Joel Thomas
Joel Thomas
Clissold Leisure Centre
London
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18 votes
About Qualifications Specialisms Location Reviews
About
I love authentic Italian pizzas. They’re definitely healthier than the kind with pineapples.
Food is my passion and I spend a lot of my time educating myself on how I can eat more and remain fit. After battling with being overweight for the majority of my life. I decided after losing the weight, that it was my duty to educate the masses on how they can enjoy training, eat more and lose weight. I really enjoy physical challenges and I am currently building my cardiovascular fitness to be able to complete an Iron Man Triathlon.

I specialise in psychology applied to nutrition.
Toning, muscle building, strength development and mobility training.
Using these to help individuals to reach their desired physical goals.
A great training routine is amazing. It allows you to feel good, strong and fit. But if your goal is to get toned or lose weight. A lot of that will need to be combined with what you’re doing outside of the gym.

Could you benefit from losing 15-25lbs of fat?
Want a structured plan, showing you exactly how to train?
Want to eat more of the food you enjoy whilst losing fat?
Want to feel confident in your body?
If you’re not quite sure about what you are doing in the gym, you’re lacking a bit of consistency or you just want to be challenged to be a better you.
Qualifications
Level 2 Fitness Instructor
Level 3 Personal Trainer
MNU Trained Nutritionist
BSc (Hons) Psychology
Body Transformations Coach
Specialisms
Squat Doc
Toning
Bodybuilding
Personalised Nutrition and Training Plans
Mobility Coach (Move like a child)
Strength Development
Technique Improvement
Group Classes
Location
18 Reviews 18 out of 18
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Signing up with Joel is the best thing I’ve done for myself in a long time.

After having my first child in my early 40’s, I needed to feel strong, slimmer, proud and healthy. But I just couldn’t do it by myself. I had always enjoyed moving my body when I was younger but after years of desk work it all spiralled into weight gain, aches and fatigue. So just signing up with a personal trainer felt like a real achievement. 5 months on, I’m totally hooked on exercise and healthy eating. I’ve lost 11Kg and I’ve got more energy, ambition and focus. Joel is not only a brilliant personal trainer, he’s a kind of life coach that focuses on personality and life goals as well as fitness. I know he works differently with other clients, each programme and session tailored to what’s needed because his approach is based on empathy and supported by great ethics. Don’t get me wrong he’s also uncompromising on the workouts but always with kindness and respect.
His knowledge of injury management and nutrition is what raises the bar for me. His decisions are based on facts and listening to your feelings and lifestyle.
It’s been a journey and with the help of Joel, I feel I can be consistent and continue for the long run.
Camille Bensoussan
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Joel is an outstanding personal trainer who I highly recommend. His expertise in physical training and nutrition is exceptional. Under his guidance, I not only achieved my fitness goals but also gained a wealth of knowledge about nutrition that has transformed my energy levels and overall well-being.

Joel's patience throughout my fitness journey was remarkable. He took the time to define my goals, explain complex concepts because of my neck/jaw injuries and tailored my workouts and nutrition plan to fit my needs perfectly. I am truly grateful for his unwavering support and guidance.

What sets Joel apart is his infectious positive energy and good vibes. He creates an exciting and motivating atmosphere that makes going to the gym a thrilling experience. Thanks to his enthusiasm and dedication, I am always excited for my gym sessions.

