MEET THE FITNESS 12 RETREAT TEAM
A professional fitness trainer for over fifteen years, Steve was formally the Mirror.co.uk’s health and lifestyle guru for two years and now contributing to the Huffington Post.co.uk. Steve has an extensive client list consisting of many famous and influential people from the world of show business and industry. Steve spent time working in Hollywood and this success helped him develop the Fitness 12 Retreats at La Manga Club.
Steve is a Garmin Ambassador and has worked on a wide range of projects ranging from QPR women’s football team fitness coach, to designing a training routine for Cancer Research.org.uk. He has written for many magazines, online news and appeared in various television programmes.
After trials at Everton F.C, he became a semi-pro footballer and is now a keen cyclist and runner. He has taken part in many 10k, half-marathons, the 2005 London Marathon and the 2008 London Duathlon. At the moment he is in training for the infamous 2010 Etape cycling race in France and is taking part in various Triathlons as part of his rigorous training routine.
Pavlina brings a wealth of experience and specialist knowledge to the F12 Team. She is a skilled Nutritional Therapist, Detox Specialist and an authority in Personal Fitness. She has completed a University Degree and Post-graduate in Exercise Science and has achieved a professional qualification in Nutritional Therapy. She is currently in the process of completing yet another BSc in Nutritional Sciences where she is carrying out research into the physiology of various detoxification pathways and how these processes could be improved.
Pavlina uses nutritional strategies and detoxification principles, tailored to her client’s individual needs, to support the process of detoxification and reinstate optimal health. Her nutritional approach is based on the functional model, which looks at how different body systems interact and affect each other. Through identifying specific areas for improvement and correcting imbalances, she strives to restore wellbeing and improve physical functioning on all levels.
During her career, expanding for more than a decade, she has successfully helped countless people to change their lifestyle, exercise and nutritional habits for the better. As the Director of Bodyworkz Wellbeing, a dedicated health consultancy, Pavlina manages a busy nutrition clinic offering one-to-one consultations to private and corporate clients and also runs various nutrition related talks and workshops.
After completing his MSc, where he gained a distinction, Roberto underwent his BASES (British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists) Accreditation, under the guidance of his psychology mentor, Dr Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University. He is now studying for his Doctorate on the Applied Psychological Effects of Video in Sport.
For more than 20 years, Roberto has been involved in coaching and performance in professional sport. A recognised authority on the psychology of performance, group dynamics and tennis psychology. Roberto is a regular speaker on a variety of performance related topics around the world and holds many lecturing positions. He is a consultant with a Premiership football team and the LTA, where he remains working closely with British Number one, Andrew Murray.
Nigel is Performance Director for Optima-life. He is a Sports Scientist with a background in elite sports physiology and biomechanics. After graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Sport Science in 1990, he combined further study (for a Masters) with lecturing and coach education work.
His research work not only earned him a Fellowship of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust but also a Young Investigator of the Year Award from the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport. A five year stint at Lilleshall Sports Injury and Human Performance Centre followed.
During this time Nigel provided physiological support for the National Football, Cricket, Rugby League and Hockey squads as well as leading stars from the world of professional Tennis, Athletics and Windsurfing. It was during his time at Lilleshall that Nigel also became BASES Accredited in both Physiology and Biomechanics.
Taking on the role of Performance Director for Optima-life in 2009, Nigel is firmly establishing the company’s position in the worlds of elite sport and corporate performance. Relishing an opportunity to combine his knowledge as a scientist with his skills as a coach, in the diverse worlds of sport, health and wellness, Nigel is keen to further explore the numerous potential applications of the optima-life products incorporating First beat technology.
Outside of work Nigel’s interests remain mainly with sport and exercise, including a keen interest in racquet sports, an avid interest in golf and a slightly more relaxed approach to mountain biking and other (relatively short) endurance events.
Natalie graduated from the University of Kwa Zulu, Natal in South Africa in 2006 with an undergraduate degree in Sports Science and post graduate honours degree in Biokinetics. She specialises in exercise therapy and her focus is on improving the individual’s physical status and quality of life in the dual context of clinical pathology (acute and chronic) and performance enhancement.
Natalie worked in health and wellness in South Africa for many years before moving to the UK and is also a qualified Sports Massage Practitioner and Pilates Instructor.
Natalie is also the lead HealthPod Lifestyle Consultant at the Hospital of St John & St Elizabeth.
She is an adventure sports enthusiast and particularly enjoys wakeboarding, scuba diving and mountain biking.
Lizzie is our bookings and reservations manager and an integral part of the Fitness 12 team. A fitness enthusiast who has taken part in numerous duathlons and triathlons, most recently the London duathlon.
A keen runner, who recently got the cycling bug and hopes to take part in the Etape du Tour next year. A YMCA trained fitness professional, who’s passion is training women who have lost confidence and want to transform themselves through exercise and healthy living. She has been fitness modelling for several years and has been seen in the pages of the Mirror newspaper, Adidas, Liverpool FC and Fitness TV.
More than just taking bookings she is very much involved in the coordination of all our events and spends several months in Spain overseeing our trips.
My lifelong passion for all sports,health and wellbeing has enabled me to enjoy over 20 years working in the fitness industry .Roles include Gym Manager, Personal Trainer,Nutrition and Lifestyle consultant.
I have a Diploma in Personal Training and Sports Therapy and dedicated to helping others achieve better health for life.
Having moved to a part of Spain which is paradise for any sport/ fitness enthusiast my priority is to ensure all guests enjoy a memorable and uplifting break away from the UK.
Paula Denvir was recently described by one of her clients as, “An ideal trainer: patient, painstaking and professional plus!” She gets similar feed-back from male and female clients in their twenties to their eighties.
Her popularity and success are also attributable to her warm personality and her determination to help every client achieve his or her goals, whether in classes or private sessions.
Paula qualified as an aerobics instructor in 1996. She subsequently added qualifications for all areas of fitness including weight management & nutrition, pre- and post-natal exercise and advanced training instructor.
She is passionate about a holistic approach and she has diplomas in Pilates and Hatha yoga. She also includes helping golfers and tennis players become more flexible and improve their game.
Chris Manning is a published author, strength training specialist and nationally sought-after trainer in the field of fitness retreats.
He continues to enjoy a successful varied career Including running his own bespoke training and nutrition service across Brighton and a Physical Therapies Consultant role for the NHS.
Chris is a highly personable trainer and educator with an infectious passion and professionalism to create an environment where fitness goals are heard, nurtured and executed, ensuring his clients take control of their training and dietary behaviours to finally build the body they want.
