Ben Shills - Peak Performance Fitness Founder

The new year is usually a time for reflection and looking forward.

A chance to analyse.

What went well last year, what do you want this year to look like.

But have you really asked yourself what does success look like for you?

Not for anyone else, or what society dictates success is.

Let’s ask the thought provoking question of what would success look like to you 12 months from now.

For me, success doesn’t need to be extremes or quick fixes.

It’s putting one foot forward and beginning to make REAL life lasting changes.

If you are someone who has struggled to make those changes last, pop us a message, let’s have a chat about how we can make 2026 the year where it sticks.

🔋More energy?

🙌🏼More consistency with your fitness and health?

❤️More confidence in your body?

Let us help you!🤝

It’s been a busy couple of months with the opportunity to attend some amazing and insightful CPD events around the UK.

I think as a coach it’s important to continue to learn and develop for the benefit of your clients and members. It’s also incredibly easy to rest on your laurels with the amount of hours you can end up working.

For me, it’s also about getting out of your comfort zone into the ‘unknown’ and making yourself vulnerable.

And I think our clients can absolutly relate to that. Reaching out to a gym or personal trainer requiring help and making themselves vulnerable.

I believe myself and my gym owe it to our members to continue to learn, develop and create the best experience for them and thats what I will strive to do!

A huge shout out to my mentor Stu who has helped make this happen and present some amazing opportunities which I am ready to take full advantage of!

Here’s to the future of myself and Peak performance as an established ‘go to’ coach led space.

Today is World Mental Health Day 🌍 so it feels like the right time to share a bit about my own journey with mental health — and a reminder about looking after yourself and those around you ❤️

The truth is, you never really know what someone’s going through. Behind a smile can often be something completely different.

As I come up to 10 years in the fitness industry, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is just how much exercise and self-care can positively impact your mental well-being.

It’s been a key part of what I bring to fitness with my clients. We will openly speak about how they are feeling as much as how they are looking.

Speaking from experience, you’ll still have bad days — sometimes even bad weeks — but looking after your body and mind helps you handle those tougher times with more clarity and resilience.

You can’t avoid tough times, but you can normalise it, accept it won’t be that way forever and when you’re ready. Address it ❤️🙏🏻

This is the result of me after a ‘steady’ 6 mile run whilst away on holiday 🥵

It was hot, sweaty, and fuelled by cheap beer and pork gyros… 🍺 🥙
�…but it was 100% needed 🧠

Fitness and looking after myself is part of my life and has been for a while now!

Now, that’s not to say I don’t enjoy a few beers, a late night, or checking out what a foreign McDonald’s has to offer… 🤔 (we’ve all done it…)
�But I do value being active and taking a balanced approach — especially when I’m away on holiday.

So, what’s my point? ⬇️

When you actually enjoy taking care of yourself — making good food choices, valuing sleep, and enjoying your workouts — you’ve basically cracked it.

Because the “all or nothing” approach?
�That usually ends up as nothing… and resentment towards your diet and lifestyle 😩

I didn’t set any PBs on holiday🙅🏻‍♂️
�I didn’t get to bed before 10pm 🙅🏻‍♂️

But I did enjoy exploring a beautiful place on a run (even if I did run out of water 4 miles in…)

Careless…🙄

Vin diesel has been a huge advocate of it in all his 1838372 fast and furious films…🙄 🚗 💨

The important of family 🤝❤️

Recently, my client Lorna surprised her husband Jon by bringing him down for a session with her at the gym on their anniversary….. An advert to not get married I’m sure…😅

But all joking aside, they were joined by 2 of their kids and we had a family workout 💪🏼

It’s a reminder that training isn’t just about lifting weights or getting fitter. It’s about who you surround yourself with. When the people closest to you are encouraging, supportive and want to involve themselves, it can make everything feel much easier.

It can also showcase how ‘fun’ it can be to workout with those closest to you. If fun is the right word to use…

For me this highlights the following ⬇️

✅ A support network is important (if you dont feel like you have one, thats where we jump in…)

✅ To show that your fitness journey doesn’t have to be done alone.

With coaching, i’ve always made it easy for clients to involve family, friends etc. It’s a great way to share that journey with someone else!

Not quite ready to do it alone?😅

Ready to jump into personal training with a friend, family member or partner?

Tag them in the comments and lets have a chat about personal training with someone! 💬 🤝

What a sh*tty week…..🫠

Been ill, felt low, didn’t really want to train and could easily wrap myself in the duvet and hibernate all week… and no its not because I’m missing the football season…🥲 ⚽️

Even trainers and fitness professionals will have weeks they just aren’t ‘at it’ and that has been my week 🙃

Its normal….. But how you bounce back will determine your progress.

How did I get through my week?

I just set my bar lower.

✅ Hit my step goal
✅ Dont beat myself up (too much)
✅ Have proper meals (a share size bar of chocolate doesn’t count 🍫)

And as always, we survived the week!

Bonus.. 💯

New week is ahead, it might not go smoothly, but thats life.

And you can’t stand still…

Have a great week!

Trail running event ✅ 🥳

After the ‘slog’ of the Bristol half marathon I have to say my first trail event (with no training🫠) was such a great fun!!

Stunning views on the Cornish coast 🌊 very challenging course and beginning to understand how trail running is the perfect analogy for life….

‘The many ups and downs, but you keep moving forward’

Trail running > road running. Every day 🙌🏼

Off for a couple beers 🍻 now…

✅ Loving life
✅ No more back pain.
✅ Wearing her clothes with confidence.

Just a few of the wins Katrina has experienced through her personal training journey with me — and none of it came easy.

It took a shift in mindset 🧠
It meant making changes to her routine, habits, and lifestyle.
And yes — it sometimes meant hearing a few uncomfortable truths.😅

But she did the work. And the results speak for themselves 🥇

Helping people like Katrina is why I do what I do.

From the moment you reach out, I’m invested in helping you move better, feel stronger, and live more confidently.

So maybe you’re reading this right now and thinking…

"Could that be me?" 🤔

Ready for a change but dont know how? Pop us a message and lets chat 💬

Well… that was something 😅

A hot day, not the time I was aiming for, and yes — I gave myself a hard time about it🙃

As a very casual runner, I can confirm there was zero runner’s high at mile 8, especially with the sun blazing and a river I seriously considered diving into🫠

But — I did it. 🤝

Bristol Half Marathon: completed ✅

Will I do it again?

Ask me when I can walk properly again…

Check out the before-and-after pics!