Virtual classes helps Everybody member to get out of their comfort zone!
Natalie Cureton from Salford is a member at Everybody @ Alderley Park and has been since the facility opened in 2019. Since becoming a member Natalie has lost over a stone in weight and dropped 2 dress sizes!
Natalie would take part in The Trip, Yoga, Pilates, Circuit Training and also attend the open gym at Everybody @ Alderley Park. Natalie comments:
“My absolute favourite activity at Everybody Alderley Park is Les Mills The Trip. I tried it in the taster week and was immediately hooked! I have always enjoyed spinning, but The Trip allows me to really push myself more than any other spin class, the immersiveness of The Trip is fantastic.
I also love the Pilates and Yoga classes on offer, as well as having a really good stretch using the Five Concept Range.”
Due to the pandemic, Everybody Sport and Recreations facilities are currently closed, meaning Natalie wanted to find a way to exercise that would fit in around her working day.
Natalie has been taking part in Everybody @ Home since November 2020, a new website which provides online health and fitness classes, live and on catch up from the comfort of your own home!
With Natalie working from home as well as being in work, the option of an online platform where she could access classes at any time of the day really appealed to her! Natalie’s favourite classes being Les Mills Body Pump and Legs Bums and Tums.
“I don’t have a barbell at home but this isn’t an issue as the instructor always explains what alternatives you can use which is great! Legs, Bums and Tums with Victoria is also brilliant, it seems to really target areas of my legs that no other exercise can!”
Natalie was worried that she wouldn’t work out as hard as she wasn’t physically in the gym, however she shares that “if anything I find I push myself even harder as it feels like you are having a 1:1 session with the instructor on the screen, they encourage you and motivate you!”
Since taking part in the online classes Natalie has found that she is sleeping better and generally has more energy, she comments “lockdown has been tough, but having a class to look forward to has really helped me have a nice daily routine and honestly has kept me sane!”
Factoring in exercise when our routines have completely changed can be hard, however Natalie has come up with a great plan that ensures she fits in her exercise around her commitments. On days Natalie is in work she tends to do a class of an evening as it fits into her day “the fact live classes are available to do any time on demand is fantastic as it means I can still do them, even if I can’t join in when it is actually live.”
On the days Natalie works from home, she tries to join the class live so she can engage in the chat with the instructor and the other members who are taking part.
“The flexibility that Everybody @ Home has given me has made staying consistent with exercise very easy!”
In February, Everybody launched a 28 day challenge for their members to take part in to keep them active as well as be in with a chance of winning some amazing prizes.
When Natalie saw the 28 day challenge she immediately wanted to take part. Natalie shared she tends to do the same classes, so taking herself out of her comfort zone to try lots of new classes was a big draw of the challenge! Natalie has also enjoyed the fact that each day she knows what class to do, making it feel like she has her own personal training schedule there ready to go.
“Last week I tried kettlebells for the first time and I really enjoyed it, I was worried how I would do it at home but the instructor was fab.
I also gave Pilates a try on Saturday morning and enjoyed it so much that I did the same class again on the Sunday rest day. I love that the 28 day challenge is keeping me consistent with my exercise and helping me try lots of new classes.”
You can find out more about Everybody @ Home here.