Hello lovelies, I know I don’t normally post this much, has it been a bit much this week ? There is just too much stuff coming out of my wee head these days so may as well bore you with it.

So, todays’ ramblings – ‘dun dun dah’ (not so easy to immitate those noises really)

THE GYM !!!

Did you think I was going all womens’ sexual exploits ? hhmmm maybe another time.

 

So, on waking up and getting out of bed, I was reminded that I was at the gym yesterday. Not too achy thankfully but a little evidence that I ‘did good’ !! Those who know me know that I have been a qualified Personal Trainer and Group Exercise instructor, as well as a Health Coach, for a very long time so for me to get up and decide to drag my ‘not been to the gym in a while’ ass and just go to the dreaded G place is easy BUT for others and the younger me, it can be / was a massive thing. I remember my post uni, office based time in life (pre health & wellness fan), that there were certain thoughts that went through my head whenever I contemplated the possible journey into that scary G environment – think deer, headlights, an array of onlooking wild animals (gorillas/rhinos/lions) in a David Attenborough programme inspected by a line of Meerkats in full make up and trendy funky gym clothes (didn’t even know there was a distinction in gym clothes, thought – clean, job done)

 

Gyms can be very intimidating places for some with the latest luminous lycra being paraded around on such fabulous bodies that you think they never pop a choc peanut butter ball or glass of red in their mouths and surely they must be there ALL day to have bodies like that and/or there may be a variety of testosterone fuelled men people strutting around (check out, without being noticed preferably, how some have massive upper body muscles yet they seem to have forgotten their legs which are still skinny, HUGE sweeping generalisation on my part but its one of my favourite gym viewing hobbies).

 

I really must do better to curtail the rambling ! (maybe next time)

 

Anyway, back to the G place. For many, going to these places can be rather TERRIFYING. PLEASE NOTE there are now lots more gyms available so the above stereotypes aren’t necessarily at all, some are lovely places, I promise. For you, there may be many many thoughts running through your head such as ‘what do I do there?’, ‘everyone knows what they are doing, I don’t’, ‘everyone will look amazing, I’ll look like a complete blobby novice muppet’, ‘will the machine break under my weight’, ‘I’ll have to be there for hours to make a difference’, ‘I’ll drop something on my toe and cry like a baby’ – on and on and on, you get the picture. Yes they were my thoughts ! So what happens, you don’t go !

Well I’m here to tell you now;

JUST GO, BE PROUD AND STRUT YOUR OWN STUFF!

I hate to say it but most likely no one is looking at you.

Here’s 6 easy things to remember;

  1. Just go. Yep I know I said it twice.
  2. If you don’t know what you’re doing, ASK. Those poor gym instructors are most likely bored out of their boxes and dying to help instead of cleaning the treadmill again. You will normally be shown round various things or given an initial programme for free (gym dependent obviously) and yes, you can pay for some pt sessions. PT may seem alot to begin with but it’s really important to do exercises in the correct positioning or else you don’t get the actual benefit and can hurt yourself (and look like a numpty). Once you know what you’re doing, you can do it on your own unless you like the company or I guess more importantly, you have specific goals you want to achieve. NB – if the trainer spends most of the time on the phone or looking at themselves in the mirror, get a new one !
  3. You don’t have to be in there for hours. Yesterday I was in and out in 45 mins and my full body was worked, see below.
  4. Working out once a week is NOT enough. HOWEVER, all your workouts DON’T have to be in the gym, they could be a bike ride, a brisk walk around town/beach etc, a yoga/aerobics type class, you tube videos (I use them all the time although I avoid my own ones lol). As long as you’re moving most days with some days getting sweaty so you’re heart is working a little harder and if poss, lifting some weights so you’re keeping your bones and muscles strong, then its all good.
  5.  Try something different with a friend or by yourself – be brave. And if its a new type of class and the instructor asks if you’re new, stick that arm STRAIGHT UP in the air, don’t be afraid – they’ll actually be nicer to you !!!
  6. Wear whatever you want (within moderation, Jimmy Choos and skinny jeans, not so good). I normally wear fitness leggings, a decent sports bra, a baggy vest top and decent trainers – job done. BUT please DO NOT wear fitness clothes more than once without washing in the machine. You may not think they are stinky but if put them on again and you start sweating again, you may notice there is nobody around you. I’ve taught too many classes/PT sessions where this has happened and it really is one of those situations every instructor/PT dreads having to deal with.

The most important thing is to do stuff you like or else you’ll never stick to it and plenty of ‘I’m hibernating’ excuses will start to arise.

 

So, to end, this ‘what I thought would be way shorter’ ramble, here’s me yesterday (yes again, make up free and old, but clean gym clothes, must plan these blogs ahead and look accordingly) on this fabby piece of kit called a BOSU. I love them as they are great for doing loads of exercises while working your core and every time I go on one, it makes me laugh. The name basically stands for BOTH SIDES UP – hilariously clever, don’t you think. Bosu sounds all technical but actually clearly no one could come up with something sexy so they just shortened it, brilliant.

Have a wonderful day lovelies.

Ex

 

Do your own thing but just so you get an idea here’s what I did yesterday in 45 mins.

 

5 mins Rowing to warm up

 

3kg hand weights

20x squats

20x Lateral raises (arms out to sides) alternating

REPEAT AGAIN

 

10x Static lunges right leg (standing still just bending legs down and up)

10x Bicep curl to shoulder press in lunge position

Other side

REPEAT AGAIN

 

Standing on BOSU (lol) blue round side DOWN (its supposed to be wobbly), no weights

20x Transfer weight side to side (stand up straight), didn’t care if people were watching

Hold still in middle for 1 min (your tummy shakes like a crazy person)

REPEAT AGAIN

 

10x Push Ups, knees down on floor, hands on handle indents of BOSU black side (yes it wobbles)

7x 10 second Full Plank on bosu (lower back started to go so will build up)

REPEAT AGAIN

 

STRETCH

 

STRUT OUT without a care in the world