Latest news with #Toni
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
I was thrilled to get Aldi's reformer pilates machine that's £1.7k cheaper – but one annoying issue has me returning it
SHOPPERS raced to snap up Aldi's reformer pilates machine, which was £1.75k cheaper than the original version. However, one pilates fan has shared why she has already returned the Advertisement 6 One shopper shared how they have already returned their Aldi reformer pilates machine Credit: tiktok@eimearohanlon 6 The Aldi machine will set you back £149 - which is £1,750 cheaper than the original machine Credit: Supplied 6 The pilates fan claimed the 'rubber kept coming off the wheels' Credit: tiktok@eimearohanlon Eimear Hanlon uploaded a video showing her wheeling the machine into her local Aldi , with the caption: 'It's return time.' The TikToker, who posts under She explained that hers was a 'lil faulty', saying: 'I am a pilates instructor, bought it to try and see what it was like as it could've been a great alternative to those who don't have 6K. 'The rubber kept coming off the wheels, back to the mat I go.' Advertisement More on Aldi Many people were quick to chime in and say it wasn't the first time they had seen people posting about it. One wrote: 'Seen so many videos saying theirs broke.' However, others said they were desperate to buy one for themselves. One person who managed to Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Toni Jeffrey uploaded a video captioned 'is it worth the hype' and broke down its features one-by-one. On her Shocking moment chaos erupts in Aldi store as shoppers fight over viral £150 Pilates machine She said she was 'happy' with her purchase as it has 'all the basic features' and is 'definitely value for money', with the machine setting her back £149.99. Some shoppers who missed out in their store were left fuming to spot the machines being Advertisement However, Toni was honest about the pros and cons of her new One of the negatives was that she nearly trapped her fingers three times while adjusting the resistance. 6 Aldi shopper Toni Jeffrey - who also bought the machine - shared her review of Aldi's reformer pilates machine Credit: TikTok/@toni_jeffrey 6 Toni gave her overall review of the bargain pilates machine Credit: TikTok/@toni_jeffrey Advertisement She also didn't love the strap length adjusters, calling them 'annoying' as you have to one at a time and one of hers was 'slightly longer than the other.' She was also concerned about the quality of the material, saying she thought 'wear and tears would be visible after a while.' She added: 'The fabric isn't the best (you're getting what you paid for I suppose, it's doing the job.' However, she liked the 'comfortable straps', the fact it was 'easy to assemble' and that the foot bar is 'extremely sturdy.' Advertisement She also praised the length for her being 5ft 7, but said if you are really tall you may struggle. 6 Aldi shopper Kasey was ecstatic to snap up Aldi's new reformer pilates machine Credit: Tiktok/@kaseyclarke0 Overall, she was happy with her purchase but advised that if you are a serious pilates girl that you save for a better alternative. With the original reformer pilates machine costing £1899.99, it is no wonder that shoppers raced to buy Aldi's £149.99 version last weekend. Advertisement Aldi's As with all Aldi Specialbuys, once they're gone, they're gone, so head to stores quickly if you want to grab them. The 5 best exercises to lose weight By Lucy Gornall, personal trainer and health journalist EXERCISE can be intimidating and hard to devote yourself to. So how do you find the right workout for you? As a PT and fitness journalist, I've tried everything. I've taken part in endless fitness competitions, marathons and I maintain a regime of runs, strength training and Pilates. Fitness is so entrenched in my life, I stick to it even at Christmas! The key is finding an activity you love that can become a habit. My top five forms of exercise, especially if you're trying to lose weight, are: Walking Running Pilates High-intensity interval training (HIIT) Strength training
Mint
3 days ago
- Sport
- Mint
Why Rafael Nadal will forever remain the greatest star of French Open
When the Roland Garros, venue for the Grand Slam formerly known as the French Open, honoured Rafael Nadal earlier this week, it did so by unveiling a plaque on court with the player's footprint and signature. Court Philippe-Chatrier will bear Nadal's footprint forever, on its striking red clay, as a reminder to future generations how big these shoes are to fill. In his new book The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and his Kingdom of Clay, Christopher Clarey reiterates that point repeatedly and with good reason. Nadal won 14 titles at this venue, a record that's widely considered unbeatable and twice the previous record number of seven by Chris Evert. During the course of these 14 titles over 20 years, he built a 112-4 win-loss record, and remained unbeaten in all 14 finals