Hart Fitness

Hart Fitness Exclusive 👶

After agreeing a pre contract 9 months again, Hart Fitness is proud to announce the arrival of Henry Rowan Hart who penned a long term contract on Monday night. ✏️

Both he & Francesca are doing good and Willow is delighted to welcome her team mate to the squad. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

Goodbye 2025 👋

Hello 2026 👋

Merry Christmas from the Hart Fitness family 🎄

Enjoying a Boxing Day meander around Bennachie fuelled on Turkey & Pudding

🌲 🦃 🧁

🎄 😍The annual Circuit 55 Christmas night out ⠀⠀
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Unbelievably this class has now been running for 9 years and the night out was just like the classes, full of fun and laughter.⠀
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As you may or may not know, Circuit 55 started in 2016 after Mother Hart fractured her wrist from a bad fall.⠀⠀⠀
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At the time I learned the risks of falls, osteoporosis and even broken bones increase as we age.⠀⠀
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As a personal trainer I realised I was in a good position to help.⠀⠀⠀
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But you know how families are, I didn’t quite see her listening to me in a 1-2-1 session considering she still tells me to tidy up after myself.⠀⠀⠀
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So instead I decided to create a class directly targeting those over the age of 55 to help maintain and develop strength & fitness.⠀⠀⠀
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You see it’s never too late to start resistance training.⠀⠀⠀
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And interestingly, even though the class has an average age of 21…⠀⠀⠀
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The majority of them hadn’t done any form of resistance training until they joined the class.⠀⠀
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Yet the common phrase I believe we all hear (and from time to time say) is,⠀⠀⠀
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“Auch, I’m getting old” *⠀⠀⠀
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But did you know that exercise, particularly resistance training can be somewhat of an age defying elixir. ⠀⠀⠀
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This is because it has the beneficial effect of maintaining muscle mass, maintaining bone density, joint health and even improving coordination & balance.⠀⠀⠀
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Therefore reducing our risks health related diseases, osteoporosis, sarcopenia and nasty falls.⠀⠀
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It has been a joy to work with the Circuit 55 group and 9 years on and the class is still going on strong.⠀⠀
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The Hip Thrusters were the victors at this year’s HF Festive Quiz, pipping the Mega Christmas Wondering Willow Power on a tie break question!⠀
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This quiz was a lot of fun and provided laughs, debates as well as some questionable knowledge…⠀
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This was the 9th Hart Fitness quiz 🤯 and as always I am incredibly grateful for all of the support provided from the HF community. ⠀
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Well, I best get writing next years quiz and quadruple check my answers…😅⠀
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The final standings 👇 ⠀⠀
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The Hip Thrusters 79 points⠀⠀
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Mega Christmas Wondering Willow Power 79 points⠀⠀
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Tashing Through The Snow 73 points⠀⠀
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Tennis ball Tossers 70 points⠀⠀
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Grey Matters 69 points ⠀⠀
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👏 👏 👏

Hart Fitness is 10 years old today! 🎉⠀
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I’ve been humming and haying about what to say on this milestone; I sometimes struggle to put things like this into words.⠀
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Earlier this week, I looked back at my very first Hart Fitness posts and, yes, I cringed a little… but it also reminded me that deep down, I’m still the same person.⠀
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The same core values; to do my best to help everyone I work with. Educate myself and develop my own knowledge to continually provide clients the tools and support they need.⠀
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Over the past 10 years, there have been plenty of highs and the occasional low, that’s part of running a business. Of course, the highs far outweigh the rest.⠀
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There are so many memories but here are a few moments that pop off the top of my head 👇 ⠀
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💪The early days of Friday morning circuits at Kellands Park, they were a weekly highlight.⠀
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🫠Setting off the fire alarm and having to sheepishly call my landlord…⠀
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🏋️‍♀️ Creating the Circuit 55 community⠀
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🤓 The annual Festive Quizzes ⠀
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🧠 Attending courses and conferences to continue my education, making friends along the way.⠀
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⏰ The 24-hour PT-athon to raise money for CLAN⠀
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😷The COVID pandemic, that one taught me more about resilience and adaptability than I ever expected.⠀
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❤️The support of clients through surgeries, illnesses, the lockdowns, and starting a family.⠀
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It’s that support, the people who’ve been part of the HF community past and present that’s kept Hart Fitness going. That’s is integral for any small business, and I am forever grateful.⠀
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Thank you for being part of this journey and here’s to another 10 years. ⠀
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❤️💪⠀
Stephen ⠀
Hart Fitness

The hip adductor machine has become my new favourite piece of equipment, but more on that for another post.⠀
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You might not know this, but I’ve been a personal trainer for 13 years and in the health & fitness industry for 18.⠀
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I’ve coached hundreds of people to feel confident with exercise, educated them how to lift weights, as well as re-rack them…and basically tried to help make going to the gym less daunting.⠀
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After my own a 11 year hiatus, I rejoined a local gym following an operation on my ankle. ⠀
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And I have to admit I felt a bit lost and out of place.⠀
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Despite all my experience, walking back into that space felt oddly intimidating.⠀
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A different layout, new machines, and everyone looked like they knew exactly what they were doing while I was in the corner doing physio band work like a flamingo…⠀
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…my balance isn’t the best, especially on one leg.⠀
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I caught myself thinking, “Are they watching me? Judging my hip aeroplanes?”⠀

Spoiler: they weren’t. ⠀
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If I’m honest, in my own curiosity there were moments when I caught myself watching others training for a split second.⠀

But they were all just doing the same thing as me.⠀
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Working on their goals, be it trying to get a bit stronger, a little bit fitter, a bit more confident, etc…⠀
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So if you’ve ever walked into a gym and felt out of place, you’re not alone.⠀
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We all start somewhere.⠀
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Confidence & competence grow with repetition.

6 weeks post op⠀
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Parties, BBQs and PipeBand Parades…⠀
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…also the first time back fully loading the ankle in the gym with some Deadlift & Split Squat variations.⠀
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All of which was easier than trying to carry a wriggling Willow on my shoulders around the park trying to find Chase from Paw Patrol…😅⠀
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And a big shout out to Inverurie Events for putting on the fantastic Garioch PipeBand Championships today. 👏

5 weeks post op

This weekend has been all about paddling pools, BBQs and croquet.

The ankle has been significantly tested.

Improvements are ongoing but at the same time I have found it a fine balance not to over do it and leave it rather nippy.

At least Willow let’s me rest… 😅

The consultant follow up appointment to check the ankles post op recovery is scheduled for July.

I am also one month into being a gym member, more on that later this week.