Lisa:

I've just found movement is always just can switch a light on, it makes you feel better. It, it connects you with an energy that you can't buy, you can't bottle and you can't find anywhere on the shelf, you have to experience it. And that means you have to go to be with other people and move together.

Will:  

Hey, I'm Will Brereton, founder of SH1FT Fitness. And this is Group Fitness Real Talk, a show about how to survive and even thrive in group fitness in 2021 and beyond. Imagine that you're one of the leading group fitness instructors on the planet, and you're sitting in the doctor's office, and they tell you that you will never teach your classes again. Now that's exactly what happened to my guest today, Lisa Osborne. If you're a Les Mills instructor, you're going to be very familiar with Lisa. For those of you who don't know her, I recommend you do a quick Google search of Lisa Osborne - Les Mills, and you're going to find a fair few articles on her. She's been programme director for body attack for a number of years, she's Creative Director for body step, and she's an all round group fitness legend. This is a podcast that I was really excited to do because Lisa is a wonderful friend and mentor to me. Lisa has had such a huge impact on the way that I teach, the way I approach my classes, and the way that I view the fitness industry in general. And you're going to hear that in this podcast. So getting back to Lisa, why was she told that she would never teach again? Well, this was down to a pretty serious situation with her hip, which required her to have a full hip replacement. But spoiler alert, Lisa did teach again, and she came back stronger than ever. If you've been teaching group fitness for a while, I can almost guarantee you will have suffered an injury of some sorts. It's almost a rite of passage. And as you age, the years of wear and tear, no matter how well you're moving your body, can take their toll. But although we can't always prevent injury, and we certainly can't prevent aging, there's a huge amount we can do to ensure it doesn't end our group fitness career. And I'm not just talking about physio, or prehab. Lisa has a really powerful story and today she's going to share her secrets as to how she's still one of the most influential people in group fitness decades on from when she first started. Lisa Osborne Welcome to the podcast. How are you?

Lisa  

Yay I'm very happy. I'm very happy to see your beautiful hook looking face.

Will:  

Lisa thinks I look like the character hook from once upon a time for anyone who's wondering why does have a hook face.

Lisa  

Devilishly handsome, that's why.

Will:  

You guys can't see this obviously but Lisa is reclining because it is evening in New Zealand. So at least you are in lockdown at the moment, which is a bit of a reversal for most of the people listening to this podcast on the northern hemisphere and we're pretty much coming out of it. New Zealand is in the depths of lockdown and tell me how has it been for you?

Lisa  

Actually really good. So I'm I am always looking on the bright side of the glass, you know, half full rather than half empty, so I am going to find the positive in it. And today we just moved to get to level three, which is obviously out of level four to level three. And the only difference is that you can have takeaway, which is something that is very important to a lot of people. And to me, it doesn't mean too much. But it's just a step closer to level two. So you know i mean it's a positive day because you were closer to getting and for me level two, level two means two things. One, my kids get to go back to school and that is so important in their lives and so important in our families functioning at the best it can be is that the kids go back and worried about them being away, obviously like everybody else. And number two, I get get to go back to teaching classes, which is my absolute love jump out of the bed in the morning to do and I missed my members and that that connection every day that we have. That's so positive and so happy. So yeah, that's what it means to me. But it's also i don't think that anyone over here should complain because I think that we have had a lockdown at, you know, yeah, it's tough but nothing compared to other people around the world. And because I connect and know what's happening in the fitness industry, and how hard it's been for so long. I will not will not complain about anything.

Will:  

That is that is such a great answer because one of the reasons I was so excited to get you on my podcast other than the fact that you one of my best friends and mentors in fitness and in life generally is because of your general approach to things which is and I heard I heard it come out and what you just said which is not complaining and getting on with things And working towards always progressing, always moving forward, always, always trying to get better in some way, shape or form. And one of the reasons I wanted to get you on the podcast other than just wanting to chat with you is because a lot of people that listen to this have been in the fitness industry for a while, like us. And we often asked what are the things that you would like us to cover on the podcast, and the number one thing we always get back is things around longevity, and also around coming back from injury and coming back from, from things that pull you away from teaching. And this is something that I really want to talk to you about because you have a very inspirational story in coming back from a full hip replacement, right?

Lisa  

Hip replacement, yes, I have a bionic hip.

Will:  

Yeah, so we're gonna get to that. But before we get to that, I wanted to ask you one thing, which is, I remember 15 years ago, when I was still living in New Zealand, you started to use the phrase movement is medicine in in your teaching. And for those of you that know, legislators teaching style, you know that she often has a very important phrase, and because of the way you teach body attack, that phrase will be "movement is medicine", on the 2-count in a count of 8? So where did you get that from because it's something that I have taken on board, it's absolutely my mantra. And now I hear it more and more. And I think after the pandemic, everybody knows this to be the case. But you were like a super early adopter, where did you learn that phrase from?

