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Embodyment, Ferne McCann’s new fitness platform, has three options – Burn, Sculpt or live workouts. Here’s what 3 WH staffers thought of it.
Whether you love Ferne McCann from her TOWIE days, or you’re one of her 2.6 million followers on the ‘gram, or both, chances are you know she takes her fitness pretty seriously. Regularly snapped in gym kit, the mum-of-one loves to get a sweat on – so much so that she created a fitness platform ‘Embodyment with Ferne McCann‘ to help you get fit, too.
Designed to help people reach their fitness goals, whether that’s to lose weight, maintain your current physique or tone up, Ferne and the team behind Embodyment designed two plans, BodyBurn (fat loss) and BodySculpt (muscle building), alongside a subscription to a slew of live workouts (Embodyment+) to help you get there.
To find out if the hype’s worth it, we called upon three WH staffers to try each section of the new one-stop fitness shop…
1. Embodyment+
We Tested Ferne McCann’s New Fitness Platform
Guinea pig: Morgan Fargo, WH Digital Fitness Writer
The set up
2020 being the year sent to destroy all forms of routine or normality, I have become very well acquainted with the area around my front door. Where before I would dash my keys down or kick off my shoes haphazardly, now, I sweat. On the reg. In fact, over the past six months I’ve filled the hall with home gym equipment to kit out a boutique studio. Not kidding.
With that in mind, setting up for this kettlebells HIIT workout was a breeze. We were told to only grab one but I’m an overachiever (read: my arms still hurt as I type this) so I grabbed one heavy kettlebell, one light, and my yoga mat. All that was left to do was balance my laptop on the cabinet we normally use exclusively for bike helmets and press ‘start’ on my Apple watch.
The workout: Kettlebell HIIT
It’s been a hot minute since I really did HIIT. Pre-COVID, when studios were open and PTs could still get all up in my grill, I would battle through intervals with the might and will of a millennial Boudica. Since working out at home? Not so much. With my phone less than a metre away, rather than safely tucked in a locker, 30 seconds recovery can quickly become 3 minutes. And who’s complaining? (Not me.)
So, with a trainer urging me on, I found I was moving more quickly without thinking so much. When someone else (and a buzzer) is yelling stop and start, my mentality quickly shifted to just getting through the next interval and away from checking my emails.
We Tested Ferne McCann’s New Fitness Platform
(Funnily enough, when I’m working and sweating hard, rest periods are used for getting my breath back and not spamming my Whatsapp group with funny memes. Interesting, that.)
The session was set up as 45-seconds on, 15-seconds off for a total of 30-minutes and 90% of the moves required the use of a kettlebell or some other free weight. A mix of upper and lower body compound moves, the workout was tough, that’s for sure. From heavy goblet squats to curtsy lunges, deadlifts, swings and curls, there were a couple points when my vision literally swam with sweat and my quads cried out for sweet relief.
However, half an hour flew by and by the end of it I was so buzzed with what I’d achieved on my lunch break I flirted with the idea of doing it again. Fortunately, I realised this was madness (and how tired I was) and went on about my day.
The verdict
Between the hard intervals, demanding full body compound exercises and short rest periods, this was a challenge. Fortunately me and my intense middle-child syndrome love to compete and pushing past what I thought I was capable of felt fantastic.
The trainer, Patrick, was friendly, tough and positive enough (albeit a touch chaotic) to make you smile whilst still hating his guts. Plus, the session was speedy and efficient – two core principles of any midday workout.
Yes, you need equipment but it needn’t be a kettlebell – whatever you have around would have been just as suitable. Also, you don’t need masses of space, just enough room to comfortably walk out into a plank position and back again.
I’d repeat in a heartbeat, either first thing in the morning or when I was pressed for time during the day. Win!
2. BodyBurn
We Tested Ferne McCann’s New Fitness Platform
Guinea pig: Mini Smith, WH Acting Junior Writer
The set up
This one was as easy as flipping open my laptop as the first workout on the Body Burn programme is entirely equipment-free. I made sure to have sturdy trainers and a solid sports bra, but otherwise I was good to go.