he contested. Clarey's book therefore is not strictly a biography, which would have been expected of him after his previous work on Nadal's great rival, The Master: The Brilliant Career of Roger Federer, came out three years ago. This latest piece of work focuses on Nadal in the context of Roland-Garros, driven by the sheer magnitude of the Spaniard's achievement at this event. Clarey, a former contributor to The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune, personalises this one, unlike his previous work. Digging deep into his experience of covering sport for more than 30 years, Clarey had the fortune of watching Nadal—and following his career—from the time he started attracting attention on the senior men's tour from the early 2000s. Also Read Rafael Nadal: The man who taught us how to love clay While the focus may be on Nadal's dominance on the red clay, Clarey sprinkles the book with brief histories, of Nadal himself, his family, other Spanish stars who preceded him, the French tennis greats who gave the French Grand Slam its importance, of Chatrier, and of Clarey's own association with the tournament. As evident from Nadal's speech earlier this week during his felicitation ceremony at Roland Garros, attended by his great rivals Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, he owed a lot of his career to his uncle Toni, widely considered to be the biggest reason—besides Rafa himself—why he became one of the greatest athletes of all time. One of the sweetest stories of The Warrior is connected to Toni. When Nadal was still a boy coming up the ranks in tennis, Toni had convinced the child that his uncle had magical powers. Nadal would therefore call him Tio Mago (Uncle Magician) or Natali, because Toni had also convinced the child that he was an Italian football player for AC Milan. In his first tournament, when a seven-year-old Nadal was to play a 11-year-old in an under-12 team competition in Mallorca, Toni told Nadal that if he started to really trail in the match, Toni would make it rain so that the match is called off. Down 0-4 at one point, Nadal, in true Rafa style, fought back to 3-4 when it started raining. The little boy immediately went up to Toni and in all earnestness said, 'Listen, Natali, I think you can stop the rain because I think I can beat this guy." Fifteen years later, in the 2008 Wimbledon final against Federer, there was a rain delay with the 22-year-old Nadal leading two sets to love. When Toni reached Nadal in the men's locker room, his first words to his uncle were, 'Now was not the time to make it rain!" Also Read One vs one was sacred in tennis. No longer. One of Nadal's greatest gifts, as several people point out in The Warrior, is his simplicity and humility, attributes that allowed him to connect with people across the board. Besides his enormous success, his personality also endeared him to the Parisian audience over the years, after they had started off disliking him. Clarey remembers the crowd being totally in favour of Robin Söderling, an unheralded tennis player whose greatest claim to fame was beating Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009. It's worth noting that Söderling, who is remembered mainly for this one victory, is one of only three men to have defeated Nadal at Roland Garros. The other two are Djokovic—twice—and Alexander Zverev last year against an unfit Nadal well past his prime. As Nadal's assistant coach Francis Roig says in the book, 'Rafa is someone who is very simple, with human values that are strong and anchored but in competition he becomes superhuman." That Söderling loss was such an aberration that it's remembered to date and gets a worthy mention in Clarey's book. Considered one of the biggest upsets in men's tennis ever, it halted a straight run of titles for Nadal starting 2005, in his first appearance at the tournament. For the author, Nadal's 14-0 record in Roland-Garros finals is the most impressive statistic, a reflection of his mastery on clay, considering he was 8-8 in other major finals. The two other losses are significant because they were against Djokovic. Clarey argues that Nadal's greatest rivalry was against the Serbian, not Federer, though the latter was the more glamourised contest and earned more buzz. Nadal and Djokovic played each other 60 times in 18 years, with their first (2006 quarter-finals, which Nadal won) and last (Paris Olympics, which Djokovic won) competitive matches played—coincidentally—at Roland Garros. No man beat Djokovic more often; no man beat Nadal more often. They ended up finally at 31-29 in favour of Djokovic. By 2024, when Nadal played his last match at Roland Garros (at the Grand Slam, not the Olympics later)—though he didn't declare it then—his body had pretty much given up on him. From the beginning, Nadal's bruising style of play caused sufficient wear and tear on his body, leading to frequent injuries, long recovery periods and missed events. He suffered from Mueller-Weiss syndrome, a degenerative condition caused by a misshapen small bone in the top of the foot from an early age and never had surgery for it because it would have hampered his movements on court. Also Read Who will replace Rafael Nadal as the master of clay? He played a lot of his matches with painkiller injections and though there have been enough suspicions—given his quick recoveries and subsequent successes—Nadal has never been cited or sanctioned for failing a doping test. 