personal training manchester

For the queer and neurospicy folks, and anyone who’s ever felt the gym isn’t for them

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Inclusive Personal Training in Manchester - tailored to you

My coaching is inclusive and neurodivergent-affirming. That means I don’t expect you to squeeze yourself into a rigid programme or to “just try harder.” We work with your brain, not against it. Whether you’re ADHD, autistic, have sensory sensitivities, struggle with executive function, or you’ve never really felt comfortable in typical gym environments – this is a space where you don’t have to mask or explain yourself.

This matters because most fitness plans fail not from lack of effort, but from lack of fit. I pay attention to how you respond in each session – noticing what keeps you engaged, comfortable, and confident. I adapt my teaching style, cues, and guidance to suit how you learn and respond, so training feels manageable and supportive. Your plan grows with you, not the other way around.

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Personal training Manchester - inclusive, LGBTQ+ affirming & neurodivergent-friendly

Our Personal Training package is all about YOU. 1 to 1 personal training either online or in Manchester, with nutrition and mindset coaching to get you smashing your goals. Our approach is healthy and achievable so that you can stick to it, long term.

You will learn methods of training appropriate for your goals, as well as invaluable nutrition knowledge. We’ll look at everything from macro and micronutrients to your fluid intake and fibre. The result is a healthier you while supporting your training and fuelling your body in the best way for exercise.

You’ll learn how to lift safely with the correct form and technique so that you know how to train even when I’m not around. 

You’ll feel energised, have a better relationship with your body and thrive in your new lifestyle.

Through this process, we are with you every step of the way. We go over and above to help you succeed. Our support is not limited to our sessions/meetings just as your progression won’t be limited to these alone. We are here to give help and advice when you need it.

And of course, you will be challenged to push yourself throughout the whole process – are you ready?!!

Let’s do this
Ray Loakes and a client back-to-back at Lift Yourself Confident studio in Manchester, celebrating progress during a personal training session.

personal training is for you if:

  • You’re LGBTQIA+ and want support that fully affirms your identity
  • You want a genuinely safe, non-judgemental space to work towards your goals
  • You’re neurodivergent and traditional gym environments don’t work for you
  • You want a space to be able to unmask and be fully yourself during sessions
  • You want to build confidence in a way that works for you - not by conforming to society’s expectations
  • You want to feel more energised, grounded, and regulated

personal training is not for you if:

  • You’re a dick!
  • You want to lose weight FAST (I focus on health in conjunction with results, I will not prioritise results over health, ever)
  • You’re not willing to make any lifestyle changes

What’s Included in Personal Training at Lift

A Structured Welcome

You’ll receive a Welcome Pack with practical tips and helpful guides to get you started with confidence.

Ongoing Support & Progress Tracking

We communicate consistently to monitor your progress and adapt your programme when needed. Your feedback is always welcome – this is built around you.

Personalised Nutrition Support

You’ll receive an initial nutrition check-up followed by ongoing consultations. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach here – we find what works for your lifestyle, your goals and your body.

A Supportive, Inclusive Studio Environment

For in-person training, we work from our private studio at Pollard Yard – a welcoming, inclusive space designed to feel calm and supportive.

Flexible Online Coaching

If you train online, you’ll receive all of the above plus access to your personalised programme through our training app, with online nutrition coaching included.

I want in!
I have now worked with Ray for over 6 months and it's genuinely been life-changing. Exercise is, for some people including myself, hard. It's difficult to motivate yourself after a long day at work, it's hard to understand how different exercises work and how they'll impact on your body, its composition and how you feel. Ray makes all of that easier. They're incredibly knowledgeable about all of the above which, coupled with their nutritional advice, have made a huge difference to me. This difference is physical as well as mental. I have more energy, I am a lot rosier: it's been quite the transformation. Perhaps best of all, Ray prioritises wellbeing and organises events like yoga, breathwork and walks in addition to your training with them. These build community and allow you to see exercise and wellbeing in different forms which may be of interest to you in addition to your training with Ray. Prioritising your health and wellbeing is always going to be hard but working with Ray makes it a lot easier indeed.
Matty
Ray has been super helpful, not only with training in the gym but also with nutrition. Really helped my mindset when it comes to eating well whilst enjoying it, and maintaining motivation in the gym. It’s a welcoming space and I can’t recommend Ray enough!
Lauren
Ray has had such a positive impact in less than 2 months. I feel more confident, good about myself and healthy. I’m eating so many colourful foods and enjoying cooking again! And I’ve not cooked consistently for years. I’m wearing lots of fun and colourful clothes that I haven’t for years. Plus I’m feeling calmer and more optimistic. AND I’m getting so much stronger every week!!!
Claire

The benefits of personal training in manchester

  • Handy tips and useful knowledge to help you identify and unravel fitness myths
  • A programme tailored and appropriate for you - specific training for specific results
  • Eating well to support your training and feel the best you’ve ever felt

So, how does booking/pricing work?

