Elements3 = MA + PT + BG

Nicholas JC Swinton:-Fitness for Health and Longevity

Nicholas JC Swinton, educated in London’s Highgate, began studying Martial Arts at the age of 19 in North London.  Shotokan Karate it was in those days but today it is not the externally visible but more internally developed, outwardly issuing, Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) that retains his widest attention.  Over the years several other Chinese Martial Arts were looked at but only Tai chi has maintained his widest interest.  He teaches selected clients only.

Being less and less involved in the physicality of his business he joined a gym close to home.  A lifetime of safely handling awkward and heavy objects allowed him to develop faster than many others and he was repeatedly asked for his expertise and advice.  Flattered that people thought he was a PT, he offered his understandings freely.  Seeing a niche for the more mature PT, this gave rise to him seeking the serious qualifications of a Personal Trainer.  He did this through one of the countries leading organizations, YMCA, but admits freely that the input was far less than anticipated so he developed his own system of learning and understanding to complement this shortfall.  In reference to the course, Nick was to be described by an instructor as ‘one of the fittest ever to have undertaken it’.  An accolade for the most mature person on it.

 

That qualification afforded him the right of helping others to train safely and effectively, and also, one might add at this point, to get paid for his skill knowledge.  Any Personal Trainer must also hold a current First Aid certificate linked to aspects of the profession, quite detailed it takes four days to achieve.

 

In 2007 he gained his licence from the SIA (Security Industries Authority) to enable him to continue acting as a Bodyguard / Close Protection Operative.  This called for another four day First Aid course, now aimed at this more demanding role and its possibilities. 

 

Nick did his BG/CPO training with a company called The Professional Bodyguards Association, based near Durham.  The PBA, in business for 20+ years, was once probably recognized as the leader in its field but much of the training criteria in the PBA literature is no longer valid since the SIA licensing system came into force and some things are regarded now as quite illegal.  At the PBA, the instructors who trained him to satisfy and meet the demands of the SIA criteria knew their stuff so well that they have now gone on to set up their own company in direct competition with the PBA and with facilities second to none.  Nick would be happy to discuss any aspect of the above with those who care to ask.

 

Nick lives just outside London.  His only sporting passion is to ski in winter, which he mainly does nowadays with clients who request his services.  He regards an occasional day snowboarding or mono-skiing as his time.  He enjoys seeing others’ delight in their chosen sport but says, “to ski is the best”.  Nick does not suffer fools gladly and admires complete honesty, treating everyone the way he would expect to be treated.  He hopes in 2008 to gain his full motorcycle licence, and to take up riding again, but is currently trying to get to grips with the rudiments of Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Russian and Arabic.  Born in Scotland he speaks (English of course) reasonable French and Greek, and also has a little knowledge of Italian, German and Spanish.

Born in Scotland his mother was Greek.  By a quirk of law at 21 he was called to do Army Service in Greece.  Failure to comply meant fear of travel to there for all.

 

Some years ago he sold his North London business and premises to concentrate more fully on a change of direction and his own personal development.  He says, “For more years than I care to remember I manufactured products covering the needs of an ever increasing security industry.  I needed to go before I would have had to stay.”