How does one become one of the most sought-after personal fitness trainers in the industry? With undeniable perseverance, an impressive clientele of A-list celebrities, models and billionaires and an insatiable drive for success — that’s how. Celebrity trainer and founder of personal-training company FitnessArtz in London, Artur Zolkiewicz is bringing his expertise to The Sanchaya on Bintan Island from March 22nd to April 1st 2019 where he will be hosting his second wellness residency to help guests achieve their health and wellness goals.

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Need a little nudge in the right direction when it comes to your health? Harper’s BAZAAR Malaysia speaks to Zolkiewicz about travelling fitness hacks, his own fitness evolution and how consistency is key.

Same Goals, Different Trends

Fitness trends have their pros and cons – as much as it’s good to try new things out, it’s good to approach them with a dose of healthy skepticism. The good thing about fitness trends is that they motivate people to move. They also give us more options to find what we enjoy and help us to stay consistent with it.

I’d recommend everyone to master the basics first. A lot of people jump on the bandwagon and do exercises without having the prerequisites to do them. The same applies for trends in nutrition. Try and learn how to eat a balanced, healthy and nutritious diet first and then feel free to try new things out. Goals stay the same, only the ways we reach them change over and over again.

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Stay On Top Of Your Game

Most of my clients are busy high performers. Their workouts need to be efficient. They are often too busy to think about programming and scheduling their sessions so I take it on as my responsibility. I’m here to make sure that they reach their goals without having to spend too much time thinking about how they are going to do it. I tailor make each class to suit the skill level and objectives of each client.

On Staying On Top Of His Own Game

I strongly believe that you have to practice what you preach. In terms of training, I always try to stay on top of it. I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai, lift weights a few times a week, train for an upcoming London – Paris charity cycling trip which I will do with a few friends in June and always find time for recovery such a stretching and mobility.

There are so many ways you can educate yourself and I try to utilise it as much as I can. There are a huge amount of training courses you can attend, some really good podcasts you can listen to and books as well as online resources you can read. All you need is the time to do all of that!

One of my favourite podcasts is ‘Big Questions’ by Cal Fussman. He’s such a great interviewer, always curious and not afraid to ask questions which sometimes may sound naive. I admire him for that and his podcast made me aspire to ask better and more meaningful questions.

On Personal Growth

I’ve learned so much since entering the industry. I’ve been very fortunate to work with Lee Mullins who’s regarded one of the best personal trainers in the world. Lee has been my mentor for almost 4 years now and has taught me a lot; not just about the way you train people, but he has also helped me to become the coach I am today.

I think a good personal trainer should be more of a ‘lifestyle and health’ coach rather than just a person telling you what exercise you should do. You need to be able to ask the right questions and get the right answers because that’s how you can help the people you work with. There is a whole wealth of information you have to take into consideration when coaching a client.

I think I’ve evolved to a coach who understands his clients better than before and cares about their health and well-being. I ask better questions and am able to find out more abut my clients which ultimately makes me more capable of helping them better than ever before.

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Keeping Fit On-The-Go

There is nothing wrong with eating some good food and enjoying yourself over the holiday season. Just make sure you don’t over-indulge! Having a piece of cake is fine as long as it doesn’t turn into a week of multiple cakes and treats. Take it easy but don’t forget that the holiday season isn’t a free ticket to forget all your hard work and commitment!

For When You’re Travelling

Traveling and working as a model has taught me how to maintain form and healthy eating habits while overseas. Admittedly it’s hard to stick to your habits when you travel – the temptation of trying new, local food is always big. It’s also significantly easier to find an excuse to skip a workout!

Add These Songs To Your Workout Playlist

Straight from Artur’s own personal Spotify playlist…

Can’t stop by Red Hot Chili Peppers is one of my favourite tracks and always gets me going.

‘We Dance Again’ by Black Coffee, Nakhane: Black Coffee is a DJ who was in a serious accident when he was 14 years old and which left one of his arms disabled. Despite his disability Black Coffee produces some of the most amazing music and is one of the best DJs in the world. ‘We Dance Again’ is such a positive and uplifting tune that I had to add it to my playlist.

Holdin On by Flume is one of those tracks which can give you wings when you need them the most. Download it for your next workout!

A Milli by Lil Wayne brings back amazing memories from my very first modelling contract in Athens, Greece. I associate it with friends, sunshine and party and it always motivates me to work harder, even after a long and stressful day!

Still Dr D.R.E. by Snoop Dog and Dr DRE Who doesn’t like a bit of old school Snoop and DRE? Something I consider a classic and must have on my workout playlist!

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Achieve Your Fitness Goals with These Top Tips From Celebrity Trainer Artur Zolkiewicz