About Adrian

Adrian McInman has obtained seven university degrees due to studying full-time for 14 years at 5 universities in 2 countries (Australia and New Zealand). He completed degrees in two disciplines: human movement and social sciences. With regards to human movement, Adrian has a Master of Education degree specialising in sport and exercise psychology, a Bachelor of Physical Education, and a teaching diploma (Diploma of Education) specialising in health and physical education. With regards to the social sciences, Adrian has a Honours degree in psychology, a Graduate Certificate in Suicide Prevention Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in sociology. Adrian is registered with the Psychologists Board of Queensland (Australia) as a psychologist. Adrian has worked extensively in the physical fitness industry, as a fitness instructor and a personal trainer, in a variety of unusual settings, such as public parks, a prison, youth centres, and sporting associations, along with more traditional locations such as commercial and private gymnasiums. He has two registered personal training businesses (Spec Tac Personal Training): one based in Staten Island, New York (USA) and the other based in Townsville, Queensland (Australia).

After graduating from university Adrian worked as a researcher for twelve years in several universities and hospitals. The research topics he has studied have been varied: smoking, diabetes, gastroenterology, psychiatric illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, Aboriginal health, pre-natal and post-natal depression, and various issues in sport/exercise psychology (mood, self-esteem, slumps in performance, pre-competitive anxiety, coping strategies).

Although Adrian takes his work very seriously, provides a first-rate service, and enjoys it immensely, he does not define himself by his work. Instead, he "works to live", and not "lives to work." Happiness and quality of life are among his highest priorities. He notes that people often get lost in the "rat-race", thereby losing their integral being by constantly rushing, and forget to "slow down and smell the roses", and thereby enjoy the really important things in life. For instance, one thing he often gets people to do, and you might like to do this yourself right now, is to think about what was the very best moment that you have ever experienced in your life - the most beautiful, awe-inspiring, enjoyable, and/or wonderful moment.

Some people have great difficulty coming up with such a moment, as they are so pre-occupied on surviving modern society, making money, or are focused too much on negative issues, and potential stressors. Others have difficulty determining the number one moment from amongst a plethora of fantastic moments. What is important is not determining the pinnacle moment of your life, but rather just to think about one moment that was truly wonderful for you. Then ask yourself: "How much did it cost?" Invariably you will find that most people answer: "Nothing" or "Very little." And that is Adrian's point - oftentimes people worry about things that are not really important, whereas they should focus on the really fantastic things in life, especially as they usually cost nothing. The reason Adrian believes so many people need such a re-orientation is that ironically if you ask people the following: "What is the one thing that you want more in life than any thing else?", most people report "happiness."

And yet, as noted above, so many people don't focus on obtaining happiness, but rather they focus on surviving modern society, making money, and negativity, thereby making the attainment of what they want the most (happiness) almost impossible. For his part, Adrian maintains his happiness by pursuing a holistic way of life, by believing that everything is connected in one-way or another. Thus he likes some of the beliefs held by various Australian Aboriginal communities in terms of their definition of health. The Aboriginal concept of health focuses on a balanced relationship with the earth and the natural world. They note that every thing we need is provided by our earth: whole foods, pure water, and air. As Malloch (1989) notes: “Combined with an active lifestyle, a positive attitude, and peaceful and harmonious relations with people… - good health will be ours.” Thus, such a focus is not just the physical well being of an individual, but rather it “is the social, emotional, and cultural well-being of the whole community, in which each individual is able to achieve their full potential, thereby bringing about the total well-being of their community” (National Aboriginal Health Strategy, 1989). Hence, Adrian advocates a primary prevention approach (e.g., pre-natal care, safe sex education, injury prevention,...) thereby preventing ill-health in the first place.

Adrian has a passion for life, music, culture, travel, an interest in photography, and the cinema. His favourite music is r&b (e.g., Angela Johnson, Oleta Adams,...), jazz (e.g. Mango Groove,...), and various African artists, such as Angelique Kidjo, Khadja Nin, Oheneba Kissi, and Femi Kuti. Some of his favourite movies are The Dove, The Goodbye Girl, Mrs Doubtfire, and The Joy Luck Club. Some of the favourite places he has visited and moments he has experienced are: the restaurants in Narathiwat (Thailand) with their amazing food, seeing a kiwi in it’s natural habitat in remote Stewart Island, Port Vila's (Vanuatu) gorgeous harbour with it’s various shades of blue, the music and great vibe of a nightclub in Takoradi (Ghana), the tranquillity of the tea plantations in Cameron Highlands (Malaysia), watching films outdoor at the annual Perth Arts Festival, the colours of the produce (e.g., blue, green, and red rice,…) at the night market in Kota Bahru (Malaysia), the laid-back nature of the people in Barbados and Cafe Fantini in Leichhardt (Australia), the awe-inspiring Fox Glaciers and Franz Joseph Glacier (New Zealand), lying in a hammock over-looking Wellington harbour while staring at the stars on a clear night, the sprawling nature of Kumasi’s (Ghana) day-time market, the sheer energy of a performance by Angelique Kidjo in Sydney (Australia), relaxing on the front porch of his lovely flat on the beach in Townsville (Australia), attending a free jazz concert in Harlem, riding a motorbike along The Desert Road (New Zealand), the mountains springing out of the water near Trang and Krabi (Thailand), amazing conversations had while hitch-hiking throughout the world, watching a short tai chi demonstration by a kung-fu master, the beautiful colonial buildings of Caracas (Venezuela), and the most magical and beautiful place on this planet: Lake Roe Hut (which is part of the Dusky Trail, New Zealand).

Adrian lives by two mottos:


"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." (Anais Nin)


"Just do it." (NIKE)