Wigan personal trainer is helping people to stay active during lockdown

Niki Thomas started supporting others with their fitness two years ago, initially working in a gym and then from her home in Swinley when the pandemic began.

Now, she is offering an online service, where people can join classes via Zoom at the same time as other people or do them later in their own time.

She hopes the classes will help to motivate people, support them to keep healthy and improve their mental health during lockdown.

Mother-of-three Niki said: “It’s important for your health and your complete well-being. It could help people to feel happy and achieve something. It’s important for your mental health. It gets you feeling better in yourself, gets your body moving and releases endorphins.”

Niki offers a range of classes, including tabata, leg workouts, HIIT and mini band sessions, which are suitable for people of all abilities and can be modified as needed.

Although the sessions can be done at any time, she believes the live classes are proving to be popular due to the group element.

“I went online in the first lockdown, but found a lot of people fell off that,” she said.

“I think there was no incentive to be there, whereas when it’s on Zoom and you are committed to that time, everyone is doing it at the same time. You are not just at home watching a video, you are doing it with everyone else.”

People who do not feel confident exercising in front of other people can choose to turn off their own video.

But there is a chance to socialise too, even while everyone is in their own homes.

Niki said: “I like staying behind after classes and the women get to know each other. I have a private WhatsApp group too, so we message during the day with whatever we are struggling with. It doesn’t have to be health and fitness, it’s venting about anything.”

Niki, 39, also has a private Facebook group for the participants, where she shares recipes each week and eating plans to help people with their diet. She also offers one-to-one training sessions via WhatsApp or at a park, in line with the lockdown restrictions.

Her online classes cost £12 per month, available at nikithomaspt.co.uk and her Nicola Thomas Fitness page on Facebook

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