Lisa  

I don't remember. But I have held that I have had two phrases close to my heart. And that I've that have been almost part of my soul and "movement is medicine" has been number one. And number two is "Your smile is your energy." That's my second one. So yeah, I don't remember when it first happened for me, and I tried to think about this. And you know what, I think that I live in the moment, I live in the day, and I, I myself, have had, you know, you're at home, and you're not feeling great, or there's drama happening. And I always think outside the four walls of classes. There's so much crap happening in everyone's lives. But if you can come together, that's that's your medicine. That's what it's like a, that's your pill. I mean, I don't I don't take anything. I've never, never taken anything or whatever. But I've just found movement is always just can switch a light on it makes you feel better. It, it connects you with an energy that you can't buy, you can't bottle and you can't find anywhere on the shelf, you have to experience it. And that means you have to go to be with other people and move together. And I've felt that and believed in that wholeheartedly for my whole fitness career. Or maybe not when I first started actually, definitely not when I first started. When I first started, it was all about, yeah, I was younger and I think that it was all about bit more self focused.

Will:  

Yeah, we've talked about this with so many people who've been in the fitness industry for a while I loved fitness and I wanted to be on the stage. And I wanted to be sharing my love of what I was doing. But it was self focused, right? Like at the end of the day, it wasn't a bad thing. I was just young.

Lisa  

Yeah, it was all about that one word I, yeah. And then all of a sudden, if you really, really get into, into, get beyond the that, the glamour of being on stage and being able to share energy and things like that, you really can see what's in front of you and see the positive effects that you have as an instructor and you are providing a medicine to people that they they can't get anywhere else, but from the individual who's in front of them saying thank you for coming, it's great, you're here, let's do a workout together. And I've learned through through my own injuries and journey of of problems that that you just have to keep moving. And you change the way that you move. You take a different direction, but there's no excuse to not move in a new way. If there's something that you can't do. So, yeah, movement is medicine. 

Will:  

So we will jump right into this. So just to wind it back. For anybody that wants to know about your history and fitness. I'm going to link to a podcast you did with another friend of ours, Bevan James Eyles where you talk about kind of how you got into fitness and your progression. But can you just tell the listeners for those that don't know you're really what it is that you do right now and maybe a little bit about what what do you take and body step in terms of fitness style?

Lisa  

Yep. So what I do right now is my program director for Les Mills International. I create body attack. And I'm a creative director for body step. So I work mainly on those two programs. And what I do right now is I create, I create workouts every three months in for Les Mills in those two programs, to re-inspire people to keep moving. And it's interesting because what I do right now is I want to keep people moving from my heart and give them a positive mindset and a positive place to come and just enjoy working out with with movement and music. That's what I do all the time. And it's not I, I do more than that, as far as I mean that that's my main job. And I do a lot of other things. 

Will:  

I like it when someone answers with the, with their purpose rather than their detail, right? Like you could have said, You know, I write choreography, and I choose music, and I do this sort of stuff. But you were just trying to the basic of I, I create programs that encourage people to move because they enjoy it and want to be there.

Lisa  

Yeah, that's it. That's what I get up for every day. And that's why I love teaching. I mean, at the heart of what I do is I teach classes if you ask me what I do now I, I teach fitness classes, and I teach other workouts like I've just finished coming off a zoom call. It does providing a core workout to a whole group of people just to make them stay connected in movement. And that's, that was my purpose of that class. And I that's what I do I, I teach and I want to inspire other people just to feel good about movement and music. We can do that through group fitness.

Will:  

100% agree with you. Okay, so you have been so Lisa, I recently joined Lisa's Team 33 forever. We're not going to reference any ages here. But at least you've been doing body attack for a good number of years. And I have seen you continued to be kind of at the at the top of your fitness game, albeit with a few amendments and changes through two pregnancies, and as we've talked about a hip replacement. So you have been through many journeys in your fitness career. We're not going to delve into this but but Lisa was also like a sport aerobics world champion. So you've been doing this high intensity, high impact, what would for many people be considered to be hard stuff on the body for a long time, although I want to circle back to that, because I have some opinions on on whether or not that's actually true. But tell me, I want to delve specifically into the hip replacement because that is obviously we all know a really, really big thing that a lot of people have to deal with. And is a is something that's quite hard to come back from. So I want to just understand you are at the top of the fitness world, pre pandemic, traveling all over the world presenting at conventions, training instructors on this cycle of having to produce a new, a new workout every three months. When did you start to realize that you were having issues with your hips? Tell me a little bit about that and how that affected you.

Lisa  

Okay, so I first realized that I was having problems with my head when I was training for the CrossFit Games, actually. So I was in the absolute peak physical condition that I've been in for a lot for yeah, almost since the world Rugby Championship titles, x number of years ago.

Will:  

X number of years ago.

Lisa  

Yeah, so um, yeah, I kept having this hip pain and but I had to train harder and harder, and maintain my job and yeah, anyway, so I had to go and get treatment and the, the specialists were saying to me, you've got no cartilage, you've got nothing there you you. You've got nothing. We don't even know how you're moving still, actually, and I was like, No, I have it no, it's fine, I've got to go to the games. I've got to teach body attack. I was no way and anyway. Long story short, I went to the hip surgeon and he said that I would never never do body attack again. I would never, I would never run again. I would just be able to walk basically a few you know, a few times a week and or swim. Seriously, seriously. Anyway, so...

Will:  

How did you react? Like what was your, what was your thought process? So all of the people listening to this podcast are fitness people, fitness instructors You're obviously like a very high profile. What What was your response when the doctor was like, yeah, nah, you're done.

