Meet Fitness Coach José Beltran

As a person, Jose Beltran of Body and Mind Mallorca is high energy. His classes are safe, effective, fun, and engaging. He believes in mixing up training and using different tools to keep the body guessing. That is to say, implement various systems to improve coordination, balance, strength, flexibility, and endurance.
As a fitness trainer, he is enthusiastic and supportive, always aiming at keeping his clients interested and stimulated. In great shape himself. “ training is essential to me, like eating and breathing,” says Jose; he is also a ‘people’ personality and a good listener. He is passionate about training and helping others get better and achieve as much success as possible through their health and overall fitness. His specialty is functional training.

Q. Why did you choose to become a personal trainer?

A. Since I was a kid, I’ve always been into sports and health and wanted to make my lifestyle into a career and motivate other people to live a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, it’s a very active job. I love that I am never sitting behind a desk but rather have the opportunity of being involved in the outdoors and meet new people.

Q. What’s the best bit about your job as a personal trainer?

A. Seeing people achieve their health and fitness goals, whether they come to lose weight or to put on muscle, to get faster, stronger, and healthier.
My reward is to see people get happy and confident when they feel comfortable in their own skin.

Q. For those who may not be familiar with this term, what is functional training exactly?

A. Functional training is a workout routine that involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life. All human movement is a combination of various functions. Human activity cannot take place without muscular function. In this type of training, we use bands, balls, free-weights, TRX, energy bags, and plyometric exercises to condition the body in an unstable environment.
Many experts think that performing exercises that mimic activities of daily life or specific skills is the most effective way to train, regardless of one’s goal.
Exercise selection and the training methods used are based on the individual’s goals. I love giving this type of class because in a smaller space, you get the energy of a group class combined with the attention of private training.

Q. What are the most significant benefits of functional training, and is it better than strength training?

A. “As we know, the main factors determining human performance are: power, agility, coordination, balance, reflex. Functional training effectively improves balance, stability, and coordination and does NOT effectively overload musculature. Therefore, it can be a great addition to a strength program.
However, I feel it should never take the place of a structured strength training routine. I recommend using a combination approach, which utilizes machines, free weights, bodyweight, balls, bands, and anything that will deliver the desired results.
Remember that strength training and skill training are two completely different things. When designing or assessing a training program, you have to consider the goals and the amount of time a person has available.
This workout can be done in a small space and anywhere, like at home, in a park, hotel room, and even on a yacht!”

Q. When do you start to notice benefits?.

A.”The link between exercise and mood is pretty strong, and you will notice the emotional benefits right away. Usually, just within five minutes after moderate exercise, you get a mood-enhancement effect.” On a longer-term, exercise helps against depression. It takes, however, months before any physical results of your hard work are apparent”.
Mens sana in corpore sano, or “a sound mind in a healthy body,” is an ideal to strive for.

Q. What do you need to be a successful personal trainer?

A. “You have to keep growing and never stop learning! Also, you have to truly try to get to know your clients, care about who they are as an individual, not as just another client”.