I dipped in and out of the Glastonbury performances but was amazed and thrilled to see how many older performers were loved by the crowd (made up of of original hippies and new trendies).
The line up included Guns N’ Roses (Axl is 61), Blondie (77), Rick Astley (57), Fatboy Slim (59), Candi Staton (although I wasn’t impressed by her performance I’m pretty amazed that she is 83!) and of course the brilliant Elton John, aged 76, who absolutely smashed it with amazing piano playing, vocals and arrangement. He and his band of similar age were simply awesome.
What I find so inspiring is that an industry that formerly dumped older acts and performers is giving them the stage at huge events knowing that they draw in the crowds and do a brilliant job for all festival goers of all ages – it seems to be truly inclusive, and of course make financial sense for the investors!
The fitness world does not seem to have the same ethos. The trendy Gyms or Clubs do not want instructors with more years on the clock, who often have, more professional and life experience, training and qualifications.
Probably because these instructors have more to offer, they rightly want more pay and as a recent survey conducted by EMD UK reported, the average wage of an instructor (after expenses and hours invested) is half that of the minimum wage! This of course means that we lose great quality instructors who can’t live on these wages, or teaching/instructing has to become a hobby for them with the appropriate level of investment of time and money in preparation, research and ongoing training. Younger instructors can’t live on these wages either and as they want to move on in life they move on to pastures new with improved remuneration!
Great knowledge, experience and ongoing high quality education is essential for quality instruction in health, fitness and well being for our nation. The lack of which reduces standards, instructor morale, well being and their ability to inspire the nation to make citizens health, well being and fitness (and that of their loved ones) a priority! This in turn affects the nation’s mental and physical health, impacts the NHS, plus the nation’s productivity, economy and possibly social behaviour!
Teachers like myself who have decades of experience, extensive and expensive high quality education and are full time professionals are a rare and possibly dying breed. I would love to take on an apprentice to pass on my knowledge and experience, so if you know of anyone who would like to train with and shadow me then put them in touch.
Learning from Glasto – Watching Sir Elton who clearly has some hip and leg issues struggle to move around the stage reinforces some strongly held beliefs of mine!
How we address your posture and well being
Everyone one of our classes, one to one fitness and our sports therapy session’s aim is to assist clients find their optimal posture and alignment both when stationary and when moving. Over time, failing to address postural issues will lead to wear and tear problems (including joint pain, digestive issues, headaches, brain fog etc.) reduced efficiency, poor technique, reduced physical potential, earlier fatigue, and more.
Poor posture and gait can make us look older (and feel older) heavier, shorter, more awkward, less elegant and graceful, less approachable and unconfident etc.
My goal is to get folks to address their biomechanical issues before they cause pain and problems – we all know it’s better to prevent rather than cure, but pain seems to be a more powerful motivator than knowledge?
I often help folks become pain free, get to their optional fitness level, or address their dietary and weight issues only for them to think “well that’s me fixed, back to the lifestyle I had before” (the very lifestyle that causes the problems).
Yes, exercise is part of the solution of making us look better, slimmer etc. It is of course even more important than that!
With Elton in mind I want to remind you that it’s the end of the month and on Thursday we have our Trigger Point and MFR release class which is a huge help when dealing with restrictions, feeling tight and stuck
Saturday 1st July – All Hallows Summer Fete
Come and say hi, tell you friends to visit us and maybe you can help out for a little while, just to talk to prospective customers?
Linsay is home…
and doing well after her open-heart surgery on Tuesday. She has some recovery and rehab ahead of her but she is focused on it, thankful for her health and grateful for the world-class team of consultants and surgeons who might have saved her life had things gone wrong without diagnose and treatment for her genetic heart issue!
The Medics informed Linsay that her fitness and self care have prevented her from having problems which is warning for us all – that is we never know what lies below so its is wise do what we can to maintain our own health and well being!
More homegrown remedies
Over the past few weeks I have been sharing with you what I’ve learned about how to use the herbs we can grow in our own gardens or window sills for our health and well being (for me the process of growing them has a truly positive impact of my mental state).
This week my focus is on mint.
Now it’s really easy to grow in a pot and mine comes back year after year even after a tough winter! I don’t recommend you plant it in your garden though as it can take over!
There are many many benefits of growing mint for both your garden and for you! For example it’s great bug repellent in the garden and home and even just chewing a clean leaf can help freshen breath.
I pick mint leaves and pop in to a mug and pour boiled (then cooled) water over for a refreshing hot tea.
I Also pop them in a jug of water (crushed a little) with cucumber slices or lime slices and left in the fridge for a ready to serve, cooling, hydrating and refreshing drink.
Added to the pot when boiling new potatoes and then a few to garnish the top is a perfect summer veggie recipe – perfect.
Check out this link for some more benefits, and let me know if you have any great uses and recipes for Mint, https://pharmeasy.in/blog/benefits-of-mint-leaves/
I hope you enjoy our weekly tips for health, fitness and well being plus our recipes and news.
Do let me know your thoughts and share any thing you think we, the DYBO family, would love or need to hear about!
Love ya,
Helen x
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DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:.
At All Hallows, Farnham & DYBO Studio, Church Crookham (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page.
Monday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit
7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – with bands, handweights and mat.
Tuesday (AH)
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, handweights and mat.
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit
Wednesday (DYBO Studio)
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 (AH)
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration
Friday (DYBO Studio)
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga Express – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
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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, almost 3 years, and some of us are more anxious than others about getting back to ‘normal’ life and activities since restrictions have been 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.
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, 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, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and at times 2 x tennis balls and a sock!
3) Re borrowing equipment – if you would like to try a class or have forgotten equipment then you may borrow equipment on that occasion and please ensure that you sanitise it before and afterwards (sanitising products supplied). I can assist you with sourcing your own equipment
On the night
*Please park in the playing courts and walk between the old school building and new sports hall, up a few steps on to the outside seating area, the studio door is to your right.
*Participants are required to arrive, enter and be in their personal exercise space between 5 and 10 mins before the class,
*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, avoiding stones and glass being walked in and potentially causing injury and to protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets are open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding cues.
I will be sticking to class times for sanitising and ventilation purposes. Doors and windows will be open for ventilation, unless the weather is very cold, and if it’s hot, fans will be used to blow air forwards out of the windows and open door for maximum and safe ventilation. Our exercise space is much larger than the governing body requirements (more than 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 as some of our clients are more vulnerable to infection and wary .
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 you 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, change from your indoor trainers to outdoor shoes and sanitise your hands again if you wish.
*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 and more recently these flu and cold bugs.
When joining me at the DYBO Studio (No.42, GU52 0YA) I will send information directly including entrance code for the Studio and please note, advanced booking is required.
Fees, you have THREE options!
Please note that all Classes must be booked and paid for in advance and are non transferable or refundable.
Online payments only.
£7.50 per class.
10 Class Voucher: £65 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase).
Membership: £50, unlimited classes, plus a bonus of free access to all class recordings on our DYBO TV channel, and another bonus of a £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
To be paid by the 1st day of the month and is valid from the first to last day of calendar month,
One full month’s notice of membership suspension/cancellation is required with one membership restart permitted within a 12 month period.
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
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Monday
6.30pm Boogie Fit
7.30pm Total Tone
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.
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/training.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19, Flu or airborne transmissible infection or have tested positive.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
