Q&A with the newest Liberte trainer Joe Sadler

The newest trainer on the Liberte Fitness block is 23-year-old Joe Sadler who has been mainly teaching sessions in Newmarket. For those who haven’t had a session under the guidance of Joe yet, you’ve got to see the all-energy bundle of fun in action.
Joe’s full of enthusiasm and great ideas and for those of you who don’t know much about Joe, here’s the lowdown – or should that be the Joedown?

Nick: How long have you been in the fitness industry and how did you start?
Joe: I have been working in the fitness industry for seven years, starting off at Newmarket Leisure Centre where I gained my level 2 fitness instructor course while working as a leisure officer. I went to LA Fitness for nine months working as a membership advisor working at LA Fitness and I really got the fitness bug when a position came available got a transfer to be an instructor. I worked as an instructor for 18 months gaining my aqua fit and spin qualifications as well as my personal trainer qualifications. I’ve been working as a self-employed PT for the last year.

Nick: What attracts you to Liberte and how is it different from working out in a gym?
Joe: I only teach aqua classes on a cover basis now, so I miss working with a group and Liberte allows me to do this, learning new skills with bodyweight and functional exercises. The members are fantastic, it’s a great atmosphere and they’re full of commitment which helps motivate me to deliver new exciting sessions. Outdoor sessions allow more freedom in terms of group/team races and exercises plus they’re a different environment to work in.

Nick: What do you enjoy most about training Liberte members?
Joe: The Liberte members are always looking to get pushed harder than last week and it’s been a great friendly atmosphere from my first day taking part and then teaching sessions. Trying to stop members chatting is always a personal favourite challenge of mine! But, seriously, the members have made a huge commitment to change their lives and I love being able to help them in doing this!

Nick: Your sessions are starting to get a reputation for being tough - why is pushing people so hard beneficial?
Joe: I am still a huge believer that everyone under estimates their bodies’ potential so with a little bit of encouragement members will push their bodies harder than they ever believed possible. Once your body reaches a certain fitness level we hit a plateau, not increasing our fitness levels we always need to push our bodies harder to gain to the next level.

Nick: What's the best bit of training advice you can give someone who has just started doing the Liberte sessions?
Joe: Liberte sessions are for everyone and it doesn’t matter what your fitness levels are, each exercises and session is tailored made so anyone can complete a session. We don’t ask for a certain number of reps, or a certain time it’s how many reps can you do in 10, 20, 30 ,45 ,60 seconds etc.

Nick: What Liberte exercises do you personally find hardest to do?
Joe: Good question, when I first started taking part in Liberte sessions, I found the whole overload leg circuit tough, so squat/lunge pulse, squat jumps, single leg squat thrusts are all very challenging and I still find them tough today – hence I only demonstrate two reps!!

Right, so now we know Joe’s secret! Thanks Joe for sharing some interesting insights into what being a new Liberte Fitness instructor is like and we are looking forward to getting back in the park with you soon.

All-action Papillon really is monkey magic

All-energy Papillon showed her fearless energy has no limits after taking part in Go Ape! at Brandon, near Thetford on Saturday.

Liberte's founder joined Nick in circuit of tree-swinging fun and frolics straight after taking part in a Nowton Park session.

And it was no surprise that a woman who craves the adrenaline rush of all-action sport took to the course like a monkey to a banana!

After swinging, climbing, crossing and zooming down zip wire's Papillon reckoned Go Ape! is the perfect place for a Liberte Fitness member to hang out for the day as some of the strength that's been built up in the park under the tuition of Gareth, Joe and of course Paps is needed in the forest

Anyone who has trained at Liberte for even a few months will find the course really good fun and you'll probably be surprised just how fit you've become when you see other people struggling to pull themselves along.

See - all those burpees really did have a benefit!!

Liberte session was a piece of cake

Great Liberte session in Bury St Edmunds this morning as the Newmarket and Bury groups came together - my first Saturday session for a couple of weeks and it was full of drama.

