While “buddy” or “pal” is a popular term for North Americans to call their friends and comrades, the word “mate” has been missing in action despite its immense popularity in other English-speaking lands like Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. One man: Luke Milton, is changing the local lexicon however, as the rugby-player-turned-fitness-coach is bringing HIIT fans closer together in the U.S. with his “Training Mate” concept. M&F sat down with the charismatic changemaker to find out why he’s disrupting the group fitness experience for the better.
Training Mate
Let’s get one thing out of the way for the uninitiated: “mate” when used in casual conversation very rarely relates to procreation. “Fancy a pint mate?,” “Thanks mate”, and “Well done mate,” are all common ways to interact with a close friend or even a passing acquaintance. And, if you need a training mate, they don’t come any more motivating than Luke Milton. Born in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia, Milton was a star of both rugby league and rugby union and proudly represented his country.
As a winger and a center, Milton understood the necessity to be fit and demonstrate explosive power. “Cardio vascularly, extremely taxing, because you are expected to be that fast, highly repetitive player,” he explains of that other popular game with the oval shaped ball. “You have to be physically capable across the board.”
Of course, anyone familiar with rugby culture knows that athletic pursuits aren’t the only draw of the game. It is, perhaps, the most social sport of all, and matches are usually followed, win, lose, or draw, by fun and frolics, and often more than a few alcoholic beverages. When Milton retired from rugby he was already struggling with anxiety, but after hanging up his boots, he didn’t just miss having a goal to work toward.
The active Aussie also missed the companionship of his fellow players. Identifying the need to bring people together through fitness, the concept of Training Mate was born as a successful experiment in his homeland and after moving to the United States, it followed him and grew from strength to strength. Today, Milton has more than 100 employees and several locations in Southern California and Texas with more on the way. You may have even seen him providing expertise in the popular reality series Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian.
Training Mate for physical, social, and mental health
“The physiological part that I loved about Rugby was challenging my body to always have to participate at a high level of speed, endurance, strength, and mental toughness ” says Milton. “I think that we’ve transitioned that into Training Mate as far as trying to tick all of the health boxes. You won’t get a healthy lifestyle if you are just physically healthy. We’ve got to be mentally healthy and socially healthy as well.” To that end, the coach says that Training Mate is not so much a gym or a studio, but a community hub. Students are even turning into owners by franchising the popular force for fitness.
Each class, billed as High Intensity Interval Training “With an Aussie Twist,” gets its name from down under. There’s the 45-minute Bondi Burn, or the 50-minute Mighty Mate for example. Some workouts target a specific area such as upper or lower body, and some go the whole hog and work the entire body. The twist comes in the form of fun. Check your ego at the door and prepare to laugh and even dance your way through each session. Milton believes that getting sweaty really doesn’t have to be serious, and the more enjoyable the workouts are, the more sustainable they become. Studies back Milton’s concept up here. External stimuli such as upbeat music or charismatic coaches distract us from fatigue or discomfort, making us able to push ourselves further.
Training Mate Promotes Human Interaction
Doctors agree that even just a little socializing can extend our lives. Milton explains that for him, his Training Mates are like an extended sports team. He points out that particularly in North America, where he operates six locations and counting, many people feel left out of the loop after college, unable to find their own sporty tribe. But with Training Mate, not only do members get to make friends on the gym floor, but they are also encouraged to attend a “No Shower Happy Hour” where people go straight from blasting out reps to babbling with a beverage – just like a post-match get together.
Don’t drink? Not a problem. Milton explains that there’s no pressure to partake in alcohol. In fact, he’s found that the sober and sober-curious movements make up a significant proportion of Training Mate members. Still, if you do fancy a hard-earned beer, there’s no judgement here. Enjoy that post workout tipple!
Training Mate
Anyone can get involved with Training Mate
Those who would benefit from one-to-one personal sessions can visit “The Outback” area, “Where Mates Become Legends.” Celebrities such as Vanessa Hudgens, Jesse Metcalfe, Hillary Duff, and Ashley Tisdale have all been seen at Training Mate, and by design, anyone can get involved no matter their starting fitness level. Not only can Milton and his team put members at ease by teaching them the breathwork exercises that he would have found vital during his more anxious days playing rugby, but how many reps you perform is completely up to you. “At Training Mate, we work with a timed principle,” says Milton. “So, what that means, in 45 seconds, you might do 100 push ups and I might do 20, but we are still getting the same relative gain.”
Members are dropping fat and picking up pounds of lean muscle by attending classes, but they’ve even lassoed life partners. “I get such a kick out of it,” explains Milton, who shares that it’s completely common for relationships and even marriages to occur thanks to becoming Training Mates. Perhaps we can’t discount some procreation going hand in hand with the term “mate” after all, but we can confirm that those who love fitness always work far better together.
