Canterbury resident Mat Butler runs a busy mobile bar hire service. In 2019, before the COVID pandemic hit, he was doing little to no exercise, particularly given his hectic family life with a partner and three children. When the lockdown was announced, as days turned to weeks and then into months, with everyone working online and learning at home, Mat noticed a marked decline in his mental health, as well as his physical condition.
Mat is a prolific business networker and he met Dean, the founder of Team Beaver Strength and Conditioning, at the Business Over Breakfast networking group in Whitstable. Mat had also enquired among friends and networking colleagues as to which might be the best fitness regime to follow, and strength and conditioning training came up more than once in conversation.
After an initial conversation with Dean, Mat was keen to get started, so he booked his first appointment and completed a health questionnaire.
“The process was easy,” said Mat. “Dean asked me what I wanted to get out of the sessions and what sort of training I enjoyed doing. We booked a date, I filled out the form and then completed the first session. I haven’t looked back since.”
Dean remembers that first session with Mat vividly; it was held outside, as per regulations at the time and he wore a face mask whilst keeping a six-foot distance between them.
“Mat had asked me to deliver a boxing fitness session, as he had previously done some pad work and enjoyed it,” said Dean. “I managed to deliver it with a bit too much intensity and it wasn’t long before he had to take a break and I had to think about how hard I worked him!”
Although many people don’t have a specific goal in mind when they come to Team Beaver, Dean takes great care to advise potential clients that working with him is about much more than weight loss. Mat knew that he aimed to increase his joint flexibility and gain better cardiovascular health but having spoken to Dean at length about his lifestyle and objectives, he also knew that strength training would enable him to work toward attaining his health goals.
“That first year of COVID took a toll on everyone’s health,” Mat said. “But I knew that if I didn’t take the plunge and start a regular training regime, I would be in trouble when life eventually got back to normal.”
Mat was very aware that he was close to a milestone birthday and wanted to feel fitter and stronger, going into a new decade of his life. He said, “Facing 50 was a real turning point for me. I had always been active, and I thought I was reasonably fit, but working with Dean in those first few months made me realise that actually, I hadn’t been very fit at all!”
Although Dean also offered online sessions during the pandemic (those sessions are still going, for those clients who don’t have the time to travel, or prefer to work out at home), Mat knew that he didn’t want to do more than the occasional online session – most meetings were still taking place online and he felt it was important to get outside for his sessions.
“Dean was most accommodating, location-wise,” said Mat. “He was pretty laid back about travelling over to Canterbury or me going over to Whitstable to work out by the beach. The online sessions were great for when time was tight, or existing commitments would have prevented me from doing a session at all, but being so flexible was a huge benefit to me.”
Over time, Dean developed and improved his facilities at his home gym and that is now where Mat does most of his strength and conditioning training sessions. As well as traditional weights and resistance training, Dean also offers metabolic circuits and has a wide range of equipment that is suited to every client’s needs.
“The Team Beaver facilities in Whitstable are perfect for the type of training I receive,” said Mat.
Considering that his workouts have evolved, Mat now focuses on boxing and resistance training. He has found that his metabolism has sped up, his cardiovascular health has improved immeasurably and so has his hand-to-eye coordination. These are all great benefits to anyone, but Mat is particularly pleased with the other improvements that he has noticed.
“Of course, I’ve noticed general improvements in fitness levels and muscle tone. Although I wasn’t worried so much about my weight, I’m so pleased that my general fitness and energy levels have increased.” Mat said. “What has surprised me the most is how much better I feel mentally and how much of a boost to my confidence it’s been to follow a regular programme with Dean over the past couple of years.”
Dean is proud of Mat’s ongoing improvement in his fitness. He said, “Mat now trains three times a week with me and has pushed himself to get into great shape. With the current focus on resistance training, his strength levels are way beyond where they were before.”
Of course, the key to achieving good results is consistency and Mat has invested time, effort, and resources in his training.
“Mat is a great advert for consistency,” Dean said. “He rarely misses a session and always puts the effort in that I ask for. He knows that it will be hard work, but is perfectly willing to put that effort in.”
The last word goes to Mat. When asked to sum up his training with Team Beaver Strength and Conditioning, he didn’t hesitate.
He said, “Quite simply, it’s the best money that I have ever spent on myself.”
If you’re ready to shake up your routine and take the next steps towards becoming a fitter, stronger and better version of yourself, get in touch with Dean today. Give him a call on 07846435960 or email him at dean@teambeaver.co.uk
