks friendly, positive nature quickly won him friends there who he enjoyed working out with.

He stuck at it.

He stuck to the plan and learned how to manage the habits and practices and fit them into his lifestyle.

You’ll have noticed that the results I help my clients with are a lot more than just getting into shape. The body composition is just a byproduct of everything else we work on: Strengthening the body, giving it what it needs, building self discipline and working on becoming an optimally functioning human. It’s all connected and each practice, goal and result compliments and supports each other.

You can learn more about this reading my Purpose and Goal

Looks are the byproduct

Ashleigh, 26, Freelance model, Cardiff

Online coaching & 1 to 1 Personal Training

“Kjartan helped me train around 5 years ago for a modelling competition.”

Ashleigh and I trained together one to one in Cardiff, she got good results and we stayed friends ever since. When I loved to Finland and started coaching online, Ashleigh came back.

“Recently I needed help getting back into the swing of a gym routine and also just getting out of bed after falling into a pit of depression. ”

After training together years ago, Kjartan already knows I'm an active, motivated person who just needs a push. As he's seen me train before, I only wanted Kjartan to train me at this vulnerable point in my life.

“He has always been a motivator and praises me for my hard work. He knew I needed to start off slow.”

even though he knows i can train hard and heavy. The progress benefitted me loads. Keeping consistent with check ins and meal weigh & prep really helped me see results in my progress images.

Sparts (Thats what she calls me) method of training really helped me get back to being motivated and helped get rid of body fat that I had stored. I didn't want our training to end

“It helped me so much get back to being in a better place of feeling good about myself.

Training with Spart brings out the best in me, he listens to clients needs and helps provide usefull information on diet, training purposes etc and answering any questions you have. He really does want what's best for you in terms of meeting your goals, and that's why I will always reccomend him

Kjartan and I worked on the main goal which was for me to lose weight, get stronger and, in turn gain a more aesthetic physique. I work a fairly sedentary job which had led to low energy levels, weight gain and inflexibility. By working around these issues, and finding movements and exercise sets that I could not only perform, but enjoy, the training was highly effective. Kjartan also provided some great nutrition advice, which sticks with me to even today, some six years later. Still trying to hit my protein targets every day.

owain, 33, Surveyor, Cardiff

1 to 1 Personal Training

JASON, 50, CRIMINAL SOLICITOR, Cardiff

1 to 1 Personal Training

I needed a personal trainer to improve my general fitness levels, improve my body shape and just generally to improve my well being. My work & personal life left little room & time to keep fit & after years of letting myself go, I was fortunate to have Kjartan helping me to achieve my goals. The personal program even took into account a shoulder injury that I had sustained and was tailored to what I wanted to achieve as well and Kjartan also took on board the need for some specific training to improve and not to hinder my golf and skiing. The early morning sessions, 06:30 hrs, set me up for the day and I did achieve my goals. Thankfully Kjartan was not afraid to push me each session as it would have been very easy to have just remained at a lower level of training.

So, How does it work?

Watch this video to understand how I can help you. Or go ahead and apply.