Hi <<First Name>>,
I'm sorry that I've been quiet for a while, but I've been busy behind the scenes planning the summer timetable, and deciding what to do from September and beyond - and I'm really excited to be sharing some of the results here with you in this newsletter! It is still a work in progress and we still have some ideas in the pipeline, so please keep watching this space.
A huge thank you to all of you who took the time to complete the anonymous survey - your comments and votes have been invaluable - I'm extremely grateful, so thank you.
If you haven't done it yet, it's not too late - you can still do it by clicking here (and if you have additional things to say you can do it more than once - thank you.
I am extremely proud to say that so far we have got a magnificent 100% on personal service! I can not tell you how happy I am with this, and how grateful I am to our wonderful team of instructors who I know always look after you so well, and also to our admin support - my fabulous Mum (Margaret) and lovely Malika - who also extend this fantastic personal service to you.
We also have got a tremendous 95.9% on value for money (more on subscriptions below).
I hope you don't mind me sharing just a few of the many positive quotes we received here:-
"JCW is an amazing set-up and I’m so happy I found it. I love the flexibility of not having to book and I feel it makes me attend even more this way than if I had to plan ahead as life can be so unpredictable!"
"I think it’s wonderful overall, personal, warm, welcoming and non judgmental. I think it’s great that there’s flexibility if one can’t attend classes for a month"
"I love that there's a whole range of classes, and that the instructors are always up beat and motivational!"
If you are on the Light subscription, please read on to see how changes mean that if you do back to back classes, we will count it as only one class from your subscription, meaning you can do additional classes for no extra charge.
Please still sign in for every class and put your name with (2) in brackets to indicate it's your second class. It's really important that you do this, or you may be charged again for the second class! Also, we keep a log of everyone who attended each class for insurance purposes - thank you.
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On a personal note, I am very proud and excited to share with you that our eldest son George (on the left) has got a first class honours degree in music technology and production! As you can imagine, we are pretty much bursting with pride for him.
I really hope that if you have teens / young adults in your family that they have survived the stress and real difficulties they can face at exam time - in fact it can be hell for them can't it? Ours have experienced this. I was pleased to read that mindfulness is being introduced in to the school curriculum at class in Britain - you can read about that here.
I'm psyching up for for another big goodbye coming soon, as our youngest son Joe (on the right), goes off on his university adventure to Liverpool in September, to study Sports Psychology. As you know, he went travelling in South America for three months this year, and now that we have got used to having him back, he's off again soon - leaving a large Joe-sized hole in our house and in our hearts too.
I will definitely be needing our classes, teaching, routine, structure and of course the lovely support you always so kindly give to help fill this gap and transition me through this time. (And perhaps a shih tzu puppy???? I'm not kidding!)
Are any of you facing this too? Or is there anything else tough which you're facing right now? Life inevitably brings loss, and things which are difficult to do or process, even if they are things which are for the good (like kids going to university!) It doesn't necessarily mean it's easy does it? This is where exercise and being amongst a supportive group of people in class is so precious - exercise builds our physical and mental strength, and provides structure and motivation to keep moving forward.
Whatever you're facing right now, we are here to help and support you - use class as your tool, your crutch, and as your secret weapon in your armoury of resilience.
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I will start with our summer schedule and will outline what changes you need to know. My aim over the summer is to continue to provide a varied and full timetable, whilst responding to the fact that lots of you are away.
The good news though, is that in actual fact you'll see that this year there aren't many changes at all - we have lots running to keep you fit and active over the summer weeks.
(Please read below for August subscription options, and options to bring family / friends too).
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One thing that came out loud and clear was that lots of you love Vikki's 45 minute Yoga Core class on Tuesday evenings (as I do!), so we have changed her Thursday evening class to be the same (from next week 26th July).
Lots of you love the content of this class and also the 45 minute classes - so you will see more of them added already and more in future too.
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Another fantastic outcome of our survey was people asking for more cardio, and specifically lots of you asking for HIIT! We were so pleased to see this, and we think we have come up with a genius solution in the schedule for you!
The nature of HIIT is that it's intense and therefore it is short - you only need to do it for 20 minutes for it to have significant benefits.
You will find tons of info online if you google it, but here is one article outlining what it is and how it works.
The benefits include --- boosting your cardio fitness, and increasing fat burning efficiency too. Plus it's a fantastic stress buster and endorphin producer too.
What I would say is - if there is a voice in your head telling you to be scared, and that it will be too hard for you - then banish it now! Emmanuel is a very
From next Thursday 25th, we will be trialling the schedule below on both Tuesdays and Thursdays for three weeks, giving you the option to mix and match and overlap these classes as you like:-
(Please note that if you attend more than one class during a morning or evening, we will only take ONE class from your package if you're on the Light subscription (which is 6 classes per month). So from now on you take this to mean 6 SESSIONS regardless of how many classes you do. I hope you will agree this is great value for money and a fantastic incentive for you to do more than one class back -to-back sometimes.
Don't forget to sign in with your name and (2) after your name to ensure that you're not charged twice - thank you. Also we need everyone to sign in at each class for insurance purposes - thank you.
