One thing that I didn’t anticipate when I went for a brief vacation was for our Queen, our strength and stay, to leave us. Neither was I prepared for how the loss of a woman I had never met would affect me! Quite honestly I wanted to be home amongst my friends and DYBO family, it felt wrong to be away.
She has been so woven in to the fabric of my/our lives that I/we didn’t even notice.
At school, Church, Brownies and Guides, when I competed as a gymnast and aerobic athlete, when I coached and supported other athletes I sang out loud and proud, ‘God Save The Queen’, never considering that one day I will sing God Save The King and that a woman whose loyalty, devotion and service that was beyond measure, would no longer be there for us.
I followed the build up the announcement of her passing on CNN (No BBC News in Italy) listening to dreadful reporters talking rubbish and indeed sharing gossip, hearsay and the more recent troubles within the royal family with the rest of the world whilst we (whom it affected) waited for and then received the news we never wanted to hear, that of the passing of one of history’s most magnificent humans, I was so incensed that I sent my first ever tweet of complaint to CNN!
Now is not the time to focus on division, harsh words or judgments, now is the time to cradle the country and commonwealth and all those in the royal family, those who have lost a monarch, a hero and parent, auntie, grandmother great grandmother and friend of many. God bless you Ma’am, thank you, rest in peace and god help us all!
Her Majesty’s example of ‘never explain and never complain’ with her clear commitment to ‘keep calm and carry on’ is exactly what I shall be doing as we make a return to our classes and one to one services this week.
I prepared lots of new routines, programmes and class content before Dec and I went on our little break, so I’m ready to deliver the best fitness and dance classes for you all!
REMEMBER FRIDAY’S FREESTYLE FITNESS YOGA CLASS IS BACK!
It’s the class where you will
Release
Restore
Relax
Reset
Refresh
It’s a Yoga class for people who don’t do Yoga; there is no jargon or Sanskrit terms
This class simply leaves you feeling better, stronger more flexible in just 45 minutes!
Of course I didn’t anticipate a funeral and Bank Holiday on the 19th so I will explore the option of putting on a class/es on Sunday if anyone would like to attend. I shall ask All Hallows if we can use the Hall in the morning.
I’m writing this literally having just got of my delayed flight so give me a day or two to try and sort something if I can!
Tabbouleh
and Parsley!
I struggled to find vegetarian food let alone gut healthy food when in Italy and on the the last night discovered a Lebanese recipe which was delicious, I’ve never tried it before but my parsley and cucumbers have enjoyed the recent weather and I have tons of it, so I’m going to try this recipe.
- ½ cup bulgur
- 1 cup diced cucumber (1small/medium)
- 1 cup diced
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 3 medium bunches curly parsley
- ⅓ cup (⅔ ounce) chopped fresh mint (optional but recommended—you can chop it in the food processor with the parsley)
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
- Cook or soak the bulgur until tender according to package directions. Drain off any excess water, and set aside to cool.
- Combine the diced cucumber and tomato in a medium bowl with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Stir, and let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes, or until you’re ready to mix the salad.
- To prepare the parsley, cut off the thick stems. Finely chop the parsley and remaining finer stems—it’s much easier in a food processor -transfer the chopped parsley to a large serving bowl
- Add the cooled bulgur, chopped fresh mint and green onion to the bowl of parsley. Strain the cucumber and tomato and discard the juice Add the cucumber and tomato to the bowl.
- In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into the salad and stir to combine.
- Let the salad rest for 15 minutes before serving
Its good to be home, I can’t wait to be back dancing and working out with you again!
Love ya,
Helen xx
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DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:.
At All Hallows (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page.
Tuesday
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat.
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit – ‘Upbeat Vibes – 90’s vs NOW’
Thursday
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration – ‘Bailemos’ (Let’s Dance)
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Joining us at All Hallows? – Protocols and information
I’m so happy to be able to run Face to Face classes at All Hallows and at the DYBO Studio in Church Crookham My primary objective is to ensure that we all have a wonderful time with effective and fun classes that are engaging, relaxed and of course safe.
To ensure that is the case I just want to share with you our class protocols to inform and reassure everyone. Not everyone has been out and about much over the past 2 years and some of us are more anxious than others about getting back to ‘normal’ life and activities as restrictions are lifted. Please be patient with each other and me – I have the responsibility of keeping you all happy and safe whilst complying with governing body guidelines and providing the best experience possible.
*Denotes for you to do, the rest is just info
Preparation
1) *Firstly ensure that you have booked by sending us an email info@dybo.co.uk confirming all the classes you wish to attend plus your payment method, be it as a member, using your voucher, or pay as you go.
No on the door bookings or payments can be taken. Bookings are not refundable or transferable. I will keep records of all attending for track and trace.
2) *Preparing your kit bag/box. This depends upon the class you are attending.
Boogie Fit, Dance Fit and Dancespiration crew will only require your indoor trainers/dance shoes to change in to, your hand sanitiser, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – currently I am not sharing equipment in a group exercise setting so you will need your mat, a resistance band and light hand weights/equivalent in addition to your trainers, hand sanitiser, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and at times 2 x tennis balls and a sock!