In conclusion, Joel is an exceptional personal trainer. His vast knowledge, patience, and positive energy have been instrumental in my fitness journey. I wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone seeking an extraordinary personal trainer. Thank you Joel!!!
Aida Anniba
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Joel is an amazing coach who brings fun & energy to every workout, and support & discipline for the times in between.
I was never really able to push myself in the gym but by focussing on technique and steady progression Joel has given me confidence for the big lifts, keep hitting PRs and feel stronger than ever. This hasn’t just benefitted my physique but I generally feel I have a lot more energy now, as well as functionally fit for general sports - through his training program and fun team support I was able to run my first half marathon in under two hours!
He has also given me great coaching on nutrition, tracking foods and hitting nutrient goals which has also really aided my transformation. Joel will push you and keep you accountable, but is also very understanding and patient when life gets in the way.
I’d recommend Joel to anyone who wants to feel and live better.
Raphael Hochberger
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My greatest luck was working with a super coach. It always motivated me super. I had severe pain. I decided to do sports during the physiotherapist process. And Joel our paths crossed. He prepared a great program for me. In addition to the exercises, he also did my nutrition coaching. And it always motivated me. I am now very happy to succeed. I'm glad you have a stronger body and a client who is happy while doing sports. You are an excellent coach. Working with you has been my greatest luck. Joel is very helpful, friendly and super 🤩 a motivated big hearted coach . Training together is super fun and awesome. I had very serious back , knee and balance problems . But no more problems. And on top of that, I never thought that I would do sports so much fun in the gym, but I love sports and you so much.
B.Nisan
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I’ve absolutely loved working with Joel! He’s always been supportive and understanding while challenging me at the same time. I had major gym anxiety before and now I feel so confident being in the gym. He’s also helped me massively to understand the importance of paying attention to nutrition, listening to your body and overall well being not just physically. I’m lifting weights and have surprised myself with what my body is actually able to do. Our weekly sessions and check ins have helped me massively with my mental health just as my physical health. Joel also greatly improved my self discipline and accountability, which has helped me in all areas of life. He always brings the best energy during our sessions, which makes me believe in my capabilities incredibly more. His approach to keep challenging you while making it fun is admirable. I never thought I’d actually enjoy going to the gym, but now I can’t imagine my life without it.
Kitija Nille
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Joel for president! No, but honestly I can only recommend training with him.

My partner and I started to go to the gym regularly a bit over a year ago not knowing how to really train properly. We met Joel at the gym and he tailored us a workout plan matching our goals. Now I know exactly when and how to do which exercise. Always around with a big smile on his face he is happy to help whenever you might have a question. Next to the tailored workout routine he also looks at your nutrition, which is where I learned most. Never having heard of how to best target Marcos, my nutrition improved a lot and I now know how to fuel my body. As a result I feel a lot fitter and most definitely stronger, which also has a positive impact on my self esteem.

Having a holistic approach, Joel considers your personal physique when creating your workout, guides your nutrition and takes into account your individual circumstances. Overall a fantastic PT!
Anna Grundmann
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I approached Joel with the goal of improving my confidence in the gym and shedding some weight. From working with him for many months not only did he helped me achieve both of these aims, but he taught me a tonne about nutrition, fitness and overall health. I could not recommend working with Joel more highly!

Before working with Joel I was mainly doing cardio for exercise, but wanted to incorporate some more strength training for overall fitness and body composition. I didn't have any idea how to properly fuel myself or what a "macro" was. I couldn't do one push up before we started working together, had low confidence in the gym and wouldn't have known how to use most of the machines, let alone the proper form for exercises like deadlifts and squats. I'm really happy to now have the skills and knowledge to approach these exercises, and eating the right amount to achieve my goals but still fuel my training - all thanks to Joel's expert guidance.

Joel is very understanding and attentive to your specific goals - he wrote up specialised training plans for me that incorporated running but also enough strength training for me to progress in the gym. He'd switch these up so it never felt boring or repetitive. I injured my knee (unrelated to the gym) and Joel wrote up a whole new training plan for me so that I could switch to focussing on my upper body strength. I'm so glad to have been working with Joel at this time, because otherwise I would have lost a huge amount of motivation and felt very directionless. Instead, he turned this time into a new opportunity to progress other skills, and helped keep me on track.

The weekly sessions with Joel were always a huge workout, and I left every one of them more motivated and excited about progressing than before I entered the gym that day. On top of that, Joel always has a big smile and brings such good energy, so I always enjoyed the workout and having a chat (in between sets). He is super friendly and understanding, and very helpful if I ever had questions or needed guidance.