6.30 - 7.15pm Yoga Core with Vikki
7.20 - 7.40pm HIIT with Emmanuel
7.45 - 8.30pm Cardio Core & Conditioning
So please do let us know what you think - I will be there, and Vikki has promised to stay for HIIT and Emmanuel has almost promised to come and do some yoga!!
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Lots of you wanted more ball classes, and lots have asked for an evening class - so here we go! I'm delighted to be adding this to the Monday evening schedule from Monday 29th July.
As many of you know I'm a huge fan of the stability ball. There truly is nothing better than the ball to target your core, plus we do some strength work with hand weights, and get lots of lovely stretches in there too. It really is a fantastic all-round workout.
Please arrive 5-10 minutes early to pump up your ball, or invest in one for yourself to bring in the back of the car if that works logistically for you.
Please note we will also be running Ayr's Monday evening Pilates and Dionne's Fit Fab as normal at Coldfall too, followed by Dionne's Fit fab class.
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Also from 29th July, I will be teaching a 50 minute Yin Yang yoga class from 7.10 - 8.00pm, which will combine contrasting energising yoga flow with core work, and ending with some lovely restorative elements such as poses held for longer, breathing (pranayama), meditation and relaxation.
I love the contrast of a dynamic flow and core, and the restorative mindfulness, and I hope you will too. We will also dive in to some intention setting too, and share reflections on some yoga philosophy.
We will add some pop up Yoga Nidra after this class sometimes too. This is basically sleep yoga - the ultimate way to relax, de-stress, improve creativity and reduce blood pressure, plus many more benefits. I will write to you more about this soon.)
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Saturday Mornings in Summer:-
From 27th July, we have amalgamated the two St Andrews classes on Saturday mornings in to one just for the summer. I will still be teaching my two classes as normal at Coldfall too. Yoga Core is a blend of Yoga and Pilates-based core exercises, giving you all the benefits of two classes rolled in to one.
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Sunday Mornings in Summer:
We have done the same for Sunday mornings too from 28th July, and we have added an additional optional extra 15 minutes on to the class, for you to have the opportunity to explore some mindfulness practices such as breathing (pranayama), meditation, relaxation and Yoga Nidra (hence Yoga Core "Plus"). We hope you will enjoy the variety of elements that Vikki and Louise will guide you through.
Melanie is taking a break in the summer but she will definitely be back with us in September.
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Vikki and I are really looking forward to teaching what should be a fun workshop on inversions! Going upside down is liberating, energising and fun, and can really help you to feel fearless and youthful!
Yoga is so much more than just going through routines with our body - it invites us to try new things, be experimental and explorative, and also to have some fun too.
We are hoping to do this workshop outside because it's a lot easier to go upside down on soft grass - but we can go indoors if the weather is bad.
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At JCW Fitness, we are so much more than just fitness, we are a community. We are inclusive, friendly and we foster friendship and support. In fact, some very deep friendships have been made through our classes between you which is wonderful!
So this event is just a chance to enjoy the summer together, to hang out and chill out and walk and talk. Please bring children / friends / family / dogs.
I will give you the completely optional (in fact I am guessing I might be on my own hehe) opportunity to have a mini fun 15 minute run around the field, so if you've thought about running before but don't know where to start we can chat about how to warm up and strategies to build your fitness. We can also choose to go to the cafe, maybe sit on the grass (bring a blanket), or walk around the woods - whatever you like. Vikki and I really look forward to seeing you there.
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POP UP PLANS:
I plan to put some more summer fun Pop Ups in so send your requests in, and watch this space. Some of you asked for an gentle dance fitness class - please would you let me know when? I could maybe do Thursday morning 10.45? Dionne could do a Belly Dancing class? Or any other time / content ideas, please let me know - thanks.
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September Onwards:
We have got some things in the pipeline for you for September onwards...
Tuesday Mornings
Now that lovely Gemma is teaching Pilates, we have decided to change the Tuesday morning Ballet Tone class to Pilates & Tone (8.15 - 9.05 at St Andrews from 10th September). So this will be all the Pilates exercises you know also with some additional strength and toning (low impact) exercises plus lots of lovely stretches too.
Thursday Mornings:
Dionne's Thursday morning class will also be back from 12th September (9.20 - 10.20 at the Methodist church). We had a lot of votes for the Dance Fit Tone classes, which offer dance cardio which isn't hard to follow, and lots of strength and toning exercises too - so Dionne will be teaching this from September onwards.
Saturday Morning Yoga:
We had a lot of you asking for more physically challenging yoga classes, as lots of you enjoy Melanie's which is dynamic and challenging on Sunday mornings. Nils's brilliant Monday morning class is challenging, so if you haven't tried that yet, give it a go?
From September onwards, Vikki will make her Saturday morning class a Dynamic Yoga class, and sometimes (perhaps once a month or so), making it Astanga (a faster moving and strong class).
Vikki may also occasionally teach the class on the ball, as lots of you have asked for a week-end ball class - when these occur we will flag them up on the timetable so you're aware.