'I have so many positive things in life, so many reasons to be happy and content with everything that I have. I don't need to create for myself a need or an obsession to try and get something more," says Nadal, in one of his typically philosophical pronouncements. 'There's a book in his transcripts," former French Open champion and now commentator Jim Courier tells Clarey. 'Someone could cherry-pick the Tao of Rafa in his press conferences because he simplifies things that mystify a lot of athletes." Nadal's global appeal paled a bit in comparison to Federer not just because of the latter's elegant playing style, but also because of his ability to communicate in multiple languages. To Nadal's disadvantage, he learnt English later on as an adult, which meant that while he spoke nuanced Spanish, his English was 'clipped and caricatural". There were straight translations out of Spanish, Clarey writes, like, 'It's obvious that I started well the match" or 'Today have been a very good Test". The other quirks which amused tennis followers always were the on-court rituals, of placing the water bottles in front of his chair, the pre-serve ticks of tucking his hair behind his ears and tugging his shorts. Nadal says that in his personal life he is disorganised, but on court he needed to be organised because routines allowed him to stay totally focussed. 'He didn't win 14 Roland Garroses with his muscles. He won them with his head," says Wojtek Fibak, an informal adviser to the Nadals and a former player. Sprinkled with anecdotes, comments from players across generations, details of some of Nadal's greatest matches, Clarey covers a lot of ground. He keeps this distinctly different from The Master, making it more personal, with repeated references to his time at the NYT and his access to players. By force of will and reliability, Clarey writes, Nadal became a reference point, a way of measuring time for all those associated with Roland Garros. He takes the example of Marc Maury, the master of ceremonies at Roland Garros, whose voice would be familiar to television audiences. Maury would recite all the years, one by one in French, that Nadal won the title, 'Deux mille cinq, deux mille six, deux mille sept…" before the player stepped on to the court. 'His (Maury's) long and lilting enumeration became the best testimony to the absurdity of Nadal's achievement," writes Clarey about a player who has become so emblematic with this event that this year's ongoing tournament seems incomplete without him—barring that emotional cameo at the felicitation ceremony. Arun Janardhan is a Mumbai-based journalist who covers sports, business leaders and lifestyle. Also Read Reliving India's historic 1975 Hockey World Cup win
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Nephew Nadal and how everyone needs to have an Uncle Toni in their lives
Back in the day, Rafael Nadal, 15, endured a strange evening. In the company of two men he respected, Rafa sat silently listening to them speculate about his future. This was early 2000 and Nadal, along with his coach and uncle, Toni, were guests at the home of Spain's national hero of that period – the square-jawed, long-haired Carlos Moya. During dinner, Moya, Spain's first-ever World No.1, threw a ridiculous question at Toni. Can you sign on a paper proclaiming that Rafael will turn out to be as good as Albert Costa? Just a few months back, Costa had won the French Open. Not known for diplomacy or false modesty, Toni declined. In his deep tenor-like voice, he said Nadal would do better than Costa. Moya didn't end the game there. 'Do you think he is as good as me, can you sign on to that?' Years later, recalling those bizarre meal-time events in a podcast; Toni said he reluctantly signed the paper just to be courteous to their generous host. But once the goodbyes were done and Toni was sure that the door behind their back was shut, he looked at an utterly confused young Rafa. 