In this months blog, we hear from a member who joined 52twelve looking for guidance to better his life and improve his health. Read on to discover his story.

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I am a 60+ year old man, weighing in at 120kg and I’ve got two serious life-changing medical conditions. Some say it’s probably not the best time in life to embark on a fitness  regime, or “the horse has bolted now so why bolt the stable”.  I must admit both of these thoughts crossed my mind. Though, I still thought I’d have a look at some gyms and then decide.

The Search was on

I wasn’t really looking forward to going into a strange new environment – full of fit, young people who I thought would see me as an unfit, oldish, heavy guy who’s now trying rectify too many years of an indulgent lifestyle.

Prior to going into any gym I thought about what I wanted. Firstly, it had to feel right. I wanted to be comfortable in the environment. Secondly I needed a coach who could understand my health issues and be comfortable to work with me. Not too much to ask?

I did visit a couple of the larger branded gyms, which I found were mainly full of young people who did not seem to interact with others. They were probably just very focused on their routines or “Against the Clock”. Still, I had my induction session, but I wasn’t overly comfortable that the instructors really had a full grasp on my health. They seemed a little hesitant in establishing a suitable routine for me and this put me off. 

I then looked at a more “Old Style” gym, but ruled that out because the equipment was more focused on pushing heavier weights. The guys there seemed to be into body building and looking good (which made me feel older, fatter and a tad jealous). The search wasn’t going too well so far.

As if by magic…

One afternoon my wife and I were chatting to one of the staff in a shop we go to. She said that she was going to the gym when she finished work. We had a more in-depth chat with her and she was full of praise for ‘52twelve’. She raved about how good it was, how friendly the other members are and also how great the owner is.  I decided to check it out and arranged an induction session.

Phil, the owner has a wealth of experience and knowledge and spent a lot of time chatting with me about my health. He looked at the list of my prescribed medicines and I was comfortable that he could set me a suitable workout program sensitive to meeting my needs.

I’ve now been a member for a few months, I’m losing weight, feeling fitter and generally have a ‘Spring in my Step’. I sleep better and life feels good. My health does mean that I have good days and bad days, so I simply adjust my training program according to how I feel. Usually I leave the gym feeling better than when I went in and looking forward to my next visit.

If you want to improve your general fitness or you’re really into cycling or rowing, either for pleasure or competition – 52twelve is certainly somewhere to consider. Phil has specific expertise in these areas and will only compliment your training.

The centre is located in a lovely part of the countryside, it’s easy to find and is very clean and tidy. The equipment is fantastic and none of it looks like a piece of medieval torture equipment.

52twelve certainly meets my needs and is changing my life. This is largely down to Phil, but the other members are really nice and from day one I felt comfortable to be in their company. It’s not a “clique”, they just seem to be genuinely nice people.