Berkshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-lowdown">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2131" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44.jpg" alt="trx fitness class vanessa elliott pt berkshire" class="wp-image-71490" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-563x800.jpg 563w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-704x1000.jpg 704w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-282x400.jpg 282w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-768x1091.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-1081x1536.jpg 1081w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_1cc47c44-1442x2048.jpg 1442w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Ready to get sweaty? TRX, aka Total Resistance Exercise, has taken the fitness world by storm for its versatile, low-impact, and full body benefits. And if there&#8217;s anyone guaranteed to crack the whip and put you through your paces it&#8217;s GB triathlete and PT <a href="https://vanessapt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanessa Elliott</a> who opened her very own stylish TRX Clubhouse in leafy Swallowfield (near Reading) this June. </p>



<p>Inside an oak framed and light-flooded barn, the TRX space is utterly gorgeous, located on a farm and offering idyllic views of the neighbouring stables and their handsome steeds. It&#8217;s the stuff dreams are made of. Park up and join one or two (you zippy little thing) of Vanessa&#8217;s fully guided TRX classes, on every Monday at 8am, 9.15am, 6pm and 7.15pm. Busy bee? There’s a Friday lunchtime express class at 1.15pm for 30 minutes too. Classes are run in 7-week blocks and are payable in advance. If you can&#8217;t make a class, Vanessa will do what she can to book you on to another time if space allows.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash.jpg" alt="trx classes near me" class="wp-image-72326" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxdeepigoyal-29XohzkscAM-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>So, what is TRX? The concept is simple. Two straps that hang from the ceiling are used to create resistance as you complete a range of body weight movements and exercises. The results are seriously impressive. Over a course, you can expect to improve core strength, mobility, cardio fitness, flexibility, and balance simultaneously. Yep, it’s a game changer. The best part? You&#8217;ll be over and out in just 60 short minutes, and it&#8217;s suitable for all ages and abilities. Sounds good to me.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-experience">THE EXPERIENCE</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c.jpg" alt="trx fitness class vanessa elliott pt berkshire" class="wp-image-71491" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c-600x800.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c-750x1000.jpg 750w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c-300x400.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTWhatsApp-Image-2024-06-29-at-14.21.06_be64750c-1152x1536.jpg 1152w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>After weaving my way through the winding country lanes, a farm would be the last place I&#8217;d expect to find a cool class like TRX. But stepping inside the modish barn, it wasn&#8217;t hard to see why when Vanessa secured this space, she felt like she&#8217;d hit the jackpot. It&#8217;s beautiful and is about as inviting as a place dedicated to breaking a serious sweat can get. </p>



<p>But on top of that, the ambience was incredibly relaxed, warm, and upbeat. My fellow participants were a pick &#8216;n&#8217; mix of ages, genders, and abilities, and everyone, Vanessa especially, instantly made me feel incredibly welcome. People were joking around, chatting, and up for a laugh from the get-go which helped take the edge off. And even as the class wore on, they continued to smile through the pain. Absolute troopers.</p>



<p>For today&#8217;s class, I was treated to a spot in the middle of the rack with a beautiful view of the outdoor courtyard and stables. A nice distraction as the strain levels amped up. We began by Vanessa asking if anyone had any injuries she should know about so she could tailor accordingly before talking us through how to set up the equipment. Then, it was on to a gentle warm up with slow movements for both the upper and lower body. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1.jpg" alt="berkshire fitness class vanessa elliott pt" class="wp-image-71492" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0241-Enhanced-NR-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Time for the main event. We followed a routine of completing three different moves across four sets with a 20 second break between sets, then a full minute rest after the full four were complete. Legs were first which meant a whole load of squatting. Hello peachy bum! Using the bands gave that little extra resistance which meant you could sit so much deeper in the position and really work those glutes. It was tough. Clearly, I was in for a proper workout. </p>



