By Gana Cariappa, Director, Athlete Focused London City

1. What motivated you to start Athlete Focus London City?

I launched Athlete Focused London City because I believe in our core promise: Performance Built for Real Life. I wanted to take the high-performance principles I use in elite sport and make them accessible to working professionals. London is a fast-paced city where high-achievers constantly juggle priorities, often sacrificing their physical readiness. Starting AFLC was my way of bringing athlete-level structure and accountability to those who want to build sustainable resilience alongside their demanding schedules.

 

2. What does “performance built for real life” look like for someone training with you in London City?

London is fast-paced, and people are busy, time-poor and working to strict schedules. This programme takes high-performance, elite-level principles and applies them to a client’s real life, which complements their actual schedule rather than competing with it. The goal is to embed a sustainable lifestyle; something that works around people’s commitments while still giving them the best in coaching and fitness.

 

3. Can you talk me through the Athlete Focus London City journey?

It starts with getting to know the individual, because their journey is built around their needs first, not just their athletic wants or goals.

We begin with a thorough consultation to understand the client’s background and move into dedicated, in-person baseline physical assessments. This gives us measurable data to design the programme and consistently track progress over 4-6 week periods to ensure we’re achieving your goals and trending in the right direction, with decisions based on evidence rather than guesswork.

The duration of the programme is dependent on the client’s specific goals. These can shift over time, depending on the season and whether someone is training for a particular purpose, recreational sport or overall general wellbeing. The assessments and check-ins are paramount and will give us the foundation to build from, refer to and adapt as part of the client’s journey.

On location, coaching can take place in the client’s own space, such as a home or preferred gym. I will also be setting up locations in studios and gyms around London City. In terms of coaching format, I would prioritise in-person coaching (i.e. twice a week). We can also facilitate small-group sessions for corporates and professionals (i.e. 2-4 people), which works well for groups training together for events like HYROX, or competitive sports. Additionally, for time-poor individuals, we can also provide a remote option where we assess, build a programme, and check in every 4-6 weeks.

 

4. You’re working with both individuals and organisations. What impact can this kind of support have, not just on individuals, but across a team or workplace?

At an individual level, the focus is on improving energy, consistency and resilience. Clients will start to feel more confident in their abilities, which can naturally transform how they work, train and recover.

At a team or workplace level, the impact becomes more cultural. It’s less about having “healthier” individuals and more about having better-informed individuals. Understanding these principles improves decision-making and enables consistent performance. The specificity of our programmes is a vehicle for enhancing day-to-day performance, both physically and professionally.

 

5. In your experience, what’s the difference between training consistently with the right support versus trying to manage it alone?

The Athlete Focused team brings expertise and experience working with a diverse range of adults, youth, working professionals, elite or retired athletes, and sports teams. Our technical knowledge brings a holistic understanding of a client’s needs and goals. Today, it’s easy to get lost in the noise of wearable data and AI-generated health advice. Raw metrics can only take you so far without context. A dedicated coach brings a fresh, human perspective, translating what those numbers mean for your body and removing the guesswork. While training alone relies heavily on motivation, our support provides structure, accountability, and real-time adaptation. We bridge the gap between technology and human performance, delivering the technique refinement and injury prevention you simply won’t find on a screen.

 

6. How do you ensure each programme feels individual, while still delivering the standards you’d expect in elite sport?

The standards we bring are exactly what you’d expect in an elite sport environment: clear planning, consistent assessment, a high level of coaching, and professional support. The individuality comes from understanding a client’s unique background, goals, training experience, and assessment data – all of which are essential for effective programme design. Ultimately, the framework is consistent, but the application is individual.

 

7. How do you balance high performance with the reality of limited time, travel and demanding schedules?

The relentless demands of London aren’t unique to working professionals; elite athletes manage intense travel and rigid commitments, too. The misconception is that high performance requires perfecting everything at once – training, sleep, and recovery. In reality, it’s about strategic prioritisation. That is exactly where an experienced coach steps in. We filter out the noise so you can focus on the habits that move the needle, preventing the burnout that comes from trying to manage it all yourself. Just like in elite sport, true success comes from building sustainable resilience, not chasing a quick win that is difficult to maintain.