I couldn't recommend Joel highly enough as a PT - on top of being so knowledgable and great at what he does, he somehow makes the process as enjoyable as possible. Massive thank you Joel for helping me achieve my goals - couldn't have done it without you!
Emma Hunt
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I used to be intimated by the gym. I'd stick just to the basics, unsure if I'm doing it right and not great at pushing myself.

Joel listened to my goals, tailored a plan for me, and coached me on different workouts, machines and techniques. In a year I was able to squat my bodyweight, legpress 2x it and more. Through him, I've also come to make friends with many in the gym.

Great energy, fun, and always productive. Thank you Joel.
Jade Tan
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I have been working with Joel for almost 9months now, and i have gained far more than just better fitness levels! For several years i had been lacking self confidence and didn’t know where to start in order to improve my self-image. Now, for the first time in a long time, due to Joels nutrition and exercise support, I feel much healthier, fitter and i am looking after myself better. It feels, quite literally, like I am a lighter person - all thanks to the time and dedication Joel has given me!

Joel’s knowledgable and fun workout plans always mean time at the gym is enjoyable rather than the chore it use to be. He is reliable and always available to support and answer any questions you may have, with workouts and goals customised to your lifestyle and personal circumstances.

As someone who suffers from chronic illness Joels understanding attitude, not only towards my nutrition and fitness plan but my mental health, stress and sleep has really helped to improve aspects across all areas of my life. Joel keeps you focused and motivated in the gym pushing you each session to understand more about how exercises work but also what you are capable of. Even when you slip up (think Christmas holidays) Joel finds the positive and gets you looking forward again to your goals. Signing up to a PT can be daunting but I could not be more glad to have taken the leap and i am very grateful to have Joels expertise and support on this fitness journey.
Sophie Stewart
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I first got in touch with Joel to get fit and lose weight with my wedding day as the end goal. Not only did we achieve those goals in time for the wedding, but I have continued on my fitness journey with Joel to reach bigger goals!

Before reaching out to Joel, I had worked with various PT's prior in order to learn and have more confidence in the gym. I achieved more with Joel in a few months than I did with other PT's over the course of years. We we able to build my strength in squats and deadlifts to numbers I couldn't even imagine and his overall approach made me feel extremely confident in the gym.

What makes Joel truly stand out is his dedication to each client and the accountability he provides. He offers a true 360 approach to fitness, not only working on physical activity, movement and strength, but ensuring your approach to food, nutrition and health outside of the gym is equally thought of. After going through a bit of a plateau period, we sat down to understand where I could be going wrong, and some minor changes made the biggest difference. He's always there when you need a bit of guidance or help and always aims to provide realistic and approachable solutions.

Finally, Joel always has a smile on his face and I always look forward to our sessions! He's energetic, motivating and upbeat and ensures each session is as good as the last. If you're looking for a PT to change your life, you've found the one!
Sommer
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I worked with Joel for 3 months to build up leg muscles before a knee ligament reconstruction surgery. I had never really been to the gym regularly and definitely never had a personal trainer before so I was a bit nervous before starting to work with Joel.

Joel listened to my concerns and needs and made sure his program was meeting them. Even though I knew of his nutrition credentials, it wasn't of interest to me at the time and he took that onboard as well.

It has been a pleasure to work with him several times a week as Joel always had a smile and a motivating word! He pushed me to achieve exercise I didn't think I could do. I went into surgery with the muscles I needed to make the best. possible recovery.
Joel also taught me valuable sets and routines that I am now able to incorporate in my post-surgery rehabilitation work. And I still go to the gym which means a lot in itself.

If you are looking for a motivating, understanding, flexible and friendly personal trainer than Joel is the one!
Sarah Creurer
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Joel was the best. got me fit and strong in no time at all. gave me motivation and confidence. had me lifting beyond what i imagined i was capable of. also a great life coach too. getting fit came with compassion and words of wisdom. on top of all that he is calm and great fun to spend time with. highly recommend booking in consistently for weekly sessions with joel.
Finn Mcgough
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Strength, mobility and rippled abs were created during the first 6 weeks working with Joel. I made more progress in the first 6 weeks with him than in over 6 months with other trainers.

