The Good Health Show
The York Fitness 'Gym-Fit' Challenge.
It's billed as the hardest ten minutes of your life. Well, you can actually make it easier, if you go quicker if that's any help!! But during the weekend of the 15th and 16th October at the International Centre of Telford, the message went out to all the fitness clubs around the UK to bring your best athletes and lets see what you are made of .... to try the York Fitness 'Gym- Fit' Challenge. Finding that somebody who can push themselves beyond the pain threshold, or somebody that just wants to have a real challenge to train towards.
The challenge involved Rowing, Alternate Squat Trusts, Bench Press, Plyometric Jumps another row and then to finish the dreaded shoulder press.
Gym Challenges have a unique structure in so far as what you are training for, is ultimately what you use in a gym, so the essence of training and goal setting is simple- we set the challenge at WGC and you guys train for it.
 With the full support of Myzone® Concept 2 and York Fitness, the first ever gym specific challenge for a show was created - something like four months of planning and careful handling ensured that this challenge would set the stage for the show and we think we succeeded. One of the areas that can't be planned for is Warships breaking down and being stuck abroad and so it was with regret the Royal Navy Team (HMS Albion) had to pull out a week before the show as their ship could not find dry land in the UK till after the show - ok, a bit of a set back, especially for the guys who had been training for the event, but these things happen.
So getting a particular breed of gym athlete to the show was the next task. Somebody who wants to see the sport for gyms grow into a sport and is determined to do whatever it takes to be there - somebody like Doug Harrison, who traveled from London for this ten minute challenge.Or somebody like Gwen Fennel who is the Deputy Head of a Middle School , who worked her way up from being a PE Teacher and discovered Gym X Training only recently - but is absolutely hooked. Not only that but she is bloody brilliant at it too. Or somebody Like Nuno Barreto who has competed in this year's Fit Brit and is currently one of the ones showing a credible result in the top 5 But ultimately there is a champion who promotes a sport he loves and will do all he can to travel to events and showcase what can be achieved at the very top - somebody like Richard Vint who as an ambassador for the sport has really set the pace for all others to follow.
It would be no lie to say that in preparation for this show, just around all the gyms in Shropshire were contacted to see if they wanted to enter teams who have somebody represent them. Also local Universities and the local Fire Brigade, so it is disappointing to see so many gym members who may have the potential for a new sport not attend. It was also disappointing not to see previous competitors from gym challenges of past not show up - particularly clubs that have a good track record in gym challenges but that is for the individual to decide if they want to see a sport grow or not.
What can be said of the new breed of Gym is that when the right fitness manager is in place - say someone like Kate Read from Klick Whitefield, what you get is "Yeah - lets go for it, lets travel down and have blast at this. But lets grab a few friends from neighboring Klick Gorton Manchester and make a day of it". Klick it seems is the gym to be looked at for that challenge and vigor mentality and to put their gym above everyone else's in the UK and they succeeded. It was great pleasure to award them the Team Trophy to Klick Whitfield.
Celebrity Challenge
Rich Vint (Winner Advanced) Gill Bellingham (WGC) lee Latchford Evans
If you ever wanted to raise the profile of the sport, the surefire way is to hit a celebrity to try it. The weekend saw Steps achieve Number One in the UK charts after just one week, and fresh from talks about their forthcoming tour Lee Latchford Evans from Steps saw the challenge and wanted to do it. Not only that, but he was good too, proving just how fit and healthy he was. No training, no fuss. "Yeah like the look of that" and off he went. Great spirit and guts followed as Lee pelted down the course and finished the Intermediate in a very credible 7:33
Storming down the course was Life Coach Pete Cohen who used to compete in Ultra Fit events. Now one of the most successful Life Coaches operating in the UK, Pete challenged himself to do what he does best - inspire others by doing this challenge, not only that but halfway through the second row, he started talking to camera telling people about how important is was to stay focused, dig deep and be bold - amazing to watch and very quickly easy to see why Pete is at the top of his game.
OK Famously Fit
Ann Mather, Executive Editor of the branded Celebrity Health and Fitness On Line Magazine – FamouslyFit.com - was itching to go down the course. As FamouslyFit's Celebrity nutritionist, Ann was intrigued to see how she would fare against others that have entered. Let´s say that what went on after Ann started the course was simply fantastic. What an absolute gem - finishing well under the ten minute deadline in a time of 08:49. The performance of the day and she would have received Best Race Trophy had it not been for Mark Shorter from Folkstone, giving the true champion 6 seconds to spare deadline performance on the following day.
Keep posted guys ... more strories to follow. Including comments from those who took part and the winner Richard Vint with his jaw dropping final time of 7:00 minutes.
      
|
