I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
I won't be the first to write about exercising in these blogs, I know. Bruiser's been doing yoga at home every day, Pat's been strolling around his gardens and Nick's cycled all over south London. (I'm sure Jules and Eddie have been exerting themselves too, they've just been less forthcoming with how they're doing it.)
If we've spoken recently, you'll know that I'm evangelical about spinning (i.e. doing classes on a stationary spin bike in an indoor studio to music), and particularly about doing it at one set of studios in London called Psycle (www.psyclelondon.com). When I'm in London, I tend to do at least one class a day there, and whilst that's usually a spin class, they also offer yoga, HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and barre classes to provide what they call a "360 approach" to health and fitness. Now, I don't do all four of these disciplines all the time - I'd be bankrupt and have no time for anything else - but in recent months I've developed a mild obsession with barre classes, doing up to five per week (I know, I know). To quote an article from the US edition of Women's Health magazine from February 2019, barre is a "a workout technique inspired by elements of ballet, yoga, and Pilates, that focuses on low-impact, high intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body in ways that few other workouts can." To the layman, this translates to something like "barre is what looks like a low-intensity workout involving a lot of bending, stretching, bouncing and holding poses." Because the movements are often so small, classes can look like they're going to be easy, but actually it requires such strong core muscles to maintain the positions for the length of time you need, particularly with the right form. What do you need to do it? For most classes, just a mat (and you can replace that with a towel if you have to) and a light set of weights.
Why do I mention this today? Because my housemate Jessie and I have done yet another barre class in our living room this morning. Psycle are providing free workouts on Instagram Live everyday (check out @psyclelondon), and even for someone like me who hates having to turn their living room into a fitness studio, it's the easiest class to prepare for. Before our handweights arrived in the post, we were even using tins of beans or bottles of wine instead, and the workouts were just as effective (though I'll admit I was nervous I'd accidentally smash a bottle of Beaujolais above my head during one of the exercises).
On another note, until this point, I found that the only way for me to get proper cardiovascular exercise was to go for a run outside - which, don't get me wrong, I love. But yesterday, we received the incomparably good news that we *might* be able to borrow a proper spin bike from Psycle until the end of the lockdown. I could hardly contain my joy. So many instructors are posting their classes for free online, that I'd even be able to ride with my favourites from New York or Los Angeles from the comfort of my flat. (Before you ask, the key difference between the spin classes I like and just riding on a bike outside is that the classes are choreographed: you ride and move to the beat of the music.) I am almost unreasonably excited. It also means I won't need to be quite so concerned about the repercussions of eating my favourite (dairy-free, naturally) chocolate ice cream every night.
At this time, it's so important that we all keep moving - we can't let ourselves be overcome by lethargy, for the sake of the body, but particularly for the sake of the mind. I hope you all have the motivation to move at home, however small your living spaces might ne.
For yet another week, stay safe and speak soon!
