Rose Gibson: Welcome to today's episode of I'm Fine Book. Today I'm joined by Cherry. Cherry, welcome to the show. Hi Rosie. So can you tell our listeners who you are and what you do? well, first of all, I'm a mum. Yeah. Although my babies are a lot bigger than your babies now. I've got babies that have got babies. I run a Pilates studio, have done for past 20, I think, six years, and I work very much in education, so that's how we met. Yep. I work very much in education, I'm a presenter. and I teach people to become Pilates teachers and then lots of the further training from that. Yeah, you've got a full scale, haven't you? Yeah. You don't just do one niche, you're in a bit of everything. And our paths cross, I was trying to work this out. I think it's going on nearly twenty years. Yeah, yeah. Which is quite scary. so talk to me about how this all started because I know you didn't start in this field, did you? You got into fitness. Yes. Talk to me about this journey that you've had. Well, I think first and foremost, I think sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time. Yeah, so I know you can plan your life, but sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time. And I originally, many, many years ago, 'cause I'm sixty-four now, was trying to get into Loughborough University to do P because not putting myself down and say, I've never been that academic, but I could run faster than anybody else at the time. and I'd just struggled to get my masol level, struggle to get it. And I was consistently trying to do it, trying to do it, trying to do it. And I discovered that there was something called fitness, not just sports-related fitness. And I was lucky enough that I saw somebody was opening a gym. This is many years ago, I was 18 at the time. And I thought, whilst I'm doing my all levels, let's have a look at could I get this job in a gym? Yeah. So I was lucky that it was the first postume of its kind. You know, before then I'd I'd been very into sports with more sort of spit and sawdust gyms. Yeah. and that was great. I got the job there. And then within a couple of years I'd heard about Pineapple Dance Studio. Mm-hmm. So my boss at the time funded me to go to Pineapple Dance Studio, which I went to and was a the first class I did, I did it in Do you know what I mean by jazz pumps? I do know if you mean by jazz pumps. And they were blue with a white sole jazz picture. No socks. Have you still got them? No, I don't think it was enough. And Lotard, but it was a full bum Leotard, because this was before G Strings. Yeah. Nothing else. So that's how young I was that I went to Pineapple. I think I was probably about 2021 at this stage. Went to Pineapple Dance Studios and I came back and I said, There's this thing called aerobics. Yeah. So then that was it. So I went to Pineapple Dance Studio a few times. And then eventually I really realised I needed a qualification. Yeah. And there was nothing out there. So I really did as much research and as much phoning because there was there wasn't the internet, there wasn't what we've got now. And I eventually got on a course at Trinity and All Saints P College in Leeds. That was the start. So I did my first qualification there. And then the whole thing just grew from there. I've not put myself down. I was just in the right place at the right time. There was very, very few people that were qualified. Okay. So when people started to it got bigger, Robert's got bigger. Yeah. You know, and then we all started doing the you know, probability, all these different things, and it started to get bigger and bigger and bigger. I was one of the only qualified people amongst a handful. Believe it or not, Dean Hodgkin had trained with the same organisation. He's big. In the fitness industry, it's just for the second hip replacement. and Christine North, she did the qualification the year before me. And as you know, she's been in the industry for many years. Christine will kill me for saying that a long, long time. And so I was very lucky that then I got asked to present at things. Yeah. So there was like a little convention in Love Brain. I got asked to present at that. And I don't think it's that I was brilliant. There just wasn't many other people. I think you do yourself a little bit of a disservice slightly though, because you did all the other things that other you know, someone else might not have done that. They might not have gone to pineapple, they might have been like, well, it's someone else's job. Yeah. So you got to do all these amazing stages and you were sort of in the spotlight at this time, weren't you? Yes. Did you do bodybuilding as well? then I then I started bodybuilding. Okay. So I was got the qualifications to do fitness and I started weight training with the men at the gym. Yeah. And found out I was really good at it because I'm short. So it is a definite I'm short and very stopping. And it's a definite advantage. So I started powerlifting just with the chaps at the gym. Found out I was really good at it. Then turned into a small like a small rhinoceros. Because I was really I had a neck like this. And I thought it's not really the way that I want to look at that edge. So then I started bodybuilding, okay. which was much more the look I was looking for. And you know, bodybuilding, I really, Rose, loved every single minute of my bodybuilding, loved every single second of the competing. I wouldn't these days I