Rhys Barker

Rhys’ Journey From Lacking Structure to Building Strength with One-to-One Coaching

When Rhys First Got in Touch

When Rhys first reached out, he told me he’d always wanted to train properly in the gym but never quite managed to make it work. He’d had short spells of motivation here and there, but like a lot of people, he was piecing things together from YouTube and hoping something would stick. The result? No real progress, no clear direction.

He trains Jiu-Jitsu and enjoys staying active, but his main goal was simple: “I just want to get bigger and stronger.”

The Plan We Put in Place

We started working together in January through my online coaching programme. From day one, I made sure everything had a purpose—no random exercises, no guesswork. The plan was built around three structured gym sessions a week, focusing on strength and power for Jiu-Jitsu, while also including some endurance elements to support his running.

Every exercise was there for a reason. This was about building muscle, improving strength, and making sure that progress in the gym carried over to what he does on the mats.

Early Wins and Big Changes

Fast forward five months and Rhys has noticed a big difference—not just in how he looks, but in how he performs. He’s told me he feels stronger during Jiu-Jitsu, his girlfriend has commented on how much bigger he looks, and friends have started giving him compliments too. That kind of feedback is always great to hear because it shows the work is paying off.

Making Online Coaching Simple

Although Rhys is an online client rather than in-person, the support is still there whenever he needs it. He uses the Plan-A coaching app, which has everything in one place: his sessions, reps, rest times, and even videos to make sure his technique is on point. For someone who admitted he had “pretty much no knowledge” at the start, those videos and form cues were essential.

He’s also said that the quick responses to his questions really helped keep him on track. I always want my online clients to feel like they’re never on their own.

Is Coaching Worth It?

Rhys was honest with me early on—he wasn’t sure about the price. But his mindset quickly changed once he started seeing progress.

He said to me recently:

‍“You can pay for a gym membership for months and get nowhere. Or you can invest a little extra and actually see results.”

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That’s exactly what I want people to understand: structure, accountability, and support make the difference.

His Advice for Anyone Thinking About It

Rhys’ advice is simple: ‍

“Book a consultation. From the first session you’ll see how invested Sam is. It’s easy, and it works.”

Want results like Rhys?

If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Stourbridge or a structured online coaching plan that takes the guesswork out of training, I’d love to help.