Personal Training in Lilyfield: What to Expect
Personal Training in Lilyfield at Move Method starts with a conversation and an assessment, not a workout. You sit down with a coach, talk through your goals, and have your posture, walking pattern, physical imbalances and nutrition looked at. From there, the first four weeks build your technique, and only then do you move into strength, skills, rehab and mobility work. The studio is at 503 Balmain Road, Lilyfield, and the coaching is built around one idea: helping you move better, live with less pain, and stay strong for the long run.
Why did I start Move Method?
I did not plan to be a personal trainer. I started out as a chef in Newcastle, then moved to Sydney to sharpen my career in the kitchen. It did not take long to see that I wanted more from life than long hours over a stove.
I was a competitive gymnast growing up, and I have always liked chasing new challenges and finding new ways to move. So I finished my Personal Training studies in my early 20s and went to work in some of the biggest gym chains. That gave me a solid foundation, but something was missing. I did not want to spend my days counting reps on machines. I wanted to understand what a body is truly capable of.
That curiosity sent me into years of courses, one after another. I brought together gymnastics, strength training, Animal Flow, ViPR, movement-based training and rehab. That mix became the foundation for About Move Method, a space built to help people move better, feel stronger and trust their bodies.
Today I have 20 years of experience. I run the studio, coach clients, and mentor the next generation of personal trainers.
Move Method exists because I wanted personal training to be about what your body can do, not how many reps a machine can count.
What is personal training at Move Method actually like?
Personal training at Move Method is personal in the plainest sense. The programme is built around you: your lifestyle, your environment, your nutrition and your body. It is not a template handed to everyone who walks in.
We work from three parts of holistic living:
Movement
Nutrition
Mindset
Our tagline is "Movement is key, exercise is optional." I mean it. If training feels like a chore, people stop. If it feels like learning something about yourself, they keep coming back.
Move Method is a small studio, not a big-box gym. It is a fitness community in Lilyfield where people know each other, and where personal training and small group classes sit side by side.
Where is Move Method and who is it for?
Move Method is at 503 Balmain Road, Lilyfield NSW 2040, in Sydney's Inner West. We look after clients from Lilyfield and the nearby suburbs of Rozelle, Balmain and Leichhardt.
The studio is designed for adults who want to move better, perform at their best, and live a long and healthy life. We work with people of all ages and abilities, alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and other allied health professionals when a client needs that support.
You do not need to be fit before you arrive. You do not need to know your way around a weights room. If you know you want to feel stronger and move without limits but have no idea where to begin, that is the person I built this studio for.
What happens in my first personal training session?
Your first step is the Initial Movement and Goal Setting Consult, which is included in every Move Method membership. It is a proper conversation, not a sales pitch.
During the initial assessment, your coach will:
Get to know you and talk through what you want to achieve
Set goals that are realistic for your body and your life
Look at your day-to-day posture, meaning how you sit, stand and carry yourself
Watch your gait, meaning how you walk
Note physical imbalances that could affect your training
Talk through your nutrition and how you currently eat
We do this first because everything afterwards depends on it. If I know how you move on an ordinary Tuesday, I can build training that fits your real life.
A good personal training programme starts with understanding how you already move, not with telling you what to lift.
What does the first month of personal training look like?
Everyone who joins Move Method goes through a planned orientation. It moves in a deliberate order, and each stage prepares you for the next.
Stage
What it covers
Why it comes here
Initial Assessment
Goal setting, posture, gait, physical imbalances and nutrition
Gives your coach a starting point
Foundation Training
Four weeks building fundamentals and technique, and working on any imbalances found
Good technique makes everything later safer and more effective
Skilful Strength
Gymnastics, bodyweight exercises and hand balancing
The fun part, once your base is solid
Weightlifting
Powerful, strong movements using heavy equipment
Builds real strength on top of good movement
Rehab / Prehab
Exercises specific to your weaknesses
Keeps you ready to train every day
Mobility
Joint care and flexibility
Keeps you limber and active, now and long term
The four-week Foundation stage is built on our Standards of Foundations. Here we teach you how to isolate, integrate and improvise. You learn to control one part of the body, then connect it with others, then adapt your movement to different situations. You can read more about this on our Foundation Program page.
