‘Get Fit For Purpose’ boot camp with Anna Keeble.

It was session seven of term two and I had missed a week due to having a cough so, off I went to the Fulham Studio.

The gorgeous weather certainly makes for happier people on the tube ride over and in general.   So, it gave me a spring in my step as I arrived for ‘no pain, no gain’ boot camp with Anna.

So, we kicked off with the usual warm up exercises and then it was into 100 bottom crunches and, I knew I had finally mastered it as my bum was burning within 20 crunches rather than towards the end.    The technique is all about drawing in the tummy button and ensuring your lower back is firmly on the mat.

Then, it was into routines.

And, today it was using weights and the image is merely cute rather than making it looks easy! 

We started with three sets of 20 straight lifts of the bar and weight, ensuring that the knees were not too bent and that when standing up, you pushed your hips forward and stood tall.   After the first session it was onto the large Swiss ball and just a full stretch to open up.  And, then after the next two sessions it was a ham string stretch with my foot up on the lockers.

Then, we moved onto squats with the bar and weight resting on the back of the shoulders, fortunately the weight was lowered slightly.    This was all about ensuring my knees didn’t come in, rather concentrating on pushing them out, I had to squat till my bum hit the bench and then use my core and heels to push myself up and stand tall.  We did two sets of 20 of these, and then it was onto the treadmill for an uphill jog for 30 seconds.

Then, we moved onto the bench and it was the weights again, but fortunately the same as the squats and we did three sets of 20 and boy did I feel this exercise today.    After the first set it was ok as I stretched out the arms afterwards, but when it came to the second set it was getting tougher.   Then, when it came to the third set it was all about concentrating on the breathing as I pushed up the bar breathing out which wasn’t overly easy.   And, then when I mentioned to Anna ‘I can’t do anymore’, the word ‘can’t’ doesn’t exist in her vocabulary and so I had a rest before the last five.

Then, we moved onto another exercise all about the core and balance, which was where I had to balance on the Bosu and with the rubber ties do a rowing motion x 20.   The Bosu could have thrown you off balance but keeping the chest lifted, the stomach button engaged and not leaning back I managed to stay in one place.  The rowing motion was to activate the shoulder blades and boy it worked.

Then, lastly it was to kicking the bag which is now hanging from the ceiling, and I knew this was going to be a challenge as coordination and remembering to rotate the hips as well as kicking the bag with my toes pointed was interesting as Anna made it look so easy.   So, I started with the right leg and finally on the last 5 of 20 managed to get it.  Moving swiftly onto the left leg, thinking it would be harder was pleasantly surprised by the ease and by engaging the stomach button and rotating from the hips I mastered it.  

I quite like the idea of one of these at home so I can practice boxing and kicking as a great stress release!

Then, we cooled down with the stretches and my homework is clearly to stretch the pecks.     So, I left Get Fit For Purpose and walked home from Fulham in the sunshine.

Long may this sunshine last as exercising when its nice outside makes a huge difference.

For more details on how you can ‘Get Fit For Purpose’ with Anna Keeble check out her website at www.annakeeble.co.uk.    

Anna has really given me the kick start to getting back into shape and exercise in general, but she also gives you the confidence to like yourself and feel good.