Ashley's 4 weeks on Core Buddy — "everyone has 10 minutes"

The Core Buddy Effect — Edition #01

A month ago Ashley wouldn't have gone near a squat rack. Now it's a selfie spot.

Ashley's pushing 39, works full time, and a month ago wouldn't have gone near a squat rack. She joined the Core Foundations event on Core Buddy not really knowing what to expect.

"I went into it with an open mind, and thought I've nothing to lose."

Here's what happened over the 4 weeks, in her own words.

Week 1

First thing she doubted was the same thing everybody doubts. 8 minutes a day. Surely that's not enough?

"8 mins is perfect I think. I probably thought it needed to be longer, but after my first week my core is def feeling it."

"As the week has gone on I've felt them get harder and my core is uncomfortable from the previous days — but that tells me it's def doing something."

Daily steps, done outside — the habit that stacked on top of the workouts.

She also worked out something in week 1 that took me years to learn:

"I tried to think about getting to the end of each day, not the whole week, if that makes sense."

Aye, it makes sense. Don't think about the month. Just get today done.

Week 2

Sessions got longer this week, and Ashley was doing the core challenge on top of her workouts and steps. She rated it a 9 out of 10.

"I def had to dig deep some days."

But this is where it started paying off outside the workouts too:

"My motivation has started to return, and I feel that's because I am being held accountable. My sleep and energy is much better too. Overall I felt this week was good — I did achieve a lot, and I do feel stronger overall."

Extra credit: the 10-minute core sessions gave Ashley the confidence to put proper hours in at the gym too.

She keeps coming back to that word. Accountable. The workouts are in the app, but the reason she opened it every day was the group. People logging sessions, the leaderboard ticking over. When folk can see whether you showed up or not, you show up.

Week 3

I'll be honest with you — week 3 is where most people vanish. The buzz has worn off, the end's still too far away, and life gets in the road.

Ashley gave it an 8 and never missed a day.

"I've loved the accountability with the group. Side planks are still a killer but I'm managing to add the seconds on. It's very much part of my routine now."

Sled pushes and battle ropes — the daily core work built the base, and this is Ashley cashing it in.

Three weeks in and it's routine. And when I asked her what week-1 Ashley wouldn't believe about where she is now:

"That it only takes 10 mins or so to help the core! I always thought it was needing hours!"

That's the exact thing that stops most folk ever starting. It doesn't take hours. Never has.

The stuff I didn't ask for

These just came through my messages during the month, unprompted:

"I worked the crop fields at my mum's farm — much harder than I bloody thought 🤣 Also my confidence at the gym is growing! I would've never gone near a squat rack before."

Farm work at her mum's place — "much harder than I bloody thought."

"Got up super early on Friday to tick off my workout and steps before my hair appointment at 6.30am. The wedding was in Inverurie so I knew there'd be a lot of sitting in the car. Def making priorities."

Up before half 6 on a wedding day to get her workout in. Nobody told her to do that. That's the switch flipping — it stops being a challenge and starts just being what you do.

And then this landed:

"This happened today — nae bad for someone who is pushing 39."

Her watch dropped her fitness age from 39 to 35. Four years off, in under a month, from 10 minutes a day and a group keeping each other honest.

Four years off her fitness age in under a month.

Fancy seeing what 4 weeks does? Core Buddy is free to download — and the 30-day free trial covers the lot.

Week 4 — Foundations Built

Ashley finished the event and earned her Foundations Built badge. I asked what it means to her:

"That I've stayed consistent, put the work in and developed the basics to build a strong core."

Consistent. Not perfect. Not extreme. She just kept turning up for 28 days.

"The challenge has been fab. I've found the workouts good and challenging, and the group has kept me accountable."

And she's no done:

"Level 2 — looking forward to starting."

I asked Ashley what she'd say to anyone thinking about next month's event. Her answer:

That's it. That's the post.

Ashley didn't find extra hours in her day. She didn't turn her life upside down. Short sessions, logged daily, a group that wouldn't let her hide. Better sleep, more energy, a stronger core, confidence at the squat rack, and a fitness age 4 years younger.

Download Core Buddy and join the next event

Short sessions, logged daily, a group that won't let you hide. See what 4 weeks does — free to download, and the 30-day free trial covers the lot.