• Tell us about your journey with this activity – when and why did you start it? 

• What are the benefits you experience from participating? (These could be benefits that you experience before, during, or after)  

• What motivates you to keep participating?

• Describe an ideal session of your activity: where are you, who are you with, what makes it perfect, and why?

• What brands are part of this outfit?

• Describe how this outfit makes you feel physically (fit, feel, function, fabrics) and emotionally.

• What do you like about this outfit? What works well? (Be as specific as possible!)

• How could these items be improved?

• For what other occasions/activities would you wear this outfit for, and why?

• Describe your activity: what is the experience like, what are the movements like?

• What are the senses (sights, sounds, scents, touch, taste) you experience before/during/after?

• Who are the kinds of people that take part in your activity?

Pilates (Mat, Reformer, Lagree)

Barre

Dance

Calisthenics

Zumba

Friday afternoons I go to the gym again and do a similar class. This helps me to conclude my week and finish work on time, as I cant miss the class if I have booked it. This workout is less intense that Tuesday mornings so that I am not too tired and in recovery over the weekend. It is more a circuit / cardio session, it lifts my mood at the end of the week, and forces to not think about everything still to do at work.

Cardio / HIIT with weight / Calisthetics are my favourite form of exercises. The intensity and difficilty gives me a sense of achievement and mental clarity as I can only focus on completing the task, I dont have capacity to think of anything else - or worry.

On Saturday or Sunday morning I will do a spin class - these are great as I can mentally delegate what to do in this workout - it gets extremely hot so I have to choose my outfit carefully and consider being breathable and not rubbing.

Link to Anytime Fitness Brixton

This week I will talk about METCON / HIIT / circuits / calisthetics / spin

I practice these activities a minimum of 3 times a week. I like to have a gap betwen workouts to rest and recover, and be flexible with the times of day, but try my best to go in the mornings so that my evenings can be spent socialising or I am free to work late if needed without missing the gym in the evening should something come up.

Currently I workout at my local gym anytime fitness - mainly becuase it is so close to where I live so it limits any excuses to not go and is really affordable.

Preferred days times

Tuesday morning before work

7:30am - 8:45am

Friday afterwork as I finish early

15:00pm - 16:30pm

Saturday / Sunday morning / midday

for cardio / spin

Sometimes I find the demands of my busy job and the draw of my social life can make me sometimes miss doing my exercise routine.

The workout may just be an hour, but I find the process of getting home, showered and ready / making myself presentable for work can take an hour also which can make me late for work / an early meeting.

I also find that going to gym whilst also working long hours, or if I havnt slept well the night before can make me tired, and sometimes I prefer not to do the class if I feel really depleted and think I need to preserve energy for that day if I have an important work task that day.

Sometimes social events will also stop me going, as I need to arrive on time and dont have enough time to gym and get ready.

I try my best to force myself to go if I am feeling down or anxious, as without fail I feel it is a cure for this pattern of thinking which I struggle to get out of otherwise.

I would like to one day try to do more intense circuits / HIIT classes but I think I need to become stronger first. I did F45 for a while and it was great, but so intense, I couldnt do it more than once a week and still function the next day.

My only routine in this instance is a pep talk to motivate myself to get up and get read, as I am really not a morning person. After reading atomic habits I try to remove as many barriers - Ill prepare my bag the night before and have my clothing chosen and ready.

However it starts to wear off and the stress settles in of the day ahead and getting to work on time, for a differently, but equally demanding task(s).

Interactions can really vary depending on who attends the class - when we do group activities we will often talk in the group and encourage one another and joke about how challenging the workout is. We will often talk about other classes we do or things happening in the area such as festivals in brockwell park. I like talking with people as it relaxes me and makes me feel more comfortable.

I would say the myths around HIIT/ Circuits / METCON are that youll gain weight with weights, its too hard, and not suitable for beginners, or that you work closely with others - which can put a lot of people off as they want to work at their own pace.

I think there is a much better understanding now of the postive effects of females lifting weights - including myself!

