One particular benefit from training at Equinox (aside from the incredible service, cold towels in mimi-fridges on the gym floor, a cafe with ideal high protein and low calorie food and so much more is the fact that the personal training service is so brilliantly personal. I’ve experienced personal training sessions in blocks at other gyms and nothing really compares.

Firstly, the Equinox proprietary Three-Cycle System is designed to keep you continuously stimulated. Once you finish 3, you return to Cycle 1 at a more advanced level. No plateaus allowed.

Trainers also have to complete 150 hours of education at the Equinox Fitness Training Institute (EFTI), which is apparently quite rigorous according to my trainer Andrea Pucci. Who guided me through my six classes and induction pushing personal body boundaries with me at least until I was like “no, we’re just doing 10 not 12 reps of this”. Sorry about that Andrea.

Either way, the last six months has yielded some pretty great results for me – across my core and especially tone – a lot of that is probably due to diet too. Granted I kinda always had a six pack, what Equinox has taught me is the power of open spaces – one of the company’s biggest USPs with regards to maximising it through free-form training and multi-joint movement. Equinox is leading the way with this type of ground-based exercise – and if any gym has the potential square metres of space to host this type of activity, it is Equinox.

I also have to thanks Caitlin McGowan for the introduction to open spaces, and letting me attend her classes that focus around them – and also being the most charming and inspiring trainer – everyone who meets her falls instantly in love.

So with that said, I’m sharing shots by Dimitris Theocharis that were taken after my six personal training sessions with Andrea a couple of weeks ago in aid of my grooming adventure/box project to raise money for homeless LGBT young people. Also for the record, because someone asked me the other day, these aren’t photoshopped or enhanced. It’s really down to good lighting and good effort.

The post Personal Training At Equinox appeared first on KIMU.

Grooming is often something that guys think is boring or takes too much time. It’s actually really easy to integrate into your daily routine. When the team at All Boxed Up asked me to be a part of this project and essentially curate my own limited edition Grooming Adventure, I wanted to find a set of products that are not only super accessible, but both encourage those who already groom to try something new and to introduce the idea to guys who might not already integrate products as part of their day to day habits.

Proceeds from the Box/Adventure are going to the Albert Kennedy Trust for homeless LGBT youth. The Albert Kennedy Trust supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans homeless young people in crisis, a charity particularly brought into focus during the holiday season and cold nights. For example, there are over 4,800 young LGBT people who are homeless or living in hostile environments.

The world is progressively becoming a more accepting place for the LGBT community and I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up in a city where individuality is embraced rather than shunned, but there are countless of kids that don’t have the same opportunity. I want to do what I can to help those living in hostile environments or like some of my friends who found themselves without a home after they came out which is why I am donating proceeds from this box to the Albert Kennedy Trust.

Ok, so back to the product! The box is a collection of eight, full size premium men’s products worth over £150 and offered out at just £39.99 (plus p+p), representing a saving of over £100. It includes incredible products and brands from Cowshed body moisturiser to Pecksniffs salt scrub, Polaar moisturiser, Men Rock beard balm, Balla body spray and talc, Recipe for Men eye cream and Refinery face mask. Full details and reasons why I chose each over the products here.

It really does make for an ideal present for either yourself or a man in your life, and it’s for a good cause!

All photos exclusively by the incredible Dimitris Theocharis at KLIK Studios bringing to life each of the products, and thank you to Mickey Boardman and Paper Magazine for supporting this and publishing the images of me unleashing my “inner exhibitionist”!

The post My Men’s Grooming Adventure For Homeless LGBT Young People appeared first on KIMU.