Meet The Member - Stu of One Athlete Fitness
One Athlete Fitness
We caught up with Stu of One Athlete Fitness in St. Albans to find out how they’re redefining what it means to train with purpose.
We are pleased to have you as a member of We Are St. Albans. Tell us what brought you to start up One Athlete Fitness?
One Athlete Fitness was born from a desire to create something different—a place where people could train with purpose, be coached properly, and enjoy the process. I’ve spent a lot of time around commercial gyms and witnessed poor programming, poor planning and effectively a session-by-session transactional style approach. One Athlete is all about encouraging people to release their inner potential and effectively train like an athlete. Granted, that doesn’t mean that we will all be competing in the Olympics after a training cycle, but it does mean that every day is an opportunity to perform at your best.
My favourite saying is that the minimum requirement is maximum effort. The other thing that really bugs me about the fitness industry is how expensive personal training is. Granted, yes, we do offer personal training services on a one-to-one basis, but the whole point of our small group sessions is to offer as close to individual and personal training as possible at what is effectively a 10th of the cost.
What do you offer at One Athlete Fitness?
We offer high-level personal training, small group coaching, HYROX-specific training, and strength-focused programming. Whether someone’s goal is fat loss, performance, or just to feel stronger and more confident, we tailor our approach to suit them. It’s not just a gym—it’s a coached experience built around accountability, education, and progress.
What are the most common challenges people face with fitness?
A lot of people struggle with consistency and knowing where to start. There’s so much noise out there—conflicting advice, unrealistic body goals, and fad workouts. We meet people who’ve tried everything and still feel stuck. Our job is to simplify it all and give them a plan that works long-term, and the reality is that’s a good scientific fact training program that helps people to remain consistent. Consistent might not be the most interesting word in the dictionary, but it’s certainly the most powerful when it comes to achieving goals. Fitness isn’t actually that complicated but finding something that people enjoy and crave is probably the most challenging part.
Top tip for building a sustainable routine?
Start small and build habits gradually. Don’t try to change everything overnight. Find a routine you can stick with, even on your busiest weeks. And make it enjoyable—if you hate it, you won’t keep doing it. Progress takes time, so consistency will always beat perfection.
What should customers walk away with after a session?
A sense of achievement and the belief that they’re capable of more than they thought. Whether it’s lifting heavier, running further, or just showing up when it’s tough—that win matters. We want people leaving the gym feeling better than when they walked in. Yes, for sure, they will be training in a group environment most likely, but the most important thing to me personally is that somebody leaves with a sense and understanding that they can achieve more than they realised when they first walked in.
Did you have a different profession before this? Was it a big leap?
Yes, I worked for one of the large commercial banks as a relationship manager. I learned a huge amount, but most importantly, about customer service. Whilst I don’t believe that the customer is always right (sorry to offend everyone) especially in an industry such as the fitness industry that does require a good knowledge of not only psychology and coaching but also anatomy and physiology and process driven training, I do believe that the customer should always be treated as a priority and given full attention and respect.
How is your approach to fitness unique?
We don’t do generic workouts or cookie-cutter plans. Every session is coached, personalised, and progress-driven, not to mention different. To really get the most out of a workout, you probably do need at least an hour, so I don’t believe in offering anything less than that to our customers. We’re about educating our members, helping them understand why they’re doing what they’re doing, and making it sustainable. And we’ve built a community where people genuinely support each other.
What should people do if they’ve never been to a gym before?
Start with guidance—don’t try to figure it all out alone. Join a gym that offers coaching or personal training and learn the basics well. It’s not about smashing yourself in the first week. Build confidence, form good habits, and take it one step at a time after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day and let’s be brutal here, if you’ve not taken part in any fitness activity for a long time for whatever reason, you definitely can’t undo all of that sedentary behaviour in the space of one week or even one month, but support, guidance and actual coaching tailored with a structured program that has proven to work will get you to where you need to be
Anything surprising about your business?
People are often surprised by how tight knit our community is. It’s more than a gym—it’s a place where people make friends, support each other, and genuinely feel part of something. We also offer things like family-friendly workouts, member events, and nutrition education—all with a personal touch. Oh, and the other thing is that people are always surprised that every member gets free coffee from our commercial bean-to-cup machine. That might sound a little bit of a joke, but the Coffee Machine is the real hub of the gym.
Favourite spot in St. Albans?
Without a doubt, it’s Marshall’s Wick Square. I can often be found having a cheeky breakfast in Molens or grabbing something from Simmons.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself?
Ask my members… there’s nothing fun about me! 😂