PRIVATE GYM-STUDIO

My favourite exercise doing squats with a bar (on my shoulders)

I’ve become stronger and I’m fitter and I’m more confident. And I’m happy to have a go at anything now, where before I’d go, Oh I can’t do that I’m too old or I’m not fit enough. So I do kayaking, I go bushwalking. I swim every week. So it’s just had a whole effect on my life.

I love body work on the floor. I like feeling how much stronger I’m getting when planking or doing push ups.

So since I’ve started strength training I’ve realised that my legs are definitely stronger because we’ve got such a steep slope in this hill – in this house. I can actually keep my balance a bit better and I’m chasing the dog and I can actually help my husband in the yard.

It was not easy but the benefits became apparent within three months of hard work: I was almost pain free; Swelling of joints disappeared; I could move freely; I lost weight. The biggest gain was that I no longer needed a knee replacement. In fact painkillers became a thing of the past.

I just wanted to be strong enough to do all the things in life that I want to do. Like lifting my grandchildren and being able to do work here in the ceramics area delivering clay. And I have actually been able to deliver 600 kg of clay, moving it 300 kg at a time.

Recently helped my son move a whole shipping container of furniture and really, really heavy things. We were lifting a whole day. He was blown away by how strong I was and I didn’t even feel sore at the end of it. So it’s just amazing how much strength I have.

Now I love skipping. Everyone jokes about how much I do love skipping. But I can do that very easily now and just generally get about a lot more without the pains in my knees and other joints.