Want to kick start your fitness? If you haven’t worked out in months or are entirely new to fitness, we realise just starting a regular fitness routine can be one of the hardest parts of your journey. If you live local in Hackney and are looking for that magical boost to kick start your fitness, here’s 7 local tips we recommend.
1. Just. Get. Out. Of. The. House.
Keeping it simple: the longer you stay in your flat or house, the easier you’ll slip into a dangerous routine (think Netflix, sofa, snacks and naps). Just stepping out the front door means you’ll need to use your legs and get moving. Often all it takes is a gentle walk and some fresh air to start feeling good about yourself and a future fitness routine. One strategy we recommend is choosing a local area that you’ve yet to explore. If you live in Hackney, you’ve most likely walked around London Fields or Victoria Park, but have you checked out lesser known spots such as Well Street Common; Haggerston or Millfields? Go explore and you’ll no doubt come across other ideas that can be incorporated into your new training routine too.
2. Keep A Weekly Activity Schedule
Set some activity goals, write them down and pin them up on your fridge for all your family to see. That way they can buy into your new regime too (and give you an encouraging boost when you’re flagging). It’s good to have some tick boxes next to each activity, so you can tick them off each week. For example, a twice weekly long walk; a run in the park; a personal training session; a spin class. If you sign up for a personal training programme, at the start of your journey, all Futureproof Fitness clients get a weekly activity sheet to tick off home activities we’ll prescribe you. Don’t worry, in the initial stages of a programme we recognise it’s important to keep your goals achievable.
3. Follow Inspiring Instagrammers
We don’t normally recommend looking at your phone… BUT these Instagram lovelies are definitely worth checking out for local fitness and nutrition inspiration:
Hackney Nutritionist, Katie Wheaton: @katiesmindfulkitchen
Hackney Swimming Club, Hackney Aquatics: @hackneyaquatics
Hackney Vegan Food Tips, Hackney.Vegan: @hackney.vegan
Hackney Tennis Club, Hackney Tennis: @hackneytennis
Hackney Pilates, Tempo Pilates: @tempopilates
4. Make The Most Of Your Local Hackney Fitness Facilities
From London Fields, Lido to the Velodrome in the Olympic Park (did you know you can take any old bike on the outside track?) there’s a host of fitness facilities just waiting to be used. There’s free stuff too. Have you checked out the free rock climbing wall at the Olympic Park? How about the outdoor gyms in Mile End Park and? Get those arms pumping and core working with kayaking on the canals by Hackney Wick using Moo Canoes?
5. Surround Yourself With Like-Minded People
Don’t feel all alone on your journey. Doing an activity with a group can really take your mind off the monotony of exercise. There’s an increasing number of group fitness activities in Hackney and Tower Hamlets if one to one personal training isn’t your thing. Here’s just three to get you thinking!
Ladies Hackney Running Club
Rock climbing social at Mile End Park
Social Tennis at Hackney Downs
6. Be Prepared, Get The Training Gear
It’s the small things that make a difference. Putting your trainers out the evening before so you see th aem first them when you wake. If this strategy helps enhance it even more by buying favourite pair that’ll make you look and feel good.
Local Hackney sports retailers we recommend are few and far between but it’s definitely worth checking the Nike Factory Store on Morning Lane for some amazing technical bargains. Time to bin that holey tee-shirt and worn-out pair of trainers and look the part.
FEEL LIKE A GYM ROBOT? 