Glen King discovers a unique way of exercising which has proved life-changing for her health and well-being, with increased energy, reduced muscle pain, and how she can now get up from a crouching position without a helping hand…

My mantra is health before wealth, but as I age, I’m struggling with aches, pains, and diminishing body strength.  From a crouching position, the only way I could stand up was by ungainly rolling onto my hands and knees (highly embarrassing in Tesco when getting something from the bottom shelf)! Doing deep squat repetitions hasn’t helped; I try to focus but my mind starts to wander and before I know it, my bottom is miles away from the floor and I’m actually doing diddly squat!!

Thank goodness I discovered fit20, an innovative, unique, and proven training method based on extensive research, once a week for just 20 minutes with a personal trainer.  Hurrah!  Music to my ears (& body), and I don’t even have to change into Lycra® or get sweaty!  I start with a free taster session at the Exeter studio run by Duncan Attwood.  He explains: “Our training method’s based on latest scientific findings about effective and efficient training to improve fitness and health. You book your weekly session appointment ahead of time to stay on track, so there’s no waiting time. Because we train at a slow and precise pace in a custom-cooled studio, there’s no need to change or shower. Most members show measurable results within a few sessions, and more importantly, they feel stronger and fitter.”

I enter the bright and airy studio for my taster session. There are just five pieces of equipment giving a complete body workout.  All exercises are from a sitting position, and Peter my trainer keeps me focused and on track, correcting posture problems as we go, emphasising you get faster by training slower.  There’s a screen in front of me with a visual sensor to follow repeating 20 seconds up and back, staying green if you’re doing it correctly; switching to amber when going too slow, or red if you’ve completely lost the plot!  Determined it wasn’t going to beat me I stayed focused and proud to say achieved pretty high scores in my first 6-weekly sessions including my proudest moment on the chest press – Tempo: 94 / Rhythm: 81 / Range: 93!

HOW IT WORKS:

Leg press: Working the lower body and stabilising muscles, it targets the quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips, and calves.  The seated position helps keep your upper body and torso still, making it easy to regulate perfect squats.  On my first go I could hardly lift my feet up on the baseboard but now find it a breeze.

Chest press: I felt the benefits from the word go!  One of the best exercises for building upper body strength, helping with daily activities like pushing heavy doors. Benefits include gaining muscle strength and helping burn more calories even in a resting position.

Lateral pull-down: Works shoulders, and arms, strengthening the broadest muscle in your back the latissimus dorsi, promoting good postures and spinal stability.

Hip abduction and adduction: One machine for two exercises, but not one I’ve used during my sessions.

We use our abdominal muscles every day just by standing, sitting, and walking, so the following two exercises are very important for helping you to move your body and increasing core strength and stability for your spine:

Abdominals: Works the front of your tummy and abdominal muscles,

Back extension:  Works the lower back

Improvements I’ve made to my cardiovascular fitness in just 6 weeks:

I can honestly say I felt better from the very first session.  I’ve increased strength; stamina; energy; fitness and reduced muscle pain all in just 20 minutes a week with tangible results.  Three weeks in, I woke up in the middle of the night.  Supine, I reached out for a glass of water on the bedside table and unconsciously engaged my core, sitting up in one fluid movement, like a phoenix rising out of the ashes – something I’ve not been able to do for years!  ‘The icing on the cake’ was when crouching down at a photo shoot, I stood up unaided with ease and grace. I felt like an elegant prima donna ballerina rising up with impressive and dramatic effect and couldn’t help but shout out ‘ta-da!

For further information contact the fit20 team: at 01392 367039 or to ‘book a free session’ go to:  https://fit20exeter.co.uk/

BREAK OUT COLUMN:

The science behind fit20:

The largest study ever conducted within sports & exercise science has proven one weekly 20 minutes strength training session is enough to significantly improve muscle strength and provide health benefits.

Strength gains of c.15k people participating in fit20’s ‘minimum effective dose’ training over seven years, were analysed by Professor James Steele, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Solent University. Results published by the Research Quarterly showed fit20 members made significant strength gains of 30 – 50%  in first year of training, from one 20-minute strength training session a week, regardless of age, gender, or fitness level.

READ ALL ABOUT IT IN EXETER LIVING