Editorial note: Istanbul Cafe & Bistro and Tempo Performance are independent Fitzrovia businesses. No payment, free meal, discount, service or other benefit was exchanged for this article or link. Istanbul Cafe & Bistro chose and approved this article as an independent editorial decision.
I am Ahmet, the owner of Istanbul Cafe & Bistro, and I also train with Julian Ernst at Tempo Performance in Fitzrovia. Football is an important reason why strength, fitness and day-to-day readiness matter to me.
This is my personal experience. It is not a promise that another person will get the same result, and personal training is not medical treatment. What I value is the way Julian looks at how I am on the day and adapts the session without losing sight of the wider plan.
Training that responds to the day
My physical and mental state is not identical every time I arrive. Julian adjusts the session to what I can do well that day. That can change the exercise choice or the preparation so the session responds to my current state.
I value Julian’s detailed knowledge. The session does not feel like a standard workout given to everybody. The work is one-to-one and the decisions reflect my readiness and my football.
What happens when my shoulder feels tight
Sometimes I report that my shoulder feels tight. Julian may use five to ten minutes of light sports massage, mobility work and adjusted exercises before we continue. The aim is to respond carefully to how I feel rather than force the original session unchanged.
Julian does not diagnose the cause of the tightness. If it does not improve, he refers me to an appropriate clinician. That boundary matters to me: he works within personal training and sports massage, and he refers out when a question needs clinical assessment.
The changes I notice in football
I feel fitter and stronger for football. I also feel that my arms and shoulders are bigger and stronger, which helps me during physical contact and shoulder-to-shoulder challenges on the pitch.
Those are the changes I notice in my own body and sport. They are not laboratory measurements or guaranteed outcomes. My experience is useful because it explains why I continue, but every person’s starting point, health, training history and response will be different.
Why the coaching relationship works for me
The main value is attention. Julian looks at the person in front of him, not only the programme on paper. I can work towards strength and football fitness while the session still reflects how I am physically and mentally that day.
For me, that combination of structure and adjustment makes the training feel personal. It lets me keep working towards the demands of football at 62 without pretending that every session or every week will feel the same.
About Tempo Performance
Tempo Performance provides appointment-only, one-to-one personal training for adults at 1 Cavendish Mews North in Fitzrovia. Julian Ernst is the founder and personal trainer. A new enquiry starts with a free consultation so Julian can understand the person’s goals, relevant training and medical history, schedule and practical starting point.
You can learn more at Tempo Performance. Tempo controls its personal-training advice, consultations and coaching. Istanbul Cafe & Bistro controls its restaurant, menu, allergy information and bookings. The two businesses remain independent.