Tucked away in Hanger Lane, stands BLAST Fit, a fitness studio that the owner believes is Ealing's "best-kept secret." 

Matthew Hirst, an award-winning personal trainer and professional boxing coach, sat down with Ealing Nub News to talk about his story which is as dynamic as the workouts he leads.  

From Grange Villa, a small mining village in the northeast of England, Hirst's early passion lay in football, but then he discovered boxing. 

Hirst said: "I was always into sports, predominantly football. If you come across someone from the Northeast, generally football is their passion, but as I got older and found boxing, it took over me. 

"At 14 I used to go to a boxing gym called Birtley ABC. It was about six miles away from the village and so I used to run there and walk back three times a week." 

Despite willing to travel approximately three hours for boxing three times a week, Hirst wanted to be a fighter pilot at the time. 

BLAST Fit offers personal training sessions and group classes for any age and level (credit: Matthew Hirst).

"When I was 16, I tried to join the Royal Air Force but failed the maths test. I passed everything but the maths test," said Hirst. 

He continued: "My friend was joining the British Army and he said, 'why don't you join the army?' So, I thought maybe I could box in the army, but it didn't work out that way." 

What ended up happening was Hirst joined an elite unit in the army that specialised in Arctic warfare and became the youngest British solider to do a tour of Bosnia. 

Hirst remarked: "I did five years of service and 18 months in total in Bosnia. 

"I was the youngest member on three tours of Bosnia, and I was the youngest British soldier in Bosnia at age 17 in 1995." 

He added: "It was still wartime in 95' only for a very short period whilst I was there and then at the end of the year as it rolled into 96', it switched to peacekeeping. 

"I remember there was always the worry of landmines, being maimed and the arduous training we received." 

Matthew Hirst used to be part of a special unit in the army that specialised in Artic warfare (credit: Matthew Hirst).

Post-army life led the ex-solider to London, reigniting his love for boxing. He navigated a career shift to become a personal trainer and boxing coach all while working as a postman. 

Hirst said: "First I got my fitness instructor qualification whilst working for Royal Mail in the evenings. 

"I would study, work in the mornings and evenings until I got all the personal training qualifications I wanted." 

He continued: "After I left the job at Royal Mail, I then went into the city (of London) to join a fitness club called Holmes Place in Tower Bridge at the time." 

The young trainer built-up experience at Holmes Place and then Chelsea Harbour Club before deciding to open BLAST Fit studio two years ago, where he could implement his own ideas. 

Hirst said: "It's all my own concepts from 20 years of personal training and boxing experience. 

"I wanted the autonomy to be able to do my own thing and not necessarily follow a corporate structure which I found could be quite limiting in some ways." 

BLAST Fit's classes, rooted in boxing, provide a fresh and dynamic approach to fitness says the trainer. 

Lewis Oakford is the current 15th ranked crusierweight in the UK and trains at BLAST Fit in Ealing (credit: Matthew Hirst).

"The body adapts quickly to exercise, so if you're always hitting it with different stimulus all the time, you're always going to be progressing," he explained. 

Beyond standard fitness classes, BLAST Fit is also home to fighters like Lewis, 'Mighty Oak', Oakford, the 15th ranked cruiserweight in the country. 

The trainer proudly shared: "Lewis used to train in my back garden before I had a proper gym and now, he's the 15th ranked cruiserweight in the country, who is currently 4-0.  

"We're just a couple of wins away from breaking into the big time and onto televised fights." 

Aside from loving the sport, Hirst advocates for boxing beyond its physical benefits. 

"It's fantastic for mental health to punch and let off steam and It's beneficial to those who are in school, as the discipline and concentration gained from boxing can translate into studying," he said. 

Hirst assures that his gym offers the most affordable and friendliest sessions in London, where everyone works out and has a fantastic time. 

Members from BLAST Fit in Hanger Lane, Ealing (credit: Matthew Hirst).

He said: "Boxing on the outside might seem quite brutal, but actually in the gym, it's a very friendly place. 

"And if you know much history of boxing, it is the most inclusive out of any sport going back centuries. 

"Regardless of sexuality, gender or race, boxing always welcomed people hundreds of years ago." 

Reflecting on what motivated the boxing coach, Matthew Hirst finished by saying: "Helping people is why I got my own studio. 

"I can help more people every day than I could by the hour as a personal trainer elsewhere. I can see 10 people in a class at once and help them all to reach their goals." 

To find out more about personal training or fitness classes at BLAST Fit, visit its website here.

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