HEALTH + WELLNESS
GET FIT FOR SUMMER AT
The Pavilion Leisure Club at Eastwell Manor
It ’ s fair to say that there are some amazing perks to my job . I get to eat out at some fantastic restaurants , try out beauty and spa treatments and stay in some incredible places ; so it was a little unnerving to know that my next ‘ assignment ’ as such was about as far removed from the above as possible … “ We need someone to join the gym and get fit for summer . Sam ?” Erm , say what now ? BY SAMANTHA READY
Now I would usually have run a mile (* well clearly not , the quickest I move is with a family-sized Dairy Milk from fridge to sofa ) but with a new found interest in being good to body and mind and with some fast approaching nuptials , it seemed like the perfect opportunity to actually focus on me and see what this health and fitness lark was all about .
And so here I was at the crack of dawn ( my choice , not through pressure !) on one of the first sunny early summer days driving up the wonderful winding path heading to The Pavilion Leisure Club at Eastwell Manor . Having stayed at the Manor previously , I was aware of some of the more relaxing offerings but had to confess that I hadn ’ t actually made it to the gym before , unaware just what was on offer for members as well as guests – and I was impressed !
Housed on the first floor of the leisure club next to the Dreams Spa was a light , bright ( and not at all scary ) fully equipped multi-gym , with dedicated areas of Techo-Gym cardiovascular and weight machines as well as free weights and mats . And waiting for me was James , one of the enthusiastic and motivational staff members who was about to guide me on this fitness journey !
For day one it was all about finding my feet and James not only provided me with a full induction on how to use every piece of equipment , he also quizzed me on what my goals would be ( weight loss , muscle tone and general fitness improvement ) how often I would be aiming to come ( minimum three times a week ) and for how long ( about an hour ) and then used this to develop my own personal training plan for me to follow .
And so I began , clearly slightly rubbish at first , working my way through a programme , that it has to be said , was perfect for me : a mix of interval sprints on the bike , interspersed with rowing , weight machines and free weights as well as a strict HIIT session which featured ab work through crunches , twists , lunges and punches and , apologies to anyone who may have witnessed it , some attempts at tuck jumps and jack knives .
As well as being able to follow my programme in my own time , one of the best things about the gym membership at The Pavilion is that you can have two personal training sessions a week ! Paul and James explained that they like new members to get settled first , build up confidence in their abilities and the equipment , but that for the best results some good PT sessions are the way forward .
Open from 6.30am ( 7am on weekends ) until 9pm , The Pavilion offers a range of memberships including those that give access to the heated indoor and hydrotherapy pools , summer specials that give access to the heated outdoor pool and options for golf . It ’ s sociable too with coffee mornings , events and BBQs for members !
And here we are eight weeks later and … drumroll please … I have lost a stone in weight , dropped a dress size and have the most energy that I have ever had ! My programme is still challenging but about to be adapted to help stretch me further , I am aiming to continue with sessions 2- 3 times a week and the occasional PT too , and I am a actually a convert from sofa surfer to gym bunny ( much to the amusement and awe of family and friends ), and believe me if I can do it you can too !
The Pavilion at Eastwell Manor Eastwell Park Boughton Lees Ashford TN25 4HR 01233 213100 pavilion @ eastwellmanor . co . uk www . eastwellmanor . co . uk
/ eastwell . manor @ EastwellManor
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