The Modeltypeface Book Club: The Flexible Body by Roger Frampton

Roger Frampton used to be my PT, many moons ago. We knew each other from when we both modelled at Select together. I have fond, and not so fond memories of our sessions. Roger used to hold my waist while I dangled from monkey bars and he’d hold me by the waist and just push me up and down, so I’d feel like I was doing pull-ups. That was fun. But the first time we jogged for 100 metres, he asked if I had asthma (I don’t). The workouts were incredibly tough, but he got me doing push-ups, which had been my sole aim. Mainly, we gossiped.

He’s since gone onto bigger and better things than counting out loud while watching me grimace through lunges in Highgate. Roger has always been fascinated by movement beyond the standard constrains of planks, squats and sprints. How can each movement be optimised? How can a person push themselves without using weights and complicated equipment?

His steady evolution through standard PTing via yoga, intuition, research and experimentation has led him to his own highly original brand of fitness, which centres around building flexibility and strength via movement. I like the way that he looks at child’s play and gymnastics: how the moves we hold no fear over when we’re kids, like a roly-poly, can be broken down into controlled moves that engage the core. Also, magazines book him to look like a human flagpole in clothes.

Roger wants to get us all flexible, and it’s a great idea as it’s brilliant for all-over health – so he’s written us this tome. Best of all, he’s packaged moves into ten minute sessions a day, so you could fit it in in the morning, at the end of a workout or even while you’re watching TV! (Prob not his advice).

Right now, I really want to improve flexibility in my back. I’m quite stretchy for the most part, but I have quite a lot of caution in my back bends during dance, and I really want to get a bit more from them to make more dramatic shapes. Also, my shoulders are prone to getting sore: trapped nerves, freezing, pins and needles etc.

The moves are broken down into 1 minute holds: one is a 1 minute slow-hold, and the other a 1-minute static hold. So, for example, in these ‘butt squeezes’, you’d be lifting your chest off the ground for a minute. Then, you’d hold it at the top for a minute.

Pick five exercises per session (you could mix and match for different parts of the body). I really find that with exercises like these that they are incremental: one day you can touch your shins, the next day a little further down until, two months later, something clicks into place and you can touch your toes. So patients and persistence are key here.

This is such an interesting book, as Roger is so passionate about educating people about their bodies and what they are capable of. It’s great for those who work at a desk, as well as people who travel: some exercises require no equipment, whereas for others a yoga mat or standard wooden chair will do. All ages can benefit and it’s even the sort of thing couples could do together, denying their barely-concealed competitiveness to look like this:

You can buy Roger’s book here.

Rebecca xx

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