Marc Mullen Browne Personal Trainer

Marc is a passionate personal trainer who focuses on constantly improving both himself and his clients. He talks to Sundried about life in the fitness industry.

Please tell us about sporting events you have taken part in or have coming up.

I have competed throughout the majority of my life. I was a keen and talented footballer and played at varying levels throughout school, college and into men’s teams at the age of 16. I then made the switch to athletics and competed for over a decade, racing all over the UK, a couple in Europe and even in Australia.

At present I do Parkrun each week; it is highly competitive and so I have been running relatively well for very little training.

Tell us about your journey to fitness? Where did it all start?

From the moment I could take my first steps, I was active and running around driving my parents crazy! Football was my first love; I played a very high standard throughout all of my youth. At the age of 22, I made the switch to track and field and ran the 400m competitively for over 10 years. The training was brutal most of the time, it’s here I really started to learn about my own body and how to extract the most from it. My love for fitness, health and well-being grew and today I am sharing that passion with others. 

What are your training goals now?

My main goal right now is to run a sub 17-minute 5km. I have been doing Parkrun each week and with a little more structured training I know I can achieve it. I like to vary my training routine by adding in callisthenics, yoga, Olympic lifts, circuits and runs.

Tell us one unusual fact we wouldn’t know about you:

I have spent the last 11 years travelling the world working as a fashion model. I have shot for many brands, walked in fashion weeks, and shot TV commercials. 

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

As a personal trainer one of the most difficult elements is finding the time, inspiration and creativity to train yourself after a long day of classes with clients. It’s fundamental to be able to practice what I preach. My coffee consumption has increased and I had no idea I would need so much caffeine, however I am a coffee addict! 

Do you follow a specific nutrition plan? If so, what/when do you eat?

I eat a strict 100% plant-based diet (vegan), I don’t consume any processed foods or sugar. I eat a balanced diet that is high in calories and I always eat a large and nutritious breakfast to set me up for the day. Since becoming vegan, my protein consumption has increased; adopting such a diet forces you to become more aware of what you put in your body.

What do you do to keep your clients motivated? Do you have any top tips to keep motivated?

Hopefully none of my clients read this! I keep in regular contact with clients in between sessions to check on what other exercises they are doing, I even check Instagram to see what they are eating!

I try to engage with clients constantly and show them that they can make exercise and reaching goals a part of their everyday lifestyle. I want the changes they are looking to make to be sustainable and for the long term, I am not interested in short term quick fixes and neither should the client. I also give an element of control to the client so that they feel apart of everything we do. I only give praise when it’s due, and I will critique when it’s due.

Talk us through your training regime.

My workouts are of a very intense nature, extremely challenging both mentally and physically. I like to challenge myself with complex movements, with and without resistance. I train 5 days per week. I keep my training varied as the human body is incredibly smart and adapts to any new stimulus relatively quickly. I am always at home writing out new workouts and learning new techniques, I can sometimes drive my wife crazy.

How do you keep your fitness knowledge up to date?

I am always looking at what other PTs are doing, watching and learning, and I am humble enough to go and ask for advice and training tips, as there is always someone who knows more than you. I am also friends with several current and former professional athletes and I am always grabbing ideas from them.

What are your top 3 trainer tips?

1. Stay Humble.
2. Make sure your training is PERSONAL and give clients the time and attention they deserve.
3. Drink plenty of coffee.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Bananas!

Why work with Sundried?

As someone who is vegan and tries to reduce his carbon footprint as much as possible, my ethos fits in very nicely with the principles shared by Sundried. The garments are of an incredible standard and I feel great in them. 

Favourite fitness quote:

I often say this to my clients: “Things can always be worse, and whatever you are feeling in this moment, it’s only temporary.”