A quick bonus tip:

Originally coined by Chila, Peckham and Manheim, back in 1981 and used for the title of their course at Michigan State University: ‘‘Myofascial Release’’

What is fascia tissue?

Fascia is the body’s connective tissue. It's fibrous cobweb-like connective tissue found throughout the whole of the body runing from head to toe. Your fascia provides a framework that helps support and protect individual muscle groups, organs, and the entire body as a unit.

What is a strength curve?

A strength curve is a graphical representation of how a muscle generates and applies force in a specific direction. This force is then represented using three basic categories: ascending, descending and bell-shaped.

Eccentric contraction explained:

An eccentric contraction occurs when a muscle lengthens under load. An example of this would be when you're lowing yourself into a squatting position. Generally speaking, a muscle can be upto 150% stronger during an eccentric contraction than a concentric contraction. 

Concentric contraction explained:

A concentric contraction occurs when a muscle shortens. An example of this would be when you're coming up from a bottom of a squat.

What are muscle fascicles?

In anatomy, a muscle fascicle is a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers surrounded by perimysium, a type of connective tissue.

Who is Michael Goulden?

Michael Goulden is the founder of a training company and is a resistance training specialist in exercise mechanics. He has been integrating exercise mechanics with neuromuscular preparation to create a uniquely sustainable approach to health, fitness and performance.

Who is Charles Poliquin?

Charles Poliquin is recognised as one of the world’s most accomplished strength coaches, and has produced hundreds of medals, wins and personal bests for elite athletes in over 17 different sports, including athletes for both the summer and winter Olympics, the NHL, and NFL.

Who is Ben Pakulski?

Ben Pakulski, nicknamed the Pak-Man, holds an Honors Degree in Kinesiology and is an IFBB professional bodybuilder and winner of the 2008 Mr. Canada competition. In the IFBB, he finished 2nd twice in 2008.

What is a level 5 trainer?

Our level five trainers are our ‘elite’. They’re seriously experienced, and incredibly knowledgeable. They have all gone above and beyond, attending numerous industry events, clocking up multiple courses, and spending numerous hours learning through practical experience with clients. They have shown unparalleled dedication to becoming the best personal trainers possible, and have been recognised in the health and fitness industry for their level of excellence.

What is a level 4 trainer?

Our level four trainers have gone the extra mile. All of them have further industry qualifications, whether in nutrition, post-natal exercise, endurance or hypertrophy. They have attended workshops, webinars and courses to lift their learning above others in the area. They are likely to have been a personal trainer for several years, and be pushing to learn more about how they can offer the best possible advice to you.

What is a level 3 trainer?

Our level three trainers are fully qualified, with industry-recognised qualifications, but are relatively new to personal training. What they lack in experience, they will make up for in dedication and enthusiasm. All our level three trainers work closely with a more senior member of the team to ensure the Hall Training quality of service is maintained, and you make constant progress towards your goals.

Did you know?

This is a tooltip

About Hall Personal Training

About Hall Personal Training

your personal trainers in Oxford & beyond

Meet Your Expert Personal Training Team

Personal training with us doesn’t just mean seeing your trainer several times a week. It means access to our full team of dedicated professionals, it means joining our amazing community of like-minded people, and it means unparalleled support and motivation. We aim to help our members build a healthier body and mind, but also a solid foundation of knowledge on exercise and nutrition, and the skills to build a healthy lifestyle well into the future. This is the team that will help you achieve your goals.

Get to know them here!

Chris Hall

founder and executive trainer

Chris head cropped

I’ve been a personal trainer since 2007, and have made it my mission to provide my clients with the best possible personal training experience. Over the years I have coached all kinds of clients, from young athletes looking to improve their sports performance, right through to retirees looking to boost their health and fitness. I thoroughly enjoy combining the latest practical knowledge with the experience I’ve gained over the years to achieve the best possible results. On a personal level, I love coffee, burgers and reading. There’s nothing quite like getting hold of the latest research paper with a well-brewed Americano!

give me a shout

George Bradley

Hypertrophy Specialist

George Head cropped

I’m a self-declared hypertrophy (muscle-building) geek, a lover of great food and I couldn’t live with out music. I’m often found repeatedly picking up heavy things and putting them down again. When I first started training I just wanted to get big and strong, but I soon became fascinated with how the body works as a whole, and how I could create the healthiest body possible for myself. Now I help others achieve the same goal.

give me a shout

Georgina Routen

Fat loss specialist

Georgey Head cropped

I’m an Oxford history grad and used to do PR in the shipping industry, so I’ve taken a funny route to get here today! But here I am, and I love to think that training will help change my clients' lives for the better, as it changed mine. It's fantastic to see the amazement when people realise what they're capable of in the gym, and watch the transformation as people become healthier and more confident. When I'm not at the gym, I love horse-riding, eating, and probably watch a bit too much Netflix.

give me a shout

Becky Hodgson

Running specialist

Becky Head cropped

When it comes to training, I’m extremely dedicated, which I put down to my background as a county 800m runner. Training at this level allowed me to discover my love of strength training and lifting all things heavy! But this isn’t my only love, and you will often find me nattering away about all things food-related, especially cheesecake.  I also love working with endurance athletes, from marathon runners to triathletes, and I’m a very down-to-earth trainer with realistic views on incorporating a healthy lifestyle into your daily routine, so your results stick.

give me a shout

join our team

learn more

what our members say...

It was a great sadness for me to move away from Oxford & leave behind Hall Training - yet Chris equipped me to train well & eat well wherever I am.

- Jess, lost 5kgs for her wedding

See our transformations

Featured in