MEDITATIVE MONKEY
IMPRESS YOURSELF
Meditative Monkey is the Central Coast’s premier movement studio.It's a place for anyone who wants to deepen their relationship with the body, overcome limitations, and discover who they can become.
CURRICULUM
“The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart.”- Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus
STRENGTH
Being strong makes everything easier. With strength we are more resilient, capable and free from constraint. Meeting you at your current level and taking you far beyond it, we will teach you to develop whole body strength that is usable in any situation.
MOBILITY
Mobility is the capacity to move freely and easily, without pain or restriction. We practise a systematic, joint-by-joint approach to mobilising the body that is uniquely tailored to address the restrictions brought about by modern life. We will help get you out of pain and on track to restoring long-lost freedom, fluidity and suppleness to the body.
BALANCE
Balance is crucial in everything, be it accomplishing ordinary daily tasks, recovering ourselves when we stumble, or expressing our highest physical capacity. The study of balance as a subject yields succulent fruit that will lead you to a greater understanding of how to find and maintain centredness within the body.
RELAXATION
Relaxation practice is about becoming free from undue negative emotion, anxiety, stress, and physical tension. It is about finding calmness and peace through movement practice and, by extension, in ordinary life. We will share insights and tools that will serve you for a lifetime and will help improve your recovery, performance and quality of life.
MOVEMENT
Movement is where it all comes together to (re)connect body, mind and heart. In movement practice, we integrate the isolated qualities of strength, mobility, balance and relaxation into a unified whole. We explore and develop new patterns, with an orientation towards expressive, flowing and graceful movement that induces a state of freedom and joy.
ABOUT BEN
Meditative Monkey is run by movement teacher Ben Byfield.Ben began strength training, bodybuilding and boxing in 2002 and was recruited as an assistant boxing coach in that same year. Throughout his life, Ben has also practised basketball, swimming, yoga, calisthenics, hand balancing, improvised dance and meditation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Exercise & Sports Science from the University of Newcastle and worked as a personal trainer in Toronto, Canada from 2012 to 2020 for some of the country’s largest fitness studios.Upon returning to Australia at the beginning of 2020, Ben founded Meditative Monkey on the Central Coast with the vision of creating a space where people can work to build deep, honest and authentic relationships with themselves and one another through the practice of physical movement. The work that Ben teaches is a product of over 20 years of practice and study, inspired heavily by his tutelage under the Ido Portal Method and as a current student of Thomas Emerson of Praksis, Canberra.*My way of thinking around movement drastically changed training with Ben. It’s now about focused relaxation, body awareness, presence and being explorative in how to get your body to do things you want. *- Tori W (Gold Coast, Australia)Whether an absolute beginner or advanced athlete, Ben can help you discover new possibilities and ways to impress yourself.- Dan B (Central Coast, Australia)I feel lucky everyday to have found the trainer that ultimately changed my life.- Katya V (Toronto, Canada)Ben's holistic approach to fitness and movement is refreshing and I couldn't have had such a pain-free pregnancy without his guidance.- Alyssa B (Wollongong, Australia)
CULTURE
Our culture is, first and foremost, about building relationships. Deep, honest, authentic relationships with ourselves and with one another. We do this by practicing with an orientation towards mindful exploration and constant, steady growth.We practice a system that draws upon the breadth and depth of the collective human knowledge of exploring physical movement as a means to produce inner transformation - transformation of self. This is the goal.We take aim and work together to challenge, inspire and pull out the best in one another in the pursuit of this goal - to transform ourselves.Into what? Into a higher form that is more willing, capable, strong, supple, coordinated, organised, energised and more powerful than you realise you could be.Within this practice, we reveal who we truly are, and discover who we can become.Our culture is about building authentic relationships with ourselves and one another, working together with the shared aim of becoming greater.
SERVICES
GROUP CLASSES
Join our community of inspired, kind, supportive, everyday people who move together with the shared aim of becoming greater.
Single Class - $35
Unlimited Classes - $60 per week
| Day | Time | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays | 7:00 - 8:30am | Upper Body Strength |
| Tuesdays | 5:30 - 7:00pm | Handstands & Mobility |
| Thursdays | 5:30 - 7:00pm | Locomotion & Mobility |
| Fridays | 7 - 8:30am | Handstands & Mobility |
| Saturdays | 7:00 - 8:30am | Movement |
PERSONAL TRAINING
Personal Training is for those seeking individualised guidance and programming to overcome limitations, manage pain, and unlock their physical potential.Single Session - $130
Block of Six Sessions - $100 per session
BOOK A CALL
Ready to impress yourself? Start by scheduling a consultation call with Ben.
Thank You!
