Sussex-based female personal trainer, Becky, will be offering a brand new group class in Hurstpierpoint starting in January 2026. Read on to find out more!
Wellbeing space, Lyona, has now been open for a year. I’ve attended several classes there myself, and am really pleased to be setting up my own class in this lovely venue. The studio is on Hurstpierpoint High Street and has been renovated to an incredibly high standard: I remember on my first visit checking out the loo (which is a trick from my event management days!) and being very impressed!
Much of the class programme so far has involved yoga, pilates, and other mindfulness-type practices. I’ve been added to the schedule in order to bring an additional focus on strength, but what exactly will classes with me involve?
Strength with Becky – two levels
In order to support the new year enthusiasm for trying new things, I’m running two programmes, each for six weeks, which attendees are encouraged to commit fully to in order to really see the benefit of the practice. This means attending one hour-long class per week – the “gentle” class is for you if you’re curious about starting to get stronger but have never done anything like this previously; if you have tried things like circuits classes or home workouts involving some weights in the past, you’re more likely to want to try the “intermediate” version.
Whilst the classes will be catered to different ability levels, both will be structured to ensure that you get a full-body workout as much as you are able. One of the things I truly believe in is ensuring that our bodies are worked evenly – decades of training in the equestrian world has taught me that imbalance, or over-training certain things at the neglect of others is ultimately detrimental. I always aim to improve on any weaknesses over time, and that means making sure that nothing gets ignored.
Functional fitness – why you should try it
The brief from Lyona for this class has been clear – focus on function. Functional fitness is a phrase which is used a lot, and it can mean a variety of things. For this class, it means the key movement patterns our bodies are designed to do, and making sure that we have the strength to keep doing them! Knowing that we are strong, and can move our bodies freely also improves our confidence – I’ve had clients over the years tell me that they’ve been able to pack their car for a camping trip, or carry their child through the house easily because they’ve practiced lifting weights at the gym. Those scenarios, and things such as carrying shopping, or enjoying walking around during a day out with no fear of getting overly tired, are the things that I bear in mind just as much as being able to get up should you fall over.
The pace of the class – will I keep up?
Whilst this is a group session and the majority will be doing the same activities throughout, another key principle I live by is that your body is the benchmark. I don’t have a standard expectation of what a squat looks like for every person, beyond the fact that it involves bending the knees, ankles, and movement at the hips. All participants will be asked to give me their starting version of any movement, and the idea is that they each get to improve based on what they are capable of, and with my support and feedback.
Although classes are 60 minutes long, this will include a warm up and cool down, me checking in with everyone at the beginning, and regular pauses during the class to re-set exercises, receive coaching, and have some water or maybe even a chat! If you’d like to know what my PT clients think about me, you can read their reviews here.
How to book classes at Lyona
All classes are bookable online – visit the Lyona website and scroll through the schedule to the right date. The series officially starts on 13th January for intermediates, and 15th January for the gentle class. However, I’m also running a taster class on Monday 29th December for all abilities, so if you’d like to try it out before you commit to the series, come and join me then!
Equally, if you have any questions, you can get in touch and I’ll happily answer. I can’t wait to see you at class!