Fitness instructor has shared the true power of exercise for 15 years

She runs female fitness classes in Bebington making a positive difference in the lives of her clients.

Here, in our latest Business of the Week feature, Angela tells us how sport and exercise helped with her struggles at school and provided an outlet away from the classroom, why her sessions are women-only and her plans for making 2024 as happy and healthy as possible.

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What’s your full name?

Angela Taylor

What’s the name of the business?

Fit For All Wirral and I run outdoor female fitness classes in Bebington.

When did you open the business?

I have been a fitness instructor for about 15 years. I had a passion for exercise - bordering on obsession - to the point that before having kids, I worried about how I would be able to keep exercising and raise a family around work.

Tell me a bit about your fitness background

I had two beautiful daughters 18 months apart, and for the first couple of years, exercise had to take a back seat. The reality for me was I was so tired, and asking grandparents to mind them so I could do something purely for me seemed out of the question as they had all helped so much already. At the time, I thought I was alone in feeling this way however my years as an instructor have taught me otherwise! This is why I loved teaching buggy fit, giving new mums a chance to do something for themselves with the baby and meet other mums. These are brilliant classes for first time mums to get advice and reassurance. Driven purely out of selfishness, I enrolled on my first instructors’ course - indoor cycling. This allowed me to go part time and make my money up in the evenings taking classes. At the very beginning, I started with only a few classes at a local leisure centre. As dramatic as this sounds, I felt I had found my calling. This was a completely different experience to taking part in a class which had been all about me and instead this was about how good I could make others feel, I saw how I could change someone’s day for the better. I could make a real positive difference!

Angela has been a fitness instructor for 15 years

Why did you decide to open your own business?

I hadn’t appreciated the true power of exercise until I watched its magic work on other people. As a fitness instructor you get to observe the class and this allowed me to see first-hand how class members’ mindsets would change within 40 minutes, going from low mood with no energy to feeling fully energised. People would arrive hopping mad and leave chilled and able to laugh over the event instead. I also watched as friendships and confidence grew within the setting.

The more I got to know individuals, the easier I found it to tailor the class to what they needed just by watching them walk in the door. The more time I spent in the job the better I became at making one class suit a whole array of different needs, treating everyone as an individual but still a part of the pack. I loved it!

Jump forward a few years and I had been approached to set up an outdoor boot camp with another instructor. Unfortunately, the numbers where low and there wasn’t enough business for the both of us. I decided to scale it back to one class a week and just do it for fun as I really enjoyed the freedom it gave me to mix sessions up and try new things. I was cutting my teeth and learning a new skill with every session. The clients I had where amazing and I still have five original members seven years on! They were as enthusiastic as me to be trying new things, they were my guinea pigs when I bought new equipment or tried new exercises. It became our boot camp and each member had ownership over its success. We started a Whatsapp group which still runs today, where we could find out more about each other and very quickly we became a team as well as friends.

Another revelation to me was training outside. Being outside was so liberating. No matter what the weather, it made me feel alive or even at peace. This is still one of the favourite parts of my classes. I will always encourage people to get outside for a walk if they can, breathing in fresh air and take in the surroundings. Just sit on a bench and take the time to watch the leaves and branches blowing in the wind or listen to the birds singing in the trees – it’s beautiful and really lifts your soul. Training outside is on another level again. The extra oxygen helps our bodies create serotonin which improves mood and exercise releases endorphins which again boost our mood as well as elevating our energy levels. So many of us a stuck in doors all day especially in the winter - me included with my day job - so this gives people the chance to get outside and improve their mental health as well as meet friends and get fit.

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Why this type of business?