wouldn't even be allowed on stage looking like I looked then. The the level is yeah different. So I'm 649. I think I did my first competition when I was twenty-two. And can have you got a picture of this that you can share. So if you are watching this, we'll put a little picture on there. And I, you know, I wasn't very good at all. But really, to just be a female bodybuilder at the time, you just needed to have a bit of muscle. Yeah. That's all that was mattered. And I did anyway. Yeah. And and I literally trained and I did for six weeks. Do you know you'd be looking at now four years training, six months dieting? It's crazy now. Yes, crazy. But just as a side note, my first experience, Rosie, this is like don't give up. My first experience, I went went backstage and I was the first person backstage. And this lady came in and she was unbelievable. And it was a first timer, so that meant you hadn't you couldn't have placed first, second, or third in any other competition. Okay. So I came in, lady, beautiful. And I just looked and I thought, I'm outclassed here. I am really outclassed. She went on to win. So that and she not only did she win that competition, she then went on to be really big within the bodybuilding industry. So I picked up my bag, went outside, said to my boyfriend at the time was named my husband. I'm not doing it. And he said, why not? And I went, if they're all gonna be like that, I'm gonna look ridiculous. And he went, That's one woman. I think there's something like twenty-eight people in it. Went, go back in. So I went back in and another lady had come into the changing room who actually got last. So I was in the changing room with the first and the last. I placed about seventh in my first competition. Not great but not bad. Yeah, I mean it wasn't twenty-eight. No, it wasn't 28. And so that was a real experience that, you know, don't the the person that was in there made me think, I'm not taking I'm not putting the bikini on. And then I was like, no, you're gonna be okay. But really, you know, the lady that got first, the lady that got last, they were all on stage, they all competed. And I think there's something in that that just being part of it as well. And I know there's that thing at the moment, like a l in a lot of schools where it's like it's all about the taking part. But actually to go on stage and to not win. It's character building. Absolutely. I always try and push my children to do things, knowing that they're not going to win. Absolutely. Because you're not going to win at everything. Absolutely. And then by the time I came to do my next competition, I was a lot more experienced then. And the strangest thing, Rosie, was that it was a man's world at that time. We're talking a long time ago, it was a man's world. So Told you about when you got you had your children then. So at what point didn't did they come into this? So I just believe I've been an extremely lucky person. So I got spotted doing a presentation teaching aerobics at Loughborough University. Right. By a lady called Mary Morris. And she asked me if I would do a little bit of presenting and stuff, and then I Had got my qualification, but then they brought out, I think the two young brothers brought out the Royal Society of Arts for Exercise to Music. Okay. So anybody who was qualified with anything else had to do a conversion course. Yes, I do remember this. Right. Yeah. So I went to London, to the WC in London, and I was really if people can't see me, I'm really pulling my face. I like, I've just passed my PA with distinction. I shouldn't have to do this again. Yeah. Yeah. Big mistake. Best thing ever did. So I then went and did this conversion course. couldn't take my exam in London because at the age of 26 I got chicken pox. So I ended up going to Lichfield to take my exam. And I took my exam, Rosie. I can see it y as if it was yesterday. I took my exam and I was the last one on the day. I could even do my routines now, I think, and it was a long time ago. And and I sat down, you had to have a vior. Right. And I sat down and the two people, it's Mary Morris and Mary Brennan, who were big in the fitness industry at the time. And they both leant back in the seat, crossed their arms and said, We've got nothing to ask you. So I didn't know Rosie, does that mean I was terrible? Yeah. Or did that mean Have you point blank failed? Or are you amazing? So I said to them, is that a good or a bad thing? And they went, It's very good. So I said, thank you. And then they went, Where'd you live? So I told them they said, This is in my exam vibe. You wouldn't be allowed to do that now, but this is a long time ago. Would you be interested in working for the YMCA? And that at the time Job opportunity in your exam. It was the only at the time the YMCA was the Only decent and highly respected training provider. And I was just I came out and I can remember coming home and saying to my husband, I think I've passed because you didn't know at the time, it got sent in the mail. I said, I think I've passed because they've offered me a job. So I think I passed. I think I'm all right. And so that was it. It wasn't good planning, it just happened. I really got my feet under the table with the YMCA. I built myself up from a unpaid course assistant, yeah, to a paid course assistant, to a senior course assistant, to a course assistant course director to being a course director. Yeah. Was going all over the country. I