Easter break is finished and now we are back to our current normal, so it’s time to get up, get dressed and get on with it!
Routine and purpose is what saw previous generations deal with Wars and Pandemics. Today we have the benefit of TV, social media, and social platforms, plus of course, our classes (via Zoom) 5 nights a week and daily Personal Training and Small Group Training 6 days a week. I can even help those with aches and pains via guided self-massage and stretching (it’s working really well).
Later in this message I have included the Physio Breathing ‘Triangle’ technique being used on the wards treating Covid-19. I recommend it at least once per day.
As we enter our 6th week of working this way I can see everyone in the classes relaxing in to the online way of working out (as indeed am I), and I think we are all doing really well – “Go Us”, yay!
I love this moment when for ages Dawn’s top half was dancing in perfect sync with Jo’s legs!
I respond to your feedback and requests instantly so, for example I’ve adapted the Step class (I’ve modified the choreography to make it easier to pick up and follow), added certain focuses in Stretch class and use suggestions for music and so on.
As I’m in control of content (which isn’t the case for the ‘big brand’ teachers), I can adapt and pivot quickly but please remember to tell me what is working well for you! I might respond to one person’s feedback and change something when the majority is perfectly happy with what we are doing.
When we are at home we can be easily distracted by family life and sometimes loss of routine. Try to ‘set up’ for class and get your ‘class head’ on in good time to ensure you get the most from your classes. I can see on my feed that some folks are answering the phone, nipping out of the room, having a conversation with someone and so on – this type of interruption would not be going on at class (we wouldn’t tolerate, it would we), it distracts from safety and effectiveness and quite honestly distracts me too! Believe me I’m having to manage Declan and the dogs and try to keep them quiet and out of the way – I do understand!
Remember we are a community looking out for each other so if you need me reach out please!
If your friends and family want to join us for classes or one to one/small group they are very welcome, not just from the same house but also from where they are based too.
Please spread the word amongst your communities about our fabulous online classes!
Triangle Breathing Demonstration
DYBO Digital Live Online Classes are as follows:
MONDAY
6.30pm Boogie Fit – Beginners/ Returners
7.15pm The Middle Bit (complimentary when attending BF or CD or £3.50)*
7.45pm Cardio Dance (more current experience)
TUESDAY
6.30pm HIIT simple & effective fitness training
7.15pm Core Power (complimentary when attending HIIT or DF or £3.50)*
7.45pm Dance Fit (more current experience)
WEDNESDAY
6.30pm Old Skool Step, all levels
7.15pm Barre Fit, all levels
THURSDAY
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch, all levels
7.30pm Dance and Perspiration (Fitness with a Dance focus, more exepereinced)
FRIDAY
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga with Relax, Restore and Reboot
All classes change weekly.
How to prepare your 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 blue tooth earphones and it worked well.
- Ensure you have maximum access to your WiFi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the WiFi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless thats what yo 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 bare foot 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 dumbbell/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 out door 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
£6.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £55
Membership, unlimited classes, including the extras, £50
(Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month)
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.
- Jane Smith Class Voucher, as reference, I do have a Paypal account but it costs money to receive and move money.
Raw Cacao, Avocado and Raspberry Cake
If you are going to bake, make it healthy – I heard someone say that we will come out of isolation either fat or fit! I’m opting for healthy.
By the way if you make it, drop some off for me!!!
Ingredients
900g pitted dates
360g blanched (skinned) hazelnuts
120g raw cacao powder
300g raspberries
125g toasted and roughly blitzed hazelnuts
For the Icing
4 avocados
4 tbsp runny honey
150g raw cacao powder
Method
Serves 16. 420 calories per serving.
To make the cake mixture, put the dates and blanched hazelnuts in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the icing. Scoop the flesh from the avocados into a food processor and add the honey and cacao powder. Blitz until smooth. Taste and add more honey or cacao powder if the icing seems a bit bitter or tastes too much like avocado. Set aside in the fridge.
Drain the dates and hazelnuts. Blitz in the cleaned food processor, adding the cacao powder little by little until you get a smooth, thick consistency. Chill until cold.
Line the bottom of a 15cm round, loose-based tin with greaseproof paper.
Use about half of the cake mixture to smoothly line the bottom and sides of the tin, creating a well in the middle. Fill the well with 200g of the raspberries. Spread the rest of the cake mixture over the top, gently patting the mixture down to even the surface. Chill for 2 hours to set.
Before serving, remove the cake from the tin and cover with the icing. Decorate with the remaining raspberries and toasted hazulnuts. The cake will keep well overnight in the fridge.
Have a great week.
Love ya,
Helen x
