Nobody Panic - How to Go to the Gym

Episode Date: March 1, 2022

Terrified of the gym? Thinking of getting back there but lost confidence? Never been? Only ever use the running machine because you can’t work out how any of the machines operate and you’re too scared to try? Well here’s the podcast for you! Stevie and Tessa dip their toes gently into gym culture and find the whole thing not as bad as they imagined.Subscribe to the Nobody Panic Patreon at patreon.com/nobodypanicWant to support Nobody Panic? You can make a one-off donation at https://supporter.acast.com/nobodypanicRecorded and edited by Naomi Parnell for Plosive.Photos by Marco Vittur, jingle by David Dobson.Follow Nobody Panic on Twitter @NobodyPanicPodSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/nobodypanic. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello, I'm Carriad. I'm Sarah. And we are the Weirdo's Book Club podcast. We are doing a very special live show as part of the London Podcast Festival. The date is Thursday, 11th of September. The time is 7pm and our special guest is the brilliant Alan Davies. Tickets from kingsplace.com. Single ladies, it's coming to London.

True on Saturday, the 13th of September. At the London Podcast Festival. The rumours are true. Saturday the 13th of September. At King's Place. Oh, that sounds like a date to me, Harriet. Hello, welcome to Nobody Panic with me, Stevie. And me, Tessa.

Hello, good morning. It's early, it's early at our end. I didn't, I didn't realize we were recording, so I've just got out of bed. Yes, the energy this morning is definitely two people who not long ago weren't doing a podcast, and now they are. But we're very excited to be here, feeling, I'm feeling good about it. Stevie's wearing a wizard pyjamas. Looks good. Yes.

Yeah, just Dumbledore and his night to leisure gear. Moons and stars all the way for me. Real nice stuff. Right. Today's episode is all about how to go to the gym. And I've been thinking about this one for a little while because I think the gym gets a terrible rap. It's a place of confusion, fear.

It comes with a lot of stigma on all sides. You know, there's a lot going on with a gym membership. And I have been seeing a personal trainer. It's very good. It's a very good work. A smattering of applause. And I've been really learning a lot. There are some things I would like to tell people about.

And mostly it's just been a real surprise to me about how much just like learning there is. Yeah, how much learning there is. Also, I think there with gyms, a huge, it feels like there's, you're going to always like, break it up into, oh, I can't afford that. Oh, that would be too scary. That's for people that are very, very ripped. Oh, I'm here and I don't know what to do. So I'm going to go back out again.

It feels like they're the three sort of main fears that people have. I don't know if that's relatable to anybody else. That's how I feel about the gym. Those are them. There's no more. Those are the sweet fears. They're like, you're like, okay, I've done this one. I'll progress to another little bit of a.

equipment and then you um you're like you get on it and i constantly sit on them um the wrong way around and uh and then i'm like okay well this is obviously where it goes and you sort of like go to reach and be like um okay oh no is the arms of the legs is this oh god what's what's this and then you're pulling it and then you're like oh no everyone's watching and they know i'm on it backwards that one that you have to lie on and then like um flick your legs put your legs underneath the bar and then lift your legs up and down to your butt. I was like, if I saw somebody else do that, I'd be like, that person's on that, the wrong way around.

Well, this is the thing. A lot of them look crazy as well. Like, there's any, I think there's any movie one that you see in films. And it's the one where they're like, lay down and they've got their arms and they're like pulling something up and down with their arms. You're like, that's... Wait, wait, wait, wait. You're on your back? Or no, you're... Well, I can, I can, I feel confident by, but with the back.

one. I mean, I don't because I can't do it. I've never been on it. I'd be too scattered and it full full on my face. But the one where like you get people to spot you, A. Ah, yeah, yeah, like you might do in the prison yard. And then B, the one way you're set up. And you're pulling down something.

And then it goes back up and you're pulling it down again. And I've seen that. And apart from that, I don't think I've ever, I could, I could not tell you. I'd just try and do that on every single machine. Yeah, like a bike. Right. pulling the pedals up but where's the bed I pull

you know yeah it's it's so tough it's so tough out there but I have learnt a few things that I would like to share I really like that well before we get into it what's your adult thing

of the week Tessa my adult thing is that I've done something I've been considering doing for a long time and I have got a subscription to who gives a crap toilet paper oh my God I've been meaning to do this for so long I just have, yeah, I'm the same much often.