spent weeks in London, lots of time in Lichfield, running the courses in Manchester. And I got pregnant. I didn't mean to get pregnant, but I got pregnant. It all happens. Always happens like that, Jerry. But I was so grateful because I'd become a course director before I got pregnant. I think if I'd have been just starting, it would have been very difficult. But because there wasn't many course directors around, yeah, I was able to sort of continue my career and I remember assessing and the baby you wouldn't do it now, but the baby was only about ten days old. And they couldn't get anybody else to assess. It was either me or me or me. So I just went assessing for somebody else somewhere else. My husband came with me and I just had to like assess a c assess a a student, breastfeed, assess two students, and it whereas now there's so many people that could do it, they wouldn't give me that opportunity, but they they have no choice really. I remember when I had had my third and I was teaching obviously our course is quite specific to us. There's no one else that could teach it. And I I'd had this course planned and up and ready and running. And as she must have been about three months old. And my mum bringing her and being like, She needs to feed. And we tried to give her a bottle and she won't have a bottle. And she at every sort of half an hour I'd get a text message, Can you just come down to the cafe? Because she needs another feed and I can't settle her. But the whole day backwards and forwards. But you just get through it, don't you? You just kinda go, Well, this is what's happened. I've got a child. I'm gonna have to crack on with it. So from that point then, you've had multiple children. Yes. How did that work in terms of your relationship and working? Were you away a lot? I was away a lot, Rosie. I had three children. Yeah. And I had three children in five years. You were the sort of. I know what were we doing? Yeah. Got it out of the way though. Yeah, you get it everywhere. And now, I don't know about you now, I your kids are a lot younger than mine. I really am pleased that I did. I've got three girls and who are now all in the thirties and the the They would kill for each other, hating each other's children. Yeah, yeah. But they would kill for each other. And the support that they that those have got was I really feel like those big age gaps that might not be quite the same. I think that's I say that to my children a lot, especially the two girls, 'cause we've got a boy in the middle, but they are they argue, they're so catty, aren't they, girls? I remember me and my sister being exactly the same and being like, She will be your best friend when you're older. You're gonna hit about twenty five thirty, you're gonna be like, I'm so grateful for you. once I had my first, I was able, I had three jobs, and once I got my first baby. it was okay, I could manage. I don't know about you. Yep. Had my second baby. She was about three, four months old, and I thought I was gonna have a breakdown. So John used to come in from work. You must have been the same day. We literally hand the baby literally at the door. Sometimes if John was stuck in traffic, I would literally have everything in my car, car keys in the car, baby here, and I would literally pass as we And sometimes we've met. Like we've actually gone out and I'm like, I'm gonna have to meet you on the way and we'll pass the children. Or we've swapped cars. Yes, yes. And I'm like, You get in my car, I'll get in your car. Go. Yeah, and with my first baby Because I was teaching aerobics, John and and Cirque at the time, that's not thing, Step, that's something John used to come to a class, if it was a later class, and we used to put earbuds in the baby's ears so the le the music wasn't too loud. And then if the baby cried, John would leave the class and go. Sometimes he'd do a whole class, sometimes he'd only do five or ten minutes. But yeah, you you find a way. So I can remember getting to about six months with Freya and saying to my husband, I can't do this anymore. I said, I either just have one job instead of three different ones. And you're also a mum. And I'm also a mum. but I did have a very hands-on husband because without being rude, we earned a similar amount of money and it was like You know we have to both do it. And I used to say to people, the only thing my husband can't do is breastfeed. Yeah. And you know, that was the only thing. And and babies don't come with a manual. So why should I have known more about looking after a baby than John did? And literally, my first baby, I went back to work in ten days. Because I didn't go back to work rosy and jump around, but I went back to teach. Yeah. I can teach me with I think I could teach sat in a chair if I had to do. And And John, you know, John had to learn the same way I had to learn, apart from breastfeeding. That was the only thing that we you know, because then we we sort of worked things out. But John said to me at the time, I said, I need to get somebody to help me, or I give up two of my jobs. And John was saying, I don't want a stranger in my house, I don't want this, I don't want that. So I said, Okay then, well, we'll have to think about it, we'll have to decide which part of my job I'm gonna keep. He must have gone to sleep on it and thought, We ain't gonna have anymore. We are going to be extremely poor. And so then we made a decision, and a