<p>Next was a series of arm and chest moves which I really enjoyed. I don&#8217;t work my upper body as much as my lower (oops!) so this was a nice change of pace for me. For one of the moves, we placed our weight into our arms to do something like an aerial push up. TRX is as much a lesson in trusting your own ability as at first, letting my body weight drop and be supported almost solely by my arms was slightly terrifying. But it&#8217;s one of those though, that once you do it once, you realise it&#8217;s nowhere near as bad as you think. And to my relief, I managed not to stack it. Result!</p>



<p>Annoyingly, I&#8217;m prone to back issues, but at no point did I feel I was straining myself or worried I was going to do some damage. TRX is a very safe way to explore a variety of moves, especially under Vanessa&#8217;s expert guidance. She was there throughout to help me and others make sure they were in the right position which was really reassuring.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="991" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR.jpg" alt="trx fitness class vanessa elliott pt berkshire" class="wp-image-71488" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR-800x529.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR-1000x661.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR-400x264.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/09/Vanessa-Elliott-PTDSC_0110-Enhanced-NR-768x507.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>After a set of ballet lunges, it was then time to get on the floor. Brace yourselves &#8211; it&#8217;s about to go downhill. Fast. We would be doing planking, which meant I had to manoeuvre my feet into the straps (a challenge of its own), but thankfully Vanessa was once more at my side to assist. The set consisted of two side planks and a regular plank. Well, TRX style, which meant your feet would be suspended in the air. </p>



<p>The best way I can describe the following scene would be to imagine a flailing (and very sweaty) beluga whale attempting to de-beach itself. Safe to say it was not my most glamorous moment. Clearly, I needed a few more TRX sessions to get the knack of it, but I couldn&#8217;t stop slipping out the straps and ended up having to resort to a regular plank which Vanessa was totally cool with.</p>



<p>A few others followed suit, but from the look of the many good plank forms I spied around the room, practice does make perfect. Despite my debacle (and the fact my body was burning), I was having a fab time and still had a smile on my face right until the end. A lovely cool down finished off the session perfectly.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-verdict">THE VERDICT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="2250" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-72332" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-533x800.jpg 533w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-667x1000.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-267x400.jpg 267w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/trx-trxpexels-olegprachuk-7931015-1-1365x2048.jpg 1365w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>I&#8217;m a total TRX convert! It&#8217;s always a bit nerve-wracking trying something new, especially walking into a room filled with a load of hanging straps. But it couldn&#8217;t have been less scary. I left the class on such a high and felt like I&#8217;d really put in a shift. Not going to lie, my body was crying out for mercy for the next few days. However, I always take that as a great sign. </p>



<p>What I particularly loved about the class was that although some people had been doing TRX for a few years, you could go at your own pace. I sometimes worry about the need to keep up with the rest of the group in this kind of class, but I didn&#8217;t feel that here. Vanessa was so encouraging and made me push myself to my limit. Yet equally, I didn&#8217;t feel pressured to go overboard and hurt myself. There was zero judgement. But honestly, that&#8217;s what Vanessa is a pro at. Being your cheerleader and setting achievable goals without being overbearing. She was absolutely lovely and helped me feel calm enough to get the most out of the session. TRX, you&#8217;ve just gained a new fan.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-damage">THE DAMAGE</h2>



<p>The one-hour class on Mondays is £12.00 (£85.00 for a 7 week block). TRX Stretch (think yoga with straps) on Wednesdays at 6.00pm is £12.50, and TRX Express on Fridays is £10.00. Pay by class options are available in school holidays only.</p>



<p>Join Vanessa for her next block of TRX classes starting on 4 November for 7 weeks. Find out more <a href="https://vanessapt.com/trx-fitness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.</p>



<p><strong><em><a href="https://vanessapt.com/trx-fitness/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TRX Clubhouse</a>, Farley Hall Equestrian Centre, Rowes Farm, Church Road, Swallowfield RG7 1TJ.</em></strong></p>


Muddy breaks a sweat at Berkshire’s coolest new fitness class

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