In total, you can do 19 sessions over the weekend. There are so many sessions to choose from; aerobics, step, boot camps, conditioning, Zumba, spinning, seminars etc, plus a sizeable market area to spend your hard earned pennies.
So after travelling up Thursday afternoon, Friday kicks off with an 8am start with Mashed Up, a Hi-lo Aerobics session with Nottingham Virgin Active's Rachel Holmes who happens to be my aerobics instructor. An ideal start to the weekend, as the choreography is already rooted in my head. A great session with video screens that cut an interchange with what the live DJ was playing.
with Ms Holmes & pals
Next up is Piloxing, something that I never got round to the previous year. The premise is a fast paced combination of boxing, ballet, and pilates to burn fat and sculpt muscle. Shoes off and I'm on it. The atmosphere was electric, and the class fantastic, 5 instructors on stage include Pilox creator Viveca Jensen. The soundtrack is out of this world, the exercises v tough but not repetitive with no stopping between tracks. For me, this was the kind of class Les Mills Body Attack/Combat would love to be like. Pilox was truly an amazing experience.
Opting to miss the 3rd session, and have a nose around the stalls, my next session at 12.00 was Reebok Easytone Step, again another first for me. A different type of conditioning class on a squishy step, which proved tougher than I imagined as you have to use your core to maintain your balance throughout. Neil Bates & Kelly Reed Banks made great presenters and another hour was soon over and time for Lunch.
Next up is Absolution with Kelly Reed Banks, which was an hour of core & ab HIIT training. Tough straight after eating but very enjoyable with a fab atmosphere. Working in pairs on some moves with complete strangers is a great ice breaker!
So next at 3.45 is Aero Dance with Pawel Oracz & Peter Dragovic, a Latino vibe to Hi-lo aerobics in the large Zumba Ballroom. I don't know if its the sheer size of this hall and the large capacity crowd, but every time I am in there, any choreography skills I have go completely out the window and this was no exception. After 30 minutes I admit defeat and make my exit.
Finally, back in the Ballroom (groan lol) for Hi-Lo Trio with Rachel Holmes, Steve Watson and the inimitable Stuart Harrop for an hour of super choreography, camp humour and belly laughs! I am cursed again, knowing Rachel's moves I thought would be my saving grace; I got the guys steps but not hers. Anyway I am determined not to be defeated and make it through to the end!
With Carrie Chapman, Rachel Holmes, Kim Avery & Stuart Harrop
Day 2
It's 8am again, it's Rachel Holmes again, and this time another first; Burlesque Chair Dance. Now I am very self conscious at the best of times so learning to let myself go and walk slinkily around a chair to the sound of Etta James "Make Love to You" and Shirley Bassey "Hey Big Spender" is harder than some folk would imagine! Anyway, nailed it, in a fashion, and had a good laugh to boot!
Swapping my initial choice, I go and give Piloxing another go and again it doesn't disappoint, with a slightly different routine but still an awesome time was had.
Another Hi-lo session next in the Baronial Hall with Katie Bulmer Cooke. This is a much more intimate venue and I feel more confident about my ability to pick up the choreography. The room is pretty much packed and warms up quickly. A delightful routine from a really upbeat, chirpy presenter, with everything brilliantly broken down so as to be easily picked up and then expanded, I really let myself go in this one, LOVED it.
Next, Steve Watson's Master of the Step. The room is HUGE, and PACKED! I'm having trouble seeing exactly what he is doing, so even after 5 minutes I am frustrated. 10 minutes in, I admit defeat.
After Lunch, it's time for more Hi-Lo in the Ballroom (there's a pattern developing here with large rooms) for The Boys are Back in Town with Steve Watson, Ceri Hannan & Lincoln Bryden. Again, I finally learn that huge crowds and a large venue are not my strong point and quickly hold my hands up and accept the fact and decide t sit it out. Due to my frustration, I decide to call it a day and go prepare for the evening's Gala Dinner which then leads us to
Day 3
Despite getting to bed at 1am, I am up early and at The Winter Gardens for 8.15. With a 11am car journey home, this will be my final class of the weekend, and I am determined to get my confidence back!
What better way than a Hi-Lo aerobics session "Dance Days vs Cllub Nights", basically a 90's rave on steroids with complementary glo sticks, presented by Martin Jensen in top to toe Cyberdog gear which made me wish I'd not worn my tops earlier that weekend. WOWOWOWOWOWOW, just what I needed. I knew the music from classes in Nottingham so was quickly singing along, the choreography is stunning and Martin's stage presence very motivational and uplifting. More importantly, the slightly smaller venue, and smaller crowd works to my advantage and I'm burning on all cylinders again! Plus, the music gets speeded up again and again, the video presentation at the back of the stage is brilliant, and it does feel like my my former club kid days with heavy pulsating teutonic beats and dazzling light show. Absolutely perfect end to the weekend!
So that was it, another weekend over, and surprisingly, I wasn't suffering with stiffness in my muscles to such an extent that I was paralysed.
Met some great people, old & new and the weekend is a must for anyone even remotely interested in group exercise, with classes for all abilities/ages catered for.
Next years event is the 10th anniversary and will be held 21-23 March 2014
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