Oh, okay, that's so good. You just haven't done it. I, and it's something that I see in other people's houses, and I sit on their toilet, and I hold those wrapped things, because this is just, what I'm describing there for anyone is, it comes in, it's a bamboo toilet paper that has no plastic, so it's eliminating plastic wrapping, but it's also bamboo, so it's eliminating tree, you know, wastage,

and it comes in a packet of, like, 20, in a box of 20, no plastic whatsoever, so each one is wrapped, individually wrapped, in this sort of quite cool, like, wrapping paper and we all different patterns on and sometimes little jokes, you know, a bit of fun. And so, a bit of jokes, and they're like, all different patterns, different colours, stripy, spotty, bit of fun, you know,

and people have them sort of stacked in a humorous pyramid beside the toilet, and I look at them in other people's toilets and I think, my God, I've got to get this, and I've been thinking that for two years. I've got round to it, I'm doing it, I'm a person with a humorous pyramid, and yeah, not looking back, marvellous. What's yours?

Mine is less, well, mine is that I said that my one year's resolution was to go away for a week. Oh yes. And right. I'm doing it. I'm doing it in mere hours. Have I packed? No, because as I've said at the start of this episode, unless Naomi is kindly edited it out. I didn't realize we were doing this record.

I'm in my pyjamas, yes, do I know, like, I'm going to get there and I'm not going to have any of, because you know, I'm so scared about being on my own about, like, I'm like, right, I'm going to have to take all the right books and very particular, like, things so that I feel like, I've got her to do. I've got stuff to do. I'm just a woman with things to do. And I haven't planned any of that because I've just been putting it off because I've been too frightened. So it's going to be like a mad dash of packing. I think I'm going to arrive there with like four socks and, I don't know, a large oversized novelty pens. and be like, okay. But I'm going to roll with it. I'm going on the Monday coming back on the Friday. I'm so excited for you.

Thank you. I'm so excited. And suggestions, do we want to do how to go away on your own? Yes, I think we probably should. Because I think we've done like how to go on holiday and stuff like that. But I don't think we've done how to do it on your own. And also, if we have, it's not been coming from a place of truth. No, of real immediacy.

Immediacy, yes, that's definitely do that. And I'll tell you all of the things. that I do wrong and right. So yes, that's what I'm doing. I'm very excited for you. Where are you going? Just do a little flat in Bristol. Oh, you said you would and you did it.

Did it. So the gym... So while you're there, perhaps you'll go to the gym. What's your gym story? Like, what's... My gym story is during a very... Feeling very flush period, I joined Virgin Active Gym.

Oh, that's... The big gym. That's a good... Oh, that's big. That's got molten brown in the showers. Oh, just the soft white towels, the sauna, the bits, the things. And years ago, the forensic accountant housemate, the one who was making the top draw dollar, she, as part of her work benefits, got free or subsidised Virgin Active gym. Oh, my God.

And it was an every gym membership. And so I would walk to the nearest one to our house. claim I was her. You look very different. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Sometimes I would take her head with me, her head in a back,

and I would take her some of her identification. She didn't love me doing this. And I would be like, hello, it's me. Can I come in again? They'd always look me like slightly suspiciously, and they were right to. And then I would just have this like giddy, excited time there. And also I got to do the upside down silk classes, which I've talked about in the past.

the the trapeze class and I absolutely loved it and then a couple years ago I was like oh my god maybe I finally got like enough little cash for me to be a member um joined um had um sort of three delicious uh trips uh global pandemic uh they just it was illegal to go to the gym um they froze everybody's membership and then um they were like we're open again and then i was like i can't afford to come back but nice good time bye bye so i no longer go to the virgin gyms and they're very good about it have to do out the end of your contract or anything. So God bless you, Virgin. However, I have been going to the better gyms, which are the council ones, the green ones, which some not, some, listen, less be truth, not always the nicest, but some of them are fantastic.

How much that set you back? That one is £30 a month. See, this is very, that's very good, isn't it? That's the sort of money that I think is acceptable. And any more than that, I start to go like, oh no yeah no 30 quid a month because you can that's like um one evening out with friends exactly exactly and so obviously up front you're like oh 30 pounds be like actually if you went you had a nice time and that included your swimming like if you went and had a swim one time you're like oh i got a lot of pleasure out like i got a lot of pleasure out of that something like great grandma used to say got a lot of pleasure out of that but like you do obviously up front 30 pounds it does feel like a lot

but when you've like really got a lot out of it and it's unlimited and you can go to classes you can do stuff you know you're like hey I'm getting a great deal of benefit out of this I think for not very much more possibly to go to £40 that's not just your own gym but I think and please stop me if I'm wrong

listeners from the Better Gym Council you can go to an every gym so that means you can go to any better gym in the country and obviously they're the council gym so there will be one local to where we go if you work in London the Better Gym in Central London has one of the only outdoor heated swimming pools.

