Three sessions in three nights has given me calves like chicken breasts!

Liberte Fitness sessions make you ache right? Right. Granted it gets easier and easier the more sessions you put in, but what does it feel like after doing three sessions in three nights?
It aches!
When I first went to Liberte back on a Monday night in early January the aches and pains lasted until the following Wednesday. I’ve got to say it’s nowhere near as bad but after attending sessions in Bury St Edmunds on Monday, Newmarket on Tuesday and Bury again last night, I have to report that a certain part of my body is certainly feeling the pain today.
It’s my calves – they’re rock solid and look like a couple of chicken breasts stuck on the back of my legs. All that lunge walking, squat jumping and burpees action has given me a slightly numb feeling on the back of my legs, but I’ve got to say it’s a satisfying ache.

Liberte lifts off in Newmarket!

Liberte Fitness has arrived in Newmarket
Shortly before 6.45pm the famous Liberte flag was planted in the turf at Severals just outside the town centre and the first session began.
Ten fitness fans took part in the first hour-long session which included the usual mix of burpees, crunches, sit-ups, sprints and the old classic, the plank.
The new recruits clearly enjoyed their Liberte induction, laughing and smiling their way through an hour of fun in the beautiful sunny Newmarket setting.
With a big surge of new members in the far west of Suffolk, Liberte is going from strength to strength and the freshest Liberte members are already looking forward to their next session.

Emma’s feeling fitter – and noticing big body changes!

If anyone embodies the true spirit of Liberte Fitness, then it’s Emma Vosper.
Emma was the first Liberte member back in the days when they trained in the Abbey Gardens in the centre of Bury St Edmunds last year.
After signing up for a trial session a year ago, Emma, 40, went to a few sessions but found it hard to fit the training classes into her busy life. But, with a renewed interest in getting fit this year, she’s reaping the rewards of twice-weekly Liberte fun and noticing big results.
Emma, pictured, takes up the story.
“I first signed up to Liberte Fitness last May after seeing an advert in the Bury Free Press. It was just what I was looking for as I really hate the gym and I am not a great motivator when I exercise on my own!
“Liberte seemed perfect. It was exercising outdoors, with a professional trainer who could show me the right way to exercise and with lots of different people of different age and fitness, perfect! I loved it!“Unfortunately for personal reasons I stopped going and got back into my bad habits, I also turned 40 and was too busy having fun!
“At the beginning of this year I began to miss exercising and started jogging, something I have NEVER done before and I really enjoyed it but needed something that would work my whole body. That's when I realised that Liberte Fitness had moved to Nowton Park, where I was running so I joined the following week.
“My first session was tough, exhilarating and best of all FUN! No two sessions are the same, we work hard on our own and as a team incorporating team games (my favourite part of the session) into the routine and we all motivate each other without realising it! I have been going twice a week for five weeks now and I have felt a big improvement in my fitness level and also seen my body shape begin to change, all for the better - I think the dreaded burpees have definitely helped!
“Gareth is a fantastic asset to Liberte Fitness he is a great motivator, a great trainer and great fun. Not forgetting the most important people the Liberte members who are all different in their ages and fitness level but all have a fun sense of humour which just adds to the group.“I would recommend coming to a session and checking it out for yourself, you may love it too!”

Liberte Fitness launching in Newmarket tonight

First came Bury St Edmunds, and last month Norwich. Tonight, Liberte Fitness will hold their first session in Newmarket.
Session times are 6.45pm, meeting at Severals by the Pavilion. Full report on this site tomorrow.

Three weeks in and the weight is dropping off for Jez

April has been a big month for Jez Heaven – the Norwich Liberte member says his regular sessions have helped him lose six pounds in just three weeks.
Jez, 42, was one of the trialists at Earlham Park on Sunday, April 3 when Liberte first came to Norwich. After his first seven sessions he says it’s been a crucial part in his attempt to increase his general fitnesss.
Jez, pictured, said: “I really enjoy it and it's exactly what I'm looking for – it combines very technically competent instructors with all the best bits of forces fitness training but without being beasted to death in a bootcamp!
“I'm combining Liberte circuits with power walks of at least three miles most days of the week and the weight is just dropping off. The Liberte training is making me much fitter, I can feel a big difference already and the power walking is burning the fat.”
Fat burning was one of the reasons Jez signed up to Liberte as part of a vow to combat possible health issues that become increasingly common for men as they reach their thirties, forties and fifties.
Jez said: “I’ve lost six pounds in three weeks by doing Liberte plus cutting out all the rubbish from my diet. I was concerned about the health risks such as diabetes, cholesterol and the heart so I wanted something that would allow me to make fitness an enjoyable part of everyday life.
“On current evidence I would say I’ve found exactly that – the atmosphere is great in Norwich and we have a good laugh at our sessions. Earlham Park is great and there are lots of other runners and dog walkers so we usually have plenty of people in the park with us when we do our workouts.”
Liberte Fitness sessions run in Norwich three days a week on Monday and Thursday at 6.45pm and on Sunday at 10.30am.

Forget Easter Sunday – this was Oestrogen Saturday!

Men in Bury St Edmunds – you don’t know what you’re missing out on!
Forget the Beer Festival and scoffing Easter Eggs – I spent my Easter Saturday morning getting hot and sweaty with ten gorgeous girls in beautiful Nowton Park.
Liberte have male members in Bury, but the girls are starting to seriously outnumber the boys – today I was the only male on a scorching Saturday session.
I must admit I felt a little like Billy Elliot to start with – you know the bit when he first ditches the boxing gloves and decides to hang out with the girls on a full time basis.
But the beauty of Liberte is that feeling goes in an instant and I honestly didn’t notice as we enjoyed a lovely 2.3 mile lap around the park, squeezing in burpees, half sit-ups, press ups and star jumps as we went around.
There was plenty of banter with the girls, a fun Easter egg hunt for protein bars and a great way to spend a Saturday morning.
But come on dudes, don’t let me have all the fun – get on down to www.libertefitness.com and register for a trial.

Let’s hear it for Bikram Liberte!

I’ve got to admit it’s hard to remember what if felt like to train in the dark and the cold. Especially tonight when it was 22C at 6.45pm and beautifully hot in Bury St Edmunds.
The heat was actually good and as anyone who does Bikram yoga will testify, you tend to sweat. Tonight the sweat was dripping off my face after ten minutes in what is certainly the hottest session so far and what a blast. Rui, Claire and Jude joined myself, Papillon, pictured and Gareth on an hour of Liberte fun around the park in a really demanding workout.
We mixed it up tonight with plenty of ab work and shuttle runs, but the highlight was a new one – the name game.We did star jumps in a circle while calling out the names of celebrities in turn – the next person had to think of a new celeb starting with the same letter as the previous suggestion’s surname.
Things got pretty crazy with Charlie Chaplin and Chelsea Clinton, I got stumped on a celebrity beginning with ‘S’. I was trying to think of Sienna Miller but it’s amazing how your mind goes blank when you realise your calves are about to explode!
Anyone who failed to think of a celeb in five seconds had to do three press ups. I think I’ll take more notice of my wife’s Heat magazine from now on!