There are a few different options for in person or online coaching. So let’s have a chat and we can work out the best option for you. This can be virtually or over a coffee and is super low pressure – pop us a message and we’ll go from there.

Sounds good, let’s have a chat
Ray Loakes, female personal trainer in Manchester, standing confidently in front of vibrant bee street art at Pollard Yard.

ray Loakes

(they/them)

Founder and Head Coach at Lift
Inclusive Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach in Manchester

So why me?

Well, I remember what it was like before I knew what I was doing with my training and to feel like I wasn’t getting anywhere. I can also completely understand not feeling comfortable walking into a gym.

That’s why I do what I do now.

I used to struggle quite badly with depression and tried to rely on all the wrong things. I leant on other people as a source of happiness instead of myself. I had always enjoyed the rush I got after training, but for the first time, I took control of my own training and nutrition CONSISTENTLY  –  it had always been fairly sporadic before, depending on what I was doing, how I was feeling, who I was with. And it changed my life.

So, I decided to get qualified as a fitness and nutrition coach so that they can experience similar life-changing results. Now you don’t have to be struggling with your mental health the same way I was, my services aren’t that niche! But if you have a goal you really want, a change, whatever that looks like for you, no matter how big or small, I want to help you get it

pop us a message
Ray dedicates themselves to their clients. They spent the time to really understand my goals and struggles. I can honestly say they've guided me beyond my limits.
Dom

Welcome to personal training that puts you first

  • Find the gym intimidating and worried about embarrassing yourself?
  • Have you been training for a while but aren’t getting the results you want?

Imagine...

  • If you could walk into a gym feeling comfortable and confident that you’re gonna absolutely smash the session?
  • If you woke up and realised you’d achieved your goal? How do you feel??
let's 'ave it

Are you ready to become the strongest, most confident version of you??

Try us. We can arrange discounts for block bookings and advance payments across various packages so we might be able to make this work for you. Also, did you know we offer Partner and Small Group Personal Training? You can split the cost of sessions between you!

We can sit down and see if there are any particular times/days that would work best for you and we’ll do our best to make that work. At the end of the day, you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t think it was possible – maybe there’s an hour you can trade for something else, who knows? Maybe it’s down to whether you really want to or not.

We can only guess why this was, but the key thing about our services is that they are all tailored to you and we will communicate constantly, so you can let us know if something isn’t working for you.

You tell me….there’s a reason you’re reading this right. If you’re not sure, we can always have a chat, completely non-committal and then you can decide if this is for you.

Yes!! It might not be practical for some to make it down to the gym or you may prefer training alone. We have the right tools to allow you to still achieve great results and we’ll constantly review and communicate – we don’t just hand you a training programme and leave it at that!

Traditional gyms and nutrition plans often assume everyone learns, moves, and responds in the same way, you simply need to “try harder” – but that doesn’t reflect real life. My coaching is inclusive and neurodivergent-affirming, which means we focus on your unique patterns, preferences, and needs. You’ll get guidance that meets you where you’re at, plus optional at-home support from Belle if you want it. The aim isn’t perfection – it’s building confidence, understanding your habits, and creating sustainable changes that actually fit your life.

Yes! All my coaching – whether personal training, partner/small group sessions, or nutrition support – is fully inclusive and welcoming. Myself, Laura, and Belle all identify as LGBTQ+, so we understand the importance of safe, affirming spaces firsthand. Everyone is respected for who they are, and the focus is on helping you feel confident, supported, and able to reach your goals – without fear of bias or misunderstanding.

Yes! All my coaching – whether personal, partner, group, or nutrition – is neurodivergent-affirming. That means I don’t expect you to fit into a one-size-fits-all plan. Sessions are guided by your energy, focus, sensory needs, and learning style. You’ll never need to mask or explain yourself here – the plan adapts to you, not the other way around.

Read the full personal training FAQs

apply for personal training

Please note that this form does not guarantee you a place training with us. The level of commitment you have towards your goal and how detailed your answers are will give us a better idea as to whether we are a good fit . Fill in your answers with as much detail as possible and we’ll get back to you ASAP!