'I told him, I should have never signed on it but had to. I am sure you will be better than him. For me, it is not enough for you to be Carlos Moya.' Everyone deserves an Uncle Toni in their lives but only a few lucky nephews and nieces are blessed to have one. Nadal would at times feel the greatness inside him but he wasn't sure. Toni was always around to remind Rafa that he was the 'Special One'. The uncle also forced him to train hard, shielded him from distractions and, like that evening at Moya's home, didn't let his impressionable ward be satisfied by being merely as good as one of his idols and limit his goals. That day when he had signed the paper at Moya's home, Toni knew Rafa would one day put his indelible signature on the game. What he couldn't have imagined, it would be in the form of a red-clay footmark, etched on a sparkling white tile and cemented next to the net at Court Philippe Chatrier forever. Who could have read the mind of the aesthetically blessed and incredibly graceful French? In his teary, emotional speech at his grand Paris farewell the other day, where the French in the stands kept reaching for their handkerchiefs, Nadal extended a 'thousand thank yous' to Toni. He did mention his parents, sister, friends and wife but Nadal's virtual 'what do I say' surrender when it came to paying tribute to his mentor and guide underlined uncle Toni's role in the making of the Clay King. This was so like Sachin Tendulkar at the end of his career at Wankhede, pouring his heart out when talking about his own Toni – elder brother Ajit. 'Toni, you are the reason I am here. Thank you for dedicating a large part of your life to wanting to be with me. Training, speaking and winning, making me suffer, making me laugh, and pushing me to my limit. What I experienced was not always easy but, without doubt, it was worth the pain. Toni, my gratitude for the sacrifice you made for me is infinite. The best trainer I could have had. A thousand thank yous.' In the stands, Toni was being his stone-faced self. His eyes did squint, but there were no tears. He had been at Nadal's 14 triumphs here, sat through some disappointing losses, gulped down emotions watching his warrior nephew play through pain. He had seen it all. This was a happy 'last goodbye' party. Known as 'Dr No' for his stubborn nature, Toni isn't known to be the sentimental kind. Having an uncle, and not a father, as coach has some unique advantages. With a parent, a child can take liberties, throw a tantrum to try to get concessions in training. A strict uncle doesn't allow all that. Toni had a torturous coaching regime – he would make a young Rafa train on under-prepared clay courts, make him play with old bald balls, didn't allow him to drink water during a session, forced him to have endless repetitions and on days even reduced him to tears. Teenager Rafael Nadal playing tennis with uncle Toni 😊 — Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) October 16, 2024 But Toni knew the limits of the young boy's patience. He ensured that Nadal didn't start to hate tennis. He would also cajole him, show patience with his mistakes and also be his protector. Once Toni couldn't travel for a tournament with pre-teen Nadal, so he asked a local coach to accompany him. Before they left, Toni had a word with the new coach. 'Don't be tough with my nephew, I am tough enough,' he said. Nadal's father was Toni's elder brother and they all lived in one big building. The family patriarch was a musician. Rafael was the family's first grandchild, a favourite among his uncles. In his book 'The Warrior: Rafael Nadal and His Kingdom of Clay,' Christopher Clarey mentions how Toni, besides teaching him tennis skills, was also his 'unofficial performance psychologist'. He was an incredible story-teller, who wanted the trust of his nephew. Toni wanted Nadal to believe that he had magical powers and can do anything – even make him invincible. A charming little anecdote from the time Nadal was seven explains this. To relax his nephew before a crucial game against an 11-year-old, Toni came up with a story. He told Little Nadal that in case he was trailing in the game, he could magically arrange for rain and the game would be washed out. The game would start with Nadal trailing 4-0 and Toni getting restless. But the tide turned and it was 4-3 soon. That's when the skies opened up and there was a downpour. Nadal took his word. He was too obedient to challenge his elder. The match had started with Nadal 0-4 down. Toni's promised showers were nowhere around. Left with no option, Nadal hit back. 1-4, 2-4, 3-4 … Over to the book, where Clarey quotes Toni. 'At 4–3, it starts to rain, so I stop the match and take shelter on a porch at the club. And Rafa comes up to me when the other player can't see him and tells me, 'Listen … I think you can stop the rain because I think I can beat this guy.'' That lovely story then takes a big jump. Cut to 2008 and the Wimbledon final against Federer. Here Nadal takes the first two sets and it starts to rain. 'Toni reached Rafael in the locker room during the forced break, Rafael's first words to him were – 'Now was not the time to make it rain!', writes Clarey. The two laugh and after a while the rain actually stops. Nadal loses the next two sets, but in the final set, beats Federer to win his first Wimbledon. It was a miracle, a Spaniard had won on grass. So how could Toni agree that his nephew was as good as Costa or Moya? How could he have undervalued the precious diamond he was so diligently polishing? Everyone deserves an Uncle Toni in their lives but only a few lucky nephews and nieces are blessed to have them.