beautiful lady called Natalie fell, literally fell into my lap. And to cut long story short, she'd been in America, put quite a lot of weight on. She said, I will come in nanny for you. I said, I can only afford you part time, should that's okay. But I want to be able to come to your classes. I want to be able to get fit again and da da da. And that was and she's still a part. part of our life. But it was I was so blessed. I didn't have to interview. I would have struggled Rosie. But then she eventually, by the time I was having my third baby, was off travelling. Yeah. And I'm just so lucky that then I came across Emma who was on placement at Nushrey And then Emma started working with me and stayed with me. And the older my children got, she did less and less work, the older my children got And became a classroom assistant and now is deputy head of the school. So you know, Rosie, I felt extremely guilty at the time. And sometimes now I still do because I was away a lot. But I do I have got a lot of guilt. And sometimes I look back and I think, did I need to be away as much as I needed to be away? Mm. But I do wonder how many men would ask themselves that. there's definitely a mum guilt. divide here. And I think it's part of our innate instincts really that whatever you do, I think you're gonna have some guilt about it. Yes. If you'd have stayed at home and been there, you probably would felt guilty that your career maybe isn't where it had got to. Yes. It the there's guilt in every direction and it's the expectations that we put on ourselves, isn't it? That we should be able to do everything. But in reality we actually can't. Like you can't run three jobs and look after three children. run a household and your wife and it's just not possible to do everything. No, it's not. And I do have guilt, but then I sort of taught myself round with it as well. And something that I do taught myself around Rosie was spent the afternoon yesterday with my second daughter It was a birthday so I took her out for dinner. And my three girls are very independent women. Yeah. But who have chosen very nice men. Yes. And I was only saying this today. I think the example that John and I set them, not meaningful. You and Rob haven't planned the way you're gonna bring the children up. You just do. We don't plan anything, Cherry. We just win here. I never planned any of my babies. I've had three babies and not all of them was planned. Every one of them was was a very pleasant accident. Yeah. Yeah, just I think everything's a happy accident in my life. Sorry, I don't know whether this is suitable to say this, but I can remember somebody saying to me once, ooh, you know, like people and having babies and stuff and it was somebody who was very anti that I said and I said, Do you know what? I said they were very like, you know, career women and didn't like people's and it would just better people on a bit. And said, Do you know what? I said, I absolutely adore my husband. I said, I love him. I fancy the pants of him. Said, so if you have a lot of sex, babies are good. Do you know like no matter how careful you are They're gonna happen and you know, and because it we've got people what what did they call them baby making machines or something. Well, you were right. Do you not do you not think that's the nicest marriage to be in? I can't imagine being in a marriage where you don't like the electron person. And people do don't and the thing is as well, I I think I know you well enough to know this. I didn't fall in love because I wanted to get married and have babies. I didn't. Yeah. I didn't and As much as I absolutely adore my children, I would die for my children in an instant and you would. And then I said, I wouldn't die for your dad. What do you mean as a big person he could look after himself? You know, so it was like me or John, I'd struggle without him. But if it was about But me or any other girl, the girls, it would be an instantaneous thing. But going back to what I was saying, I think my girls have seen a relationship where mum and dad both go out to work. Mum and dad both have contribution to the household. There is no feeling that I felt beholden to John because he earned the money or the other way around. Sometimes he earned more money than me, sometimes I earned more money than him. and I think my girls have not been brought up purposely, but they understand independence and being an independent woman and all and choosing somebody who supports them. So I think if they'd have met men in their past who hadn't have supported them, I think it would have been like, well I always saw my dad doing that with my mum. I always saw my mum doing that with my dad. And you know, like my mum wouldn't have put up with my dad doing that. What great example though. Yes, I think and and then I also think they are independent. And I've always said to them, earn your own money. Yeah. Have your own independence because that way if you decide you're not happy in your relationships, you don't have to stay because you've got no money. And there's something really I think It's just so powerful, isn't it? Like I think knowing that actually you aren't restricted in any way, that you can make whatever decision you want and you're gonna be okay. Yes. You know, you can back yourself, you don't need anybody else to do that. Yes. So you've got these three children, your career's blown up. Yes. Because you became really well known, didn't