Good vibrations

OK, Susi Russell may not be able to make your wishes come true in the sense of hooking you up with Brad Pitt or handing you the secret to eternal youth but she’ll have a jolly good go at kicking that aforementioned butt into shape and giving you that Tess Daly body you’ve always dreamed of.

Susi, a former private jet flight attendant, is the founder of The Power Studio, the funky Power Plate venue in Millharbour that specialises in vibrational training – the keep-fit form that condenses an hour of exercise into 10 minutes – favoured by celebrities such as Madonna, Gwyneth and Stella.

So, with the party season a matter of only weeks away and an ever-expanding waistline and an ever-decreasing lunch break to cope with (Power Plate Sessions last just 25minutes), I decide to sign up for a quick-fix course.

There is an air of intimacy and exclusivity about the Power Studio with warm lighting, mirrored walls and The White Company products in the changing room.

Susi says: “I wanted to open a luxury yet welcoming and warm studio where everyone feels confident and comfortable.�

Classes are small – just four in any one session so unlike other gyms there’s no sharing a Plate – and fun thanks to Susi’s energy, enthusiasm and commitment to her clients. “I love seeing the difference with my clients not only with the inch loss on the tape measure but the improvement in strength and posture plus the increased confidence is amazing.�

The workout is tough but bearable. For beginners, the Power Plate is set on low, delivering 30 hertz per second, increasing to 50 once fitness levels and stamina have improved. Specially-tailored exercises targeting problem areas work alongside the Plate, each one lasting a minute.

Sound easy? Don’t be fooled. When you’re holding a pose, vibrations coursing through your body, watching those seconds tick, that minuscule minute feels like an hour.

“Lots of people, especially guys, believe Power Plate is an easy workout,� says Susi. “I’m happy to prove otherwise. Yes, the session is just 25 minutes but the time spent is intense and works out the whole body.�
While holding a Plate press-up, I manage to chat to fellow Power Plate exercisers.

Jackie Collins, 40, who works for the FOS at Marsh Wall, joined the studio three months ago. She says: “I’ve fallen in love with it here. This is something I can fit in around my lunch hour. Since coming, I’ve noticed my whole body has toned up. I’ve lost as much as two inches in some areas.

"It’s so quick. Sixty seconds of doing one exercise is bearable. I’m not saying it’s easy but you get out of it what you put in.�

Nathalie Aubry, who works for ICMA at Limeharbour, has been at The Power Studio for five months, dropping almost two dress sizes in that time. She says: “I joined because I wanted to tone up my body without spending hours in the gym. You only need to spend 25 minutes. You get a full body workout in record time.�

With eight sessions under my belt – which I swear has gone down a notch since starting at The Power Studio – I do feel fitter and flatter in all the right places.

Looks like this little plumpkin will be going to the ball in that LBD after all.