So in the summer, there is literally an outdoor swimming pool in the middle of Soho that you can go to. You know, so like the stuff is there if you're like, oh, okay, you're selling this to me. Maybe, you know, and it doesn't just have to be, you know, everyone's like, oh, the gym. That's for people who want to get enormous and, you know, shred the gains. And you're like, I don't want that. It's like, it's not. It's for anybody who wants to enjoy moving in any way and not about, this isn't about

in any way promoting that you change your body or do anything, but it is like, it is nice. to move. You know, it's been proven scientifically and in your heart of hearts, you know it. You know it. We all know it. And it's one of those things that once, when you do do it, you are like, oh, I do feel better. How annoying. It's like how you drink a glass of water and you're like, I was thirsty. That's frustrating. Yeah. What's your gym story? All that stuff that, that you know that you do so that you tell yourself, oh, I'm going to do this and I've become like a completely different person. I was like, no, I'm going to stop pretending that I'm going to be a 6am person. Or that I'm going to finish work and want to go to the gym after a full day of work. Like, no, thank you. So, did it on my lunch break. But also, you know, like, I would go past, and there was, like, a room with people doing classes.

And I'd be like, oh, not for the likes of me. I'm too frightened. But that's for the real gym people. And I was so scared of going into the gym. And it was obviously completely fine, because whenever you do a class in the gym, you're like, oh, yeah, like, the whole reason everyone else is here is because they want to get fitter. They're not all experts. What were you, what was your, when you were shaking with fear, what was, what was, what was, the fear. I was just frightened about loads things. I was frightened like I would get there and I wouldn't know how to use the lockers. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Weirdly, lockers is such a fear, isn't it? You just want to be there like turning around and being like, I've messed up again and everyone knows and everyone's

like, move, move, I've got to shred my gains and you're like, I'm sorry. My hand stuck in my locker and my shoe is in the wrong place. And also I was scared that I'd go that I'd wear the wrong things and everyone would be like, oh, she's new. And the moment you do it, you're like, oh, this is actually, I can see why people go because it's a lot. I'm sorry, it's, really easy. The only thing that's difficult about it is getting there and like and finding something that you like to do, whether that's like, I love the weight or whether that's like I really like the running machines or the, you know, elliptical machine or like if you're me, I have to do a class because I don't, I'm bored. The moment I'm not doing that, I'm bored. And I just wanted to

say that because of COVID, there's not as many like cool gym passes that are like free, you can get free trials with. But I went on money saving expert and they've got and there's like three, four here that are still going and you can do a free trial or you get free guest passes. If you've got a friend who's doing that gym, you can get a free guest pass and work out with them for free. And so there's, I'll just very quickly run through them. There's any time fitness when you get a free one day pass and then there's a fusion lifestyle, which is that you get, again, a free one-day pass. They're mostly in the south of England, though.

And then there's Q Hotels, which is a free one-day pass. That's 20 clubs across the hotels in England and Scotland. And again, free one-day gym pass for you and a friend, if you fill in your details on the Q Hotel website. And the final one is MoveGB, and that's £1 a week membership, which is obviously amazing. So you get £1 for your first seven days,

and then there's lots of different billing cycles. that you can do when you sign up so you can and also um so you obviously then costs more but you can cancel all your membership online at any time so you don't get like roped in so i thought those four were good to start if you wanted to like try out and better gym as well if you feel like try out something and but you don't want to like commit financially to it because that's it's hard as well going like oh god so i'm going to be spending faked every single month jesus you know yeah yeah well yeah absolutely It is a tough thing if you're going from nothing to suddenly being like, oh, and all of this. So like tentative you're way in with the £1 bits, the stuff, the free things.

