If you’re looking for something to snap you out of your exercise (or lack of) rut, then I can highly recommend
Bootcamp Pilates. This is a no-nonsense approach to a workout – trust me when I say that your legs, your arms, your core, your everything will burn! (In a good way, of course!)
Bootcamp Pilates is the perfect mix between free weight training, resistance training and pilates. The workout is performed on a pilates reformer bed, which if you haven’t seen one before, involves a flat moving platform (the carriage) and straps connected to springs of various resistances and a foot bar at the end.
Dynamic Reformer Pilates, a revolutionary workout introduced to the UK from the US, involves the pushing and pulling of the carriage with the assistance of the straps against the pull of the springs' resistance. Bootcamp Pilates combines these exercises as well as light weight repetitions to build strength, define muscles and burn fat.
The most notable benefit of the pushing and pulling motions against the resistance of the springs and carriage is eccentric muscle contractions, which is when a muscle lengthens as it resists force. This helps strengthen and lengthen muscles.
Reformer Pilates includes all the benefits of normal pilates including improved balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. On top of this, Bootcamp Pilates involves the use of light free held weights for some exercises, which gives an extra boost to the strengthening benefits of the pilates practice.
The studio only takes 10 people so you get the attention that you need and you're not peering over another 25 heads trying to see the instructor. Our instructor, Martina, was incredibly attentive, patrolling the room with eyes on everyone and not allowing a single limb to move out of place without correction and assistance. Whether you’re struggling to control your core through the movement (or taking a cheeky break to catch your breath), she was there in a flash helping the class keep up those reps.
Our workout consisted of various core strengthening exercises, push-ups using the foot bar, lunges and squats using the resistance of the springs to intensify the movements and some free weight arm exercises. The weights aren’t very big (1-2 kg) but trust me, combined with the pushing and pulling against the springs, this is harder than it first seems!
There are six Bootcamp Pilates studios and I attended the Fullham studio, which is located just 5 minutes from Putney Bridge tube station on the Fulham High Street. There are different classes ranging from beginners to standard classes, 45 minute express classes, cardio pilates and there is even a Mums and Babies class. Apparently, the babies just love it and often fall asleep whilst the mummies workout.
The staff at the studio were extremely friendly and I got the impression that this is a very personable environment, where clients and staff know each other by name and encourage each other to live a healthy lifestyle.
To the left, as you walk into the Fullham studio, there is a health café where smoothies can be pre-ordered and waiting for you once your class has finished. The café also sells organic ready-made food, organic protein powder and healthy snacks, so not only is it the perfect pre or post workout catch up venue, it's also great to pop into on your way back home from work and pick up some dinner ingredients.
Give them a look at
www.bootcamppilates.com!
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We’ve all had those mornings. We press snooze on our alarm clocks at least four times and convince ourselves through a series of excuses that we don’t have to/shouldn’t go to the gym or leave the warmth of our bed for anything other than breakfast.
The thought of leaving your bed for an early morning workout to start the day isn’t everyone’s cup of tea…after all sleep is important, right?
Thankfully FlexTV has solved the problem of ‘endless snooze button hitting’, allowing you to fit in a workout in the comfort and privacy of your own home.
From Pilates to barre classes, HIIT to meditation, FlexTV gives you access to over three hundred live classes a day. There are even specialist sessions in pre & post-natal fitness so that pregnant and new moms don't have to worry about one more thing to juggle with their new addition.
FlexTV is perfect for busy people who struggle to fit gym classes and workouts into their day to day lives. Classes are scheduled around the clock and range from ten-minute yoga classes to hour long cardio circuits, so you can tune in whenever you have a moment and from wherever you are.
After logging into your account online, you can schedule classes to fit your daily routine. Tailoring your workout timetable means that you can plan your week in advance and you receive an email straight to your inbox to remind you of upcoming classes.
A handy chat box also allows you to talk to the instructor, ask questions and engage with other class participants so you don’t miss out on the social aspect of fitness.
My favourite classes are ‘Empowering Yoga with Lucia’, ‘Kundalini yoga for circulation and focused mind’ and ‘Kettle Bell Barre Fusion’. If you thought that a home workout couldn’t challenge you - think again!
FlexTV is an inexpensive way to stick to your exercise routine, especially during the winter months when waking up at the crack of dawn in the dark is your idea of torture. It’s an easy way to fit in a workout – I usually just roll out my yoga mat and set up my iPad in front of me and the instructor talks you through the workout whilst doing the exercises with you.
For more information visit www.joinflex.tv - there is even a 30-day free trial!
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