Lisa  

No, it's not happening. Actually, seriously, I just did, I actually closed my mouth for once and didn't say anything. But I thought to myself anyway, this is not how it's going to be. Anyway. So this was before I actually had to go to the world CrossFit Games in 2017. And so this was happening before that. And I was like, no, this was a one time opportunity, I'm gonna keep going. Anyway. So for four or five months before, I have a coach, and who is with me now, okay, and expert in movement, proper movement in technique, and moving the right way and engaging the right muscles, and so on. Anyway, basically, he changed the way that I was moving. And he gave me strengthening exercises and prehab to just keep going, and get me through where I needed to go. And so I had to start moving differently, I had to start doing less less of the impact, less running, but replace it with different things. So anyway, so I've checked a little bit, but so when I found out I, I just had to change what I was doing and how I was doing it. And accessed Mark, who yeah, helped me get there.

Will:  

Did you have a moment of, so that the bit that I want to know, though is did you did you have that moment of -- Oh, my God, grief that I can't believe this is happening to me? Or did you immediately flick into -- not happening and working around this and move on?

Lisa  

Yeah, no, not happening.

Will:  

I love that. This is this is what I love about Lisa, for anyone listening is that Lisa's like, mmmm...no, and then just ignores and which is great, which is a fantastic approach to the, to the, to the sort of trouble that you faced, right, because you just immediately thought, well, I'm not not moving. So how do we how do we work around this?

Lisa  

You just have to change things up. That's that's the key is that you can have people say, No, you can't do something. And you can get sucked in by that and then fall into that darkness and, and be in this cloud of doom and gloom and know, and oh, it's not happening. And then your whole mindset and your whole body will react to, to that whole environment. And that's often easier for a lot of people to do and, and yeah, and and that's I find that really sad, because I don't think in the past and certainly when it first happened to me, that was the people's first reaction, are you, you're, it's finished, you know, you're done. Lisa can't do body attack anymore. Oh my god, who's gonna take over? And it's like, well, you know what? I'm going to show you the finger because I'm only just getting started. And once I have my bionic hip, I'm going to be stronger and fitter and more able than I was before, because actually for the last five years...

Will:  

Exactly. Right. So you've already been living with this right? Is that, I guess, one thing to think about. Yeah.

Lisa  

Yeah. And so I and it was just getting worse and worse and worse and worse. And I yeah, so what I had basically, I can put myself in a bubble whether it's right or wrong. My mother said that for a long period of time, Lisa, come into the real world, or watch the news and I'm like, no, I'm happy in my bubble. I'm happy in my 33 forever, I'm happy, happy where I am. Because I can control what I can control in my own bubble. And I think that's a really important message for people is that and my husband taught me this actually, you can control what you can control and and you must make that whatever you want it to be. So I wanted to I love my job. I love body attack. I love what it does for people. I love its purpose. I love its heart and it's solid. I love the people that do it. I love everything about it. I love getting up in the morning and knowing that that's that's my my responsibility. That's my gold medal if you like when you think about doing the big steps, what I have to create, and no one else is can do that. I need to do that. So then, knowing that, I always wanted that think, what do I need to do to make that happen? And it create it required change, so I could control things. One, I can't. Yes, I've had a total hip replacement. I can't go and run 10 kilometers three times a week to maintain my fitness. I have to vary it. I have to get on the I have to get on the rower for my fitness. I have to get on the skiier. I have to get on the bike a little bit. I can run once a week, and that's only a 5k and that's all I do. And oh my god, it's so hard. My my hip really doesn't like running actually. But I can manage it if I take it slow.

Will:  

Also, you're in Auckland, so there's loads of hills which I'm sure that running down the hills doesn't help.

Lisa  

Yes, it's down the hill, that's the worst.

Will:  

Yeah, I hate running down hills, running up hills is actually not that bad.

Lisa  

Yeah, right. So I almost took off my sweatshirt, I've got nothing underneath that would have been scary. I'm dying to get a hot bath. Anyway, um, yeah, so you've got to control what you can control it. And you have to be smart about changing things up. You don't have to give up things, I didn't have to give up body attack. But I now take 55 minute classes, I only take one or two. I can do, I have a permanent 1x 55, 2x 45s, 2x 30-minute classes. And that's enough, like, I know that in the end, maybe 10 years ago, before my hip, sure I could have done, I was doing 6,7,8, maybe more even body attack classes a week. Realistically, I can't do that now, it's not good for my hip, it doesn't feel good. So I can still do it. But I limit the amount of time I do it. And I replace it with other things to keep my body strong and safe, and able to keep going in my main job.

Will:  

Yeah, and I totally understand this, I have had a couple of back injuries like herniated discs and various things which are not the same as a total hip replacement. But I as I've like, as I've gotten older, I've had to learn how to replace some of the stuff. And Lisa and I do love the same type of exercise, which is high energy, high impact, like super, super energetic, lots of jumping, which I still do, I just do it less. And I and I and I'm more thoughtful about when I'm doing it. And sometimes if I'm doing it and I feel that my back isn't working, then I just drop into a modification, I take the jumps out, I continue doing it, there was a time when I would have pushed through. And now I understand that pushing through isn't necessarily the smart way to go about it.

