Interview: Martin Ebner

I moved to Barcelona in June this year. After living in Buenos Aires for seven years, I wanted to be closer to my friends and family, but I didn’t want to move back home to Scotland. For me, Barcelona ticked all the boxes. It’s the perfect balance between both countries, retaining the vibrant Spanish culture and language without the insecurity and obscene inflation rates of Argentina. Not to mention the warm Mediterranean climate, outdoor lifestyle and excellent fitness facilities.

Health and fitness have always been a big part of my life. I was captain of Scotland’s ice hockey team when I was in my teens, I got very into weightlifting in my early twenties, and I did four snowboarding seasons in New Zealand and the US. However, it wasn’t until I gave up drinking alcohol and incorporated healthy eating into my lifestyle that I saw the biggest changes—not only to my physique but also to my quality of life. I had a lot more focus, more energy to work and train, and found more structure and balance in life.

I started my personal training business Ebylife three years ago. It all began when a number of my close friends asked if I would be willing to train them. At the time, I had my own English teaching business and was learning Spanish. But given my fitness background and enthusiasm for exercise and a healthy lifestyle, I felt it was something I could do very well. The sessions were such a great success that I decided to get my personal training qualification and it all grew organically from there. 

Ebylife caters to locals, expats and tourists in Barcelona. I offer personal training, tailor-made diets and workout plans to people of all ages and fitness levels. I also hope to launch an online personal training platform next year, which is something I’m really excited about. The health and fitness market is constantly growing and while personal training used to be exclusively for the rich and famous, it’s far more accessible and affordable now.

I got the idea to incorporate tourism into my business from my dad. He has always been massively into health and fitness and his obsession for a six pack clearly had some effect on me. We went on a family holiday to Egypt a few years ago and he spent more time working out in the hotel gym than he ever usually would at home. It made me realise that people like to take advantage of time abroad to maintain their fitness or to establish a fitness routine and a few healthy habits they can take back home with them.

I work very closely with all my clients. Personal training is exactly that—personal. Everyone is so different, there’s no one size fits all. It’s important to find what works best for you and go with that. I like to get to know my clients, help them establish their fitness goals, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and create an enjoyable and sustainable workout plan based on their exact needs. I don’t believe in quick fixes or fad diets. 

Barcelona is such a beautiful place to work out. It offers a wide variety of great outdoor spaces to give personal training sessions, from the beaches to the various parks and squares. My favourite circuit for workout sessions is the Olympic Ring in Montjuïc. It’s difficult not to feel inspired in such a picturesque setting!

Every aspect of life improves when you exercise. There are so many physical and mental benefits of leading an active and healthy lifestyle. When people start to work out, they instantly feel refreshed. They sleep better, feel less stressed and anxious, and have more confidence and energy, not to mention they look better. 

I wish I had had a personal trainer when I first started working out. It would have saved me years of misspent energy and failed attempts. One of the main reasons that so many people struggle to incorporate exercise into their daily lives is because of a lack of knowledge and a structured workout plan. With so much information available on the internet, it can be difficult to know what’s true, what’s false and where to start. It’s my job as a personal trainer to keep my education up-to-date so that I can provide my clients with safe, effective and accurate information.

I completely understand that committing to personal training and a healthier lifestyle is difficult, and it may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It’s all about balance and forming feasible and sustainable habits. It’s so easy to procrastinate and put things off until Monday, next week or next month. The act of procrastination is often worse than the task itself. Exercise can and should be fun. The sooner you begin, the sooner you will see the results.