Having been working night shift for many years my sleeping habits were all over the place. I had recently changed jobs, back to day shift and was struggling to get good sleep quality at night. I approached Martin, who looked at my sleeping habits. We went through a week diary, and he made recommendations based on what my typical week looked like to me. Through these small changes, over time, I noticed improvements in my sleep quality. It was a process where Martin had to keep reassuring me to be patient, but I am glad I listened to his advice. His holistic approach and knowledge of scientific principles in health are what separates him from other coaches I previously used. He helped me put together a plan to not only improve my sleep but also improved the quality of my diet. I worked with Martin for a few months, and in that time, I feel ten years younger. I can perform and work much better at work, without having to struggle with that 3pm lack of energy. I’d highly recommend Martin to anyone out there who is not only looking to improve their overall health, but also feel motivated to take action towards achievable goals that drive you towards an inspiring life direction.
I was introduced to Inspiratory muscle training by Martin Mcphilimey as I was beginning a short and accelerated preparation for Western Australia’s Strongman series after seven months of traveling. Due to having only two months to prepare, Martin suggested IMT would enhance recovery from exercise so that I was able to put as many sessions as possible.
After a 10 year career in the Military including 5 within the Australian Special Forces I previously assumed I was in physically good shape year-round. Post-discharge from the Army I spent 7 months abroad, generally staying well away from most forms of fitness aside from the occasional hike. Needless to say upon my return from traveling, I was probably in the worst shape I’d been in for the past 15 years in both strength and cardiovascular fitness. Shortly after I had my arm twisted to test myself against some of WA’s strongest including recently crowned Worlds strongest U90kg man Ngarimu Ahipene.
After competing in the Qualifying round and earning a place at the state finals, Martin introduced me to the advantage of Inspiratory muscle training. I quickly jumped on board to leverage any possible physical benefits I could get with a shortened prep in comparison to most other competitors, I was looking for support from a performance coach. We completed an initial baseline of testing, and one day, Martin issued me a daily program that was easy to follow. We then had fortnightly retests to measure results to ensure the appropriate training load throughout the training protocol. After a week of using the device, I could noticeably feel the strength of my breathing muscles increase. It became easier to draw air through the IMT device, making each training session easier. After four weeks of training, I was becoming less frequently out of breath during my workouts.
Each fortnightly retest reaffirmed my opinion that the five minutes of complete training a day was making my lungs significantly stronger. Increasing my cardiac output and allowing the rest of my muscles to receive far more oxygenated blood than usual to the last longer and recover faster throughout my lead up training and during competition. At the WA strongman state finals, I managed to cap it off with a second-place finish to the Worlds Strongest 90kg man and an invite to Arnold’s national competition in Melbourne with 8 weeks of weight training and 6 weeks Inspiratory Muscle Training.
I will be continuing to work with Martin, and I’d undoubtedly recommend IMT to any individual finding it difficult to breathe during exercise. From those with breathing-related issues, all the way up to elite Athletes wanting to find that extra 2-3% when only milliseconds or a fractional weight plate might mean the difference between first and last place.
I approached Martin after hearing that he worked as a sleep scientist. For years, I have been struggling to get up in the morning due to feeling unrefreshed after nights of restless sleep. I was able to a have home-based sleep study, where we discovered that I had irregular breathing, my legs were twitching in my sleep, and this was affecting the quality of my sleep. Through Martin’s interpretation of the sleep study, we found that the amount of deep sleep I was having was low, and being an athletic individual; Martin suggested this could be hindering my recovery and performance.
Martin looked at my daily habits, and he suggested that my late-night training might be causing issues with my sleep. I took a few days off and found after a few nights; my sleep was improving. He also suggested that the amount of time I was sleeping on my back could be causing my breathing issues and that restless legs may be related to my diet. With his recommendations, my sleep improved after a couple of months, and I am now able to wake up early in the morning to get my early training sessions in.
Due to the success of my improved sleep, I thought that he had the knowledge and professionalism to support me with my Nutritional programming for my upcoming Strongman competition. Martin planned an eight-week program to increase my calories without excessive weight gain because I was already at my competing weight. He also recommended increasing the number of greens I was eating in case there was also sleep issues from certain nutrient deficiencies. He planned in foods that made the program sustainable and attainable. By the end of the eight weeks, I was consuming 400 kcal’s more than before, and I was making personal bests on many of my lifts at the same weight.
I feel as if Martin put me in the best position to be competitive in my weight class at Western Australia’s strongman competition and I cannot recommend him enough for anyone looking to improve their health or performance through sleep and nutrition.
With my experience in podcasting, it’s rare to get any feedback as the host, It usually all goes to the guest. I wanted to give some feedback on my podcast episode with you, Martin. I felt comfortable talking with you; it was organic and flowed well, it was smooth. You asked great questions based on pure listening to what I had to say and wanted to let you know because it’s a skill and a talent. I don’t think too many people can do that, many people have agendas and set questions that they want to ask rather than just listening. So thank you.
I approached Martin because I have been struggling with my sleep for some time. I heard through a mutual friend that Martin worked in the medical field and after listening to him on a few podcasts decided to get in contact with him. He wrote a letter to my GP, and I managed to get a sleep study where Martin set me up in the clinic and wore it in bed at home. It turns out that I had obstructive sleep apnoea, which was contributing to why I was struggling with fatigue during the day. Martin went through all our options of treatment, and we decided to embark on a weight-loss journey together. Martin was professional in his approach, set me easy guidelines to follow and helped me look at my daily habits. By becoming more aware of what and how much I eat by tracking it, I have been able to lose 8kg’s in 3 months. My partner says my snoring has much improved and I feel much more refreshed when I wake up in the mornings. I aim to lose another 3-4 kg and will be completing another sleep study in a few months to clarify whether my weight loss has improved my breathing at night. I’d recommend Martin for his knowledge in the health, his ability to explain results clearly and his professionalism. Being embarrassed about issues, I felt comfortable talking to Martin about them hence the testimonial.