Today, Wednesday 13th January 2021, two former Olympians – including a multi-medal winner and MBE – officially launch an inspiring new fitness project aimed at improving functional fitness in the nation’s over 40’s.
Olympic husband and wife duo, Neil Adams MBE and Niki Adams, have long been in the spotlight as world-class, medal winning Judo athletes and, today, launch their challenge to the nation’s underfit, overweight and over 40’s to get functionally fit with them, as part of their new venture, The Adams Family.
Neil, 62 and Niki, 47 spotted a gap in the fitness market for the over 40’s – one of the fastest growing audience groups in the fitness market* – to create balanced, functional, progressive and fun fitness content, and inspiring workouts tailored to the over 40’s or for those looking to get fit(ter) from home.
And who better to deliver this content than two former world-class Olympic athletes? These are the trainers of the best trainers in the world – and now they’re setting their sights on the nation.
Neil Adams – now aged 62 – is a former world Judo champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist. He competed in three Olympics in 1980, 1984 and 1988 and has since gone on to be a world-renowned commentator for Judo, speaking as an international representative at both the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
Niki Adams (formerly Jenkins) – aged 47 – is a Canadian-born Pan-American Judo champion and competed in the 1996 Olympics for Canada. Since retiring from professional sport, Niki has created a successful homemade, natural skincare brand, Uniqi Productions, and also runs Nordic Walking and Swiss Ball exercise classes with particular emphasis on curvy girls looking to lose weight and get fit for health and recovery reasons.
The online fitness content – delivered under the name of The Adams Family (pun intended) – is a spin-off from their hugely successful NA 416 Legacy Fitness business, which has clients across the world, and will launch with functional fitness workout routines that can be done in the comfort and safety of your own home via live and pre-recorded online workout sessions.
Based around just three bits of essential fitness equipment – the Swiss ball, resistance bands and Battle Belts. Each home workout will help everyone from absolute beginners to those honing their fitness, get fit and ready for the challenges of everyday life – at a time when being functionally fit and healthy has never been more important, or more in vogue.
Each class is progressive (it gets more intense) and is delivered by Neil and Niki and available as part of a wider suite of programmes via The Adams Family website.
Commenting, Neil Adams MBE, says: “I’ve had a lifetime of fitness; I owned a health club in Coventry for 15 years and saw every fitness craze and fitness professional imaginable. I’ve stuck to the functional fitness model and it has lasted me all this time. It has, without exception, been 100% successful with anyone I have trained, at grassroots right up to Olympic level. Everyone needs a strong foundation to succeed. Without it, we can set ourselves up for serious injury and let’s face it, I don’t need any injuries at my age!”
Niki continues: “Neil and I have a lifetime of experience as professional athletes. We’ve both competed on the world stage for Judo and wanted to bring some of that knowledge to people our age – 62 and 47 – that might want to get fitter, but not know which way to turn or who to trust, or even just how to get started in a safe, supported way.
“Every day we are bombarded with airbrushed images of youth and ‘perfection’ and that’s hard to live up to, even when you know it’s a lie. What we aim to do – under The Adams Family – is to give a face and a voice to the 40s, 50s and 60s in terms of fitness and health. We want to inspire and show our generation that you can be curvy but fit and healthy in your forties and fifties; or retired but in the best shape and health of your life. It’s all about being your best ‘you’.”
The duo hope that their unique Olympian heritage, coupled with their natural chemistry as husband and wife, will inspire and educate an under-represented majority to move more.
“We don’t see people like us on our screens, promoting fitness or wellbeing. I’m a curvy girl and Neil is in his 60s. We want to change that perception that fitness is only for the ‘young and beautiful’, and show everyone over 40 that it’s never too late to get into the best shape of your life – whether you’re an absolute beginner, recovering from injury or rehab, overweight or of advancing years”, says Niki.
As brand-new grandparents, the duo juggle a busy calendar of commitments – both personally and professionally – fitting fitness and wellness into their family routines, making it fun. And it’s their hope they can show you how to achieve this fitness and life balance, too.
You can join in with The Adams Family on their quest to get the nation functionally fit over 40 via www.adamsfamilyuk.com and on social media.
Imagery © Fighting Films