"From Weakness to Wow: Julie’s Goodnick Triumph of Strength and Stamina"

Julie, a former athlete sidelined by health challenges, transformed her physical strength and cardio fitness through Goodnick, moving from fears of frailty to confidently jumping and running up stairs. Her story showcases how Goodnick’s flexible, at-home workouts restored her ability to perform dynamic movements and carry out daily tasks with ease, empowering her to embrace aging with vitality and assurance.

 

Before Goodnick, Julie struggled to find a fitness routine that suited her needs. “I have always been active and then in the few years before starting Goodnik I was struggling to find something that suited me and fitted in with my routine because I’d had to stop doing all the really physical exercises like the running and swimming and stuff like that,” she shared. 

Health problems had forced her to give up team sports, running, and swimming, leaving her concerned about becoming frail. “Mainly I was worried about becoming more frail and also I was worried about cardio fitness,” she said. Her biggest fear about aging was losing strength and cardiovascular health, critical for maintaining independence.

 

Julie had tried gyms and exercise classes, but they weren’t suitable. “I did try going to the gym, but I didn’t really like it. And actual exercise classes were quite often just too much for me. They were too energetic. They seemed to be aimed at people that were quite a bit younger than me and I couldn’t keep up and I couldn’t recover in time for the next class,” she explained. She also attempted her own at-home exercise programs, but they lacked structure. Goodnick’s focus on her age group changed her perspective: “I saw this one and when I saw it was specifically aimed at my age group I thought okay I’ll give it a try.”

Starting Goodnick was seamless, even for someone comfortable with technology. “It was really easy. I mean, I’m fairly computer literate anyway, but it was just dead easy. You just followed the link and it took you to the class,” Julie said after discovering the program through an Instagram ad. The sessions were accessible and well-guided: “Emma’s absolutely brilliant. She explains things really well and there are always options if you can’t do particular exercises. And yes, she takes her time and explains it. It’s really easy to follow the exercises.”

The three 20-minute sessions per week fit perfectly into Julie’s part-time work schedule. “Because it’s just 20 minutes, I’m like, oh, I can fit this in. This is no problem, I can fit this in,” she noted. “I very rarely do it first thing in the morning. I tend to get other things out the way and I still work part time as well. So quite often it’s after lunch when I go to do it.” Sticking to the program was straightforward: “No, I haven’t found it difficult. There have been occasions when I might have been unwell or I’ve been on holiday and I might have missed a few classes, but the rest of the time, no, it’s not difficult to stick to because you get that email reminder every day to do the class.”

The at-home format was a game-changer: “It makes a huge difference because if you’ve got to go to the gym, you’ve got to pack your bag, you’ve got to get ready, you’ve got to travel there, you’ve got to wait for the class to start and this is just so much more flexible and it doesn’t, you don’t have that travelling time as well.” Julie even does sessions in her pajamas: “I sometimes get home from work and put my pyjamas on and then do it.”

Julie’s progress became evident through everyday activities. “I suddenly realised that I needed to reach something on the clothesline the other day and I was able to jump. I realised I could jump and I was like WOW, I haven’t been able to jump for years,” she shared. Other tasks improved too: “I just find that I can get up off the floor easier. I can run up the stairs now. It’s not just walking up the stairs, I can actually kind of run up the stairs, which is nice.” These changes reflect her regained strength and dynamic movement, aligning with her background in physical education.

Goodnick boosted Julie’s confidence significantly. “I think it definitely gives you more confidence because you feel stronger. I feel more confident doing things. Just carrying the shopping in from the car or whatever, I just think, yeah, I can do that. I can lift these bags up,” she said. 

The program’s focus on strength and cardio fitness addressed her fears about frailty. Post-class, she feels energized: “I feel good. It definitely gives you a little bit of a high, all those endorphins rushing around. Especially after we’ve done like the Friday mash up, which is usually a bit more intense. I’m just like, oh, I’ve done some exercise. That feels good.”

Her outlook on aging has improved, though she remains pragmatic: “No one’s happy about getting older, are they? But yeah, I do feel a little bit more confident and I will definitely carry on with Goodnik because it keeps me strong and it keeps me cardio fit.” Her PE background helped her appreciate the program’s design: “I understand the importance of building muscle and obviously I’ve been quite analytical as we’ve gone through a lot of the exercise programs and I’m like, yeah, I can see why we’re doing that.”

 

To a friend doubting herself, Julie is enthusiastic: “I would say absolutely go for it. You’ve got nothing to lose, especially if you do the trial one, you’ve got nothing to lose. And I have tried to encourage some of my friends to do it.” For those who think it’s too late to start exercising, she counters: “It’s never too late. It’s never too late to start. I mean, you see people in their 90s running marathons, so it’s never too late to improve your physical fitness. 

And the good thing about Goodnick is that it caters for people at different levels of fitness. So even if you’re just going through the motions and you get to the stages where they’re using weights, you don’t have to use the weights. You can still just do the exercises and get the movement and the flexibility.”

 

Julie is most proud of regaining her ability to perform dynamic movements: “Being able to jump. It’s just my legs that actually work and I can do that sort of dynamic movement which for a long time I haven’t been able to do and I was just like, wow, better get a sports bra.” 

Goodnick has restored her strength and confidence, making daily tasks easier and boosting her mental well-being. “I feel stronger,” she emphasised, noting that the program’s flexibility and focus on her age group have made it sustainable. Julie’s enthusiasm is clear: