Today Is the Youngest You’ll Ever Be

Tue 29 Sep 26

Warren Koekemoer Joins Mix 56 as our regular Transformation Coach

Phil

PHIL ROBERTS
THE MORNING SHOW

Full disclosure before we start: Warren Koekemoer is my personal trainer. He’s the reason I now know my way around The Gym Group in Altrincham, and the reason I go to the loo before I step on the scales. More on that later.

Back in July, Warren sat in the MIX56 studio and told me the fitness story you weren’t expecting: six years as a personal trainer, an Instagram full of before-and-afters, and life with ulcerative colitis. He’s also the trainer who asked me the question no one else had: “How can I help you?”

Now he’s back as Mix 56’s new regular transformation coach. This time I asked you to send in your fitness questions, and you did not hold back.

The Great North Run: hills, jets and £640 raised

Last time we spoke, Warren was gearing up for his first ever AJ Bell Great North Run on Sunday 13 September.

He’s now done it, and he’s the first to admit he underestimated it. “I’m not a runner,” he told me. Most of his training had been on the flat, so the hills caught him out. As he put it, a climb makes you feel like you’ve covered far more ground than you actually have.

The highlight? The Red Arrows screaming over the start, with every phone in the crowd pointed at the sky.

Warren ran for Crohn’s & Colitis UK. In July he was close to his target. He finished on £640, and the charity got in touch to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who gave.

It matters to him because he knows what a bad flare takes away: days in bed, unable to work, see friends or go out. The money helps fund research into better treatments.

Warren Trains Part 1 Phil Roberts

Only got 20 minutes a day? That’s plenty

First up was Babs, one of our most loyal messagers, who listed work, kids, the commute and life in general. What can she realistically do in 20 minutes?

“You can really do a lot,” said Warren. Pair exercises up into super sets or tri-sets, build a routine around the time you’ve got, and keep getting stronger. If you’re getting stronger, you’re improving.

Why strength training is where the magic happens

Warren’s told me before that cardio is great, but strength training is where the real change happens. Steady running doesn’t challenge your muscles in the same way.

In the gym, you keep gradually increasing the demand, and your body adapts by getting stronger. That gets harder as we age, which is exactly why it’s worth doing.

It’s also why he writes down everything I lift. The aim is to nudge something up each week, whether that’s the weight, the reps, the control, the tempo or the range of motion, with the same form every time. My lower back has never been better. “Core tight, chest up” now plays in my head on a loop.

Kaz wanted to know if strength training is really for ordinary people, not just those chasing a bodybuilder look. “Worth it for every single body,” said Warren.

It’s about picking up the kids, carrying the shopping, and still being active later in life instead of sitting on the sidelines.

No motivation on a cold, dark morning? Have a plan

Steve wanted to know how to get going when motivation disappears. Warren’s answer was simple: stop relying on it. Have a plan built around your life, not one you found online.

Monday is chest, Tuesday is legs, Wednesday is rest. When you know what the day holds, you’re far more likely to turn up. As he told me last time, consistency beats heroics.

Scales: friend or foe?

Karen, who works at Manchester Airport, confessed she’s obsessed with the scales. Warren weighs himself weekly and looks at the average. Water retention, poor sleep and late meals can all push the number around, so the scales won’t always tell the truth. And yes, go to the loo first. I’m now religiously consistent about that.

Is it ever too late to start?

Timmy asked what Warren would say to someone who thinks they’ve left it too late. “Today is the youngest day you’ll be,” he said. Start now, not next week. One of his clients is down 50 kilos, and along the way she’s found a new job and a new partner. The confidence spills into everything.

I felt that myself, walking through Manchester Airport with a bit of extra bounce in my step. Sometimes it’s not about the weight at all.

Comparison, mirrors and those dreaded progress photos

Tina said scrolling fitness content leaves her feeling rubbish. Warren’s advice: focus on your own journey and aim to be 1% better each day. It compounds. He’s also a big fan of progress photos. I hate them, but they do make you face facts, and seeing the change keeps you going.

Gym nerves and the myth Warren would ban

Nige said the thought of the gym makes him feel sick. Warren’s first step is small: try one new machine, add a few more steps, get a feel for it. As someone who used to feel exactly the same, I can promise it gets easier.

And the fitness myth he’d happily put to bed? That weights make you bulky. That takes years of dedicated training and eating, and plenty of the physiques you see online are enhanced. Warren keeps it natural: train well, eat well, trust the process.

Speaking of which, I’ve gone from 86 kilos to 79 since we started working together. As for my six-pack, Warren says it’s definitely possible. Just “harder for you.” Charming.

Find Warren as @warrentrains on Instagram and Facebook, with TikTok coming soon.

And catch his regular fitness check-ins on Phil In The Morning, 10am to 1pm, Monday to Thursday on Cheshire’s Mix 56. If he asks how he can help you, tell him. It’s still working for me.