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TESTIMONIALS
As an elite athlete, it’s easy to assume that just because you can move to certain extremes within a sport, that’s all there is to movement. It breeds a false sense of comfort in your physically movement capacity and way of thinking. Running fast matters for a moment, but practicing moving well lasts a lifetime.*My way of thinking around movement changed drastically changed training with Ben. It’s now about focused relaxation, body awareness, presence and being explorative in how to get your body to do things you want. *I trained with Ben for around 6 months with the goal to improve my mobility and strength alongside my usual athletic training program. During this time I did see gains in my strength and mobility, however, the biggest gain was my shift in thinking.*I really enjoyed the process, particularly because Ben was a practitioner of what he preached. Ben was able to physically show the exercises and had an incredible ability to articulate the movements and the feelings associated. **I remember specifically one session talking about how the goal is simply to ‘move how I intend to’. **It’s a deceivingly simple statement. However, I realised aligning to intentions or ideals, is built in process and that’s what practice is for. **As a heptathlete, my intentions with movement are very specific - I want to run fast, throw a javelin far or jump over a high bar. These intentions remain the same, but how I think about achieving this in competitions has radically changed. *This way of thinking I can take with me into the rest of my athletics career and beyond.I recommend working with Ben for anyone wanting to step outside the boring boxes of conventional textbook training and experience something fresh.- Tori West (Gold Coast, Australia)I want to thank Ben.I’ve levelled up my performance and mindset working with him. As I reflect today, a lot of big wins in my life have come from feeling strong and pain-free in my body. But it’s also Ben’s meticulous mindset and attitude to the fine detail that has unlocked another level for me. This has a crossover effect in all areas of life. You have to work with people that are able to hold you at the edges of your bullshit, and accept nothing less than success on the other side of it. He does this very well.I was a PT & Coach for a decade. I ran a very successful business for my clients and gyms and was a mentor for trainers. Although a lot has changed and evolved in the industry since then, I know quality when I see it. I share this because I know there are people out there who also want to feel strong, pain-free and on fire. His evolutionary methods inspired by the great Ido Portal are brilliant.In my personal opinion, he is for anyone looking to build and grow. Not just in body, but also in mindset. Whether an absolute beginner or advanced athlete, Ben can help you discover new possibilities and ways to impress yourself.- Dan B (Central Coast, Australia)I love the way Ben encourages a ‘can do’ attitude and environment, blended with fun and like-minded connection. I also like how the mix of movement activities promote strength with grace, and that they are supported by theory and explanations that just make sense.- Lena H (Central Coast, Australia)What I love about movement practice is the connection we form by having such small intimate groups. The structure of ‘blocks’ of content over the 6 weeks - makes for great opportunity to see progressive growth, no class feels like a failure because it’s what happens over the whole block that matters most. The strength it’s building in my body and mind.- Katie H (Central Coast, Australia)It's an environment of support and positive attitudes. There is a good mix of material that combines mental focus inversely varied with physical exertion to provide consistent challenge week by week.- Alyson P (Central Coast, Australia)When I first showed up at the gym in June of 2016 my body was a complete mess. I was 21, had dropped out of school due to my health, was walking with a cane, couldn’t raise my arms above my head, and living with the crippling pain of (then undiagnosed) fibromyalgia, scoliosis and joint hyper mobility syndrome. I wasn’t sure what I would be able to do, or what I would get out of training, but I did know that I needed my life to change and that I needed major help and support to do it.I scheduled an assessment for personal training. Instantly I got along with Joseph Phan, The Director of Personal Training who was doing my assessment. Walking in it was clear that I would be a long term client who would be needing multiple sessions a week (which would mean a lot of money). After we finished the assessment and I told Joe my goals, he did something that reassured me that I was where I should be. I was in a place where the staff actually cared. Joe told me the truth. He told me “If you want me to, I will train you. However, I have someone in mind that I think will be the perfect fit for you.”He introduced me to Benjamin Byfield.Whether it be learning to properly drain pasta without my wrists hurting, learning how to properly move boxes or trouble shooting a swollen hip, my trainer goes above and beyond no matter the time of day, he does the best he can to find me a solution. Before I met Ben I was afraid of everything, how any little movement would harm my body and although terminating that fear is still a work in progress. He has given me the tools to trust that I know what I’m doing. He does not let me give up or say I can’t do it.I was, and still am a challenge, nothing wrong is ever the same. Ben does not know what to expect any day I show up or after any exercise I do, but time and time again I am perfectly tailored and constructed a workout that helps to treat the pain I am experiencing.Those living with my condition are regularly unable to work, live without pain killers, ever workout or live a remotely normal life. I no longer walk with a cane, I was able to get back into and graduated college and work a full time job, I can do squats, jumping jacks etc and excluding a Tylenol here and there I am pain killer free.I feel lucky everyday to have found the trainer that ultimately changed my life.