Lisa  

And I think when we realize that our purpose is greater than being able to show off and do ten tuck jumps in a row. So I don't need to do 10 tuck jumps in a row, I don't need to show that I can do a push up with a shoulder tap in a bunny hop and then a burpee. I don't need to show anybody that at all, I need to be able to role model at a certain level in a certain number of them. But then it's more important that I am motivated everyone's work with their own level and to acknowledge that, hey, I'm not here, I don't I can't do 10 in a row anymore. But I can still do one or two, and I'll show you how to do it. I'll help everyone do it safely. And then I'll coach you how to do it your way really well. It's a bigger purpose.

Will:  

I agree. And like this is a conversation that we've had with a few people on the podcast, and that I've certainly had sort of on social media talking to instructors is that we have instructors, and they go through an assessment and sometimes they'll say I can't do tuck jumps anymore, can I modify it? And I'm like, absolutely, this is the assessment is not about are you the best. Like it's not an aerobics competition to give an example from you. It's about can you coach it, if you can do one if you can't do any, but you can teach how to do it verbally and show from a side profile or whatever you want to do. That's absolutely great. And in fact, it makes you a more empathetic instructor to not be able to do it. And I know this from my experience, because when I was in my 20s, I was like, I can do the highest plyos. And I'm going to inspire people by being super great. And maybe I did, and I like I feel that I was still a good teacher because I cared about doing the right things. But it was so self focused. And now I realized that there were probably people in the class that saw me do those tuck jumps. And the same with you sort of back in the day. And would have been like, well, I'll never do that. And so they're disengaged, whereas seeing someone who struggles and who's been come back from injuries or admit on stage, I can't do this thing, but that he is on your team teaching and you'll be like, my, my team teacher is going to do this, I'm going to show you the options because I can't do this. It's it's and most of the people can't do the things that we can do even now like as we get older with injuries, we're still sort of as a teacher, well above the general kind of execution competency of the people in our classes. So showing a little bit of weakness is really showing a strength because you're explaining to them that they can be there and and modify and still get the workout.

Lisa  

Yeah, yeah, I agree with you completely. And the other the other point too, is that I think that people say oh, I can't do it anymore, you've still got to respect that you need to train to be fit and strong as well. So whilst it's it's plus, I don't need to show it 10 times in a row to use the same example. I still want to be able to show that I'm fit and strong and and have so much respect in the whole fitness. And what it does mean that I just don't want to sit back and become not fit...

Will:  

There's a difference between I can't do so I'm going to demonstrate what you can do but I'm still going to be there in the in the training zone versus I'm not going to do it or I won't do and I think that that is why we talked about this a bit the next day it's a trap that instructors have been teaching for a while can fall into which is they there's certain things that you can't do and so they don't do them but then you can't I'm just going to say it because this is Group Fitness Real Talk where we talk about real things. Some instructors just become lazy and an injury is not something that that is an excuse for tapping out or being lazy, it's a chance to work around it in a way that works for you and helps to inspire the people in front of you. But there's a tendency to be like well I can't do that anymore. So I'm just not going to do the tuck jumps I'm just going to squat that's not the way you should be teaching.

Lisa  

No, exactly and you have to do the hard stuff now you have to do the challenges like I don't honestly I really don't like running the 5Ks but I know that it's something that does help my my overall fitness, it is something that does make my my classes feel easier and it keeps me at a level that I can show really high level fitness so I have to do the challenge. It's it's um it's important to take the hard stuff and do the challenges to keep your keep yourself as a great role model and inspiring others to to push hard to get fitter and feel better as a result.

Will:  

Yeah, for sure. So let's wind it back a little bit just because I want to I want to sort of deep dive. We've talked about it we talked a bit about some of the techniques that you use which I think we're going to come back to but you have this diagnosis which was that so was the diagnosis that you have to stop or was it that you have to stop and get this total hip replacement

Lisa  

The diagnosis was yeah I had no yeah I had no I couldn't honestly do a step heel in the end.

Will:  

I remember you telling me that you will push scootering all around Auckland because just walking was difficult.

Lisa  

I was so I did I I yeah I scooted...

Will:  

one of those dogs that Nick has one leg that they can't use them they have the little wheelie...

Lisa  

It's because I couldn't run anyway so 

Will:  

I should tell the listener, if lisa can't run then she is going to be late for everything.

Lisa  

I am, I was because I'm always in minute after the minute to be somewhere so I was always racing anyway so the only way I could get places fast enough was to use my son's scooter seriously.

Will:  

So youu had the scooter in the backseat of the car parked, zoom zoom zoom.

Lisa  

Everywhere! I would get out and get my scooter out and then I would scoot and I would go overseas to summita and take the scooter and I'd go from room to room on my scooter because walking was so painful. Honestly, it really was and I just couldn't run and so I had to find another way to get places fast so I thought I'm gonna use a scooter even started bringing in electric scooters. So I was well ahead of the game.

Will:  

Yeah, you're ahead of the curve. Absolutely. 