On the night
*Please park in the playing courts and maintain social distancing as you walk to the studio.
*Participants are required to arrive, enter and be in their personal exercise space between 5 and 10 mins before the class, please wait outside to be called in so that we are certain the space is ready for you.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in your bag, walk to activity area then put indoor shoes on, the same in reverse to leave. This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space and protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets will be open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding cues outside. 2 people max allowed in at a time.
I will be sticking to class times for sanitising and ventilation purposes. Doors and windows will be open for ventilation, irrespective of the weather, and if it’s warm fans will be used to blow air forwards out of the windows and open door (as per guidelines).
Our exercise space is much larger than the governing body requirements (double in fact) indeed the government have lifted all guidelines, so it will be easy to maintain 2m social distance but please do keep your distance.
I will maintain social distance, however I will have a visor/mask if I have to come close to provide first aid etc.
After an entire teaching career facing my class participants with my back to the mirrors I have made the change (for now) to face the mirrors, this is for my safety in this strange Covid world, but I assure that I will still be able to see everything you get up to and will coach, encourage and nag as effectively as usual!!!
*After a wonderful class and virtual hugs, slip off your indoor trainers and you will leave in order of those nearest the door first then slip in to your outdoor shoes at the threshold.
*Please clear the site a.s.a.p. after class, I know you will want to chat but this directive is part of my compliance and I am responsible for you until you are off site!
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes, I now have to rebuild my group exercise business after months away from face to face teaching due to the pandemic .
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Tuesday
6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.
7.15pm Barre Fit – something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dancespiration
Friday
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your Zoom environment
- You need space to move 2 side steps, 4 walks forward, 4 backward. Move trip hazards and furniture as much as you can (get help, be careful!) to give you maximum space for upper and lower body movement. Roll up rugs or secure them so they don’t slip or cause you to trip.
- Plugging your device in to your TV with an HDMI cable is brilliant as it gives you a good picture of you (like a mirror) and me – as well as boosting the sound if you go through the TV/Hi-Fi sound system. If you can place your device under the TV, then even better.
- I know some of you are using your phones – try to plug in to a speaker system (even those little speakers we have when we go on holiday would help) so that you can hear better as you move back from the phone. Angie has tried Bluetooth earphones and it worked well.
- Ensure you have maximum access to your Wi-Fi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the Wi-Fi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless that’s what you are using to join us, obviously. Ask family to do the same for the duration of your class – keep them off the internet whilst you need the bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the better the picture and sound and the less likely you are to lose the feed. Your health is a priority at this time and I’m sure they can do something else for that short time!
- Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
- Wear correct footwear for your activity – putting an old pair of socks over the toes and ball of your trainers will help reduce friction when exercising on carpet (if they are a really old pair, cutting the toes open and then just having them over the ball of the foot is even better). It’s up to you if you want to dance or train in bare feet but be careful if you don’t usually do this as it takes time for the muscles and connective tissue of the feet and rest of the body to adapt to barefoot training.
- Make your own gym equipment. Save laundry liquid or milk bottles – you can fill them with water or wet sand/rice etc. to add weight and make a dumbell/kettlebell. I recommend you make a few in differing weights and you have written on them so you know what they weigh and seal the caps with tape to prevent leakage. Get a heavy duty shopping bag and put weighty items in it, check they can’t fall out and you have a kettlebell alternative. Make your own hurdles, put cushions, pillows, boxes, books on the floor to jump over. Use household items as floor markers for circuit activities. The stairs and outdoor steps are great temporary steps/benches for cardio and upper body work. The garden is a great open space to make an assault course or if you can get a signal, take your class or PT session outside, but do make it safe.
Fees, you have THREE options!
£7.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £65 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase)
Membership, unlimited classes, £50, plus a pandemic bonus of free access to all videos of the classes on our DYBO TV channel ! (Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month). One full months notice of membership suspension/cancelation is required with One membership restart permitted within a 12 month period. Bonus £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
If things get so tight that you can’t afford it then please reach out to me, I want to keep you healthy and happy and help you through this tough time and trust that no-one will take advantage of me.
Bank details are UK Fitness Academy Ltd.
Sort Code 09-01-28, Acc No. 04284324
Please email me when you have made a payment and use your name and what it’s for as a reference.
eg. Jane Smith Class Voucher. As reference, I do have a Paypal account but it costs money to receive and move money.
Disclaimer
I declare that all of the information I have given (both written and verbal) is accurate and truthful. I know of no reason why I cannot participate fully in any exercise programme and I do not deem it necessary to consult my medical practitioner/GP/specialist. I undertake to inform my instructor should any information change.
I understand that I participate at my own risk and that any information given is not intended to replace or represent medical advice.I agree to comply with all terms conditions and class protocols and instructions as outlined above and whilst attending DYBO classes/trainiing.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19 infection or have tested positive and are instructed to isolate as per Government guidelines.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
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