- Katya V (Toronto, Canada)When I was 9 weeks pregnant I contacted Ben for some help to keep strong and fit during my pregnancy. I had issues with a nerve in my leg that I wanted to address before I'd advanced too far along and I wanted to stay active (safely) so post partum recovery was quicker.Ben was professional, encouraging and gave excellent instruction and effective feedback. The online coaching was fantastic - allowing me the flexibility to do the exercises he prescribed when it suited me.Weekly video calls ensured I made progress, remained accountable and performed each exercise with the correct technique.I highly recommend Ben as a personal trainer. I've become so much stronger and more flexible - and have had no issues with back or nerve pain for the second and third trimester thanks to his program.Ben's wholistic approach to fitness and movement is refreshing and I couldn't have had such a pain-free pregnancy without his guidance.Thanks Ben.- Alyssa B (Wollongong, Australia)I am writing this letter to recommend Benjamin Byfield for consideration as your personal trainer. Benjamin worked as our personal trainer for my wife and I at our gym for over two years. He worked very well with us and understood our personal wants and needs. His knowledge of physiology and fitness is all but unmatched.Benjamin worked with us not for just fitness and posture gains but also with certain injury rehabilitations and exercises designed to help prevent injury.Benjamin’s interpersonal skills, his fitness knowledge and abilities, and his diligent work ethic made him the best trainer we have had. He truly cared about our fitness wellbeing and he had the skills to develop plans that truly helped us. I highly recommend Benjamin as a personal trainer.- James G (Toronto Canada)I am at phase in my life where I need to build strength. Ben’s advice, coaching and locomotion routines helped me see fitness in a new light and inspired me to start new habits; ones that I can hopefully maintain for years to come.- Vassilios A (Toronto, Canada)*Working with Ben has been an absolute pleasure. Through my years of volleyball I’ve definitely racked up a series of injuries which I’ve worked through but never fully recovered from by myself. Through working with Ben, I’ve been able to work on and improve my injuries from the past and become stronger overall. Ben focuses on the fundamentals of movement first regardless of how advanced you perceive yourself to be; you’ve got to relearn the foundations and eliminate the bad habits accumulated over the years. Every workout with Ben is a challenge and once you think you’ve gotten the hang of a workout circuit he changes it and makes you work even harder. *- Jack L (Toronto, Canada)Ben is a phenomenal trainer!
His method helped me retrain for circus arts after recovering from injury. He also helped me hit my fitness goals.I highly recommend working with him.- Dan M (Toronto, Canada)I started working with Ben about year after a car accident and his patience and personal approach have been a huge help with my recovery. He always has something new to offer in our sessions and ensures I work up to my potential. I highly recommend Ben to anyone looking for an awesome personal training experience and professionalism.- Aliya K (Toronto, Canada)Ben is very passionate and knowledgeable. He is flexible with scheduling sessions.- Alicia S (Toronto, Canada)My fitness trainer, Ben Byfield is such an amazing human being! He treats people with respect and is strongly passionate with his work! I have never met a trainer who comes back in full circle with answers and solutions to all fitness struggles. I have so many limitations due to my back problems but he always comes up with ways to work around it. I was surprised by his length of patience. His insight, resourcefulness, and wisdom make him such a wonderful trainer to work with!- Angela L (Toronto, Canada)*Trained with Ben and he is one of the most helpful trainer I've ever met! *- Rey L (Toronto, Canada)*Ben is fantastic. He knows his stuff and his coaching is innovative, supportive, a kick in the butt, and he can make a gruesome workout fun. He's also helped me recover from several injuries, is getting me back in shape, and the reason why I come to the gym. *- James L (Toronto, Canada)The real test of the quality of a fitness trainer is when a client has special needs. A senior citizen with post-operative pain, I needed a smart, knowledgeable and experienced trainer. Ben has all of these qualities, and as a result, inspires trust. After training with Ben for about a year and a half, I am virtually pain free, and working out three times a week. My program includes lifting 55 pounds, which gave the added bonus of ending sporadic back pain associated with ageing.- Heather W (Toronto, Canada)Ben's Movement class is a great time to be enjoyed by all. The class is fun, creative, and reintroduces you to some fundamental movements that we've not played with since childhood. Super workout and the basis of something that you know will be useful. Can't wait for the next class.- James L (Toronto Canada)Movement Class helped me pin point where and how I want to improve my body.- Ierene O (Toronto Canada)I really enjoyed it! It was a fun way of being active while also learning a lot about what kind of movements our bodies are capable of when we focus on it. For a couple days after my legs were super sore, but it was great because during the class I didn't feel like I was doing “exercise”. It also pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone quite a bit which I enjoyed.-Devon M (Toronto Canada)Great experience! Ben indeed showed us a brand new way to workout the entire body by simply playing! Not only can I feel the tiredness of my entire body the following days, but Movement Class also allowed me to meet many new friends. I'm expecting more sessions and more movement in the future!- Rey L (Toronto, Canada)Thank you for a body movement class today!My friend and I enjoyed it very much. It’s an awesome way to engage with your body, and fire up the brain with new movements. Great stuff. I will incorporate it in my weekly schedule.- Bogdan H (Toronto, Canada)First and foremost many thanks for inviting me to your class once again. As someone who has struggled with different types of chronic upper and lower limbs injuries for the past couple of years or so, the class was of great use to me as it shed light on the importance of moving properly, something that many I believe take for granted.Most of my previous injuries could have possibly been prevented had I tackled the faulty movement patterns that I had been practicing, so I can’t overstate how important this field of fitness is for anyone involved in sports and fitness in any capacity. I sincerely hope this class becomes a regular weekly class rather than an occasional workshop taking place every now and again.- Saleh A (Toronto, Canada)