Mark Sumner Online Coach

Mark Sumner Online Coach Your No Bullsh*t Guide to Weight Loss Without Ending Up Skinny Fat If you've arrived here, you've already started your journey to becoming confident.

My name's Mark Sumner, a Royal Marines Commando-turned-health and fitness coach, originally from the UK. For more than five years, I've been helping women from all over world feel more confident through my online coaching programs.

24/12/2025

Earlier this year I decided to get into running a bit more.

Things have escalated since then and I’ve got a 110KM ultra marathon booked in Lay 2026…

But after today’s run, I realised when I rated my performance on Garmin as “Very Strong 😃”

That it’s the FIRST time I rated a run better than “Normal😐”

Now that doesn’t mean I haven’t been improving on my speed or endurance…

My progress has been really good I reckon.

But my point is that you don’t need, nor should you expect, every run to FEEL amazing.

Just stack the ordinary ones and you’ll be sound 🤙🏼

21/12/2025

I love using Strava…

I use it to plan out routes and I like the data it gives me.

But it’s a slippery slope when you constantly compare your times with others.

I think as humans we all have a level of self comparison, and I sometimes fall into that trap 🪤

There’s nothing wrong with being competitive…

And if / when there’s a level playing field, then attack other people’s times.

But in training, there’s SO much variation…

And the data only means something when you understand the conditions it was collected in.

A 10K going up and down boggy glens in Scotland is very different to a 10K along Kite Beach in Dubai on a dry running track.

Neither is better than the other, nor is one easier.

Training is very much context dependent, and the only context you should base it off is your own times and data…

Not what someone else is doing 🤙🏼

18/12/2025

Out of the places I’ve had the opportunity to run…

Scotland’s got to be the worst.

The cold’s always a bit colder…

The wind’s ever so slightly windier…

And whenever you think you’re some alpha male out braving the elements?

There’ll be a scottish school girl, not even wearing a coat, walking past you with NAE F***S to give about the rain 🤣

17/12/2025

Call me old fashioned...

But my approach to fat loss hasn’t changed much since I started posting videos back in 2018.

And I think there are times of the year where it makes no sense to be in fat loss mode.

So my list is as follows:

1. Christmas

2. Birthdays with your partner/kids/family

3. Holidays abroad

The number of days they take up are a drop in the ocean compared to the rest of the year…

Where you can actually give fat loss a proper go.

The problem is that most people try to take the slow and steady route between the big events.

Which usually means doing just enough to feel disciplined...

But not enough to change anything.

That’s how one week at Christmas ends up undoing months of your hard work.

Not because Christmas or any other big event is the problem…

But because there was never any noticeable changes anyway.

That’s why I think if you’re going to be in fat loss mode...

Actually be in fat loss mode.

Commit to it, get faster & more noticeable results and enjoy Christmas and the other big events without the guilt.

16/12/2025

Most running injuries aren’t caused by running alone…

They come from what’s missing between your runs.

And i’ve noticed with my clients that I end up using these same staple exercises to help prevent injuries ⤵️

Plyometrics help the body get used to producing/absorbing force quickly.

Knees over toes (KOT) squats build strength in deeper knee ranges that tend to get irritated when mileage increases.

RDLs help control force through the hips and hamstrings when the foot hits the ground.

Hip thrusts help with stability and reduce that “collapsed” you might feel on longer runs.

Split squats help reduce overloading one side by improving how each leg handles force on its own.

Calf raises build the strength & stiffness your lower legs need to handle the repeated impact of running.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, there are plenty of variations of each, depending on what you need and what you can tolerate.

And if you want an example week of strength training that’s built around these staples...

💬Comment TRAIN and I’ll send you a free copy.

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