The Fitness Challenge with Pillow Mag Editor Angharad Llewellyn: Week 4

MY first session with Jennifer Mbazira from Dulwich Core Fitness is on Wednesday morning, but I’m feeling super keen so I’ve the gym hard on Monday night. I’m holding two 5kg weights and rhythmically stepping up onto a high bench, covered in sweat and puffing and panting.

I’m trying to copy what Jennifer has taught me during our personal training sessions, putting her exercises into practise in the gym.

I grab kettle bells, medicine balls, do so many step ups my legs ache, but I want to sweat and feel the burn like I do in the middle of a PT session.

Fitness challenge week 4

Fitness challenge week 4

 

I find concentrating is much more difficult when I work out on my own, but I reason that as long as I’m in the gym working out, it doesn’t matter how LONG it takes me, as long as I do the exercises.

I’m doing this on the days when I don’t have my PT sessions and also running like mad around East Dulwich, or jumping on the treadmill.

 

Fitness challenge week 4

Fitness challenge week 4

 

Last week I faced a brief setback when the scales told me that I had put on weight leading up to ‘that time of the month’.

But when I weigh myself this week, I’m back down to where I was, and I’m relieved that I haven’t actually piled on the kilos, it was just the scales playing tricks on me. And I survived the test.

My first session is on Wednesday morning where I do lots of arm and core work using a weighted bar.

I also have to straddle two benches and do lots of squats holding a massively heavy weight. It’s difficult, but nowhere near as hard as I found doing these exercises when I first started having sessions.

When I return for a second session on Thursday morning, Jennifer tells me that she can see that I’ve shrunk! She takes some snaps for me to have a look.

Fitness challenge week 4

Fitness challenge week 4

 

Jennifer tasks me  with a stretching exercise where I have to lean over forward, extending one leg in the air. I can tell it’s strengthening my core, but my balance is still woefully poor.

However, if I concentrate hard, I can complete the reps AND manage to keep my legs straight.

In preparation for my 10km run in September, I’m spending quite a lot of time on the treadmill, but I’m not falling in love with the machine. Over the weekend, I go for a run outside and enjoy it much more. I decide to include this outdoor exercise into my routine. (Bonus – getting a tan while you run.)

Fitness challenge week 4

Fitness challenge week 4

 

The next big challenge will be a hen weekend where there will be a lot of booze and food floating around.

Do I pack my trainers? Or just count on swimming in the ocean every day?

Find out how I get on in next week’s Fitness Challenge feature.

To contact Jennifer to book personal training sessions, call her on 07770 696 426 or visit Dulwich Core Fitness.

Read about the first week of the fitness challenge here – where Pillow Mag Editor Angharad Llewellyn is almost sick.

Read about the second week of the fitness challenge here – where Pillow Mag Ed Angharad is told to feel the burn, and do it anyway!

Read about the third week of the fitness challenge here – where Pillow Mag Ed Angharad battles the scales by hitting the gym as often as possible.

 

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