It’s been a while since I last shared a more personal post on here, but today I wanted to about something that has become very important to me over the past eighteen months: exercise.
Prior to eighteen months ago, I’d fallen out of any regular exercise routines and, in short, I wasn’t as fit as I wanted to be.
Since then, I’ve not only made some big changes – I couldn’t imagine not exercising regularly. I know that sounds a bit cheesy, but exercise is now self-care for me; it’s time to myself and a way of growing and conquering new challenges. I’m fitter than I’ve ever been and capable of things I never knew I could be. Pretty big changes, huh?
Whatever kind of exercise I’m doing, it’s the time that I can switch everything else off and just focus on me.
It’s also been proof to me that any myths about veganism are just that, myths. Having a high protein vegan diet is simple, as is getting enough energy and building muscle while eating a plant-based diet. Tofu scrambles, Buddha bowls and chickpea flour omelettes are great places to start!
With that in mind, I wanted to kick off a new blog series – the joy of working up a sweat – and some of the ways I do it. I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on it – if it’s something you’d like to hear more about and the ways YOU love to work up a sweat.
The Joy of Working Up a Sweat: Blaze
First up, I was recently invited along to try a brand new class at David Lloyd gym in Leeds called Blaze.
Blaze is a boutique-style workout class that combines mixed martial arts, intense cardio and strength training into a dynamic HIIT workout. Working up a sweat couldn’t be a more appropriate way to describe a Blaze class!
What’s involved?
During the class you work your way through three areas: a Woodway treadmill, a bespoke weights bench, and suspended punch and core bags for mixed martial arts. Throughout either a 45 minute or 55 minute class, you rotate between the stations, spending three to four minutes at each doing exercises designed to burning fat and building strength synced to music. It’s no wonder then that in one Blaze class, you can potentially achieve a 500-1000 calorie burn!
Where’s the satisfaction?
Probably my favorite thing about Blaze though is that throughout the class you wear a heart rate monitor that tracks your progress. Your activity level and how hard you’re working is displayed on screens around the room – if that doesn’t encourage a bit of healthy competition, I don’t know what does! (I should add that I’m not usually a competitive person at all, so this brought out a new side to me!)
Activity is classified into ‘yellow’, ‘green’ and ‘red’ zones, with the red zone being where you’re working your hardest. The ultimate aim of the class is to hit the red zone as much as possible.
At the end of the class, you get an on-screen summary of your class. It’s definitely satisfying to see your individual effort and results up there – especially since I hit the 500 calorie burn target.
Have you tried Blaze? I’d definitely recommend giving Blaze’s all-round workout a try! There was a great atmosphere in the room and it feels being part of club – not a feeling you usually get at a big gym and I felt great afterwards.
To find out more about Blaze and David Lloyd gyms near you, visit their website at www.davidlloyd.co.uk
Pin this post for later: