Meet Ben
Ben Larner (MSc ESSAM AEP ASCA L2) is the Director of East Coast Athlete and aims to bring research, knowledge, and years of experience to his clients.
Through East Coast Athlete the pure focus is to develop junior, amateur, and elite athletes through research-backed, evidence-driven best practice strength and conditioning coaching.
Additionally, Ben also provides exercise physiologist services to assist people live longer, healthier lives. Ben manages East Coast Athlete to provide a unique, boutique, holistic exercise physiology practice, based out of a private strength and rehab facility in Warners Bay, NSW.
Qualifications
Education section:
- Master of Exercise Science (Strength & Conditioning)
- Bachelor of Human Movement Science (Exercise Physiology)
- Diploma Small Business management
- Cert IV Business Sales
Registrations:
- Exercise and Sports Science Australia accredited member (ESSAM)
- Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) with Exercise & Sports Science Australia
- Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES) with ESSA
- Level #2 Strength Coach with Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA)
Affiliations:
- Workcover registered provider – Return to work services
- Medicare registered for Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) programs (item#10953)
- National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) registered provider for Improved Health & Wellbeing/Improved Daily living skills
More About Ben
Ben is the owner/director, Senior Exercise Physiologist and Strength Coach at East Coast Athlete and EPnet Exercise Physiology. He is one of very few, a combined AEP with ESSA and Strength Coach with ASCA in the Newcastle/Hunter Valley region.
Ben is a Hunter Valley local, growing up in the valley and attending high school in Newcastle (St Philips CC, Waratah). Ben’s passion for exercise was sparked at a young age. An avid cricket, tennis and baseball player, competing in representative teams for all sports at varying ages from junior through to senior and open teams. Ben was introduced to exercise therapy at a young age after an early scoliosis diagnosis in primary school. From there, exercise therapy prevented back surgery and introduced Ben to training, and exercise became part of his life even more.
After starting at Newcastle university, Ben changed to Human Movement Science, majoring in Exercise Physiology, then a secondary Diploma of Education from SCU, Lismore. From there Ben completed several other forms of educations, training and professional development. Ben has a Diploma in Small Business Management, Cert IV in Business Sales, and also has a Master in Exercise Science, majoring in Strength and Conditioning from Edith Cowan University. This Master course has been rated as the second-best S&C course in the world and runs 50% longer than traditional post grad master courses.
Ben in an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) with ESSA, a level 2 Strength Coach with the Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA), Ben is registered to provide return to work services through Workcover under NSW legislation. Ben is registered with Medicare for Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) programs, as referred by your GP, and is registered with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to provide exercise physiology services. Ben is one of the few Exercise Physiologists and Strength Coaches in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, providing evidence based, best practice rehabilitation under ESSA guidelines, specializing in metabolic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Ben, while also having post grad qualifications in strength & conditioning is able to provide professional, science driven, evidence backed strength & conditioning services for ground and field-based athletes of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Valley/ or for local, national and international junior, amateur and open athletes.
With Exercise Physiology a developing industry and career in the early allied health industry, Ben moved into the health, fitness and wellness industry. With experiences as the personal training manager at the Golden Door Elysia, club manager and exercise physiologist at Howzat Newcastle, drug testing agent with ASADA, club and cluster club manager for Fitness First Australia, Regional Sales manager for Planet Fitness Newcastle, self employed exercise physiologist, regional health coordinator for DTC, health consultant for Healthstyle Pty Ltd, self-employed strength coach, rugby squad strength and conditioning coach just to list some of his vast experience.
Ben started EPnet to provide a unique boutique exercise physiology service based out of Planet Fitness Newcastle after deciding to leave the health and fitness management world, as it wasn’t where his best work could be done in managing health and fitness centers.
Ben started East Coast Athlete to follow his passion for sports specific strength training for ground and field-based athletes. Having played representative cricket, baseball and tennis, Ben with his vast experience and knowledge decided to offer a professional service to local junior, amateur and senior athletes looking to develop their performance. As there is an opportunity in the Newcastle and Hunter Valley areas with few qualified strength coaches providing a service for junior and senior ground and field-based athletes.
Ben is a firm believer in strength training for all people, regardless of age, experience and injury status. Ben is a passionate and knowledgeable EP/SC who enjoys helping people achieve greater levels of strength, performance and recovery regardless of their starting position.
If you aren’t training strength, you are losing strength. – Prof G Haff, ECU.