Nice to meet you! I’m Julia,

Portät of Julia Austin on a racing bike

Personal Trainer…

Physical exercise has always been an integral part of my life: horseback riding, hiking, cycling, (competitive) running and all the athletic training required to build and maintain a solid basic fitness. Preferably outdoors, with rather fun than pressure and even better, with progress and measurable successes.

As a Personal Trainer, it is essential for me, to meet my clients where they are and find an approach that suits them. In health, there is no one-size-fits-all-concept. Yet, there are established structures and methods, proven to work over and over again. An individual approach to those structures is, what I believe in — whether it is about reaching a certain goal or about a long-term lifestyle-change.

My Coaching is strongly rooted in an understanding of functional training as movements serving a specific function and holistically support your goals. Consequently, every training plan and each session is unique and respects your individual circumstances. Whether you want to lose weight, run 5 miles or the next (half) marathon, gain mobility, ease back pain or simply aim to feel in peace and good about your body. And other goals along those lines.

Enjoying training is one of my most important values. However, change usually takes place outside the comfort zone. Fitness is not only about strengthening or shaping the physical body. It is also about developing a lifestyle that nurtures you, supports your physical and mental health and feels easy and natural to you. Only those, who are prepared to face their inner and outer resistances with discipline and commitment, will achieve a positive and long-lasting change within themselves. That isn’t always easy. Nevertheless, the joy of movement, of change, should always resonate.

Besides coaching fitness and teaching Ashtanga Yoga, I hold a Master’s Degree in German Language & Literature and have comprehensive knowledge and experience in health, nutrition and sports marketing. With that background, I also work as a freelance translator, (SEO-)copywriter, content strategist and ghostwriter for NGOs, companies, coaches and scientists whose missions resonate with me. I’m solely writing for clients in the fields of sports and yoga, holistic health, Ayurveda and mindful living, as well as nutrition and supplements. You can find out more about my work as a writer here.

After working in Berlin for the past 14 years, my husband Tom, our dog Buddy, and I relocated to southwest Devon in 2024.

“The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the should create the symphony of life.”

…and Yoga Teacher.

Julia Austin practicing Kapotasana

In 2010, between studying, running and fitness coaching, I was looking for a balance to the constant performance approach. I found this in Kundalini Yoga, which opened up a new perspective on the connection between the body and consciousness. At that point, I knew that yoga would remain part of my path.

After 8 years of Kundalini practice and regular Vinyasa classes, especially Jivamukti, I attended my first Ashtanga Mysore Style class with my now husband, Tom Austin in 2018. Intrigued by the focus and intensity, I established a daily practice from the start. Until now, this practice remains my most important daily priority.

Practicing yoga for me is about looking inward, about feeling and accepting, about connecting with my focus, my natural stability and inner strength. The practice is a place of quiet transformation and opens up new perspectives on myself and the world. It has fundamentally changed the way I relate and react to events, leaving me with a calmer mind and a better connection of what really matters (to me). Since 2015 am also practising meditation in the Vipassana tradition, which supports the journey inwards.

As a teacher, I support you in building a solid self-practice based on the connection of breath, movement and concentration. We work on establishing a mindful approach to practice, that is rooted in yoga philosophy and ensures you’ll get the mental and physical benefits which this practice has in store for everyone, who wants to honestly work with it.

Until 2022 I assisted Tom daily in his Mysore classes in Berlin, where I got to work with many students. I practiced daily under Tom’s guidance myself and keep practicing with different teachers all over Europe.

Today, Tom and I teach international retreats and workshops together and will open a Mysore Program again at some point.