Lisa  

People used to laugh at me when I was on my scooter all the time. But yeah, that's that's getting back to injury you know, or life you find another way to do what you need to do because if that's what you want to do to make you happy. So when I was told about my opinions about the the surgeon is that is that he really did say that I would never run again now. But what he did say was this and that. But so he said to me, basically your hip is like a tire. But if you do, do X amount of miles, you need to replace the tire sooner. Yeah, yeah. So he said it's going to be your judge, you feel amazing with the hip, he said that, you feel like brand new in a year, you'll feel like you have been I mean, I don't even feel like I've got it. I mean, I'm moving better now and lifting heavier weights and snatching stuff that that I was doing before my hip, so I'm but I'm moving better. He said to me, you'll be you'll be you'll be fine. He did say he didn't think I'd be able to do anything like body attack. But anyway, um, I am fully aware that that my hip replacement, I don't think will last me 20 years, because that's what he said. You can have a hip replacement and it'll last you 20-30, you might only ever need one, IF you only walk or swim.

Will:  

Right that's for the average the average person who doesn't do what you do.

Lisa  

Right, exactly, so I could do that and I would be so unhappy and so miserable or I can do the miles and yes it is going to wear and tear and maybe in 10 years instead of 20 I'm going to need another one but i'm i'm going to take that risk and I'm not going to spend my life not doing things for 10 years because I'm now I'm worried about a second one. I've got it I can't inspire people from my bloody couch, I need to be moving and keep going and, and doing things so i that is the realistic side of it is I'm sure there are people out there that know about hips as well and they're probably saying yes, you can't you you know but and I know that that I'm putting the miles on my hip early and I'm going to have to deal with that early as well. So yeah, but the other thing too is that I have one hip replacement for total hip replacement my other hip has nothing is nothing wrong with my other hip really, really strangely I don't I'm very lucky and fortunate that it is only one hip and not the other one at all. So yeah there's a high chance I'll need to get another one that I'll deal with that when the time comes.

Will:  

So on this point and I like I have known you a long time and I also know that you have never been the biggest fan of taking a lot of time out even even when even when you maybe shouldn't so when you had your hip replacement I just remember thinking this knowing knowing you and knowing how much fitness is it's not a profession it's it's like it's a passion and it's a reason for doing everything that you do right and so I knew how hard this would be and so one of the things that I was most impressed with was the fact that you like I feel that that was the first time that I kind of say later and gone actually is actually taking the time and going slowly and I guess that bike slowly for you is still faster than most people but after you had after you had the replacement So tell me a little bit about that like you basically had to kind of learn to walk again essentially Didn't you and then so what was that process like?

Lisa  

Yeah so so yeah, I did slow down, but I did it the right way. So I had once again I had a coach before who worked on this I was so strong in my quads in my glutes and my hamstrings in everything that I needed. I would push through training going into the operation to the surgery. Yep, yep, I spent those four months I trained so hard to be and this big, through excruciating pain I still do exercises because I knew that it was just the pain of my hip and it wasn't going to get any worse and you're getting rid of it anyway so I'll get rid of it so I had to just get through and do all the exercises to keep everything around it really strong. So I knew that as soon as I had the operation...

Lisa  

This is because if if the if your quads and glutes and all of the surrounding muscles are stronger then the it'll be just easier once you've got the replacement happen to just integrate it back again.

Lisa  

Yeah, so what happens people get really when they can't move they're all their muscles disintegrate where they go and they get weak and everything starts to fall down.

Will:  

So it's not it's not just the hip itself. It's all of the it's it's the failure to move and all of the surrounding surrounding biomechanics.

Lisa  

Yes, so it's the prehab that has been maybe hasn't been an important thing like even to my my surgeon. You know, he was astounded by the strength of my muscles going through when he was in the operation, he couldn't believe how strong everything was. Yeah, he literally said that so he Yeah, I couldn't believe it but that was my focus, for months before that was my focus. So and then coming out of it of course. Within one day everything still wanted to work, yes I had been cut back, everything just wanted to get back to work so quickly so and the other thing too was like I remember my surgeon saying things like you can only do 10 minutes like I was on the bike the same day literally on a bike.

Will:  

Okay so maybe you didn't take as much of a rest.

Lisa  

No, I did, he said, literally it's an incredible operation. You are on a bike the same day. So I was but and you can only, you're up super high and you can't I mean you are, you're moving the leg you're moving the muscles they want you to walk and within a week you're...

Will:  

Oh so this wasn't Lisa jumping on and being like I'm training, this was this was rehab to get the joint moving. 

Lisa  

Yeah, got it but the thing is that he would make say you can only walk for 10 minutes and he said so I did it three times a day instead of like once a day so he was only go on the bike for 10 minutes. So I go well is there any reason why I can't go on it in the morning at lunchtime and at nighttime. So I would literally do the exercises he would give me like hip extensions and knees and movements and stuff instead of just doing it once I honestly would do it three times a day so i was i was just adamant that I was gonna make it back and I did everything right I had my coach again he was incredible I mean and I did have a staff and I was pulled upping in a week. I just made sure I got it when I had my coach I would say to him, you just have to hold me make sure I don't fall you hold me let me get up on the bar and then I can do my pull ups and then you can hold me and lower me down. Yeah, and I remember you laughing because all I wanted to do a handstand. He said, you can't keep up on the wall! I would find and then I found the skier so I could do the skier I could do a skier before I could do any other kind of cardio

Will:  

Right, because you're not really needing to drop into a squat or lift your knees up on that right it's it's you're involving your legs but at a very easy angle for any joint pain.

