David Parkin tries to find fitness and focus, gets a lesson from Joe Wicks and keeps smiling

ATTENTION!

Has anybody told you what to do over the last week?

Given I run my own business I’m in charge of motivating me.

And I have to say I’ve had mixed results since the Prime Minister’s request on Monday evening that the nation undertake social distancing and everyone who can to work from home.

But we are only five days in and I suspect there will be lots of time for us to work out how to get the most out of being based at home.

The one thing that has got me motivated this week is Military 1st Fitness.

I joined this outdoor exercise group when I moved to Harrogate three-and-a-half years ago.

They were literally on my doorstep - meeting right next to my garden gate and doing classes three times a week on The Stray in the spa town.

Now I have to admit, I was initially attracted to them for a reason other than an urge for building up my strength and stamina outdoors in the fresh air.

I thought the sign said ‘MILF Fitness’.

Anyway, what I found was a really friendly group of people coached with enthusiasm, creativity and humour by three ex-army fitness instructors, Jimmy Profitt, Paul Garden and Craig Brown.

Even when I moved back to Leeds just over a year ago, I kept up the sessions on a Saturday morning at 9am, Monday evening at 7pm and - knees permitting - running club on Wednesday at 7pm.

It made sense.

I was paying a third of what I used to pay in monthly membership fees at the David Lloyd health club and I was three times fitter.

You’d have expected the near-lockdown and instructions not to do outdoor group exercise to wipe out the activities of Military 1st Fitness.

But the boys have transferred their activities online and are delivering daily - sometimes twice daily - workouts via Facebook live.

From their back gardens, front gardens, living rooms and garages (when the neighbours complained about the noise) they are keeping their team healthy and motivated.

My buttocks are still sore from Jimmy’s glutes session the other evening.

Keeping in shape both physically and mentally is going to be key to getting through the current crisis - and being ready to focus and work hard on the other side of it.

Military 1st Fitness would like to broadcast their live workouts via YouTube - like the Body Coach Joe Wicks is currently doing with children’s daily exercise classes - but they need to achieve 1,000 ‘likes’ on their page to enable that to happen.

If you have a moment, please click this link and like their page.

And if you are interested in getting involved in the sessions have a look at the Facebook page Military 1st Fitness - Home

Facebook Live page https://www.facebook.com/groups/785790998496228/

I know the team need all the support they can get. You don’t have to join up on a monthly basis, just make a contribution if you take part in a fitness class.

It really is like having your own personal trainer.

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Parky's video clip of the week

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SELF-PROCLAIMED ‘Body Coach’ Joe Wicks is a modern phenomenon.

His recipe books and fitness workouts are bestsellers despite him not appearing regularly on national television.

Fit, good looking with hair that resembles Jon Snow from Game of Thrones, I’ve always wondered why one of the TV broadcasters hasn’t signed him up to present his own show.

But then why go with traditional media when new media can deliver the goods?

With millions of children out of school around the world. Wicks has taken it upon himself to become their PE teacher.

Live from his home in London, Wicks live-streams child-friendly workouts every weekday morning at 9am and then uploads them to his Youtube channel, getting millions of views from families across the world.

Chatting to a friend of mine who has joined her children doing the workouts this week, I heard another reason why perhaps Wicks hasn’t made it onto mainstream TV.

“His classes are amazing, really motivating and the kids love them and even I’ve joined in,” my friend told me.

“But I get the impression that he’s not the sharpest tool in the box,” she added.

I asked why.

She explained that every morning he asks for those taking part to post a comment and he will give some of them a “shout out”.

“When a girl from Japan made a comment he gave her a shout out and then said he’d find Japan on a map of the world he has on his living room wall.

“When he looked at it you could tell he hadn’t got a clue where it was and he said he didn’t have enough time to find it!” my friend laughed.

Then her nine-year-old son chimed in: “Yeah, but the day before he said the map of the world was a map of Europe!”

As Sir Bobby Robson used to say - "As daft as a brush!" 

But probably a multi-millionaire with it.

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AFTER posting a photo of me working from home last week I asked you to send photos of how you are tackling new ways of working.

Mark Goldstone, head of business representation and policy at West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce sent the inspiring photo above and said: “Great to read that you are still giving the region the occasional kick in the pants, you’d soon get bored with an empty inbox!

“I never thought of doing conference calls whilst walking through the woods near my house before. I could really get used to this homeworking thing! I can also tell you everything you need to know about the Government’s new T Levels also.

“Keep up the good work.”

If I’d heard of T levels I’d ask him what they were.

And then I got an email from executive headhunter Martin Boyle with the photo below.

Martin said: “Thank you for your weekly blog, which is always a most enjoyable read.”

He’s ensured a mention with a comment like that...

Martin added: “There are of course a few hurdles at this end, associated with a business that centres around people actually meeting other people. Clients are unlikely to hire based on a Skype call...

“Attached is a picture taken at the current nerve centre for Advent Search Partners. I am being assisted by Rosie, whom we found wandering on the A59 near Green Hammerton. She was lost, unchipped and starving, so having taken her in, she has been appointed Advent’s Head of Security. It’s a job that she has made her own and illustrates our flexibility to handle positions below board level.

“Best of luck for the current challenges and look forward to catching up again when we get through to the other side.”

Keep your WFH photos coming.

That stands for ‘working from home’ by the way.

I had to ask too.

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What I’m looking forward to this week

THE first time I watched Martin Scorsese’s epic Oscar-nominated gangster film The Irishman I was disappointed.

At three-and-a-half hours long I viewed it in instalments on Netflix.

Using the latest technology, it was able to digitally de-age the stars Robert de Niro and Joe Pesci.

But even though they looked 40 years younger, they moved like older men when delivering the usual Scorsese scenes like kicking someone in the gutter or shooting them in the face.

Given I’ve got a little more time on my hands than usual, I’m going to rewatch the film and try not to let this element of it get in the way.

And just enjoy the last hurrah of gangster film icons Scorsese, de Niro, Pesci and Al Pacino.

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Reasons to be cheerful

MY local newsagent is doing his bit to cheer up customers.

He’s changed the sign in his window saying it is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under 18 to the one below.

He’s also put up sheets of newspaper which he is jokingly offering to sell as being “nearly as soft as Andrex”.

But the one I like best is his latest:

“Please observe ‘Social Distancing’ for the safety of every one of us. Please do not try to get too close to the handsome young man in the shop.”

Have a great weekend