Kris Gethin: I have no regrets – every failure has moved me forward

It doesn’t take long once you start your own journey towards a fitter, stronger and healthier body that you encounter the name Kris Gethin.

The coach, editor, author and entrepreneur has been an ever-present in the global fitness world for the past three decades and a constant voice of authority, innovation and motivation in an industry prone to fads, frauds and quick-fix fallacies.

Amongst his peers, and indeed to anyone who knows anything about lifting, training and realising your potential, Gethin garners nothing but the utmost respect, praise and admiration for his countless contributions to the global fitness conversation.

His career has been defined by relentless pursuit and adaptation. His journey from the rugged coastlines of Wales to the top of fitness entrepreneurship, has included sculpting the physiques of amateurs, elites and professionals.

Kris Gethin: a global impact

But it is as a writer, editor and author – he edited the hugely successful bodybuilding.com at its most influential – that Gethin has forged a legacy that extends beyond the gym walls, reaching into and improving the lives of millions of people around the world with his impactful and pragmatic approach to health and wellness.

In our wide-ranging and in-depth conversation, Gethin shares the lessons he’s learned over the years – many the hard way – that have invaluably shaped and informed his philosophy on life and lifting. He describes the “fork in the road” moment that led to his escape from a life of drink, drugs and criminality.

He reveals the career-defining decisions he navigated with a blend of instinct and integrity that took him first to travelling around the world on cruise ships – first as a personal trainer, then as a masseuse (because the Americans tipped the massage guy more than the gym trainer) – to Australia where he opened his first gym, before landing in LA to work for the biggest fitness magazines in the world.

And he discusses some of the biggest issues facing the fitness industry today, including the rise of social media influencers unqualified to offer health advice; the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs in leading Hollywood and Bollywood icons, as well as regular gym goers; and how the impact of the bio-hacking movement, with its ice baths and sunlight staring, has changed our understanding of the big pillars of health and wellbeing.

Main image Kyle Johnson