Be more bootcamp!

An enlightening day at the office

30.01.2015
Day 291

A freezing cycle ride to Greenwich Park following 20 minutes yoga/pilates indoors (being nice to myself - and everyone else - today) and a very large, leisurely breakfast. In a sweet and motherly mindset for Buggy Runners, Greenwich, where I coached seven women – dynamic drills, a few gentle hills, a little bit of body weight training and a stretch to warm down.

Learning new skills is important, especially in midlife. Yes, I could be earning enough to pay the mortgage by subediting and wishing I could re-write other people's inept copy, (I am not a natural born subeditor) but I've chosen a more vigorous way to earn enough to pay for groceries. However, I fear I am not a natural born PT, either. My mentor, the ebullient Ellie Brown feeds back gently, when the session I have been leading, and she has been observing, is over.  For the third week in a row, the message is be more assertive.
'You have a kind, empathetic, motherly manner, and you love the babies, but sometimes the women just need to be told what to do....'
Ellie illustrates:
"Right, we're going to jog to Lover's Lane, then do three circuits of uphills and squats! Everybody clear? Let's go!"
My approach, the sub text reads, is a little bit Jon le Mesurier in Dads' Army.
'I say, would mind awfully performing 10 squats after your jog downhill? Oh I say that's an awfully sweet baby, may I cuddle him while you get into a plank position on the mat here?'
So I must be more Boot Camp, or the women will just drift through their session in a haze of maternal pride.
Before my clients turned up (I was keenly early) I talked to another PT friend of mine, a younger woman but as experienced as Ellie, whose BootCamp ways have earned her a devoted clientele in south east London, she goes by the name of Suzinator and she is indeed a force of nature. However, I can't help thinking that I'm a little long in the tooth to mimic her, and it would be lame to try to do so. I am sure there must be a gap in the crowded fitness market for the more maternal approach? A little more comfy slipper picnic than bootcamp....