Rabble, the fun and fitness exercise sessions, has arrived at Louth’s Meridian Leisure Centre – thanks to a mum-of-two who has battled a medical condition and is now leading the new classes.
Kim Kami was born with joint hypermobility syndrome meaning her body’s joints – including her knees, ankles and elbows – extend further than they should, without her even realising.
As a result, they regularly dislocate, causing pain. It was two years ago that Kim, 30, tried to put her dislocated knee back herself when she suffered a severe injury.
“You are supposed to have the joints put back medically, but it got to the stage where I felt I didn’t want to bother a doctor, I felt like I was taking up their time unnecessarily. However, on this occasion, the knee did not go back as it should and I suffered internal bleeding, a lot of bruising and swelling,” said Kim.
The injury meant the mum, whose children are now eight and nine, could not walk properly and she needed physiotherapy and was also referred by her GP to Meridian to be put onto a proper exercise programme.
That changed her life, and she caught the fitness bug: “I remember, being really embarrassed coming to my first sessions, but everyone was so nice. My confidence and fitness have improved and I am much more able to cope with my condition now,” she said.
With five of seven fitness courses now successfully passed, Kim has caught the ‘rabble’ bug – which involves high intensity training using fun mini games and circuits for all levels.
“The great thing is you don’t even realise you are doing so much exercise as the games are really fun and social, but they say a good rabble session can burn up to 800 calories,” she explained.
The weekly classes, held initially outdoors at Meridian, are running every Saturday from 10am until 11am, the cost is £4.50p for non-members with members just having to book normally.