ABOUT MARK
My name is Mark Rahaman and I'm a personal trainer based in South Woodford, London, E18.
I am also a professional boxing trainer, a biomechanics coach and a conditioning coach. I work in Essex, East London and Central London.
In addition to offering both in-person and online training, I am also a sports therapist, cancer rehabilitation specialist and life coach.
My Story
My love of sports began when I was about two-years-old when I first became aware of Muhammad Ali. Something about “The Greatest” captured my imagination and I wanted to be just like him.
Then, as a teenager, came the great Sugar Ray Leonard who also had it all: speed, power, style, elegance and intelligence. These two boxers are my heroes.
As a kid, I was always challenging grown-ups to race me around the block or to see how may sit-ups they could do - this must have been a sign of things to come!
After being attacked in the street at the age of 16, I took up kung fu, Shaolin Fist. The training was tough but very enjoyable and I still use some of the training techniques to this day in my training sessions.
After a few years, I found myself training in local boxing gyms. There is something about boxing training which fills you with confidence! I think it is a mixture of the art of boxing mixed with the history which just gives you something no other workout seems to do.
I qualified with diplomas in personal training and sports therapy with Premier Training in 2004. Since then I have successfully run my own London-based personal training business and have worked with hundreds of clients.
All my clients have had different goals and needs which enabled me to gain substantial experience in a huge range of activities, from training clients for marathons, summit climbing and triathlons to working in the sport of professional boxing.
I first got qualified to teach boxing while being coached by Adam Booth and David Haye with their OutBox program, who at the time went from being the Commonwealth Cruiserweight champion to the Heavyweight world champion! It was such a great experience to be learning and working with the “Heavyweight Champ” and his team.
I then worked as a private personal trainer for a year to a film producer, which involved designing and overseeing his workout schedule, planning and preparing his meals, and travelling with him on business trips from India to spending time at health spas in Austria. All the while ensuring he stayed motivated and received the full benefit of his personal training programme.
I then became qualified as professional boxing trainer by the British Boxing Board, after working part-time for three years in a famous London boxing gym. Then followed the opportunity to work as the conditioning coach and cornerman for the professional boxer, Ben Day. We worked together over a three-year period and seven fights, in which time he was undefeated!
I decided to further my studies in the area of intrinsic biomechanics, the study of the mechanics of the human body. This has been so interesting as I am passionate about this field of study and practice, which not only helps with improving performance and movement but also gives me the skills to work as a back pain specialist, enabling me to get fantastic results with my clients who are suffering from back, knee or joint pain.
I had been working closely for a few years with a client who was suddenly diagnosed with cancer. This lead me to furthering my studies yet again and becoming a cancer rehabilitation specialist, as I needed to know more about the disease and its contraindications and treatments as I continued to work with her through her treatment.
My unique blend of qualifications and years of experience complement each other to create a unique training experience.
Looking back I can see how my current career as a personal trainer, professional boxing trainer and biomechanics specialist is inspired by not just the physical aspect, but more the belief in the human spirit; the belief that we all have the ability to lift ourselves up physically, mentally and spiritually.
Together with my love for connecting with people, this gives me the chance to truly love what I do.