Scrolling through workouts later in the coming weeks, I can see that I’ll need some light dumbbells and a mat. However, the first session is a bodyweight boxing style workout and so my kit basket is happily unneeded.
The workout: ‘Crossfight’ HIIT
The session was led by an incredibly motivating trainer named Patrick, who took us through his signature ‘CrossFight’ workout – a HIIT workout that combined classic moves (albeit clumsily executed in my case) like jabs, uppercuts and hooks, with high kicks and glute-firing squats.
It was, as you might expect, a sweaty one. From the end of the warm up, I had beads forming at my forehead and by the end my face was a glorious shade of Heirloom. Luckily, I was too busy trying to keep up with the choreography to pay much attention to the state of my sweat glands and was grinning throughout.
We Tested Ferne McCann’s New Fitness Platform
I’m no ultra marathon-er, but have a good basic level of fitness. I found the workout easy enough to get through without a break (and as the first in a 12-week programme, I would hope as much), but it was easy to slow down or adjust the moves where necessary if you feel you need a breather, making it adaptable to any level.
In terms of space, doing the workout in a pretty empty room meant I had the all clear to kick in various directions – I would take this one outside if your carpet space is limited, but you can always swap in another squat to keep things in close quarters.
The verdict
Long story short: I loved it. As someone who loves a good high intensity spin class, I found this to be a great substitute for those interval-based endorphins and an ideal at-home alternative.
I will definitely be seeking out similar workouts in the BodyBurn programme over the coming weeks, while looking forward to the more strength-based sessions I can see on the horizon.
For the times when I can’t go outside to run or don’t feel COVID-safe in a studio, these workouts seem ideal to help keep my fitness up from home – and teach me a few moves while I’m at it.
3. BodySculpt
We Tested Ferne McCann’s New Fitness Platform
Guinea pig: Abigail Buchanan, WH Fashion Assistant
The set up
As I’ve got a busy week ahead I was pleased to see the first workout is only 30 minutes long and needs no setting up – perfect if you’re time-poor but still want to get a solid workout in. Ferne McCann and her trainer wear boxing wraps for this boxing workout but I did it without and it was absolutely fine.
In terms of prep, you can just rock up in your gym gear and give it a go and, as it’s combat based, you don’t even need a yoga mat for this one. Get in.
The workout: Boxing
First impressions: the banging tunes really upped the ante in the warm-up. As the workout progressed, however, I found that it lacked variety – there were a lot of repetitive sequences.
If you like combat training, I’m sure that’s your bag. But Nicola Adams I am not, and I would have liked to see some resistance training and some more varied moves in there, too. For beginners this workout would make a good intro into this style of trainer and one thing you absolutely can’t fault is Ferne McCann or her trainer’s enthusiasm.
One massive plus?You don’t need a lot of space and, as I said before, you don’t need any equipment – this is the kind of workout you can do anytime, anywhere.
In terms of adaptability and the level of fitness required, there weren’t specific adaptations mentioned, but the workout was made up of simple, cardio moves to get your blood pumping making it suitable for everyone, whether you’re a beginner or a pro.
The verdict
I think this is a good, accessible workout that offers something for everyone – I would definitely continue for a couple of weeks and see what other kinds of workouts it has to offer.
The plan also includes nutritional advice and articles that would be really useful for someone who’s new to working out or who’s getting back into it, including back-to-basics guides to different types of training, and blogs to help you make the most of the plan. These aren’t just limited to fitness, they cover mindfulness, too, and next to my first week of workouts there’s a piece on how to prioritise finding some time for yourself, which is a nice touch.
How to sign up to Embodyment
If all this sweating has got you in the mood to try Embodyment for yourself, more creds to you!
There are three subscription options, all of which come with a free 14-day trial that you can cancel at any time:
- 1 month, £14.99
- 3 months, £9.99 (per month)
- 12 months, £7.99 (per month)
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