Like, you know, as these things start coming back and they have been closed for such a long time, like there will be stuff out there where people like, please, please, please, would you like to come in here? Please. Hey there, we're here today thanks to HP, who are working to uncover the creative process as some of the UK's favourite podcasters like me. And you, Tessa? You're finding out what lessons there are to be learned from our process. Yes, that's right. And how we use just so many incredibly cerebral techniques to enable our creativity. But we're not here alone, are we, Tessa? We are not. And very excitingly for us, instead of us interviewing a guest, a guest is going to interview us. Our host today is Grace Beverly, an entrepreneur, Sunday Times bestselling author, social media influencer, and host of the Working Hardly Working Hardly Working Podcast. She's an Oxford graduate who's successfully built two businesses.

She's recognised as one of Forbes's 30 under 30 in 2020 at the age, the baby age of just 23. These two old ladies welcome you in and we're thrilled that you're here. I've made in interviews for Crohn's. Let us touch your youthful, youthful face. She's the perfect person to lead our conversation about the creative process. So for the next few minutes, we're going to hand the hosting job over to you. please take it off us. God, this feels like so much pressure.

It is. And there's a lot of it and we will judge you. You're completely right, it is, yeah. No, thank you so much for having me. I'm very excited to learn about your creative processes. This is something that I'm quite passionate about. I'd love to know, first of all, whether you think you're creative people. Like, do you consider yourself a creative person?

I do think I'm creative. Sometimes it dries up like an old well, but by and large, I feel I am creative. Bordering on too creative is things that people who have lived with me have said. Please. Please stop that. I don't believe this is such a thing as someone who isn't creative. But I think there are people who are specifically drawn to being creative because I think every single job or thing you do is benefited by putting your stamp on it.

I'd like to know when you need to get creative, like when you need to think about something creative, you need to conceptualise, you need to get a brief done, whatever it might be. How do you get into that mindset? I really do love to walk a problem out and talk. talk to myself. I've taken to wearing, um, like big headphones with the little thing so that if I'm talking to myself, people think I'm on the phone. Or you're an air traffic controller. One of the two. And there aren't many planes to direct in my local park, but I hope that's what they think I'm up to. I think that's so interesting because different people obviously get creativity from being like

around hustle and bustle or from being in complete quiet. And that, a good segue here, but I really, really think I'm so passionate about the focus mode on this product. So on the X-360, it literally has a focus mode that you can put on and it dims the background of any other apps. Nothing pops up. You've got the full concentration on this thing. And I don't know about you, but I am a child and I need technology or someone to tell me that literally mothering myself through tech and just being like, no distraction is so important. Mothering yourself through tech. That's the future. Thanks, guys. So having something like that for me changes the game because then I'm able to be like, okay, you know what? For the next 45 minutes, absolutely.

no distractions at all. So that is one of my absolute favorite features and has very much helped me as someone who gets distracted every two seconds. Yes, I think that would help me a lot because I often have been known to like turn the Wi-Fi off in the house. So I can't look at everything. I'm reading about a woman in the first female crime syndicate in 1920s. Is it helpful? No. Is it distracting me? Yes. I've got things to do because we haven't got focus mode. We haven't got focus mode. Stevie, what are your kind of creative triggers, would you say? So there's things that just get you in the zone straight away. I've got to put a bra on.

That's important. Sometimes if I'm really stuck on a problem, I'll get a notebook out and go like old school, or I can go on phone notes or I can do voice notes. Do you know, this is not a pen. This is the HP pen. This is exactly what you're talking about and exactly what you need because I do the same and then I lose the notebooks.

And I'm like, that was the most valuable mind map I've ever done. And with this, you can turn it into a tablet and you can use this nifty little pen and do exactly what you're saying. I mean, I think this is right on your street. So sold. So that pen is a special screen pen. Are you on your, are you on the laptop now? I am.

The quality of your camera is out of this world. You can't see us at home, but me and Stevie look like blurry old ladies. And then it looks like a model has joined us. It's, you know, I think it's exquisite. The clarity is unbelievable. Well, lastly, I just like, But to know, for anyone who's struggling with their creativity, what's your one go-to tip to give them? So find whatever topic is that you're working on and you feel like you're struggling with.

