Head outside early in the morning and it is not just dog walkers you see making the most of the borough’s green spaces, as JOSH BURROWS reports.
It’s cold, it’s raining and it’s Monday morning.
Despite this, at the Oberon Pavilion in Wimbledon a group of women are being barked at by an expert fitness instructor at ‘boot camp’.
Increasing numbers of women, and men, of all ages are ditching their gym membership in favour of these outdoor sessions.
At the Ray Stevens Fitness Club, run by the former Olympic judo silver medalist, the class takes place whatever the weather.
“This sort of exercise is much more raw and basic,” says instructor Belinda Eastwood.
“When I decided a couple of weeks ago that I was going to toughen up, I thought the girls would all be complaining but they seem to like being brought to a state of exhaustion.”
The session starts with a series of step-ups, push-ups, triceps dips and star jumps followed by a jog around the sodden field.
Between breaths, two of the class explain why people put themselves through this, some of them at 6am up to five times a week.
“There’s less routine than at the gym,” says fitness fanatic Jo Ford.
“And the variety of exercises makes it easier to stay focused.”
Her companion, Angela Chung, tells me she has run marathons in the past and not found them as tough.
Club founder Ray Stevens says the boot camps are popular partly because of the camaraderie.
“A lot of gyms these days are like factories with the plasma screens and the moronic nature of the running machines," he explains.
“And of course you burn a lot more calories when you’re exercising outside.”
With the ground waterlogged, unfortunately we are forced inside for more jogging, then circuit training, and finally a round of energy-sapping floor exercises, during which my nearest neighbour informs me that my struggles are making everyone else feel much better about themselves.
For more information visit raystevensfitnessclub.co.uk.
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