you, within the fitness industry. The fitness industry became doing yourself a disservice by saying that. You've definitely worked hard. I have worked hard and I've always rose it, always done qualifications. So even though I was qualified and I was I hate that word, but within the fitness industry I was famous within the fitness industry. I never sat still. I always made sure that every year I did some sort of further training. And if I wasn't presenting at a convention, like I used to present all over the UK, so I'd go to America to the conventions because you know yourself if you're presenting at a convention I'd struggle to partake a lot because what's going what's going on in my head, it's like I can't take on any more information, I have to keep it there. And I o also don't want to feel intimidated by somebody else's. Yeah. So I very much sort of like have to keep what I'm doing. That's the imposter syndrome that so many people get though, that they're like, but that looks really good on my watch in case. Yeah, absolutely. So if I went to America to the conventions I was able to nobody almost relax. We literally left our house say on the Thursday and I flew to the States on the Friday. We're just resilient. I think as as women, as a gender, I think we are just resilient. And again, going back to having a really good hubby. Yeah. You know, really good hubby. But you know, I don't think we should canonise John as a saint or your Rob as a saint because we were instrumental in providing an income into the household. You know, it wasn't just a one-sided thing, it was a two-sided thing, and you know, and then it was just lucky that with our job. John went to work during the day. I went to work at night on the weekends. And I talk about this a lot. Like, especially when I started, it was perfect for me. I mean I trained with you before I had my children. And it was perfect because I didn't matter when I worked. I could work all hours. Yes. When I had children and they were little, evenings, weekends, he'd work during the day. Yes. Past the baby. Yeah. And then as they hit school age, that's when I was like, but now I'm missing out. Because as soon as it's evening time. I'm going out to teach my classes. I'm doing all the unsociable hours. And when they're at school, I'm sort of sat around twiddling my thumbs. Yes. and I think looking at it as a relationship, it's never I think sometimes when you look at it as a whole and as a family unit, you think, it's 50-50. It's never 50-50, is it, when you look at it? It's always just doing equal parts that you can do. And at the time as well. Yeah. And supporting each other through every different stage. There's times when you're busier, there's times when you're quieter. Rob, that sometimes Rob needs you to be sat on the sidelines and running everything. Yeah, other times you need Rob. Yeah, it's just I think it's just part of the journey, isn't it? So how have you got to where you are now? Because you've done your focus has really kind of changed and you've done I mean I think when I've looked at your sort of career as well, it's definitely moved within your life cycle, I think. Absolutely. Absolutely. And I think I'm quite the same as well with the programmes that we've developed. But you're really into a lot of weight training now. So can you talk to me a little bit about how how important that is to you? I was just extremely lucky, trying to cut a very long story short now. I was big in the fitness industry. Yes. And then something called core stability started. Yeah. Yeah. Long, long time ago. And I was very lucky that I'd met a gentleman called Chris Norris, And he did this thing on core stability for physiotherapists. And I said to him, Could I come? I've never heard of this, could I come? So he said, Yeah, Cush can. And he knew me and I You I'm only a fitness instructor. No problem, you can come. I sat there through this presentation and my jaw was down. I'd just had I think well, I can't remember, I had one of the babies. And I was like thinking, my, this is revolutionary. Because in the past, Ros, if you've had somebody who came to your fitness class, say, And they went, I can't do a sit-up for whatever reason. They did pelvic tilts. Yeah. And it was like that was the only option, right? And it was like that was a whole other way of working abdominals. And I went up to him at the end and I said, Chris, this is amazing. I said, I know this is you're teaching this to physios to teach to an individual client. How do I take this information and put it into a class situation? And Chris, if you've ever met him, in a very serious way, he looked down his nose at me because he's very tall and I'm very small. And he went, Sherry, you're the class instructor. You tell me. So I went away and developed what I call the abdominal revolution. It was massive. I went, I can remember one year, one room in Guildford, and I was at the sports centre in Guildford. There was 121 people in the in the room. Big mistake. I've never been a good businesswoman. I'm better now. I used to be terrible. I was like that dog. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll do anything, I'll do anything. And I can remember getting a sex salary. no! god. Because I didn't do any of the admin, I didn't do and the person that was my agent at this time was absolutely brilliant. Yeah. But was a good business person, whereas I maybe wasn't. Yeah. And but then somebody said to me once, is this call stability like Pilates? Hundreds of years ago this is and I went, I don't know what Pilates is. Yeah, what is it? So then I went to research what Pilates was. Again, there wasn't the internet, I had to go away, I had to try and find out things. I was like, Actually, I can see some elements crossing over. So then I went to train to be a Pilates teacher. Completely don't like a lot of the Pilates movements because a lot of the Pilates movements are exceptionally good for certain demographics of people. But the original works of Joseph Pilates is if I'd be scary as well. So I had this conflict of, I don't think that's a good exercise for the general public. Yeah. And also I was started working with a lot with pregnancy. I started doing a lot with seniors. I did more qualifications. And I was like, well, I wouldn't do that with somebody who's pregnant. I wouldn't do that with somebody who's senior, I wonder who somebody with somebody with sciatica. And so I started learning more. So then Chris Norris and I, just by accident, got together and I was saying, I've done this Pilates, blah blah blah, but I don't agree with this. And Chris, what do you think about that? So we developed modern Pilates. Yeah. Now I you know people have threatened to break my legs, people have told me I was bastardising Pilates. I've had people confronting me in corridors and shouting at me. I have been told For some reason they don't like me Scotland, particular Scottish Pilates organization, and as far as I know, I don't think I've met any of them, told me that I was a nasty little woman because I was changing things. Now I'm not saying that the original works of Pilar Joseph Pilates is wrong, not at all, but it's not always the best choice of movements for today's demographic. And I've moved into now much more of a clinical approach to Pilates. So we teach modern parties, that's what you trained with, has a more clinical approach. So we train to work with people who yes, we work with athletes who need to improve performance or recover from injuries, but it's much more if you come to your class and somebody said, I've got a diastasis or I've got a prolapse or I've got a neck issue or I've just had a hip replacement four months ago, we know what to do and what not to do. and I think as well, we have to take every single person as an individual. But something for one person will be perfect. Yes. Like if you've got when I was in my like dancing career, original Joseph Pilates works, perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Exactly what I needed. It was the best form of training you could do. But postnatally, that's completely what I didn't need. So I think it's it's all subjective, isn't it? But at my age now, I can I'm not gonna say I don't care because of course I care. But now I'm quite happy to go. This is the method that I use. Do you want me to justify it? Yeah. I can back it up with research, I can back it up, but I could also back it up by the hundreds of people that I teach and people that I train teach that get benefit. So who wouldn't get the same benefit? If they did the full roll down into a full roll up and did the one hundred, then I'm not saying those things are wrong, but they're wrong for some people. how do you work online now? Because you've got quite a good online space. So people are listening and they're thinking, I want a little bit of this. I want to hear a bit more about what Cherry's doing. So I became all encompassed in Pilates. Yeah. Yes. A long time ago. Opened a Pilates studio because now you know people can't unless they're under a storm, they've heard about Pilates. Yeah. We opened our studio twenty five years ago and I was teaching Pilates for maybe five years. Do you think Pilates is a very umbrella now? Absolutely. and again, that's a whole other podcast because I go there's Pilates and the Shalates. Yeah. And in the same respect, somebody that teaches classical Pilates and has done the whole wonder chair and the Cadillacs and everything, they would think that I was a charlatan. Yeah, yeah. But in the same respect, I think somebody who's got 50 people in a sports hall. And has only done a little bit of training or even just got the basic level three because the basic level three, I'm gonna say it, is not fit for purpose. If somebody said to me I've done my level three, I wouldn't employ them, they'd have to do further training and be auditioned because the basic level three does not teach you to teach the people that come through the door. Yeah. But whilst I think that some people think I'm a charlatan, I also feel that other people are charlatan. Of course there is, and it's what is we could do a whole other thing on that. But then I got very involved in Pilates and that took me down. You know, that's been my career, that's been my passion. And again, I just I'm so lucky I have a guardian angel that because you cannot carry on teaching five or six fitness classes, whatever that type of thing is, it's every day when you start to get into your 50s, it's too much. So, but I could teach five or six, Pilates classes because it's a lot physically easier on your body, not your brain. But your body it is. And so I sort of morphed. We opened a studio. We then opened two studios, been very, very successful. But my body started to suffer because I was still eating the same amount as I was eating when I was teaching fitness. And I got bigger and bigger and bigger. And then I used to do try and do the weight loss. Sometimes I did lose weight, sometimes I didn't lose weight. But then I went back into weight training. And I was doing one weight training class a week. But when you're teaching, you're not joining in. Yeah. Went on holiday, a long holiday, me and my husband decided to have pensions and adventures. I went on long holiday and I didn't have any weights, but I had lots of big bottles of water and rocks in this garden and lots of spare time. Plus, I wasn't jumping up and down like I was. 