Whitney Simon, 29, from south London, has been training with Ash Dent from Revolution PT three times a week for just over a year. “Before the pandemic, exercising felt like another to-do on my list. Now, I truly look forward to my workouts,” she says. “They’re like another form of therapy that helps me feel centered, strong, and accomplished – but also offers an escape from getting too down on myself when dealing with all this uncertainty.”

During lockdown, Ash has been one of the few people that Whitney was still able to see (over FaceTime), and they talk about everything from their favourite films and their dream places to live, to their futures and where they see themselves in a few years’ time. “I was enjoying it so much that my partner didn’t believe that I was actually working out,” she laughs.

In a year that has intensified emotions of loneliness, PTs have provided much-needed interaction. “Having a strong support network is an important component of mental health and wellbeing, and having a person with whom you feel you can share aspects of your personal life can help to reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation,” says Dr Dash.

Personal trainers themselves can also benefit from close relationships with their clients. For London-based PT Indija Anderson, connecting with clients on a personal level is the “best and most rewarding” part of the job and she relishes the exchange of life advice. Her aim is that a session “doesn’t feel like work for me and it doesn’t feel like training for them”.

“My personal trainer became the unexpected go-to for emotional support”