Functional Strength trainer at Absolute MMA Collingwood, Natalie Stiles has over 8 years experience as a personal trainer and was previously a dental nurse for over 10 years. She loves drum and bass, and is also a former sprinter and long distance runner who moves and exercises for the love of it. Nat also runs a ladies lifting society designed for females to learn to lift weights in a supportive and like-minded community. Read on to find out more about Nat!
What made you start Martial Arts?
I wanted a form of hard exercise to do for me, that was away from my personal training clients that would push me mentally as well as physically.
How did you first get involved with Absolute MMA? (What industry were you in prior to Martial Arts? What made you change?)
I moved from another club when our coach Tao set up the Muay Thai program at Collingwood.
Mantra/Quote to live by?
Do it like you mean it.
Who is an inspiration to you, and why?
Mostly by the amazing and growing number of female athletes emerging in previously male dominated sports. We have one amazing one in our own club. I find the ladies who are making in big in surfing, soccer, lifting and now in the AFLW particularly inspiring.
If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh gosh, that’s tough, I really like to eat…..berries, berries have never let me down.
What do you like to do to relax besides training?
Get away from the city on the weekends, bush walk, train run, beach and fail at surfing, that sort of thing.
If you were going to be an animal, what would you be and why?
Whats the most cuddly? I like cuddles.
What is your favorite travel destination? Why?
Spain!!! The life style there is amazing.100% they have a really relaxed approach to life, sleep during the week, walk slow, sit down for coffee, naps! What’s not to love? Oh, and it’s really pretty there.
If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?
Other than “keep your hands up idiot”? When you think you are tired, you always push more.
Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?
People who are un-apologetically themselves, I think we sometimes spend too much time concerned with what others think about us.
During a Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?
Hmmmm…this is hard because- do I want a killer team to fight them off, or just people I can out run so they get eaten first? I think I’d have to pick our killer female only zombie squad, Claire Fury, Maryanne and Liv.
‘Nat has a wealth of knowledge which she has gained over years of competing at high levels of different sports such as CrossFit and Muay Thai. This has made her a fantastic trainer who knows how to motivate clients from all walks of life- she is not afraid to push them in order for them to meet their goals’ – Sam Hibberd