Experience & Expertise

    • Since 2009: group fitness instructor in the disciplines of functional fitness, spine gymnastics, back training, stretching & mobility, running technique & training, prevention of cardiovascular diseases

    • Since 2014: regular coaching of personal training clients

    • Quality management, class design & Coach for HIIT and mobility @BEAT81

    ———

    • Trainer B-Licence: for Health & Prevention with a focus in Cardiovascular Training, Spinal gymnastics, Posture and Movement*

    • Trainer C-Licence: Fitness for children, adults and elderly*

    • certified Functional Trainer*

    • certified Outdoor Fitness Coach*

    • certified Coach for general and sports nutrition*

    • First aid training for sports injuries (DRK)

    *by the German Olympic Sports Confederation

    ———
    Furthermore I’ve completed seminars about:

    • Training according to the female cycle

    • Fascia Fitness

    • Mobility Drills – Mobility Training

    • Stretching – Myths, Dogmas, Science

    • Neck Release – Practical Exercises for Everyday Life

    • Back Training - Applying New Knowledge

    • Anatomy in sports practice

    • HIIT, Tabata & Co – Methodology in interval training

    • Endurance training: Target group-specific control

    • Fitness in the park: ideas, concepts, possibilities

    • Outdoor fitness with your body weight

    • Running technique: analysis, correction and training examples

    • Effective workout in group fitness (bodyweight, small equipment, barbell)

    • Regular Practice of Kundalini and Jivamukti Yoga since 2010

    • Daily Ashtanga Mysore Style Practice since 2018

    • Daily assistant @Ashtanga Yoga Mitte Berlin (until 2022)

    • Independent yoga teacher @Ashtanga Yoga Darśana

    • certified in teaching Yoga for clients with cardiovascular conditions*

    *by the German Olympic Sports Confederation

    • extensive experience in editorial SEO writing, strategy and content management for several fitness and nutrition brands and experts

    • editorial and conceptual support and ghostwriting for books and guidebooks in the areas of sports, nutrition science and Ayurveda

    • brand, sales and SEO copy and content strategy as well as expert articles on training science, everyday training, sustainable and healthy nutrition, mindset & mental health

    • concept & text for all kinds of information material on vegetarian-vegan nutrition

    • translation of shop websites and blogs from English into German

    • specialist editorial team lead for fitness @foodspring (bis 2019)

    • employed copywriter for sales copy @foodspring (until 2017)

    • expert contact for sports & vegetarian-vegan nutrition at ProVeg (2012-2015)

    • marketing & programme design of Veggie World - fair for sustainable food (until 2015)

    • Vegucation: scientific cooperation & conception of a vegan cook training with ProVeg and the German trade organisation for gastronomers and hoteliers

    • Studying to become a Holistic Ayurveda Nutrition Coach (exam expected early 2025)

    • Master of Arts in Modern German Literature

    • Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature

    • Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

    • High Pass C2 Mastery – English for Speakers of Foreign Languages | by Language Cert

    • Further education training in Project Management

Testimonials

  • Felix Döpfert Porträt

    Felix Döpfert

    Julia is an inspiring and motivating person and trainer. Julia's broad background flows into her varied and creative workouts: Functional training, yoga, running or nutrition - all these methods and knowledge feed into her diverse training. Let yourself be carried away by Julia's energy and lively enthusiasm for sports!

    Tennis coach

  • Matthias Müller

    Over many years, I’ve have trained with Julia in various classes. Whether it was HIIT, Back Training or Running - her expertise and motivation always made me enjoy getting off the couch and joining her classes. You can definitely tell that Julia's coaching qualifications are comprehensive and that she has a lot of experience. Her well-thought-out and varied class structures and the variety of training methods offered always suited different levels and in case of injuries or individual restrictions Julia always had a solution in place.

    Software Developer

  • Julia Hirth Porträt

    Julia Hirth

    Julia is the best motivation for a sports slacker like me. She made me enjoy training again because her teaching is so effective and fun. She is always in a good mood and one can only benefit from her knowledge. Furthermore, she even has great tips for vegans on how to make their diet versatile and healthy.

    TV Editor

  • Julia Sarah Austin Fitness Coach Testimonial Annika Mey

    Annika Mey

    I have come to know and appreciate Julia as a professional, dedicated, motivated, ambitious, reliable, trustworthy, helpful and likeable instructor. In the years that I have trained regularly with her, I have learned a lot and comprehensively improved my fitness and nutrition habits. She put together a great, balanced programme that was a lot of fun and offered enough options for all circumstances I experienced throughout the years. What I liked most was that she always took great care to ensure that the exercises were done correctly. She explained very clearly and memorably how to do the exercises, what to pay attention to and why, and provided individual variations and help.

    Urban Planner