Of course the normal session was brilliant, but there was the added highlight of the Tour of Britain going right past Nowton Park as we trained - thanks to Gareth and Paps for stopping the session so we could all see this big sporting event come past.

But that wasn't the real highlight.

Some of us have been on holiday recently and we've been indulging in a little extra food - some sweet treats that have included cherry mojitos for some and cream teas for others.

I was one of the guilty few who nibbled a couple of extra scones over the previous week and boy was I made to pay today.

A routine session of minefield ended with me way out in front of everyone else and the rest of the bunch hanging back. Gareth, who had been calling "Minefield", "Enemy Left" and "Grenade" suddenly announced a new exercise "Artillery".

Muggins here turned around to see a hail of scones coming towards him, fresh from the conniving mitts of the rest of the Liberte bunch.

I ended up on the floor with bits of scone being crumbled in my face - thanks Martina!

It was very funny, but be warned - I'm out for revenge!!

Final 2011 beach weekend is another big hit

SEPTEMBER's gloriously sunny weather was the perfect backdrop for the final Liberte Fitness Beach Weekend of the year at Holkham.
The beach weekends, held at the famous Norfolk beach, have been a real hit with Liberte members who are looking for a monthly summer treat to supplement their weekly park sessions.
The final weekend combined all the best bits of beach events held earlier in the summer - and next year they will be back and bigger than ever with hopefully a second location added.
For those who haven't been to one so far, make it a point of going to one in 2012. To give you a flavour of what they are like, Liberte members Alison Hall and Nikki Wright shared their views.
Alison, who usually works out in Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds said: " The beach weekend was awesome. It was a good mix of training and nutritional advice plus a lot of good advice from Gareth about muscle groups and different types of training.
"Obviously there are some similarities to the park training sessions with regards to some exercises but you could not get a more contrasting landscape! It is an amazing place to train with the sand offering another level to the challenge.
"I loved every element of the weekend and met and made some fab new friends. The team games were brilliant fun and the running, while challening, was exhilarating.
"I couldn't fault the weekend apart from maybe it wasn't long enough and I didn't want it to end! My least favourite part was probably the yoga but only because I get so frustrated at being so inflexible! To sum up it was an awesome weekend spending time with great like minded folk soaking up loads of vitamin D. I left feeling revitalised, de-stressed and with an ache in my side from excessive laughter - I can't wait for 2012."
Nikki Wright, who is a regular at The Severals in Newmarket said: "It was fantastic, even better than before because Ed and I are fitter, our recovery from each section of exercises was much better, but it was good to be able to 'measure' that.
"I love the park sessions, especially at Bury St Edmunds as Newmarket is so flat and not so pretty! But the beach just rocks, especially if the sun is shining. Its good to train on sand, I feel it works you harder as the ground is even more uneven.
"I'm learning all the time from Paps, Gareth and Joe, the beach session just brings it home even more. Ed and I love the team games, but I especially love the yoga part, its very zen and ends the day(s) nicely."
So that's what two dedicated members think - if you 've never experienced the fun of doing Liberte on sand then make a date for 2012.

Getting back into Liberte after a holiday is a killer!

Damn holidays!

Bloody over-rated if you ask me. Sure it's nice to have a lay in, not think about work and laze around for a bit, but getting back into Liberte after even the shortest break is a right old killer!

I went last night for the first time in two weeks and boy am I feeling it today.

Since the start of April, when I last had a week off, I've been to pretty much every session in a five-month spell that's seen my fitness rocket.

But after missing five sessions, the last of which was due to a cold, I was back on Wednesday night and the slight fever I was feeling made me sweat like a pig after just five minutes.

The sweat has all dried up now, but the aching today is something I haven't felt in months - and it feels just like it did when I first started some eight months ago.

The old legs and arms feel like lead today and those Cornish Pasties and cream teas are starting to feel like a bad idea.

What have I learned?

I've learnt that I can't wait to get back into it this autumn and as for taking a break from the park, it's just not worth it. It's the first time I've had a cold since I started Liberte and I'm sure the two are connected. Just when I stop training I end up getting ill.

Holidays are for whimps and Liberte is for life!