Lisa  

So once again you know you find other ways to get fit anyway and it took me 12 weeks and I was back at filming. I didn't miss a filming.

Will:  

Did you not, I wondered about this actually so you you basically did you did it, yeah I'm not surprised. Have you ever missed a filming round once? No.

Lisa  

No, but you should have seen the way I was moving. I was moving so... I was in perfect technique coming back.

Will:  

Right, because you actually had to stop and start and learn again right?

Lisa  

Yeah, yeah, and it was a great thing it was a great... I move better now than I did before my hip, absolutely. I've learnt to engage better muscles, get stronger in my hamstrings yeah lock my, use, activate my glutes, screw my feet on the floor to engage better muscles before I do squats, things that should help me who knows maybe you'll protect the hip joint because I'm moving much better now.

Will:  

So you went through this long a long process of knowing you had knowing you had to have this operation and then knowing that you had this long period of recovery. Did you did you have to deal with any kind of sort of unhappiness or depression or mental mental wellbeing issues or did you just kind of go this is what has to be done and move through? Because I know that a lot of people when they get a an injury or a diagnosis can often kind of sit in the negative feelings which is to be fair is perfectly reasonable to do right because these are big things that people have to deal with. Did it, how did you deal with that or did you just focus on doing what needed to be done in order to get back like at the earliest time you could?

Lisa  

Yeah man I was definitely sad. Definitely I had sad moments and I didn't, yeah, I didn't I didn't know you know I was hoping that I would still keep going.

Will:  

Because they're all talking in hindsight right? But I guess that there's all the potentials that things can go wrong or that or that things can go badly right like obviously now down the line you can look back and know that it turned out well but I guess at the time there's all that anxiety of what's going to happen.

Lisa  

Yeah, absolutely. I mean I'm not very good at thinking about yesterday so I can't really remember a little bit of the things I went through even last week, let alone a couple of years ago now but that's the truth actually I do move on very quickly, that's just a way of my coping of things that happen in life, but um you can only control what you control again so like I was worried about my job, you bet. I was worried about being 33 forever I was worried about about them wanting someone else to come in and just take over because I had a sore hip, but and I know that's what they were talking about. I know that that was a conversation.

Will:  

Well I guess you'd I mean like looking at it from from the businesses perspective they would have to think well if this doesn't go well, how do we what are we going to do? Like no disrespect to you or not wanting you to come back? It's just it's just the reality of life. Right?

Lisa  

Yeah, absolutely. And I think that but I was very open to bringing in other people I didn't i was open to, yeah, I needed support, I needed to build and it was at a time where the company was building more, bringing in younger people not just younger but other diverse people as well. So you know, I was open to that I, you know, I wanted at the end of the day, I want the program to keep going and I want my program to keep going and the more people that love it and understand it and can continue my my my heart and soul that that in the program then the better so, you know, I think it made my company respected there. I mean, my Jackie Mills is my my boss and she has supported my mission, me, I mean she's the reason why I got the hip replacement 500% so I have full backing from her full backing so that gave me confidence and I was open I didn't try to be any that I wasn't, you know, like, I think that was that was important. Like, it was hard. But I was, I was going to continue to try to be better and stay with it. And I think they respected that. So I didn't try to do or be anything that I wasn't. And I was open to support and open to, I mean, I'm open to, to others working with me. And it just grew that grew, the family grew, my body attack, my Les Mills and fitness family, that's basically what it did.

Will:  

This is a question that I've got for you, I'm really curious to know. So I imagine given the program that you do, which is like high impact, high intensity, and is obviously able to be modified. But you know, sports training and sports training involves involves jumping in at balls, agility, and all this sort of stuff that people have a perception that the older you that you get, the less capable of doing it you will be now I don't necessarily agree with that. And I know that you probably don't either. But I can imagine that being 33 forever. And having done it for a while, there was probably sort of thoughts and talk of what will happen when, when Lisa, like becomes to a point where she's no longer able to do it. Do you think that now having that replacement and coming back and being the person that you are has actually changed that perception? Because I thought because I know that I look at what you're doing with body attack, which is such an energetic, high intensity programming thing, the fact that you're doing what you're doing after going through what you've what you've been through, and with your history and fitness? I think it actually it changes the game and the perception in a way that maybe you wouldn't have before. Does that make sense?

Lisa  

Yeah.

Will:  

Because you kind of answered the question, right? It's like it just like, is Lisa too old to be doing this? No, she's not. And so and I can prove it.