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Summer Subscriptions:
So that we can offer you full flexibility of attendance, we are offering the option in August to stop your monthly subscriptions and take a weekly pass for £20 instead. This will give you unlimited access to all classes in any 7 day period.
Please note that the deadline to stop your August payment going through by direct debit is NEXT FRIDAY 26th JULY. We can issue refunds after payment has gone through but there is a £5 admin fee as it is quite a time-consuming task for us to do - that you for your understanding.
To request this, please email margaret@jcwfitness.co.uk who will arrange this for you. Thank you.
Students Home / Off School For Summer:
Are your kids back from college / off school for summer? If they would like to attend class we have lots of options for them, as we want to do everything possible to encourage our young ones to keep fit! We are insured for anyone aged 14 and over to attend.
They can take a student weekly pass (£20), a drop in pay as you go for £8, or a concessions month for £42. (If you have an active package then your child is just £30 for a month). Please email margaret@jcwfitness.co.uk to arrange.
Bring a Friend:
Please note that we have a policy already in place to allow members with a current subscription to purchase a day pass for friends / partners for £15, so please do bring your friends along to class with you, and they can attend as many classes as they like in a day.
Our Thank You To You...
Special Offer For Referrals in September:
We always discount your subscription by £10 to thank you if your friend joins for a full month, but for September and October, if your friend or family member joins for a full month, we will give you a HALF PRICE month to say thank you.
This is because I know that a recommendation from a trusted friend has so much more value than any flier or website, so please do invite your friends - help them to conquer their nerves and reassure them that they will be safe with us, and that they will look and feel so much better as a result! Thank you.
Concessions Subscriptions:
There are a couple of important things I want to say about our concessions subscription option...
Firstly, that we offer concessions packages of £42 per month for unlimited classes, and that this is available on a discretionary basis to any of you who struggle financially to pay for class. We obviously offer it to unemployed / full-time students but we are more than happy to offer it to you if you are on a low income and money is tight. We can also perhaps offer it for a short period of time if that would help you. Perhaps you have had to take time off work for illness, or find yourself as a single parent - or any other set of circumstances. If you fit in to this category, please send me an email (jane@jcwfitness.co.uk) in complete confidence and I consider your application - thank you.
"Community Packages"
I also want to remind you that we offer a few "community packages" each month, which are basically free packages for anyone who is having a hard time and would benefit from some free classes. We are happy to receive applications about this, so please do spread the word. You may have a friend going through something difficult who might benefit from class, if so please let us know. It's lovely to be able to do something for a friend when you feel helpless and unable to help them any other way. If you have friend who fits this category - please contact me.
As we all know, coming to class can be a lifeline and so much more than just physical fitness. Some of you have gone through some difficult things this last two months (you know who you are), and we hope we can continue to offer you a safe place, refuge and relief.
Testimonials and Recommendations
As I said, I do think your verbal recommendation is our most valuable and effective referral tool, but nonetheless online testimonials and recommendations do make a difference. If you would like to give us a recommendation and perhaps a nice comment on facebook, I'd be most grateful and if you like our lovely new shopper bags then I'd love to give you one as a small thank you. They were designed by Vikki and they really are lovely (see pic below).
Please go to our JCW Fitness Facebook page here and then go to "Reviews". Don't forget to "like" our page if you haven't done so already. We have got lively facebook groups too - with updates, class news and chat - so if you'd like to join either the JCW Fitness Pilates and Yoga group and / or the JCW Fitness Dance / Cardio group, please request to join and I will add you.
Instagram @jcwfitness_
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Mats - Let's Check Them Please, Plus Some Mat Etiquette!
If you come to class over the next few weeks and roll out your mat to find that it doesn't reach the required standard, please would you give it to the instructor and just say "manky mat" (!!), and it will be either cleaned or disposed of over the summer. I do this every summer and refresh the mat collection so that the mats are as fresh and clean as possible.
It's probably worth also just sharing a bit of mat etiquette here, as we share our mats with each other, so it's nice to treat our mats with a bit of TLC...
Mat Etiquette:
Please use a towel on top of your mat if you sweat a lot. Please wipe your mat down if you have sweated on it (there is disinfectant at St Andrews I will get some for Coldfall too).
Please don't use shoes on the mats.
Please wear socks / plaster if you have got anything undesirable on your feet!
When putting your mat away, please roll it up nice and tight so it doesn't crease, and also please don't double roll - single rolls only.
You may wish to invest in your own mat (then you can always practice at home too hurray!)
THANK YOU.
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I may be in touch again with more updates / pop ups etc, but for now I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you for all the positive and vibrant energy you bring to class, me and the JCW team are immensely grateful to all of you.
I'd also like to wish you a very happy summer, I hope you get to get time to relax, kick back and spend time outdoor and with loved ones.
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Please keep your eye online in case of class changes - thank you.
See you rolling out your mat / in your trainers soon.
Jane
www.jcwfitness.co.uk
Facebook
Request to join our lively facebook groups to stay in touch / comment / chat:
Pilates / Yoga / Ballet Tone
Cardio / Dance
Instagram @jcwfitness_
Please address subscription queries to my fabulous mum margaret@jcwfitness.co.uk
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