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
'80s singer known for hit song looks completely different in rare LA outing – but her signature bold style is the same
She turned heads in a boldly patterned geometric-print robe and matching headscarf SO FINE! '80s singer known for hit song looks completely different in rare LA outing – but her signature bold style is the same '80S SINGER Toni Basil looked completely different during a rare LA outing - but her signature bold style was the same. Toni, 81, known for her chart-topping 1982 hit Mickey, made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles on Monday. 6 Toni Basil looked completely different during a rare LA outing - but her signature bold style was the same Credit: BackGrid 6 She turned heads in a boldly patterned geometric-print robe and matching headscarf Credit: BackGrid Spotted chatting to a friend in the Californian city, she turned heads in a boldly patterned geometric-print robe and matching headscarf. Toni completed the look with chic sunglasses, a statement red lip, and a pair of smiley-face fuzzy slippers - which appeared to be duct taped together. The musician threw her hands in the air and appeared to be in deep conversation with the pal. Born Antonia Christina Basilotta in 1943, Toni grew up in Las Vegas, where music and performance ran in the family. Her father was an orchestra leader and her mother a vaudeville performer. She graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1961, where she was a head cheerleader, a role that later inspired the iconic cheerleader outfit she wore in her Mickey video. Starting her career in the 1960s, Toni made a name for herself as a go-go dancer in beach party films. She even earned praise from none other than Quentin Tarantino, who dubbed her The Goddess of Go-Go. Toni appeared in well-known movies like Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces and worked as a choreographer for Elvis Presley's film Viva Las Vegas. In 1971, she helped form The Lockers, a groundbreaking street dance troupe that brought funk and street dance styles to the mainstream. Caprice Bourret and Oscar Peter skate to Toni Basil's 'Mickey' on Dancing on Ice Her single Mickey shot to worldwide success in 1982, topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts and achieving platinum sales. Toni didn't just sing the track - she also directed and choreographed its music video, famously dressed in a cheerleading uniform inspired by her high school days. The song remains a quintessential '80s anthem, ranked among VH1's top one-hit wonders of the decade. Beyond her singing career, Toni has been a highly sought-after choreographer, working with legendary performers such as David Bowie, Bette Midler, and Tina Turner. Notably, she choreographed the iconic Once in a Lifetime video for Talking Heads and even lent her talents to Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood when she was 75. In recognition of her significant contributions to music and dance, Toni was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023, highlighting her lasting impact on the entertainment world. 6 Toni completed the look with chic sunglasses and a statement red lip Credit: BackGrid 6 Her pair of smiley-face fuzzy slippers appeared to be duct taped together Credit: BackGrid 6 Toni is seen earlier this month Credit: The Mega Agency
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
'80s singer known for hit song looks completely different in rare LA outing – but her signature bold style is the same
'80S SINGER Toni Basil looked completely different during a rare LA outing - but her signature bold style was the same. Toni, 81, known for her chart-topping 1982 hit Mickey, made a rare public appearance in Los Angeles on Monday. 6 Toni Basil looked completely different during a rare LA outing - but her signature bold style was the same Credit: BackGrid 6 She turned heads in a boldly patterned geometric-print robe and matching headscarf Credit: BackGrid Spotted chatting to a friend in the Californian city, she turned heads in a boldly patterned geometric-print robe and matching headscarf. Toni completed the look with chic sunglasses, a statement red lip, and a pair of smiley-face fuzzy slippers - which appeared to be duct taped together. The musician threw her hands in the air and appeared to be in deep conversation with the pal. Born Antonia Christina Basilotta in 1943, Toni grew up in Las Vegas, where music and performance ran in the family. Her father was an orchestra leader and her mother a vaudeville performer. She graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1961, where she was a head cheerleader, a role that later inspired the iconic cheerleader outfit she wore in her Mickey video. Starting her career in the 1960s, Toni made a name for herself as a go-go dancer in beach party films. She even earned praise from none other than Quentin Tarantino, who dubbed her The Goddess of Go-Go. Most read in Celebrity Toni appeared in well-known movies like Easy Rider and Five Easy Pieces and worked as a choreographer for Elvis Presley's film Viva Las Vegas. In 1971, she helped form The Lockers, a groundbreaking street dance troupe that brought funk and street dance styles to the mainstream. Caprice Bourret and Oscar Peter skate to Toni Basil's 'Mickey' on Dancing on Ice Her single Mickey shot to worldwide success in 1982, topping the Billboard Hot 100 charts and achieving platinum sales. Toni didn't just sing the track - she also directed and choreographed its music video, famously dressed in a cheerleading uniform inspired by her high school days. The song remains a quintessential '80s anthem, ranked among VH1's top one-hit wonders of the decade. Beyond her singing career, Toni has been a highly sought-after choreographer, working with legendary performers such as David Bowie, Bette Midler, and Notably, she choreographed the iconic Once in a Lifetime video for Talking Heads and even lent her talents to Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood when she was 75. In recognition of her significant contributions to music and dance, Toni was inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023, highlighting her lasting impact on the entertainment world. 6 Toni completed the look with chic sunglasses and a statement red lip Credit: BackGrid 6 Her pair of smiley-face fuzzy slippers appeared to be duct taped together Credit: BackGrid 6 Toni is seen earlier this month Credit: The Mega Agency 6 She's known for her chart-topping 1982 hit Mickey Credit: Alamy