Lisa  

Yeah, and I think all it's done is helped me make the program more accessible, right? That's what it's done, through my life through through the hip, the hip replacement through having kids through losing, losing my best friend a year ago, through the people that are in my circle, everything that you all the moments and the people in your life that you've experienced, contribute to your body to body check is is is me. And everything that I've learned in life to make it better for other people movement is medicine left your body attack, it's been a medicine to me, I can help I want to help body attack be a medicine to other people. Through hip replacement. I've learned how to modify moves in body attack to still make it work and still interesting and, and achievable. Through having kids I know what you go through what moves you can't do can't do a single knee lift or a high new run, but you can do other you can jog on the spot with a baby interesting enough. So the thing is, is that the more you experience in life, and and it just has through for me in fitness, it's only helped me have an understanding of all the different types of people out there and what they go through in their lives in their fitness. I mean, I even understand that. Now people don't have time to go to the gym. I mean, I fully I'm a big supporter of fast classes, you know, 30 minutes, 30-minute classes, 45-minute classes max, because people's lives now don't have five or 35 minutes. I mean, the best, the greatest instructors are not, not necessarily even. There's no age, but the greatest instructors are the ones that have experienced different things themselves to understand the pick that there are so many different people in front of them that are all different and require different types of things. So you know that you're not a control freak, it doesn't have to be done this way or that way. It's like it's your way is the best way. And they mean it because they know that they've had to make changes themselves or adaptations to make things work. And it's like a great athlete, the greatest athletes or the greatest rugby players or the greatest Olympians will be people that have been through hardships and journey journeys that that have struggled to understand what it takes to actually be the very, very best I mean that's an individual but for us as instructors, the more we experience the more we can open our eyes to see all the different colors that are in front of us.

Will:  

It's that's so true. All of that is is so good to hear. And I agree with it all there's such a tendency in our industry because it is a an industry about physical movement and particularly now that it becomes so image focused with Instagram and social media. And it used to be the case that you know, you would go to the gym and you'd see the great teachers and the great teachers will be great teachers because people were coming into their classes. And now, right or wrong, there's like loads of famous fitness people, some are absolutely fantastic. Some are not fantastic. But they're usually given that prominence not because they were creating change in their classes, but potentially because they looked a certain way. Or they could, they could display a certain type of look or physicality. And so if you're an older instructor that's been teaching for a while, you can often start to think that I'm not, I'm not the right, I'm not the right profile for this opportunity, or I don't look the right way or I don't move the right way, when what we should really be focusing on is the fact that the older you get, and the more you've been doing this, the more you understand, you may have to modify. You may choose to teach different things because you don't feel as comfortable role modeling it or it doesn't work for you, but tapping out of the industry that you really enjoy because you feel like you're too old or you you can't the way a 20 year old moves. It's just bad for everybody because everybody needs to have and older people need people that are much older than us and if you can inspire them through your journey, understanding what you learn then that's the real key. It's not about doing the 10 tuck jumps the highest in the room it's about getting everyone in the room to move and everyone outside the room into the room.

Lisa  

Exactly and it saddens me so much when somebody says I think that you know I'm I mean i'm so in denial about my age. Yeah, I that said that it does it makes me so sad It breaks my heart when I see somebody think that they aren't as good as the new instructor that comes in to take over because we all have different audiences as well and that's the other thing is that everybody will inspire different people in a different way and if we only ever just what oh, it does it frustrates me, knowing it's always about Gen Z Gen Z, let's get Gen Z into the room. How do we get Gen Z? Sure, focus on Gen Z but let's keep people going let's, let's get let's get mums and dads and grandmas and grandpas back in there. There's a huge huge part of the population. Yes, we want to get people young to get them through but you know, they come and go quite fast they're fickle. They come in, they go out, they change things all the time. Whereas somebody that maybe instructor that it has has a different demographic or different audience different ages. These people are important too. And if instructors need to remember that that's that that's important whoever's in their class their age and and get them in there and yes, maybe it isn't you are inspiring different people and not the 2020 year olds that somebody asked you that say that's okay. Yeah, that's not me. But you are you you do you and you inspire the people that you have in front of you because everyone's important and mums and dads and grandmas and grandpas are all important as well.

Will:  

It's I completely completely agree. So on that note, how do you keep what how do you personally keep what you're doing so you're creating a program that people teach right throughout the demographics but that has to appeal to everybody right? So you need to be able to play How do you as an instructor has been in the game for a long time keep yourself fresh and up to date in terms of what fitness is?

Lisa  

Yeah, so I definitely look outside of just what we do in our company I think that there is so much out there and I love looking at new ideas what's kept the industry now, I watch my son I mean we I put a movie in my latest track seven that my son was doing in his Island group performance, they do a small group and they did this nice flat thing and I was like I love that so much and next thing you know it's in my my latest body attack track seven, but it was inspired by my 16 year old son and he's he's at Auckland Grammar they do a performance and I watched it and that came into the class so I watch agility training. I watch I watch my youngest 10 year old what he comes home and does from TikTok, I watch it online. But I yeah, I stay current because I look for what's current and I don't just sit in my own bubble with my own movement class. So that's how to that's how I think I keep in inspired by everyone I look around I don't and I listen to different types of music and all different types of genres. And it's not it's not just about what I like I get lots of feedback. I get lots of ideas. I have friends of all ages. I respect and listen to everybody I don't just think it's I'm not. I believe in a team. I believe that you're only as strong as the team that's around you. So I think that's what I keep current. I keep looking at and asking questions and wanting to keep it fresh. At the same time though. I always hold on to what I feel is the reason why something has survived so long. And that is definitely once again it is thinking about a workout that that reaches as many people as possible. I mean, I wrote this down.

Will:  

Yeah, yeah, go go ahead.

Lisa  

I can never say so many years because I'm 33.

Will:  

Let's just pretend that the numbers' in the decades.

