From Bodyguarding to Bridgend: Personal Trainer Mandy changes her life to change others

Moving the location of a business you’ve built from scratch is always a challenge, but for personal fitness trainer Mandy Schisano, who recently relocated to Wales, keeping moving is something she is used to.

After several years of serving in the army, which later led to a global career in close protection, Mandy decided to return to the UK to try to help other people get their lives and bodies moving again.  Setting up her private training business Misfit PT in Essex, Mandy built a solid reputation for helping people reach their health and fitness goals – and then the pandemic, and two lockdowns hit.

As restrictions were eased, the business started to recover and Mandy loved her clients, but Mandy was feeling increasingly tired of city life, with the high costs of living and as Mandy puts it, a serious lack of places with a view to walk her two dogs.  Mandy felt hemmed in and wanted a better quality of life.  Her friend casually suggested she move to Wales – and now, just 2 months later, Mandy has re-launched her personal training business here in Bridgend!

Mandy offers a different service to other personal trainers, in that she has her own fully equipped private gym – which even has a punchbag – and works 1:1, helping clients achieve the goals they set together, working at the clients pace and thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting the equipment between visitors.

Mandy explains:

“Just going to a gym can be intimidating for many people, walking into what they perceive as “a sea of perfect bodies” is sometimes enough to put people off training before they even start.  I’ve always said, ‘you don’t have to fit in to be fit!’, it’s you v you.

“In reality most other people are thinking the same thing, we all have our insecurities, no matter how fit we are, but having a private gym and a private instructor means there is one less barrier to help people get started.   It’s entirely private, so you won’t run into anyone you know and it is extremely safe from a COVID perspective.

“Having my own equipment and space also means I can also target the workout and goals to the client, taking into account their abilities and disabilities, setting realistic targets and building their confidence as well as their muscle strength.  Of course, some clients want to work outdoors too, and having beaches, parks and countryside within easy reach just offers so many more options than my old location did.

Mandy’s business is already proving popular and she is working with a wide range of clients, not just those who want to work off that ‘Lockdown Tum’.   Mandy explains:

“I work with people at all levels of fitness.  Many of my clients are keen to pass physically demanding entrance exams for the police and armed forces, and want to work in private – but I also work with sportsmen and women who want to maintain peak fitness.

“The private gym also attracts complete beginners who have never exercised before, are severely overweight and/or have health problems to tackle – they enjoy working with me because the goals can be as personal as you like.  I’ve already helped clients climb Pen y Fan, (walking alongside them the entire way!) and one of my new clients, an arthritis sufferer hopes to walk the Severn Bridge – other people just want to improve their general fitness or lose weight.

“In that respect, being in Wales is the same as being in Essex – I’m here to get people from where they were to where they want to be – and I’m bringing a good track record for doing just that.

“However, I’m blessed to now be doing it in South Wales!”

To learn more, visit Mandy’s website: https://misfitpt.co.uk/