I knew exercise had been a great strength in my life and got me through tough times as well as giving me confidence and self-belief, but that had felt private to me. I had been a kid who had struggled in school - I couldn’t read or write at eight and this made me feel inadequate to the other children around me. Through the strength of my mum and dad not giving up I was diagnosed with dyslexia and got a place in Orrets Meadow School. Suddenly, I wasn’t alone and I knew I wasn’t stupid but the damage was already done to my confidence. Luckily for me I got good at a sport. I was really good at swimming and it was somewhere I could go where no one ever judged me on my academic ability. I was judged on how hard I tried. I loved that feeling, head down and go as hard as you could till my lungs felt like they would burst! I now know that good feeling was endorphins! I found a belief in myself and a belonging to a community. Thank you Wallasey swimming club you helped mould the woman I am today. I love how we talk about the importance of exercise now and mental health, but sadly it wasn’t then.

Were you open before/during/after the Covid-19 pandemic? How did this affect your business?

When I started Fit For All it was a mixed class male a female and as much as I loved the few men that came the uptake stayed low especially the few men, so with a heavy heart I decided to relaunch as a female only group five years ago. Naively I hadn’t realised that a mixed group would be so intimidating to women. This change opened the door to so many more women. The dynamic of the group changed too because we became less competitive and I could concentrate on workouts that worked better for women. Conversation became less filtered too - we could discuss female issues often with humour but at the same time with advice and support.

Not long after this the world went into lockdown and the Covid-19 pandemic had hit. Everything changed and we were all very frightened. The fitness industry had to shut its doors. I am very grateful that I was able to carry on throughout as I delivered online classes with Wirral Council Invigor8 team and held Zoom classes for my boot camp ladies. This meant I still had contact with friends and I genuinely felt like I could make a difference and give something back. I knew the horror that was going on outside and it always seemed so unfair that a small proportion had to carry the whole of society on their shoulders. So doing anything positive felt empowering.

When the restrictions started to lift, I could do outdoor sessions for small groups of eight (including me). Members had to book for the first time so that we didn’t break any rules. I made everyone keep their distance and we changed the sessions so not to share equipment. They became shorter timed sessions so I could do two classes back-to-back and allow more spaces for the girls to come. I didn’t allow anyone to hang around talking before or after class. As harsh as that sounds now it still meant we could meet up and do what we loved and feel safe. I introduced classes that didn’t need equipment like HIIT (high intensity interval training) and strength and condition. Everyone brought their own mats and weights so we could stay in our own safe space. These classes worked so well and they are still on the timetable. HIIT classes sound much scarier than they are. It’s 20 seconds of exercise then a rest for 10 seconds. The idea is you work as hard as YOU can in that time and not worry about anyone else. As group I make sure the exercises are suitable for everyone!

What makes your business different to others in the same area/field? What sets your business apart from your competitors?

Fit For All boot camp continues to thrive and I remain dedicated to help woman embrace fitness, empowerment and the great outdoors. I think the key to my success has always belonged to my members as they welcome everyone. No one will ever feel isolated or on their own. Within a week, other members will know your name!

Angela has Fit For All fitness classes outside

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Why do loyal customers return to your business?

The group makes you feel at ease because they were made to feel at ease and that ethos grows. I never want anyone to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed and I believe over all the years I have run boot camp I have achieved this. As a collective, we build and strengthen the mind, body and soul. I am a better person for all my beautiful boot campers and they know I love them. There’s no judgment on how you look - if you’ve put leggings on inside out (we’ve all done it) just turn up and work as hard as you can.

What’s next? What do the next few months hold for you and your business?

The future for Fit For All will include more beginners courses, which I will run after Christmas and brand new for 2024 there will be eight-week nutrition and weight management courses. I hope to empower and educate as many people as possible about the importance of food on our long-term health. We need to change the way we look at food and understand what we eat and why. Knowledge is power and I’m all for sharing! If you are seeking a fitness journey that goes beyond physical transformation, then this is the place to be.

My all-female boot camp classes foster a strong sense of camaraderie, mutual support, and respect, forming new friendships and becoming part of a community where encouragement and motivation thrive. It’s a safe place where I can say I can’t do Jacks because I will wee myself! Classes run from outside Bebington Civic Centre - you might have seen us jumping around and wondered who we were, well know you know!