GRIP

A large proportion of our population suffer with some form of mental illness nowadays. It can be extremely hard to deal with and finding ways of coping is the hardest part. With little help out there and people not asking for the help, puts insane amounts of pressure onto themselves, which just perpetuates things.  Confession time – I have suffered with mental illness & an eating disorder since the age of 17 and still have difficulties in coping now. Honestly I don’t think it will ever disappear, it’s a matter of managing it and embracing it’s a part of me. I was the person who never really sought much help over the years; embarrassment mainly stopped me from doing so. Determined to try solve everything myself but with not much luck, always a step forward and then 10 backwards a few days later. I constantly locked myself away from the world (the worst thing to do), jeopardising friendships and being so alone. I’d run away and think this will work it will be the miracle cure...

So I don’t know if you’ve heard but we’ve opened a new training studio. Take a look: I think you can probably tell from the picture its not your average ‘gym’. No machines, no dumbbells/barbells, no treadmills, cross trainers or bikes…. Alright, I get it, there’s not a lot in there. But then do you really need all that stuff to get into the shape you want to be? The answer is no. I’ll let you in on a little secret… I’ve been a personal trainer for six years and out of those six I’ve had a gym membership for a grand total of one year. That was during my first year at university. Even then I can count the number of times I actually used it on one hand because it became such a pain fighting for the weights with guys from Bath Rugby. They usually won. Well, they always won ‘So what did you do?’ I hear you ask. Surely you can’t be a personal trainer and not train yourself?! Of course I trained, but most of the time just at home, or outside. I started off with a bench and some adj...