I call the next stage Skilful Strength because that is when training gets exciting. Once your foundation is in place, we start on gymnastics, bodyweight work and hand balancing. You can see what this looks like in our video on gymnastics rings strength training.
How does personal training fit with group classes?
Many people assume they have to choose between personal training and a class. At Move Method you do not. There are two membership types:
Membership
What you get
Group Classes Membership
A choice of classes, available as 2 classes per week or unlimited
Combination Membership
Group classes plus personal training, mixing community with one-on-one coaching
Every membership includes the initial consult, nutrition coaching, and ongoing movement support, where your trainer watches your progress and adjusts things as needed. You can see all the options on our memberships page.
I like the combination option because the two formats do different jobs. Personal training lets us work on your specific weaknesses and goals. Classes give you energy, company and the motivation of training alongside other people. The timetable shows when everything runs.
Here is what is on offer in the classes:
Class
What it is
Move
Builds strength in stressful positions the body needs to adapt to and control, with your heart rate up and some fun along the way
Strength & Move
Built around your own programme, so you work on your imbalances instead of repeating what you already know and like
Mobility
Builds strength at the end ranges of your joints while improving flexibility and control
Sprints
An outdoor Saturday morning class on running fundamentals, with HIIT for cardio fitness. Beginners are welcome, including people who have never run
Build (Upper and Lower Body)
The fundamentals of strength, split into upper and lower days for extra focus
Adult Boxing
Technique-first boxing with footwork, pad work and partner drills, coached by Kieran
Skills
Three levels: Beginner Skills, Gymnastics Skills and Hand Balancing Skills
Kids Boxing
Coordination and confidence for ages 8 to 14, on Thursdays at 4pm, coached by Kieran
At Move Method, personal training gives you the plan built around you, and the classes give you the community to keep going.
Who will be coaching me?
You will meet a coach who has been through their own version of "I don't know where to start."
Coach
Role
Background
Alan Peacock
Owner and Head Coach
20 years of experience. Former chef and competitive gymnast. Blends gymnastics, strength training, Animal Flow, ViPR, movement-based training and rehab
Kieran Geeves PT
PT and Boxing Coach
Six and a half years coaching. Combines boxing, strength, mobility, gymnastics rings and handstand training
Kieran's story is worth sharing in his own words. He became a trainer because he knows what it is like to feel out of shape, move with pain and not know where to start. He says he has worked with mentors and helped hundreds of people move pain-free, step into the ring for a first boxing fight, and build bodies that cope with life, from running around with the kids to hiking with friends.
He is straightforward about his approach. He does not believe in quick fixes. He believes in building skills, understanding your body, and finding a way to train that you look forward to. I share that view completely. You can meet both of us on the Our Coaches page.
What if I have pain or a past injury?
Many people who come to Move Method are dealing with something. It might be an ache that never leaves, a joint that feels unreliable, or worry about hurting themselves again.
We take injury prevention seriously. Rehab and prehab are a full stage of the orientation, not an afterthought. We want you happy, healthy and ready to train each day, so we spend time on exercises specific to you, based on your weaknesses.
Because I work alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and allied health professionals, I am comfortable knowing where coaching ends and their work begins.
If pain is your main concern, two resources on the website may help before you visit:
Fix Your Back, our page focused on back care
Unlocking the secrets to alleviating shoulder pain and building stronger shoulders, a blog post on shoulders
At Move Method, protecting your body is part of the training, not something we do only after something goes wrong.
Do I need to be fit already?
No. Several of our classes are built for people starting from scratch.
Beginner Skills is for anyone who has never done gymnastics but wants to try.
Sprints welcomes people who have never run before. We say "we got you" and mean it.
Foundation Training exists so that everyone builds technique first, whatever their starting point.
