Music: Sweet Disposition by Temper Trap & Back in Black by AC/DC

What's your philosophy for group fitness, especially for your highly touted series in Sydney's Domain, which has been running for 10+ years?

In this business, it doesn’t matter if you are working with a champion surfer, or a guy behind the desk. My philosophy is that everyone is equal. There are no egos, and everyone works hard and is there for each other. When the stairs get tougher, the hills get higher, the runs get longer, we work as a team and a family. If you give me 100%, I will give you 100% back.

Your fat burning declines, 90 second Spiders, the “Torsinator” are just some moves which make bootcampers fall apart. But you're known for your motivational pep talks during sessions. What are they for?

What you are doing here with me in the Domain is personal. You’re on my turf, in my home, with whatever ailment or injury. You are baring your soul - this needs to be returned with a certain amount of trust and paternal care. That’s why I give pep talks.

Related article: The importance of cross training

Why is it beneficial for office workers to come out in the middle of day and belt out 8kms of running, 200 sit ups and 5 flights of Woolloomooloo stairs (and that’s just an easy day!)?

Most people have sedentary jobs with a lot of stress and pressure. When they step outside, they de-stress and don't have to think for a while. All they do is to give it their best shot. All the standard health benefits are there. But it’s working with the emotions - that is key. It is about letting go. When your heart rate goes up and you are sweating and you are focused in what you are doing, you let go. We also laugh a lot during our lunchtime sessions. We laugh at the Warrior one-liners [see below], and we laugh at ourselves.

There are some guys in there who have been with you every Monday, Wednesday, Friday for over 10 years. What keeps them coming back?

I make them feel wanted. It is one of the basic human needs to be wanted and to belong.

You are different to many personal trainers out there. What distinguishes you from the rest?
I communicate with the team, and I will do the exercise with them. How many instructors get into it? Sometimes you even see them hovering over their clients yelling out “Give me 10 more of those!” while talking on the mobile. Typical instructors have a lot of knowledge and know the theory but don’t know how to communicate. You don’t have to be the fastest but if you do as I do, I do it with you.

And the girls?

They love it. Some girls are right up there with the lads.

Related Article: Exercise for women

Warrior, you are famous not just for your fitness but your infamous training one-liners. What is that all about?

In the morning, between fitness jobs, I look at the weather conditions and I will send an email to the lunch group with the fitness program for the day for example, “First stop, Woolloomooloo, then down to Rushcutters Bay”, along with a oneliner to motivate them for the day. Today it’s “Get down here today because after your performance last week you wouldn't knock a sick budgie of its perch!"

Warrior One-Liners
This is the quest for the chest
You don’t get this from picking cherries
You can cure insomnia with that run
Mate, you have bigger arms than a clock
That chest has gone down faster than the Greek economy
This is like teaching Year 7 remedial English
Excuses are the nails that built the house of failure
You couldn’t beat an egg with that upper cut

You couldn’t run through a shower curtain