Find a podcast. There are lots of good podcasts just about creativity in general. And I'd say, go sincere, go American. You need to be like, yeah, I'm doing holy work. I'm doing wholly creative work, you know? Yeah. That's what I need. Oh, I love that. Mine is, and I know we haven't got a lot of Americans to hand, But I think just telling anybody, a family member or a partner or your friends or anybody who will listen to you for five minutes, explaining it to another person often makes you hear it back in your mind and be like, ah, I see. I see where we've gone to ride. Yeah, I really like that. And if in doubt, you can also talk to your air traffic control headphones if there's no one around. Bring a plane in. Bring a plane. Oh, well, thank you so much, guys. You've helped me a lot, actually. I'm going to go land some planes and then get creative. No, thank you, Grace. Thank you. I can't tell you. I can't tell you.

you how jealous we are of the HP Specter X-360. We both really want one. That says manifesting it out into the universe. It flips over and it becomes a tent. It becomes a tablet. You can draw on it with your pen. Oh my God, it's fantastic. It's the blue light blocking for me. You know me in my session with blue light. Oh, you love that. Means you can watch an episode before bed and you're not keeping yourself up all night, isn't it? Well, look, well, thank you so much, Grace. And also thank you to HP for bringing us together to discuss our creative process. And Tessa, where can people find out more about the features of the HP Specter that can help us think creatively? Thank you for asking me, Stevie. If you would like to find out

any more about the features of the HP Specter X360, you can at www.h.w.h.com forward slash thoughtful laptop. Isn't that nice? Because it is thoughtful. And they have thought of everything. They've thought of everything. Joining the better gym, which I've done in the last, like, month was a sidestep for me because I have been, I was signed up to it already to go to this outdoor swimming. And then I was like, oh wait, can I move my, that's the sort of thing. Like, it's one of those things that's like really designed to be like, yeah, we'd like this to be as accessible and easy for you as possible because they're the council ones. So like, I was like, can I move my main place to this gym? And then can I do the swimming and come here? They were like,

yeah. And I was like, okay. Well, that, okay then. And in I come. You know, like, so once you start investigating it and it stopped being this sort of like oh not for me then you're like oh okay there's there's loads of stuff and it's maybe easier than you think and so and I think the thing about you saying about going to the class is like it's so real and you're like oh everyone will know

that everyone will know and everyone will be looking at me and then actually if you do go regularly to those classes when someone is new you don't think oh you're just like oh yeah come in everyone was new at some point and it's it's instinctive maybe when they're like, is anyone, is this anyone's first time for you to be like, no, but like, do put your hand up and be like, yes, me.

Because otherwise, when they're like, okay, roll the mats. And you're like, where, where are we going? And you're constantly like, where am I putting this? Do I put this here? And do I put this? And do you? And it is so tough when, you know, somebody called Sharon, you know, and they're like, well done, well done Sharon.

And you're like, oh, bloody Sharon. I know, no one's saying, no one knows me. Like, yeah, Sharon's been every day for, you know, the last year. Like, cut yourself a break for God's sake, everyone. Like stop comparing yourself to Sharon. Okay, so this is a thing that I've been doing and easing myself back in to going to the gym regularly. Is that I have been going, getting on the running machine, putting it on 5.5, which is a power walk. And power walking for half an hour while I pretend to be the Secretary of State.

Very good. It's always important to pretend to be doing something. It's really important. I go like, I was like, it's not very far away from my house and I had been working at home and I was like, I can't do this anymore and I was trying to deal with this annoying email. And I went and I paced out on the thing. And I also was on my phone anyway, like trying to deal with all this.

But I was doing it while on the move. And I felt like I was dealing with business. And I was a very important lady who, you know, you had to talk to her while she was doing her gym workout because her time was so precious. And it was so unbelievably helpful. and I both solved the thing that we were trying to solve and I came off it after an hour being like,

oh, I feel infinitely better. Yes. Like, oh, bloody hell, they're not lying about all the serotonin and the dopamine and the thing of like just walking. And like walking out a problem is so useful and being angry while you're walking. And all of those sort of things, I was like, oh, how annoying it is good here.

Which began my process of being like, okay, maybe I will try some of the other things. A lot of the gyms have got, you can either do a free, one-hour, free personal training session that's just included with the gym and obviously they want you to sign up to do more. But there is available for you. Do take it because your instinct, you know,

when I used to go, some people would be like, do you know how to use the equipment? I'd be like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'd be like, I don't. I don't know how to use it. I just don't. I'm so embarrassed about how little I know I don't want you to show me.

And I just do it, just accept that you know absolutely nothing and get someone to like very, very slowly walk you through what the equipment does and which way around you're supposed to sit and which muscle it's supposed to be working. So this is what I've discovered. I've been seeing my personal training since the summer. She's so nice.

