Histon Football Club's answer to Joe Wicks offers home workouts
Adapting and adjusting has been one of the biggest challenges for many during the lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic.
With businesses having to be creative in order to get by, personal trainer and Histon Football Club player Pat Bexfield has turned his lounge into a workout space, using everyday objects as gym equipment.
The owner of PB Circuit Training would, in a normal week, deliver between 10 and 12 group sessions to help people get and stay fit in Cambourne, Papworth and Great Gransden.
But since social distancing, self-isolation and lockdown measures were introduced, he has been forced to change the way he works. It has meant putting the sofas in his lounge to one side to create a fitness area, and he posts his workouts online.
Pat, who has run the bootcamp business for three years, explains: “I haven’t got a lot of room, but a lot of people are in the same situation so it’s finding different activities and exercises in a small space.
“Also, a lot of people don’t have any equipment so it’s finding alternatives to make it work. For example, if you haven’t got a bench you use the sofa. I’ve seen people filling up big water bottles and using them as weights, people have used their stairs as a mini circuit up and down.
“It’s all a bit mad but it makes people think, and it’s quite good for me as it makes me think outside the box a little bit.”
It brings a whole new meaning to the term ‘couch potato’, but Pat, who plays for Histon FC in the Isthmian League, admits that when the government brought in the measures there were concerns.
“It was because it’s the unknown, but I’ve had a lot of my clients phone me up and message me to say when this is all over we will come back to you,” he said.
“But I want to be able to offer them value whilst they’re at home. It was a case of finding ways to keep them in the loop, so we’ve got about 50 to 60 people on a WhatsApp group where I’m sending workouts. They will send pictures and videos to keep that community feel, even though people aren’t seeing each other.”
Home exercise is proving very popular – fuelled by the popularity of celebrity Joe Wicks’ sessions.
For Pat, the engagement is two ways, as clients can request what workouts they would like to see and then a different routine is uploaded every day online.
Pat also provides mini challenges to those on the WhatsApp group.
He said: “It’s just to keep people busy. Obviously they don’t have to do the workouts but they are there if they want them and people seem to be enjoying them.”
As for the football with Histon, Pat added: “You can’t go training so you just have to keep ticking over really. Nothing will keep you match fit, but you want to go back at a decent level of fitness whenever that is.”
Visit pbcircuittraining.com or follow Pat on social media at PB Circuit Training on YouTube and Instagram, and @PBCircuits on Facebook.
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