If you want to try us before committing, we run a two-week trial offer. It is a low-pressure way to see the studio, meet the coaches and find out how you feel.
For a look at what the experience is like from the client side, read our post on what to expect at Move Method as a client.
How do nutrition and mindset fit into personal training?
Nutrition and mindset are two of the three parts of our philosophy, alongside movement.
On the nutrition side, every membership includes personalised coaching. Your coach helps you make healthy food choices and build sustainable eating habits, with practical advice you can use. Nutrition is also part of your very first assessment, so we understand where you are starting from.
On the mindset side, we want to guide, educate and empower you to take control of your own fitness journey. The goal is for you to understand your body well enough that you no longer feel lost when it comes to looking after it.
For people who want a structured approach to habits, we also offer the 8-Week Healthy Habits Masterclass.
What can I do at home before my first session?
You can prepare before you walk in. These steps come straight from what we look at in your first assessment, so doing them gives your coach a head start.
Write down what you want. Keep it honest and specific. "Move without back stiffness" is more useful than "get fit."
Notice your posture during the day. Pay attention to how you sit at work and how you stand while waiting.
Pay attention to how you walk. Gait is part of your assessment, so notice whether anything feels uneven.
List what hurts, and what you avoid. Movements you steer clear of tell us a lot.
Look honestly at your eating. No judgement here. We just need a starting point.
Try a short mobility routine. Our Daily 10 Minute Mobility page is a gentle place to start.
Watch a few videos. Our video library and YouTube channel show how we teach.
How do I get started with personal training in Lilyfield?
Getting in touch is easy. Call me, Alan, on 0404 477 088, email alan@movemethod.com.au, or use the contact page. You can also check the timetable to see when classes run.
Move Method is at 503 Balmain Road, Lilyfield NSW 2040.
Don't be shy about reaching out. Most people who message us are unsure where to begin, and that is a perfectly good place to start.
Key Takeaways
Personal training at Move Method begins with an Initial Movement and Goal Setting Consult, covering goals, posture, gait, imbalances and nutrition.
The first four weeks focus on Foundation Training, where you build technique before moving on to skills, weightlifting, rehab/prehab and mobility.
You can choose a Group Classes Membership or a Combination Membership that includes personal training.
Every membership includes nutrition coaching and ongoing movement support.
You do not need to be fit to start. Beginner Skills and Sprints are both open to newcomers.
Move Method works alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and allied health professionals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Move Method's personal training studio?
Move Method is at 503 Balmain Road, Lilyfield NSW 2040, in Sydney's Inner West. We serve clients from Lilyfield, Rozelle, Balmain and Leichhardt.What happens in the first personal training session at Move Method?
Your coach runs an initial assessment covering goal setting, day-to-day posture, gait, physical imbalances and nutrition. This makes sure your programme is built around your body.Can beginners do personal training at Move Method?
Yes. Move Method welcomes all fitness levels. Every new client goes through a four-week Foundation Training stage, and classes like Beginner Skills and Sprints are designed for people trying something for the first time.Does Move Method offer group classes as well as personal training?
Yes. You can join group classes only (2 per week or unlimited), or take the Combination Membership, which includes both group classes and personal training. Classes include Move, Strength & Move, Mobility, Sprints, Build, Adult Boxing, Skills and Kids Boxing.Can Move Method help with pain or injury?
Rehab and prehab are built into the programme, with exercises chosen for your specific weaknesses. Alan works alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and allied health professionals. For medical concerns, we encourage you to speak with your health professional as well.
About the Author
Alan Peacock is the owner and Head Coach of Move Method, a Lilyfield fitness studio offering group classes and personal training. A former chef and competitive gymnast, he completed his Personal Training studies in his early 20s and worked in some of the biggest gym chains before founding Move Method. He has 20 years of experience, has completed extensive further study across gymnastics, strength training, Animal Flow, ViPR, movement-based training and rehab, and works alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and allied health professionals. He also mentors the next generation of personal trainers.
Connect with Alan and Move Method: Website · YouTube · Instagram · Facebook