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IMAGE editor-in-chief Lizzie Gore-Grimes on finding her holy trinity of workouts
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As someone who is completely ball-illiterate, Lizzie Gore-Grimes was never the sporty one in school. However, in her late forties, she’s more active than ever and thinks she might just have discovered the perfect fitness triumvirate in a blended mix of boxing, erging and pilates.
To say I was non-sporty in school would be an understatement. The fact that my poor mother never got to cheer me on from the sidelines or drive me around the country to the next league match, must have made an impact on her. So much so that when I was 39 years of age, and came second in the mum’s race at my son’s junior school sports day, my mum actually had the trophy that I was presented with engraved! I kid you not.
I can not imagine the expression on the engraver’s face when my mother presented him with said (Poundshop plastic) trophy. But it still sits proudly on my son’s shelf with a little metal disc glued on, engraved with the words “Lizzie Mum’s Race 2014” – proving that an Irish mammy’s pride truly knows no bounds.
Reformed by the Reformer
Clearly, it’s hard to top such a pinnacle of athletic achievement but I’m delighted to say that, ten years later, I feel even fitter and better about myself, as I teeter on the precipice of fifty. I think the seed was planted when I discovered the Reformer with Platinum Pilates. Once you understand the basics of how the machine works, it couldn’t be easier.
Using a system of weighted straps, you get a low-impact, full-body workout in each class, with chance of injury nil. Through standing squats and lunges, seated ‘mermaids’, various plank positions and all sorts of other imaginative weighted twists and turns – you’ll work every muscle in your body.
And while I appreciate the muscle-tone and strength results, what I enjoy most about Platinum is that it feels like a form of active physiotherapy, which couldn’t be more important for anyone who works at a desk, hunched over a computer, most of the day (ie most of us).
The language and MO with Pilates is all about mobility – as you “release” into moves and “expand” and “open” into others. You can almost hear your back saying “thank you” as you move down out of bridge “vertebrae by vertebrae”. I find the breathwork really helpful too. After a day of kids and desk job stress, an evening Platinum session is like a cortisol decompression chamber.
Punch it out
With a good baseline of strength and muscle tone built up from the Reformer, I was doing some running to get the cardio in, but to be honest I just found it boring on my own, and lacked any real accountability. I am definitely someone who fares better with the structure of a class and instructor. So I was thrilled, at the tail end of Covid, to spot outdoor classes run by Headon Boxing, just next door to me at Marian College.
You only need to watch one of their classes to start sweating so I signed myself up before I could think too much about it. Three years later and I absolutely love it. When you first join, they run a brilliant beginner’s course to get you boxing-ready, but to be honest, the classes are so inclusive, no matter what level of actual boxing ability you have you’ll love them. The classes are really varied – some are circuit-based with lots of HIIT style weighted lunges, medicine ball and skipping rope action peppered in to keep the heart rate up, while others are more boxing on-the-bag focussed.
My favourite class is the Signature Session which includes pad-work, where you box one-on-one with the trainer. But whichever version you try, you’re guaranteed to napalm calories, and there’s nothing quite like tightening the strap of your boxing gloves with your teeth to make you feel ready to take on the world.
Feeling strong
My latest discovery is something of a blend of the two above. Melding all the Reformer mobility and strength-building goodness of Platinum with the heart-pounding cardio high of Headon, Strong Pilates promises a dose of both. Brand new to Ireland, the studio opened its doors in Dublin in March 2024, with machines they call “Rowformers” – half rowing machine/half reformer (some are half spin bike/half reformer). The premise is straightforward enough, you work between the two, targeting slow-twitch muscle fibres on the Strength side of the machine (reformer), and then getting your heart rate up on the Row/Ride side with bursts of intensity to get the fast-twitch muscles burning.
The studio space set-up is cool too, with a brushed concrete, industrial vibe, plenty of mirrors and helpful wall-mounted screens that demonstrate the moves as the instructor calls them out. Free weights are used throughout too, as you move between strength and cardio “erg-side” (indoor rowing machines are known as ergometers, hence the term “erging”, made famous in the brilliant Lessons in Chemistry). The Strong playlists are always adrenaline-inducing and I love it when they dim the lights, and raise the volume for the erg element. At the end of class, when even your elbows seem to be perspiring, the trainer hands around a tray of chilled face towels, straight from the fridge, infused with refreshing eucalyptus oil. Divine.
As a ‘pay-as-you-go’ member of all three places, it means I can buy my block of classes and dabble between them. Picking the style of class that suits my mood and energy levels on any given day. Being a ‘dabbler’ also means if the time that suits me to book a class is full in one place, I go to one of the others. I feel like a bit of a player; on the apps, bouncing from studio to studio, getting my fitness fix, but the only love I’m after is self-love. I find the camaraderie of the classes, the infectious energy and buzz from the gorgeous trainers just as much part of the tonic as the exercise endorphins themselves. Going to a class, for me, is every bit as much for my head as my physical health. I’m sure I must benefit from the heart-rate boost but I’m absolutely certain I thrive on the mood boost.
IMAGE Active is an exciting series of exercise-driven events, motivating meet-ups, and empowering content to help you achieve new levels of physical health, offering encouragement, support, and empowerment every step of the way. At its core, it is about coming together to form connections, cultivate healthy habits, and feel better than ever. So, stay tuned and check out our hub for regular updates on all upcoming events and content.
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