But you do have a home... 

What on earth does that have to do with training? 

Walking around Westminster, sometimes there is just one tent up on the street, sometimes there are more. Sometimes, we'd rather not look. In fact most of the time... 

We don't know - should we give money, should we not? Homelessness is a problem in Modern Britain: If nothing changes, in 2023, 300,000 households could face the worst forms of homelessness.*

Again, what has that got to do with training? For me (and now you) hopefully quite a lot. 

My gym is on top of a resource centre serving the homeless community. I pay a monthly fee for the space, which goes to supporting the charity. During my many years of being a PT, and working in the fitness industry so much lip service about how we need to make fitness accessible and that there is no mental health without physical health etc. etc. but nothing is actually done to solve this problem. 

At the beginning of the year, I started a fitness intervention for some of the most vulnerable people - those experiencing homelessness. The classes are simple, yet challenging and have been the most attended class the charity has ever had. From my point of view, over the past 10 weeks, I can say they have been some of the hardest-working individuals I have ever trained. There are some enormous health issues that we have to work with. Clothing problems and every reason not to train. But the chance to be in a group environment, move and sweat (as I am sure many of you have felt) is a uniting and brilliant feeling. I don't need to tell you all the science of why it makes us feel good. We already know. But I sometimes find myself not wanting to train, finding it boring, and treating it like I chore. I've found that little reminders of how much of a privilege of going to the gym/training/playing sport is, it gives me back that sense of joy and desire to train. So next time you are dreading your workout. Have a little think of how lucky you are not to just go to the gym, but to have a home to go back to!

The sessions mentioned above are now being opened up to the residents and those that work in the area.  If you want to get involved and join in click here and book on: Every Friday 1:30pm. Victoria. (Bear Fitness Gym).

https://bear-fitness-ltd.uk1.cliniko.com/bookings?business_id=706247415669200118&practitioner_id=706247410275324999&appointment_type_id=792487911806211363

*From the @crisis website: By the end of 2021, 227,000 households across Britain were experiencing core homelessness. (Source: Heriot Watt University research). If nothing changes, in 2023, 300,000 households could face the worst forms of homelessness. (Source: The Homelessness Monitor Great Britain, 2022)