RUNNING WILD

Liz Hanson shapes up at a Wildfitness retreat in Menorca

ildfitness has been offering what it describes as ‘transformative fitness holidays’ since the company was founded in 2001. Currently it operates in Menorca, Crete and Iceland, but in the past Wildfitness has organised retreats in a variety of locations worldwide, including Kenya, Costa Rica, upstate New York and the Scottish Highlands. “The beauty of what we do is that we can adapt to any location,” says owner, CEO and chief coach Hannah Beadle.

Wildfitness’ aim, explains Hannah, “is to encourage and develop the practice of listening to your body and mind and responding to your instinctual needs.” Its six- or thirteen-day retreats are designed to help participants learn to respect their bodies’ natural rhythms and to move and exercise outdoors in a natural way whilst eating healthy, simple, delicious locally sourced food.

Groups are kept small, and usually consist of between eight and twelve people. “We don’t want to be a boot camp with 25 per class,” says Hannah. “With our ratio of three coaches to twelve participants we can give everyone individual attention and make sure they get as much from the experience as possible.”

Wildfitness retreats revolve around a number of ‘signature sessions’, each based on the idea of reconnecting with forms of motion that would have come naturally to our ancestors before modern civilisation caused most of us to lose touch with them.

‘Wild Lifting, Carrying and Throwing’, for example, questions received wisdom about handling heavy objects, and teaches participants how to lift, carry and move weights safely and effectively in real-world scenarios. ‘Wild Flow’ combines elements of yoga, gymnastics, martial arts and dance to reconnect mind and body.

‘Low Gait Locomotion’ takes inspiration from how wild animals move to explore how to move effectively over tricky or challenging surfaces.

‘Natural Running’ stresses the fact that running is a natural movement and seeks to help us do it more effectively.

A typical Wildfitness day starts before breakfast with the most intensive activity session of the day. Breakfast is followed by activities that are intense but a little more skill-based, with another skillbased session after lunch. That’s followed by some R&R and a massage from the in-house masseuse. “Rest and relaxation are hugely important,” says Hannah, “and not something we need to feel guilty about!” There will then be a daily workshop about a topic such as sleep or nutrition prior to an evening mobility session and a well-earned dinner.

“I believe that nobody else does what we do here at Wildfitness in terms of pulling everything together and looking at the whole picture, both body and mind,” says Hannah. “And you can easily incorporate what you learn with us into your daily routine. People tell us that we have transformed their lives, and for me that’s definitely the most satisfying part of the job – you can’t ask for better than that!”

MY VERDICT:

Definitely Different!

Menorca is the perfect place for a wellness transformation. The Mediterranean island is totally unspoiled, and thanks to its balmy climate it’s the ideal setting in which to exercise outdoors all year round. No wonder Wildfitness guests keep coming back year after year.

The retreat was held at and around Binigaus Nou, a luxurious boutique villa at the heart of a 300-acre estate in a UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve. It enjoys extensive sea views and its own direct access to one of the best beaches on the island, which is where many of our fitness activities took place.

What with the breathtaking scenery and wealth of local wildlife – including exotic birds, handsome butterflies and colourful wild orchids – it’s a truly magical spot.

There were five of us in the group – or tribe, as Hannah liked to call us. Some had already been in residence for a week, so I had some serious catching up to do. From the moment I arrived the action was pretty much non-stop. We found ourselves doing a huge variety of different activities, ranging from running, boxing, yoga, circuit classes and rounders to hiking, throwing rocks in a cave and playing frisbee on the beach. It was challenging – you are definitely pushed to your limits – but great fun too. I found the first three days absolutely exhausting, and there were times I really could have given up, but Hannah encouraged me and kept me going. By day four things had started to fall into place. My fitness improved dramatically and I found myself feeling a lot more confident.

An important part of any break is the food, which in the case of Binigaus Nou was outstanding. Everything was natural, organic, and meticulously prepared by our own private chef. Highlights included freshly caught fish drizzled with olive oil, lusciously creamy cheeses, rich stews, mouthwatering soups, tasty organic meats and vibrant Mediterranean fruits and vegetables.

I arrived back home feeling totally rejuvenated. The gym is a thing of the past and I am out in the fresh air almost every day. Even my dog Wilma is happier, because now she gets to play far more ball games than before!

I had been a little sceptical at the outset – especially since Wildfitness is so very different from everything else on offer – but the week I spent there totally won me over. Clearly one of the reasons for its success is the fact that Hannah and the other coaches are genuinely passionate about what they do. Being gently but firmly pushed out of my comfort zone has definitely paid long-term health dividends. For more information visit wildfitness.com