I didn't like personal trainers and struggled with classes like F45, 1Rebel, CrossFit (yuck) etc. because my technique and level was just too far behind everyone else. Trainers working with classes of 20+ were not aware how challenging they are for a tall, untrained man with a history of knee injury. Joel quickly taught me a lot about my body, its limitations and its advantages so that I could feel like the most powerful version of myself.

More than a PT like one I'd had before, Joel works like an overall fitness and wellbeing consultant. I could work with him on workout I liked, bits I needed to improve and he'd set challenging goals, which we'd hit. He's also aware of the lifestyle, mental hurdles that each individual needs to overcome for proper performance in the gym.

A considered approach, rather than just 'flexible'. In terms of results, very quickly I actually developed a physique and saw my abs for the first time. My squat went up over 40 kilos to more than my bodyweight, my deadlift went up even more and I could push weight on an overhead press without injuring myself. My friends and wife (and my wife's friends) have commented on the circumference of my arms.

I went skiing, took up calisthenics and my am now getting into cycling which I simply would have not had the confidence and strength for without Joel's help. So that's a win.
Marcus Beard
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Showing up to the gym to try and work out safely and efficiently with multiple complex issues (severely frozen shoulder, bad back - degenerated discs, chronically tight muscles etc) on my own was getting me nowhere fast, I was starting to think about giving up and cancelling my membership.. That all changed the day I had a really lovely friendly chat with Joel who instantly made me feel comfortable, confident and excited about training in the right way for my body. Joel created a series of exercise routines for me, guided me through each one and mixed things up in a really fun way - it never actually felt like I was 'working out'! As my fitness and flexibility improved, so too did my confidence in the gym and it didn't take long for me to start really enjoying our training sessions. Not only that, but my frozen shoulder started to massively improve, after 2 years of not being able to raise my left arm or use it properly, after working with Joel and following his guidance my mobility returned completely and I now have a fully functioning shoulder once again! Joel has a huge amount of experience, knowledge and compassion - I would have no hesitation in recommending Joel to anybody who wants to work with a trainer who genuinely cares & will go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your time at the gym and get the most out of your sessions
Susan Byrne
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I recently had the pleasure of working with Joel as my personal trainer and I couldn't be happier with the results. Joel is not only incredibly knowledgeable about fitness and nutrition, but he also has a positive and encouraging attitude that made working out with him a true joy.

One of the things I appreciate most about Joel is his focus on overall health and wellness. He not only helped me to get in shape, but he also taught me about balanced nutrition and how to take care of my body in a holistic way. Additionally, he was able to help me with some physical injuries I had and provided me with exercises to help me recover.

Another aspect of Joel's training that I found particularly beneficial was his focus on mindset and goal setting. He helped me to focus on my goals and track my progress, which was incredibly motivating. He also taught me how to change my mindset and think more positively about my abilities. I went from finding gyms intimidating to consistently going to the gym 3/4 times a week thanks to Joel's empowering approach.

Overall, I would highly recommend Joel Thomas as a personal trainer. He is not only an excellent trainer, but also a great coach and a truly kind person.
Thank you Joel for helping me to achieve my fitness goals and improve my overall health and well-being!
Diana Stefanescu
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I had the pleasure of working with Joel as my personal trainer for the past few months, and the experience has been truly transformative. I am 27 years old and a complete novice to the gym, having only participated in sports in the past. I struggled with motivation and had no idea how to push myself to achieve my fitness goals.

But, Joel was exceptional in understanding my goals and fitness level. He took the time to get to know me as an individual, and asked about my fitness background, any physical limitations or injuries I had, and what my ultimate fitness goals were. With this information, he crafted a customized plan that was tailored to my specific needs and goals. This plan included a variety of exercises such as weight training, cardio, and stretching and was designed to be progressive, challenging yet achievable, and adaptable to my fitness level.

What really stood out for me was Joel's positive and energetic attitude. He had a contagious enthusiasm for fitness, and this helped me to stay motivated even on the days when I felt like giving up. He always had a kind word of encouragement and knew how to push me when I needed it, but also knew when to back off and let me do my best.

Another important aspect of working with him was his guidance on nutrition. He taught me about the importance of proper nutrition for fitness and overall health. He provided me with a meal plan that was tailored to my specific needs and goals, and explained the science behind the different macronutrients and micronutrients. This has completely transformed my attitude towards food, and I have been eating healthier than ever before. He also instilled a sense of discipline in me, which has helped me to stay committed to my fitness journey, even on non-session days.

He has been fantastic in checking up on me outside of sessions. He always made himself available to answer any questions or concerns I had, and would follow up with me to see how I was doing. He also introduced me to his other clients and personal trainers at Britannia Gym, which has created a real sense of community.

After working with Joel, I feel the healthiest and strongest I have ever felt. I have seen significant improvements in my overall fitness, strength, and body composition. I cannot recommend Joel enough as a personal trainer. He is knowledgeable, professional, and truly cares about his clients' well-being. I am confident that anyone who works with him will have a fantastic experience.
Sashi Poola
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I recommend Joel to everyone I know!

I've only been working with him for a few months but people regularly comment on my bigger physique.

His knowledge, attitude and focus makes me confident I can achieve my goals - I feel like I'm pushing myself without risking injury.
Matt Mcgough
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I have been working with Joel for a few months and couldn't recommend him highly enough. He has helped me achieved well beyond my expectations. I am a 46 year old woman going through perimenopause, mother of 2 who has little spare time due to the high pressures of being a business owner. Long time injuries in my back, knee and shoulder were delaying my progress in the gym as well as lack of knowledge in the right form, effective routines and nutrition.

Before working with Joel, I was a casual gym user who longed to get stronger, leaner and up my game. I was looking for information on exercises in the internet and feeling overwhelmed and lost. I was working hard but not really knowing what I was doing and failing to progress and see results, constantly afraid that I would worsen my injuries.

Joel is extremely professional, has a cheerful and highly motivating attitude towards his customers, while also being very caring and sympathetic towards fears and blocks which were hindering my progress. He is super patient and knows when and how to push. He did an initial assessment to figure out my goals and understand my schedule, needs and what was setting me back. He designed different comprehensive and achievable routines for training days and expertly guided me to achieve great form while also giving me rehab sessions to help fix my injuries. All very easy to follow with the aid of an amazing app, with videos on how to perform the exercises in case I forget, view my sets, number of reps and resting periods. Making it so easy to track my progress. He also helped me overcome my nutrition issues, which I had a lot of reluctance about being a lover of delicious food! He assessed my diet, gave me great meal plans around my personal taste and supplement recommendations while explaining the science behind it all. Making these changes was so much easier than I'd thought and without denying treats :)

Joel is also always checking on me and available around the gym outside our sessions, which I find really reassuring. After a few weeks I started noticing how much stronger I was becoming and how my body was changing. My mental health has improved dramatically, helping me have a more positive outlook in life. The discipline I achieved in the gym permated to my work, helping me become more productive and stress less. I now stand tall with a new found confidence. Never in a million years, I'd have thought that at middle age my glutes would be rock hard and defy age and gravity or that I'd achieve a lean, strong and defined core and get rid of my dreadful hanging mommy's belly. Nor that I'd be able to do pull ups or deadlift and squat above my body weight with my lower back & shoulder injuries! My body feels and looks better than it did in my 20's! I have become strong, defined and constantly progressing. I now have bucket loads of energy and for the first time since his birth 6 years ago, I am able to pick up and carry my son, which before I could't due to my injuries, that's my sweetest reward. None of my injuries bother me anymore and I am now able to do exercises which in the past I was told by osteopaths I should never ever do. To my amazement and disbelief, I even got asked by a young man in his 20's at the gym if I was a fitness instructor!

I also love the sense of community at Britannia's gym and meeting Joel's clients, a wide range of people with different goals who are an inspiration. If you are looking for a highly dedicated PT who will put a smile on your face while pushing you outside your comfort zone, Joel is your man!
Noel Basualdo

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