Former inmate wins Hodder publishing deal for his Cell Workout

A former inmate who self-published a book based on a workout he devised from his cell has won a publishing deal with Hodder & Stoughton.

Cell Workout by L J Flanders will be published on 29th December 2016, after it was first self-published on Amazon last year.

The book provides a bodyweight training programme which Flanders devised during his time spent in prison -the only way he said he could keep fit and stay in control of his mental and physical health during his sentence.

After qualifying as a personal trainer while in prison, Flanders wrote the Cell Workout and self-published it as a book on his release after being awarded funding from The Princes Trust.

He has since been granted a contract with Wandsworth prison to teach the Cell Workout to groups of inmates.

Editorial director Briony Gowlett acquired world rights direct from the author.  

Flanders said: “I had to make bodyweight training work for me as it was the main resource I had to keep fit when I was in prison. Gym time can be extremely limited and exercise is hugely important to many, for physical and mental health and wellbeing, and as a way of channelling their energy in the right direction. As a personal trainer I was only able to help one person achieve their fitness goals at a time, but I soon realised many people wanted to take control of their own fitness and wellbeing but didn’t have the right knowledge or guidance. I created Cell Workout in an effort to help teach those with few resources and space how to train to work towards achieving their fitness goals.”

Flanders’ 10-week regime guides readers to understand how to make bodyweight training work, providing workouts for people of varying ability and fitness.