A PERSONAL trainer has been offering Bradfordians free sessions to help them get back into the swing of fitness as restrictions loosen.

Kieran Ickringill has spoken to the T&A in the past about his mental health struggles and he is now keen to help others.

Throughout January, he was doing free virtual workouts to get people up and about. That mantra followed him as soon as gyms reopened last month.

Now at easyGym, next to The Broadway Shopping Centre, Kieran has been providing sessions to those wanting to get fit.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

He said: "Everyone has picked it back up again. I work on an evening from six until 11, and it has been really busy.

"Since the last article, I had a lot of people messaging me. I did a free workout challenge when we got put back into lockdown at the start of the year. I had about 140 people who did it.

"I started that challenge to give people something to do every day. I had a few friends who told me, 'if I don’t go out exercising, I will just sit at home and drink or eat', it doesn’t help.

"It becomes a cycle. You eat and then put loads of weight on. You eat to make yourself feel better and you do it all over again. I am glad to be helping some people out.

"I am not a fan of Zoom meetings; I would rather sit on a bench with someone or go for a run with them. It has been hard for everyone.

"Now we are coming out of it, I do free 45-minute sessions for anybody taking up training at the gym to help them get back in shape and look after their mental health as well."

It is that final point which has affected Kieran for most of his life.

He battled anxiety, so badly that he needed hospital tests, using alcohol as a coping mechanism until the age of 29.

However, the father-of-two came through his demons a couple of years ago and is determined to offer advice to those that are in his former situation.

"When I had anxiety, I didn’t go out, I am quite headstrong with it now," Kieran, who is off medication, added.

"Just speak to someone! It is quite daunting. Everybody is worried what other people think too much. I didn’t speak to someone for 11 years.

"The more and more people who talk about it the better. Some people are private and don’t want to speak. It doesn’t have to be someone you know; it can be a doctor or Samaritans.

"It was the best thing I have ever done. My life has just got better and better since. It took me about four years to get through it, now I help other people who are going through it."