We mostly just chat. She says, I've done a great job, babe, and I give her my money. And when I first went to her, she said, why have you come to personal training? And I said, my younger sister is getting married. And she said, babe, say no more. Say no more. Let's get you in shape.

But actually, the process is really. That's actually not been very much physical change in my body. but there has been an enormous change in my confidence and my strength and my understanding, like, how, which parts of me are supposed to move. And I really feel like learning the equipment and, like, the lateral pull down, which is the thing you're describing of, like, lip pull down to here or push out or chest press or any of this stuff, is I'll do it. And then she'll be like, okay, completely not that.

And I'd be like, but I did it. I pushed the bar from here to there. Like, surely that's the objective. It's like, that's not the objective. the objective is like for this very small muscle group to start working. And I swear to God there are muscles in my body who are just like on a cigarette break being like, sorry, me, you want me? I've never done a day to work in my life.

And suddenly you're like, yeah, the whole body is supposed to work. And I think such an important thing is this like momentum. Like I would go on those things and do like, do 10 pull downs. And I'd be like, one, two, three, four. And I'd really use the momentum of like, okay, it's done. Yeah. Whereas it's not about that at all. It's about very, very slowly doing it, pulling it all the way down, going back up again.

It's not about doing 10 and being like, okay, done, it's 10. It's 10 done like well and slowly. And that is a huge thing to get ahead around because your instinct is just to be like, get it done. Oh, yeah. Like I was doing it. I was trying to do squats in the gym. And I was squatting. And the woman, there's like, the people that just, what the personal trainers are just like wandering around the gym.

I'd be too often frightened to talk to. in case they're like, that'll be 30 quid, please. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But they don't. Obviously, you can ask them anything. That's what they're there for. And yes, they might say at the end, like, oh, by the way, like, you can hire me out and I'll do, I can use a six-week course or whatever. And you just go, I'll have a think about it.

And then you don't. It's absolutely fine. And they also remember that they're doing that to everybody who goes in the gym. So if you see them again, it's not like, oh, my God, there's Roger. And he asked me about the six-week personal training. And I said that I think about it. haven't like it's fine they've obviously approached every single member of that gym and they're not coaching every member are they so it's fine but this woman walked past a man oh you're just bending

down and then she's like here's a squat and then she rich she was so helpful it's like you've got to make sure your knees don't go in front of your feet and you've also you've got to focus it's like you've got to stick your bum out and you've got to like straighten your back and it's not about as, because I was being like, well, the further down I go, the better for the hope. Absolutely. No. So that's the end of that rhyme. No. So she's like, it's not about how far you go down. It's about what you're feeling in your thighs and your glute. And I was like, oh, I don't feel anything. I'm just feeling it in my lower back. She's like, and that's where you're going on. Yeah. So it was all and it's just that one thing meant that nap, like I was, I mean,

I still couldn't do any of the other things, but I was doing an absolutely incredible. incredible squat. Like, so it's, it's very helpful to know that that's what those people are therefore. They're like when you go into Tesco and you need to know where the pickles are and they're like, I'm so sorry, do you know where the pickles are to somebody who works in Tesco? Even then, we sometimes feel bad for doing that, but that's what they're hired for. And those people in the gym are the same. You're asking them where the pickles are.

You're asking them, I'm so sorry. Like, how do you do this machine? Yeah. Fine. Fine. They need something to do. They need something to do. That's literally their job. After I did my Secretary of State walk, I had a little, I did that thing where you have a little look in the equipment room, but just like you're walking around, maybe looking for a friend.

Yeah. That's just not, nothing, don't hear. And this very good looking guy when, can I help you with anything? And I screamed, no, no, no, nothing. And I ran out of the ship and ran home. And I've since seen him a few more times. And now I'm like, okay, here's someone and he'll help if I needed it. But like, just be ready for your immediate reaction to scream, no, no, no, and run away,

to run all the way home to your bed. But just be like, okay, I'll get over that. And next time I'll ask him. You know, don't be like, okay, I'm never going back again. Be like, okay, next time I'll ask. That's why it's so helpful to even just do one class, like I don't know, like a hit class or like a body weight class, like not maybe ones with loads of apparatus. Because then you'll get, you'll just get a feeling for,

what those movements are meant to feel like. And then you can take that into your own journey, into your own, exactly, right. Yeah, I think it's like, if you're like, I haven't got the money for any of this. It's like, could you save up and pay for one hour long session

with one personal trainer where you're like, please just really slowly walk me through this. Because I think we really would also have done a bit of a disservice at school and like PE, you know, I'm doing this move. And it is me pulling my arm across my body. I'm putting my fist by my elbow. although I'm doing the other side, that's a warm up. Yes.

