About Coach Purdy

Hi, I’m Neil Purdon, better known as Coach Purdy. I’m the online personal trainer here at Fit Purdy, where our mission is simple: Fuelling Your Success.

At Fit Purdy, I don’t just help you reach your goals, I equip you with the tools to maintain that lifestyle and, if you’re ready, take it to the next level. When you join Fit Purdy, you become part of a thriving online community, a supportive, encouraging, and motivated group I call the Fit Purdy Warriors.

Together, we push limits, cheer each other on, and celebrate every success.

A Bit About Me

I’ve been passionate about sports and fitness for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was heavily involved in extreme sports, racing quad bikes across South Africa and even the Namib Desert. I’ve also played club-level cricket in Guernsey and cycled from Edinburgh to London to raise funds for the Help for Heroes charity supporting injured soldiers.

I served in the British Army for five years, but my career was cut short when I sustained a serious knee injury during training. What followed were five surgeries including ACL reconstructions, scar tissue clean-ups, and a complex High Tibial Osteotomy (HTO) to relieve severe pain caused by bone-on-bone impact. While it’s been a challenging journey, the process of rebuilding my strength taught me resilience and the power of dedication.

In 2018, I started the long road to recovery, learning to walk properly again, rebuilding atrophied muscles, and retraining the neural pathways between my brain and my leg. This experience gave me a unique perspective on recovery and the determination it takes to overcome physical setbacks.

Why I Became a Personal Trainer

Before becoming a personal trainer, I worked as a project manager in construction. When COVID-19 hit, like so many others, I faced redundancy. It was a turning point. I’ve always been passionate about physical exercise and working with people, and my experience in the British Army gave me a deep understanding of peak performance and the challenges of injury recovery.

Retraining as a personal trainer felt like a natural step, a chance to combine my skills and passion to help others. Whether you’re recovering from injury, completing post-op physiotherapy, or striving to reach your peak fitness, I’m here to guide you. My mission is simple: to see you healthier, happier, and stronger than ever.