Lisa  

Yeah, but it was when I was at university it was I wanted to inspire as many people as I can, in as many ways as I can, the very best I can. That was it. It is simple, I write it down three lines. And I've been I've been true to that, for everything that I've done. So in the end of the day, my class needs to be current needs to be modern, but it also needs to be achievable for everybody, as many people as I can. And it needs to be have joy. No, I, I love that word joy. It needs to be fun. It's, you know, that I maybe that comes from me, I don't want to just smash myself and die on the floor. I mean, what fun is your that? I want to work hard and feel good at the end. But I do want to, you know, smile and look around and and, you know, have a good time. So I always want that to be a part of it as well. So yeah, I really love and I think what I always think back to what I loved about why I do what I do. And you know, I loved the energy and the music was fun and sing along and the energy. So I always want to keep that, that a part of the program that I create, because at the end of the day, that's what, to me, that's what was the buzz that was the that was that was the thing. 

Will:  

If there's any word that I can think of to sum up your teaching style, it is joy. It's just having fun, having fun moving in, and it all stems from beer, right, like having fun moving. So bringing people into into the movement as possible, making sure that you work hard, let's not let's not joke around that we haven't even touched on the CrossFit thing, which is obviously a big thing that you do now that you're not a fan of, you're not a fan of like you're not not a fan of hard work, you don't stear away from hard work. Let's put it that way. But that hard work always comes with knowing that that you're getting going to get that euphoric high. And then once you once you've gone through the hard work, it's all about joy and smiles.

Lisa  

Exactly. And it should be like that, that's what I believe in our classes or in our workouts is the most important thing is we provide a workout that takes you away from the outside world, you're inside and in either your classes, 30 minutes, 45 or 55. I believe they're going, oh, I forgot about my life for the last X amount of minutes. And I just feel good. And now I can feel better about tackling everything that's on the outside of this experience. So that's what gyms can do for people. And that's what clubs can do for people. And that's what classes can do for people, and a great instructor can do for people.

Will:  

100%. Well, I think that's a really great time to wrap this up. I'm going to finish the one question which I did give you the advanced warning off, but if you don't, I'm saying that because I'm like they shouldn't read it. But I probably touched on this before if you if I asked you to give one piece of advice to a Group Fitness Instructor and they don't have to be a new instructor. They could be like an instructor at all. But one thing that you wish you'd known when you started that you absolutely know now to be true. What would that piece of advice be? 

Lisa  

That music is, that music and movement is medicine. And your smile. And your smile is your energy. And if you can walk into a room every time, every class with thinking about them, and how what a great positive experiences for them because you're smiling, you will make them feel great no matter what the workout. So keep focused on them. Remember that you're it's you're changing someone's life just by that time that they're spending with you for the better. And that's more important than scripting, more important than your cues. It's more important than being on the right foot the right way. It's actually your positivity, your smile, and your full belief that you're helping them have a better life.

Will:  

Yeah, absolutely. Well Lisa Osborne, thank you so much for taking the time to join the podcast and talk to me. I want to say I want to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you because of all the people that I've worked with in my fitness career, you are the person who I have learned the most from and not so much around technical stuff, although, technical teaching stuff, obviously that too, but just in terms of general approach, and so for anyone that's listening to this that doesn't know Lisa, but you know me and you like the stuff that I do just know that so much of what I do is based upon the things I learned from this wonderful person that I've been talking to. So hopefully, hopefully we'll do this podcast again sometime. And we can talk about other stuff. But thank you so much for taking the time to speak to me. Your journey back from hip replacement is something that is super inspirational and also, I think everyone listening to this will just be inspired by the just the general approach that you take to teaching classes and bringing fitness to more people. So Lisa Osborne, thank you very much.

Lisa  

Thank you.

Will:  

So that was my chat with Lisa. As you will have gathered by now she's an incredibly motivated and positive person. And she was never going to let someone tell her that she couldn't do the things she loved to do most in the world. Now, if you take one thing away from this talk today is that the more experience you have, the more you can understand people. The Group Fitness industry needs people with experience that can empathize with those in their class. And no matter how high a 20 year old can jump, or how flexible a brand new yoga instructor is, they're not going to have the ability to connect with their classes in the same way that someone with years of experience can not to say that there's anything wrong with being at the start of your career either. We all have different things to bring. And we all need to appreciate what those are. One thing that makes me really sad is when I speak to instructors who have been considering throwing in the towel on teaching, because they think they're past it, whatever that means. So to those instructors, I've got one thing to say, please don't buy into the idea that you are too old. I know it can be hard in this Instagram age of fitness. But what often happens is people perceive they are too old. And then it becomes a vicious cycle because people tap out of programs that we're teaching. The younger people see that those people were getting to a certain age and leaving and then it just repeats itself. So why not do as Lisa does and use what could be a potential setback as your superpower? Understanding what it's like to struggle is so powerful for creating connection in class, because the people in your class are almost always going to be finding it more difficult than the instructor up the front. This makes you relatable, authentic and open. And this type of connection can really make a difference with that person in your class who is struggling. Thank you for listening. If you're enjoying the show, don't forget to subscribe for all the latest episodes wherever you get your podcasts. And while you're there, please drop us a review. You can also get in touch with me at will@sh1ftfitness.com. I'm Will Brereton and you've been listening to Group Fitness Real Talk.