And I'm ready to play around us, or whatever. We have, none of us came away from school with any sense of like how our muscles worked, how things are supposed to go. What a press up really is, like what a crunch is, what a plank is even. Like we were just, when you, all you ever do is see it, you don't feel it. When you're like, I see you doing it and I'm doing it and what I'm doing is correct. And so sometimes then you're like, I'll never be able to do that because what you're doing is impossible. it's literally impossible to me so I'm just weak and shit and there's no point me

even trying but if someone adjusts you and it's like it's not this muscle group it's this muscle group or like this trying to hold your weight up on your hands it's not about your hands being strong it's about your core or your tummy is literally doing absolutely jack all currently you're like it's just an endless

ground of being like ah ah ah ah okay and also may I just quietly recommend I know she doesn't need me to recommend because she's the most famous woman on the planet. But yoga with Adrienne is really good for being aware of what muscles you're using and being like, because I do that, maybe like once a week.

But it really does help because that sort of stuff, like I remember the personal trainer that I have, who's excellent. And if you follow up on Instagram, his name's Patrick Mojo, P.T. He's really good. And he's like an online person that I do these Zoom ones. Please check it out. But he does a lot of like mind-to-muscle connection. So he'll be like, you're doing a squat, you've got to feel your heels digging into the floor, not your toes.

And you're like, what? And then you're doing it. You're like, oh my God, that's a completely different move. So there's all these little things that I've thought for years, like you're saying, Tessa, we're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, I've done P.E. You just move around. But when you're a kid, the bar is really low and they're just like, just get the children to move. Whereas now we actually need to be doing it properly.

Otherwise, you'll do what I did it when I was 27. and I did my back in when I lifted up a weight because I didn't bend my knees properly and I didn't tilt my pelvis and then my back, my low back was fucked for like six months. You're like, this is, and all I did was pick up one weight

because I wasn't, I was just like, yeah, I know, I'll do a chest press. Like, what are you talking about? So you've got to, like, and you know, age end's really good with the whole like, um, like bringing your belly button towards your spine.

And it's like, for the first like five months of doing it. I was like, what is that? And then you do it. You're like, oh no, that actually. it protects your lower back. And like, how am I supposed to know that unless someone tells me?

So how are you supposed to know? And it's unlearned in honest as well because we're born with it instinctively. If you watch a toddler moving around and picking things up, like look at the exemplary form of a toddler. Like they, you cannot get better than that.

And then we unlearn it. And then we have to, all of this bullshit is I was trying to get back to that. Like, look how a toddler puts all their weight down to, you know. And that's instinctive. And we, we are idiots so yes I

I think it's two last things I just want to end on that's like I hope this is in some way encouraging to you to be like if you are also somebody who's like not for me to be like okay maybe this place is for everybody everybody pays the same amount of money to go here

maybe I should be allowed to use it in my own way and if I just want to walk for an hour and pretend to be the Secretary of State then blow me down I will and if I want to use just the very smallest weights there's no reason to be embarrassed You know, everybody's just doing their own thing and people aren't really looking at you.

They're sort of just staring at themselves. They're just thinking of themselves 100%. They don't. No one really cares. Once I walked across a mat as a man was doing a sort of kettlebell a thing and like swinging his leg out, he kicked me fully in the front bottom.

Straight into the front bottom. And I could not stop laughing because I was like, that is such a funny place to kick a stranger. And he did it backwards, obviously, not frontwards. He just, like, swung its momentum up and into my front bottom. And I was hilarious. And that is the extent to which, like, people are so in their own world. And also, me, in my own world, because I just wasn't paying attention enough in, like, what, I didn't realize what, you know, I didn't realize the extent that that leg was going to come out, you know.

So, like, people are just doing their own thing. They're there for their own, you know, don't, don't stress about people watching in Europe. Everyone's desperately trying not to leave the gym. Everyone's like, I want to go. Can I go now? Can I go now? Yeah. I can leave now.

Yeah, the other day they were like, we want to close early. Do you have to come in? And I was like, listen, my friend, neither of us want me to be here. Like, let me in. I won't be very long. And yeah, and if you do start with the personal train or you do start just going to the gym and trying to work on something, be ready for the first, like, couple of months to be very frustrating where you're like, nothing is happening.

