Luckily for me I did have foresight that home workouts would become more popular as I had already set up Shameem.fit before Covid hit. I had no idea at the time Covid would bring an abrupt end to my community classes but Iām pleased I adapted to online so easily. For years people had been asking me to do it so they could access Moky workouts wherever they were and at times to suit them and Iām relieved I listened and finally got round to doing it.
The transition from community classes to delivering them from my home āMoky roomā in front of a camera was surprisingly easy. Iām fortunate Mat is such a “techie” guy and has created a brilliant platform for us. What was unexpected for me is that I got the same buzz and enjoyment at home as I did from the community classes, and over a year later I still do. Of course I miss the faces, the chat, the whoops, the laughs. Thereās so much fun in being together, but online I have found that with the regular contact through the website and Facebook we can still have the laughs and chat, just in a different way. With Mat joining me at the sessions as well thereās never a shortage of banter š. We’re even introducing guests in our Moky room now and hopefully will have more public events when the time is right.
It wasnāt long into Lockdown 1 I became aware a lot of people loved this new way of working out with many telling me they would now stick to it over community as itās so much more convenient. They can fit it around the kids, work, home life and donāt have to stick to a rigid time like with the community classes. I know how tough it is balancing work and kids then add in fitness/ ‘me time’ well it just feels impossible. I’m pleased busy mums are getting the full benefit of shameem.fit now. No babysitters needed , in fact the kids can join in too! We can also dip in and out when needed. Life can get in the way but it’s so easy to come back to when you’re online as you can pick up where you left off or even go back and try the beginner playlists if it’s been that long!
We’ve welcomed subscribers from all over the UK , as well as abroad which is fantastic. I love it when I see our subscribers from outside the UK joining a Live session, it’s incredible to think how many more people we are reaching! Then there has been the increase in subscribers from those who were too nervous to come to a class. Although I can do my Moky thing and do it confidently, it doesnāt mean that I donāt know that anxiety fuelled feeling of stepping into a fitness class for the first time. You know where it feels that everyone else knows each other and what they are doing and you feel like the odd one out. There’s those with insecurities about their weight and fitness levels who wouldn’t want to attend a class with others. Since my Autism blog post I have received many messages from people who can relate, particularly around the social anxiety of fitness classes so Iām thrilled Shameem.fit is providing workouts without the social anxieties.
Shameem.fit started before Covid and it will continue. I have come to realise everyone has a unique home environment and many of those have changed with home working so itās impossible to time classes to suit everyone. Online I now choose times for my Lives that suits my family life and pop them straight on the website afterwards for people to do at times to suit them. For some that might be 6am, for others mid morning or late evening. Thats the beauty of it, whatever time, night and day itās there ready to go.
The hardest part of fitness at home for people is motivating themselves to do it. Iāll be honest I didnāt expect to see so many people doing it as regularly as they are but itās been amazing to see how many people are logging on everyday and just getting on with it. It always inspires me. Moky is my creation and my baby but without the participants it wouldn’t be the wonderful thing is has become.
I remember when I had my boys and with it being a full term twin pregnancy and add in my addiction to chocolate biscuits I gained a lot of weight and lost a lot of confidence. I began working out at home when the boys napped and over time built up my fitness and strength and lost the weight (I did have to give up the biscuits too). Ultimately if we want it enough we can make it happen. We can enjoy it too and although I was so scared at first it’s amazing how every day I had some progression and it spurred me on to keep going. I didn’t need a class to do it, just my living room and some determination and discipline.
For many, Shameem.fit has become a sanity saver, itās created consistency when it was needed most and itās given participants an opportunity to focus on their own fitness and progression rather than just ticking a box that they attended a class this week. They are achieving levels of fitness they never really thought about before, thereās more opportunity to challenge themselves and make the workouts more personalised for them and thereās more time to workout without the travel so people are working out more than before.
For me, with less time travelling to classes Iām now able to spend time continuing my fitness education and my favourite thing of all- creating! Iām loving coming up with new things to add to the workouts. Our latest addition weāre introducing is resistance bands and foam rollers. Foam rollers and resistance bands can be bought cheap and easily stored at home so itās nice and convenient without the need of bulky equipment.
Fitness has to be enjoyable for us to keep with it and I know thatās where I excel, there is no such thing as a boring workout at Moky. Itās the only exercise I do because I am one of those people who dislike the gym and āno pain no gainā attitudes, it puts me off. Although I do love to push myself it only works for me with my ‘Moky formula’ and I know thereās plenty more like me who prefer to exercise in this way. Of course we also have subscribers who keep themselves fit in other ways but also join us regularly. Weāre a great mix of people taking care of our physical fitness and the mental benefits that come with it and Iād like to thank everyone who takes part.
I love getting the emails and contact from clients about how Moky at home is working out for them so if youāre reading this and have been taking part at Shameem.fit feel free to leave a comment so I know how youāre getting on.
For anyone who doesn’t subscribe please do try our one week free trial and try all the sessions if you can fit them all in. It’s about making it work for you and your life. Whether you do it alongside other fitness activities or you’re a complete beginner wanting to build confidence, we’ve got something to suit everyone.