'Cause even though I wasn't teaching a lot of fitness, I was still doing some. So I started doing weight training as I used to do, but on my own. Mm-hmm. And my body changed. Not only did it change, everything changed. Yeah. And it was like I was still doing my parties for myself. But instead of thinking, I've got to run more, I've got to jump around more, I've got I just started doing more weight training. Yeah. And in all honesty I don't know if people know how old you are, but if I was training you, Rose, I would train you differently to how I train myself or another person in the 60s. It has to be different. but my online group has gone from me teaching a little bit of weights online, a little bit of step online, a little bit of hit online through COVID, to now being a full on it is the biggest part of my business. Of doing weight online. In an ideal world, I would be seeing people. But I've got people in Dubai, I've got two people in Dubai, I've got people in France, in France, I've got people in Spain, I've got somebody in Germany now. I've got two people in the States, no, one in the States, one in Canada, as well as so I can't I can't even do Zoom because people would be on different timelines, but it's about Trying to give women the confidence to train to be able to then maybe go on to do more. Yeah. But the biggest reason, Rosie, why I started it is because celebrities out there might be brilliant. I hate to mention any names, but he's a man. Yeah, we all know we all know he's right, yeah. And he's great, I love him. He's fabulous. But stay in your lane, mate. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, stay in your lane. So then when he starts talking about weight training for menopausal or postmenopausal women and I watch what they do, I think you my god, and it makes me feel sick. Yeah. Because if you get somebody who is post-menopausal or going through the menopause, they've got joints, aches and pains, and then somebody goes do this and they do it and they get injured, who are they gonna blame? Themselves. It's me. I'm not strong enough. I'm too weak. Whereas the person that's been telling them to do that exercise is not giving them the right information. You give people information when they are pregnant, which differs from when they're postnatal. Which differs from six months after being postnatal to coming to you and going, I want you to do such and such a thing. One of the reasons that I was driven to is what I was seeing out there. Yeah. And I didn't invent the name Men Ocash. It was a friend of mine, Helen Carpenter Waters, and I was say I used to do I do rants on Facebook and emotionality and I was going, I said I enjoy your rants a lot. And this guy was going, you know, do join me for this. He didn't warm up. Yeah. He didn't warm up. Research, we're talking about research, not my opinion. Research shows that as you age you need to do a little bit more warm up. You know, if you're 35, get in the gym for all kinds. So kettlebell. Do know what? Not when you're 50, not when you're 60, not when you're seventy. I'll have to find it, but there's one about there is a postnatal one and it I'll I'll I'll have to find it for you. And it I've never been so angry and it's it wanted me I I felt like just smashing my phone up. It was some guy and he was saying about stop making excuses just because you've had a baby. And I was like, I was like, this is pardon friend. Fan is gonna fall like that's not an excuse. Yeah, yeah. It's not an excuse. it was it was terrible. So we do have a full range of listeners on the podcast. So if they want to come and find you, where can they come and connect? you can just Google me, Joey Baker. Yeah, actually you can just Google me. and so I have a website called Living Stronger. Yeah. with Cho Baker. we have little bits that people can do extra for more mature women. But I do think that People want to stay more functional as they get older. Yeah. And so that's where my living's stronger. Cherry makes it. So what we'll do is we'll pop the link. So if you want to go connect with Cherry, if you scroll down to the bottom, you will see the link on the show notes and you can click on there. Well thank you. And I'll find a bodybuilding picture. Yeah, find a bodybuilding picture. But remember when I bodybuilded, I wouldn't even be allowed on stage looking like I did I did. I enjoyed it. Would I do it again? You would.

Rose: You've just listened to I'm Fine But. If you're unsure about business or what really matters to you right now, why not take our free Core Values course? It's linked in the show notes and it's a brilliant place to begin. Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode and you can follow us online at all your favourite social media platforms at BabyBeat UK. Until next time, I'm Rose and I'm fine but honestly... We're all just figuring it out.