The organiser of Kenilworth ZUU fitness, Phil Thomas, has had the tables turned on him, and has been using ZUU to recover from illness, rather than teaching others.

On May 16 57-year-old Phil Thomas was suddenly rushed to hospital after he felt a sudden weakness in his legs. Test revealed that he was suffering from GBS or Guillain Barre Syndrome.

GBS is a rare autoimmune condition which attacks the peripheral nervous system. It mainly affects the feet, hands and limbs, and can be life-threatening.

This would clearly be bad enough for anybody, but even worse if you are the leader of a local fitness group.

Since January 2019, Phil Thomas has been running ZUU fitness groups in Kenilworth. ZUU is a form of bodyweight training that is low impact, and was created by Nathan Helberg in Australia over ten years ago.

Phil first became aware of it in 2018, before deciding to start his own group locally.

The group in Kenilworth has continued to grow steadily since it was founded, "today we are stronger then ever," says Phil.

The road to recovery

Given that when Phil was allowed to leave hospital he couldn't walk, he was clearly unable to participate in the online classes that his members had been forced to switch to during lockdown.

The ZOOM sessions had been going remarkably well with the team training in their own homes and gardens yet somehow still training together on line.

But he was not left alone.

"When I was taken ill, fellow ZUU trainers Chris Hiobley-Cox from Birmingham and Laura Dixon from Leamington helped my daughter Sarah Grimwood continue with the three times a week online sessions.

"She even added an extra Saturday morning session for those new to ZUU all have which have proven to be really popular."

He has even been helped by Mark Gordon, a ZUU coach from Kawana on the Gold Coast Australia, who has been running joint sessions with the Kenilworth contingent.

"This was truly humbling as I'd only just been introduced to him on Facebook."

Helberg, the founder of ZUU, places mental resilience at the centre of exercise and wellbeing.

For Phil, this realisation has become even more apparent over the past few months. "My ZUU crew have been so supportive and determined that they will carry on. Inspire one, inspire many, has never been so apparent."

Phil has been using both the mental and physical aspects in his recovery, using ZUU mobility exercises, TRX suspension trainers, and an online physiotherapist to help regain as much movement as he can.

"My recovery has surprised everyone, friends, family doctors and physiotherapists."

Back to normal?

Whilst Phil feared that he would never be able to return to full training, he has now been able to rejoin ZUU to some extent.

In August the first ZUU Fit Tournament began, a team event open to all fitness levels. Running over three months, over 100 four-person teams across the world are competing against each other to complete a number of drills and improve their times throughout the tournament.

For Phil this has been the perfect chance for recovery, "the important things are that there are no egos tolerated, its just supporting teammates online across the globe."

Phil's team 'Four Angry Pigeons' includes himself, Cliff Hobley-Cox, Mark Gordon, as well as Nicole Maxwell Kello from the USA.

Having been coerced into the team by Cliff and Mark, Phil reflects "I know that was the best thing I could have done. The team are outstanding humans and the global competition is epic."

The level of support across the Four Angry Pigeons is particularly poignant when you consider that there is an 18 hour time gap across the teammates.

"I've only been involved in ZUU less than 2 years and it's had such a positive effect on me and so many people around me. I've been lucky enough to get to know so many lovely people both locally and around the world."

Such has been the speed of his recovery, Phil has now been discharged from treatment, after just twelve weeks.

Going forward Phil has been able to return to his Kenilworth ZUU group. They continue to meet three or four times each week on ZOOM and last Sunday they even had their first outdoor session since lockdown.

This was at Kenilworth Town Football Club who themselves were reopening after lock down. It was a well-attended high intensity session, at the same time linking with teammates in Portugal, Italy and Australia. ZUU is about people before fitness with an entry level for all.

This was at Kenilworth Town Football Club who themselves were reopening after lockdown.

"It was a well attended, high-intensity session and wonderful to have everyone together in one place at the same time linking with teammates in Portugal, Italy and Australia.

"ZUU is about people before fitness with an entry level for all."

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about Phil's story of about ZUU fitness in Kenilworth can find him on Facebook by following this link, or by emailing him at [email protected]

"It's the nicest family friendly team you could wish to meet."