I feel that for my class there isnt a strong identiy to align with as it is an inexpensive gym with people of all levels, but at some gyms I have been to such as F45, or soho house gyms, there is definately a crowd they attract- pilates I feel is more female and more about having comfortbale matching and elegant clothing. I like that my classes are so hectic and all over the place, its just about getting through it and being supportive of others if they need it.

There are also a lot of yoga / hot yoga and pilates classes - but these seem to remain mainly female and for 10-40 year olds.

I really like the trend of there being more gender equal spaces and exercise places. I think mixed environments are good for everyone, and it is always good to meet people outside of your work or friendship curcle and gyms are a great opportunity for this - however the cost of these gyms is a barrier to most people in the area.

There arnt any special events to my knowledge.

Im usually just inspired by others in the class, especially those who return week on week and are clearly getting much stronger as a result of being so dedicated.

Im particualrly inspired by people coming to the gym for the first time, and I try to make them feel welcome and emphasise the funny side of what we do.

The most similar activity to my own I would say is crossfit - one day I would like to find an affordable crossfit class with a good community, perhaps one will open in Brixton.

Puffer jacket is Arket

Hoodie is Ellesse or Russell Athletic

My least favourite outfit is these Nike pro legging, and an under armt sports brad / top.

I actually really like this outfit in theory/ semi how its looks, but it is how these items perform that annoys me and makes me uncomfortbale.

The underarmour top has removebale padded cups inside, which once washed, fold in on themselves and it is so hard to get them out, then back in in the right direction. Its a little thing but I just find it really annoying to wrestle with it everytime, otherwise the cut and fit is great. Perfect coverage for an intense workout.

The leggings I wish were great, but the waist band is too think, and folders in half, not giving suport or staying put, I have to pull them up a lot, which they are my size. The fabric is also very thin and unflattering, and I dont like wearing full length leggings to the class as I just get too hot, and taking them off after is difficult when they stick to you.

- I think this is a look that more people prefer, but for me, practically how the items perform, makes me less comfortable before during and after the class.

For my gym wear - although it may not be the most currently fashionable outfit - everyone seems to wear co-ords - I love this nike top, I have it in a few colours. The built in bra and beathable fabrics means its all i need to wear on top. However I still feel supported and safe. I really like long tops, everything seems to be a crop top or a waist cut off - love that this is long and nearly reach my hips, no chance of it flipping up while doing press ups / mountain climbers.

The shorts are new and from H&M fitness wear - before I felt far too self concious about my legs to wear shorts, but I bought them for doing DIY and they just fit so well and stayed put. They dont ride up or move when I work out, which is unheard of in fitness wear. I like how high the waistband rises also, again I feel very secure and like no surprises or adjustements are needed while I work out.

Both items dont show sweat lines or change colour. They wash really well, feel new after many washes.

Nearly everyone wears pulled up socks in the gym but I really dont want anything stopping me cooling down as soon as possible.

I feel I need clothing that can keep me cool or allow me to cool down as quikly as possible. Not change colour in areas that I sweat, and not be to tight that it rolls up or needs to readjusted regularly. I like a built in sports bra so that there is minimal items to find and wear.

I will oftren buy new things for a new season, summer in the gym can be extremely hot and winter starts can be cold then warm up. Often if i see new interesting colours or style I will also look to buy then.

I would be really intersted in more sportswear / fashion collaborations - I think stella McCartney and adidas was great, although became more fashion than technical. I am also intersted in On with FKA twigs, but it seems more promotional than a collab?

I like to stick to the traditional sports wear brands as I like the technical fabrics and support they offer. I find the newer brands like Andola and similar, are perfect for yoga pilates - but may not be as hard wearing or supportive enough as nike and adias.

Instagram or asos are where I see most new atheltic brands - I find they are all quite samey however and seem to be geared towards making bums / cleavage look good, as appose to having new innovative materials or intersting cut and colour combinations.

I would also love to see new features on womens sports wear - could tops be adjustable or have vents you can open like in ski wear?