The Original Gym

06/03/2026

Another one arm chin up.

04/03/2026

this time with the one arm chin. Again, this is advanced level upper body pulling strength.

02/03/2026

with the one arm chin up. This is an elite level strength skill.

08/07/2023

The free-standing Handstand is a major tool toward developing mastery of our body’s movement through space. The method we use is now being broken down into a series of 3 workshops, each building upon the last.

Level 1: Building the Handstand Body
Wednesday 12th July, 6:45pm, 1hr30

The first step in the handstand journey is to prepare the body: Open the shoulders, condition the wrists, develop the correct core control and body-line, and build the basic endurance and capacity required before starting skill development work.

Remember, before booking a handstand class or workshop, ask the teacher to show you their students. This method produces results.

28/06/2023

This weekend we have the second of our summer workshops - this time introducing the Oxygen Advantage.

Sarah has studied directly under the OA’s inventor and developer Patrick McKeown.

07/05/2023

In addition to the usual sessions and programming, we’re now starting a series of workshops. These are slightly longer, and a great opportunity for a deep-dive into a topic. The first of these will be on the subject of breathing, and it’s health implications, with Sarah.

Breath Training and Awareness for health: an Introduction
Wednesday May 10th, 6:45pm, 1hr30, The Original Gym, Milton, with Sarah Payne

“If breath is life, then optimal breathing is optimal living”

Our breath is a powerful tool we can use to influence the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system; the way we breathe affects both our physiological and psychological state. Often overlooked as an essential component for quality of life, our breathing patterns at rest (and during exercise) are key to influencing the way we move, think, sleep, perceive our reality and connect with ourselves - it is the bridge between body and mind. Awareness is key in understanding our own breathing habits which then empowers us to be able to consciously train and influence our breath for better quality of life.

Of course, good breathing habits are not a cure-all but it truly is the basis for optimal living. As James Nestor says “No matter what we eat, how much we exercise, how resilient our genes are, how skinny, young or wise we are - none of it will matter unless we breathe correctly”

The workshop will be an introduction to the ‘why’ and the ‘what’ of breathing, including some basic bio-chemistry and bio-mechanics as well as some practical exercises and approaches from my Buteyko instructor training with Patrick McKeown. The main outcome of the workshop will be to bring awareness to your own breath and empower you to develop efficient breathing in your every day lives.

There will be a follow-up workshop “Breathing for Athletic Performance” which builds upon this material.

Sarah Payne is a teacher of the Buteyko Method of breathing, and Oxygen Advantage, studying directly under it’s inventor, Patrick McKeown.

Breath Training and Awareness for health: an Introduction Wednesday May 10th, 6:45pm, 1hr30, The Original Gym, Milton, with Sarah Payne “If breath is life, then optimal breathing is optimal living” Our breath is a powerful tool we can use to influence the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous ...

07/05/2023

In addition to the usual sessions and programming, we’re now starting a series of workshops. These are slightly longer, and a great opportunity for a deep-dive into a topic. The first of these will be on the subject of breathing, and it’s health implications, with Sarah.

Breath Training and Awareness for health: an Introduction

Wednesday May 10th, 6:45pm, 1hr30, The Original Gym, Milton, with Sarah Payne

Sarah Payne is a Strength & Conditioning coach and HCPC registered therapist and has studied directly with Patrick McKeown, the worlds leading teacher of the Buteyko Method for Breathing, and developer of the Oxygen Advantage method.

This workshop will run for 90 minutes, and is £15 for members, and £30 for non-members. If you’d like to book your space, please click link in bio

05/01/2023

Here’s a compilation of some of our students handstand progress from the last year or so.

The handstand is a major tool toward developing mastery of our bodies movement through space.

When looking at handstands, bear in mind that if it’s a photograph it never happened 😂 Watch carefully the micro-movements - these are not photographs of a 1 second lucky balance, none of these have been sped up or slowed down in any way.

This level of body control is a result of our process which has been proven over and over again.

If you’d like to get started on your handstand journey, with a teacher who can show you their students, get in contact.

25/02/2022

Congrats Sarah on getting a first chin up! Lots of hard work goes into getting from zero to one, and it all starts with basic hanging from a bar. If you can’t hang from a bar for say a minute, get to work! Once there, scapular depression drills, more basic strength work, isometric positional drills and so on all lead to the final result!

One thing I almost never use is “band assisted” work. They’re useful 0.001% of the time, but otherwise if anything detrimental.

If you can’t do a chin up, and want help guiding through this process, get in touch!

24/06/2021

Applications are now open for the next 6 week block of small group training:

- 6 Week training block, starting the week of 12th July
- 3 People per group, one session per week (1Hr 15 mins)
- Includes extensive online video tutorials and other materials for at-home training.
- Cost £90

There will be 4 basic formats:

Foundation - this is the "basics" course. Focus is on spine mechanics, breathing and stability work, basic flexibility and predominantly lower body strength work.

Barbell Strength - Barbell focussed lower body strength work.

Upper Body Gymnastic Strength (aka "Muscle Up")

Handstand\Flexibility

All training will include appropriate programming for the period of time, and extensive notes\video tutorials as supporting materials.
If you'd like to apply please fill in the form linked below, with which session format you’d like to do, and your availability, so that suitable groups and times can be arranged.

Places and groups are first-come, first-served, and groups will be put together groups as these come in, so please complete this as soon as possible. Once all the groups are full, the next intake is only likely to be in another 6 weeks time.

Finally!

As always the most important thing is finding the right fit for you, which may be a mixture of online\in-person, 1:1 and group, indoor and outdoor… As always, the best thing to do is drop me an email or message and ask!

https://forms.gle/YBX8VjAQCh8AJVBX7

Register for Small Group Training