About Simply Strong
About Me
Hi! My name is Marcus Jones, and I’m a Personal Trainer from Bristol, UK. I absolutely LOVE lifting weights - and I want to help you love it too.
I have been a Personal Trainer since 2019, and in that time have worked with well over 100 clients - all from a wide variety of different backgrounds and levels of experience when it comes to lifting weights.
I started Simply Strong with a good degree of coaching experience already. Before working as a Personal Trainer, I was a Judo coach for the University of Bristol, as well as running my own Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class for a year in St Paul’s. I even spent a couple of years as a Judo coach for children aged as young as 5 in Bristol city centre - so I really have worked with all sorts!
I am a fully certified, fully insured Level 3 Personal Trainer, recognised by both REPS and CIMSPA. I am also a qualified Level 1 Nutrition Coach for Health and Performance.
Outside of personal training, I am a major martial arts enthusiast, holding a black belt in judo and a purple belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu. I am a massive fan of the UFC and love music, in particular rock and metal. I live just outside Bristol city centre with my wife, Verity, and my Rottweiler, Darcy.
I look forward to meeting you.
My Approach
Lifting weights isn’t just for powerlifters, bodybuilders or meatheads - it’s something everyone can benefit from at any stage of life. Whatever your circumstances, whatever your goal, whatever your background, I want to show you just how fun and empowering getting in the gym and building strength can be.
My number one objective for you as a client is to empower you to feel safe, comfortable and happy with the basics of weights–based exercise, and to give you all the tools you need to walk into any gym with confidence, lift some heavy stuff, and walk out with a smile on your face, feeling like a badass. It truly is possible for anyone and nowhere near as complicated as you might think – it’s just a question of getting started.
Whether you’re an absolute beginner to the gym or are making a comeback after some time off, I will work alongside you to create a workout programme that fits around your goals, abilities and lifestyle, and promise to give you all the tools you need to build strength, muscle, and confidence. Most importantly, I promise to do everything I can to help you to actually enjoy your time in the gym and look forward to training - because otherwise, what’s the point?
Being a Simpleton
Being a Simpleton is about three things: working hard, having fun, and supporting others.
If you decide to work with me, you’ll be getting more than just a Personal Trainer. You’ll also be joining Bristol’s most positive, inclusive and supportive exercise community, full of friendly, awesome people who want you to succeed and will be cheering you on every step of the way.
We communicate regularly as a group, motivate each other, share and celebrate each other’s successes, and regularly meet up for special exclusive group training sessions, as well as regular socials where we wear something other than gym kit for a change and just have a laugh as a team.
I could not be more proud of the amazing community that we’ve built together, and I look forward to welcoming you into it soon!
Our Home
I run Simply Strong Personal Training exclusively out of Snap Fitness gym on Whiteladies Road, Clifton Down, Bristol (BS8 2PH). It is a fully stocked commercial gym featuring a wide variety of cardio and resistance machines, free weights area, and a functional training space. The gym is open 24/7 and has 24-hour CCTV surveillance as well as first aid kits, defibrillators and multiple member alarm systems to ensure your safety and security while training. It’s a great gym and I’m very happy to be able to call it my home!
If you’re looking to book one-to-one sessions with me, you will also need to purchase a membership to Snap Fitness - I am unable to provide training services at other gyms and I do not do home visits or outdoor sessions. Joining Snap is a completely separate arrangement to signing up for sessions with me - it just gives us somewhere to train! Membership to Snap Fitness Clifton also grants you full membership to any and all other Snap Fitness locations located worldwide - so you’ll be able to get your workouts in no matter where you go. Membership ALSO includes unlimited free access to the wide variety of great in-gym classes offered throughout the week - some of which are run by yours truly!
If you’d like to have a look around Snap Fitness Clifton before deciding if the gym is right for you, I’d be very happy to meet and give you a free tour - drop me a message and we can arrange something soon.
Alternatively, if you would like to work with me but don’t want to join a new gym right now, then click here to learn more about my programming/online coaching services!
Strength Training
A little look into all the benefits lifting weights has to offer. Whether your ultimate goal is to get stronger, lose weight/burn fat, increase mobility or you simply want to feel healthier - strength training does it all.
“I'd always wanted to start the gym but every time I went I felt clueless on what I should be doing, was worried I was going to hurt myself and have always been generally intimidated by the environment. That was before I became a Simpleton and started my journey with Marcus. His approach made the gym a fun and inviting place. He's educated me on all aspects of fitness and enabled me to go to any gym and workout with confidence”.