Helen Grant was game on for testing fitness video Nicki Waterman – Your Personal Trainer.
I’ve always been fairly fit. I went to aerobics twice a week from the age of 16 until I started a degree in Creative Arts at Bath Spa University. After that, my fitness routine went out the window as my study hours were so irregular, which made it hard to build up a routine.
The flexibility a video offered was wonderful – to be able to put it on whenever I had a spare hour. Also, my daughter Louise was five at the time and I didn’t have any babysitters in Bath, so a video allowed me to keep an eye on her while I exercised at home.
The video sounded like a great idea because I didn’t want to lose weight, just tone up – which was the purpose of the workout.
Day 1: Raring to go but the few glasses of wine I downed with friends last night and the early hour have left me feeling a bit groggy. Work up enthusiasm by pulling on my fitness gear and rearranging the furniture in the living room to give me space. Beginner’s routine far too easy, so fast forward to intermediate (you can’t do that in classes, can you?).
Day 4: Nicki, my ‘personal trainer’, says I should do the workout three times a week. This is my second shot and I’m feeling tighter already. I look up to see Louise staring oddly at me before disappearing up the stairs and reappearing in combats and trainers. She works out with me.
Day 6: My mother is staying with us and she isn’t taking my fitness campaign seriously. She interrupted me three times this morning with a mug of tea and chatted while I squatted. When I didn’t answer, she accused me of ignoring her and stomped off.
Day 9: Missing the group spirit of a class and finding it difficult to fight the temptation to switch off the video and raid the fridge instead.
Day 14: Have switched from working out first thing in the morning to the evening. Makes much more sense. As a result, I’ve moved on to the advanced level. Only thing is, it’s a killer!
Verdict: If you can deal with the repetition of a video, it’s a good, cheap option. My body ached at first but toned up fast. I quickly learnt to switch my mobile to voicemail – it’s my body that needs toning, not my tonsils!
Nicki Waterman – Your Personal Trainer (Carlton Video, £12.99) is available in most good music and video outlets.
This article was published in the January 2000 issue of Shine magazine.
