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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