You know, I'm not getting any better. I'm not looking any better. What's there even the point? I'm bad. And I had been feeling that recently. and then my personal trainer showed me a thing of me doing a squat from my very first session in the park and I honestly remember thinking

I smashed that. She's really impressed with me. I've absolutely smashed that. That's the best squat anyone's ever done. I remember thinking, I bet she's thinking, I can't teach this girl. Like, she's so good.

And I laughed so much seeing it because I was like, oh my God, I've come on so much and it's that horrible thing about tiny small improvements that you're like, you don't see them at the time and so it's very frustrating. But do hang in there. And if you, like, me I just going once a week and are like I can't believe I don't have arms like Michelle Obama yet.

Somebody said to me that is now they haven't got a thing for there's no sort of neat rhyme for the first one. So we'll just say it's once a week. One for fun. You want to go once a week? That's just fun. One for fun. Two for maintenance. So twice a week just to keep yourself in maintenance.

Three for change. Three for change. Three for change. So if you actually want to like do it and improve it. It's going to be three times a week and four for psycho. Oh, there we go. Four. Four if you really want to be like, holy shit, what's happened to Steve?

Yeah. Is Stevie okay? Yeah. Is Stevie all right? No, she's going four times a week to the gym. She's going four times a week because she's not okay. She's going to the world's strongest woman. She's in the bodybuilding championships.

For that sort of like, oh my God, we're really, you know, I'm looking, I'm, you know, I'm looking like the Hulk. It's happening. I'm doing it, baby. It won't, you won't. but when people are like, oh, but what if I do look like the Hulk? You obviously won't work look like the Hulk. The amount of work you'd actually have to do to look like the Hulk.

The amount of food you have to eat as well to do it. No. It's a, no way. It's not going to surprise happen because you picked up one kettlebell. Suddenly, you've got an app on your arm. I thought that was very, that I feel I haven't been to do in ages. And I feel like, oh, actually, I might just like, I might start going. Yeah, it's kind of reminded me.

And I just really felt, I think in this last year and a half of like being just trapped in your home and being like, well, I can do all the things from home. It was such a nice break to be like, oh, I'm not at home. Oh, I've gone somewhere new and that's a new person and I'm looking at new stuff. And actually it is just good for the mind to go out. Yes. Get out of the house. Do get out of the house to see new things every day.

Meet new people as well. Meet new people, you know, do new things and be like, okay, I'm, yeah, I'm seeing, I'm just having, maybe, you know, and trying it out tentatively. And with the knowledge that like, you know, here we are two rational women. getting through the day, screaming in the gym in case people thought we didn't know how to use the locket.

Exactly. Look at us all. And it's literally built for us to use. Like that's the whole point of it. It's there for you. You're entitled to go. If you've got a membership and you haven't been using it again and have a look. And if you want to do some free trials, do that.

Just there's so many different ways to use the gym. So I find the way that you, that makes you feel good and like your, you know, and it's baby steps as well. Baby steps. I swear to God, my hour on 5.5, pretend I've got calls to make.

I feel a million dollars when I leave. I pretend that I'm a superhero training in a montage of a film. That's what I do. Oh, God, that's good. For me to you, you can use that. Thank you so much, Tessa, for teaching us how to use the gym. That was very useful. I don't know if I did.

You did. I hope I gave you some at least a bit of confidence in asking someone professional to help you to use the gym. That's what it's about. And that's what it's about. just to be like, yeah, get out there and take some pleasure in your body, you know, and a like, oh, yeah, look what it, look at that is. Yeah. Look what I can do, you know, however small that small thing is, being like, oh, oh, look at me.

I didn't think I could do that. And I can. Well, I can. Yeah. Great. Well, follow us at Nobody Panic Pod and get in touch if you have any future episode suggestions you would like us to do. We're going to do some of your suggestions that we've been reading the emails. Have I replied?

Probably not. Sorry. I will. And I'm at Stevie M. The S's of 5. Tessa, where are you at? I'm at Tessa Coates. Lovely.

I'm on Instagram. At Weeprailov. It's mediocre in both places. So, you know, don't come expecting great things. But when they, they're, it's sort of biennual. She's selling herself short. I am selling herself short. I think it's sort of, it's not very regular.

But when it is, oh, it's some good stuff, you know. You want to stay on the game just in case. Please do. That's what I'm offering you. Like the gym. See you next week, everybody.