Have you lost your confidence to go back to the gym? Are you worried about life after the pandemic and lockdown and things getting back to normal? Did you have a great workout regime before the lockdown, but you’ve now lost the confidence and motivation to do it? It’s perfectly normal to feel a little wobbly and put off getting back to exercise. Going back to places that once seemed so normal can be a daunting prospect, leaving you with mixed feelings such as feeling anxious, worried, scared, relived and happy or a combination of all of them. You are not on your own.
Where to start…
Start slowly and build back up to your pre-lockdown workout. Most people will have been far less active over the last 18 months and fitness levels will not be what they were before the lockdown. Don’t panic, this is normal. Fitness levels drop very quickly when you stop exercising. Instead, focus on starting slowly and building those levels back up. Drop the resistance and intensity from what you were doing before the lockdown. Don’t try to do too much too quickly. Getting disheartened or injured isn’t a good way to restart your fitness journey. Start by going out for walks or jogs and building up the time. Then, when you are ready maybe add in a class such as Zumba or a HIITS workout. After this, look at going somewhere where you feel comfortable for your workout.
Take a look at W Fitness ladies’ gym in Horsforth, Leeds, where we offer a safe, friendly space where ladies can enjoy working out with confidence. Our studio is not intimidating. It is small and very personable. We look at all our members as friends, and we even have members who have joined our W Fitness team and now work with us. You can work out with confidence and without the pressure of worrying about other people.
We are much smaller than the ‘big-box’ gyms and we offer a more personal experience. You don’t have to worry about which machine to use, which muscles it’s working, whether the machine will be available to use or feeling conspicuous and anxious because of other people on the gym. We will set your programme to match your fitness goals. You don’t have to worry about using too high a resistance or it being too easy as we are always on hand to help and answer any questions. It’s like working out with a personal trainer every day 😊
We have a 30-minute circuit based full body workout, consisting of hydraulic resistance machines which work to tone and tighten the muscles as well as burning calories.
Hydraulic resistance is a great workout to tone, tighten and strengthen muscles. The machines are very safe and easy to use, allowing a certain range of movement per machine, thereby reducing the risk of injury. They give you a great workout whilst being gentle on the joints. Hydraulic resistance also reacts to the strength of force that you use to work the muscles that the machines target.
The circuit consists of seven machines, two free stations and one stretch area. It’s all timed so there is no worrying about how long you should stay on any machine, and everyone changes machine at the same time so there is no waiting for your next machine. It really couldn’t be easier. The two free stations allow for exercises using your own bodyweight, dumbbells, resistance bands or medicine balls. You can even do extra cardio exercises. It finishes on the stretch station to stretch out all the muscles that you have exercised. Resistance exercise burns calories at a faster rate for up to 24 hours after your workout.
We also have great classes, such as Zumba (such a feelgood class), HIITS, Ab Blast and Yoga, where you can have a laugh as well as get a great workout.
We cater for all fitness levels, even if you’ve never stepped foot into a gym before. We provide you with a personal programme tailored to your goals and this is regularly looked at and updated. We also take you around all our machines, making sure that you know how to use them correctly so that you are getting the best out of your workout. We are on hand at all times in case you need any help.
We take your measurements when you start with us, including weight, inch measurements, body fat and bmi. We also check your blood pressure to make sure that it is within the healthy range. These measurements are repeated every three months so that you can see your progress as you work towards your goals.
We still have our Covid guidelines in place. We ask everyone to hand sanitise when coming into the gym and we provide cloths and bottles of cleaning spray to clean the machines before you use them, thereby ensuring it is cleaned to your satisfaction.
Remember to be kind to yourself. We all have off days or days when our workout isn’t quite as good as we want it to be. There are days that we simply don’t have time or something unexpected happens and we can’t get to the gym. Accept this and keep moving forward, one step at a time.
Your body is amazing so look after it. Fuel it, hydrate it, rest it, exercise it and remember to give your body credit and celebrate every step towards your goals.
Much Love,
Caroline & Hannah xx