Reebok FitHub Leeds - get fit for free!

Yes you can – thanks to the Reebok FitHub Leeds!

Have you heard about the Reebok FitHubs yet? They’re all about free fitness classes for the local community, led by the best-qualified instructors from around the region.

Apart from being able to take part in a challenging 30min Les Mills Body Combat class throughout the month of September, you can also approach the instructors for one-on-one advice on how to take your training and lifestyle to the next level. I know there’s a lot of fitness advice out there on the web, but if you’re like me, you’ll probably have more specific questions relating to your personal situation.

The amazing Stacey Jacques is the Reebok ambassador for Yorkshire, and she’s brought together a great line-up of free workout taster sessions at the Sporting Pro shop in Leeds, transforming it into a Reebok FitHub.

Don’t let the fact that we are exercising in a store put you off, we arrive just before the doors close at 7pm and when the shop shuts for the day we get stuck into the Body Combat workout. The recommended Les Mills 30min session puts you through your paces with some of the toughest tracks you’d find in a full 60min session. I originally thought – “30mins that’ll be easy!” – well I was wrong! It was a proper workout and we were all sweating buckets by the end of the first in a series of Combat tasters last Wednesday (3^rd September).

Short fitness sessions are more effective

The latest scientific research actually recommends short, intense workouts rather than slaving away for hours. It is much more effective for losing weight and letting the body adapt to getting stronger and leaner.

Exercising for hours at a time triggers a severe stress response where the body thinks it is in a life or death situation that does not seem to end. Unfortunately, our modern lifestyles and work situations trigger the same kind of stress response on a frequent basis which makes it hard for the body to get into a state where it feels comfortable enough to give up fat reserves that are meant to be kept for emergencies. So if you’ve been doing the long endurance training format for a while and hit a plateau, change things up by cutting your training time and see if you can get further results by changing your approach and incorporating the much needed rest periods our bodies are longing for.

Another good thing about short workouts is that it’s time effective; you get the job done so you can go back to doing fun things like spending time with friends.

Chances are when you know you have to work out for a long duration, you’ll pace yourself or get tired well before the end and lose form which means you are not executing the exercises 100% correctly, which in turn can cause injury as well as loss of effectiveness of the work you are putting out. Short, high-quality workouts will rev up your metabolism for hours after you leave the gym – I say give it 100% and then get out.

What is Body Combat?

If you are wondering what happens in a Body Combat class, the best thing to do is to give it a go. I like to describe it as a mixed martial-arts inspired cardio workout that works your whole body and can help develop a great core (as all punches are driven from the floor up, and the core rotation nicely works your waist).

Body Combat can also help you release stress; I used to imagine my boss on the floor for my street-brawl downward punches (not telling which boss that was though). When you attend Combat regularly, you’ll become very proficient at the movement patterns, even when the combinations change.

Initially it’s a little tricky, as the rhythms are slightly different than in a standard aerobics class, but after 3-4 classes you’ll feel more comfortable and then it becomes real fun when you can start playing with the moves, imagining how to use them in a real fight. Maybe you’re like me and think getting your face mushed in is not for girls, but you like how martial arts and boxing shape the body – that’s where Body Combat comes in very handy, there’s absolutely no body contact at all!

How I got involved with the Reebok FitHub

As with all things, it’s best to rely on your own opinion formed by giving things a try – you wouldn’t want to miss out just because someone else says it’s not for them, would you?

When I got the call from Stacey with the opportunity to get involved in bringing free classes to the public I couldn’t say no. What they’re trying to do is very much in line with what I stand for: “aiming to empower people to live a fitness-based lifestyle”.

Even if you’ve currently got a gym membership, it’s a great way to get your friends involved in what you love without having to spend any money. If you don’t have any workout clothes, come along anyway (a little early) and we can even help you pick out an outfit.

I think it’s great how generous Reebok are by allocating so many resources to bringing fitness to the local communities and making it affordable by offering the free classes at the FitHubs around the country (Bristol, Leeds, Kensington, Stockport, Southampton, Basildon) and around the world.

Have a look for one near you!

Wednesday 10th and 17th September will see me introduce you to the Les Mills favourite, BODY COMBAT, while September 24th features Les Mills international presenter, Shaun Egan, showcasing the latest Les Mills GRIT programme, and yes – I will definitely be attending that myself!

Make sure to follow Stacey on Twitter for latest updates on future events: @StaceyJacques77 

Get your own Reebok outfit here

Location: Sporting Pro/ Intersport store, Kirkstall Valley Retail Park, Leeds, LS5 3BW

Arrive at 18:45 so we can start comfortably at 19:00.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Drop me a note if I have left you with any unanswered questions. I personally read every email and message that comes through.

If you feel your life is missing a bit of calm rather than additional exercise, join my lovely Monday night Body Flow Tai Chi or the Friday morning Zone class in Headingley, Leeds. More details here.