MOTIVATOR: JOE CLASSES ARE A PAIN!

Fitness icon: I make ‘em laugh

FUNTIME: Fans enjoy Mr Motivator’s workouts more, he claims

MR Motivator has taken a cheeky swipe at Joe Wicks – claiming people enjoy his workouts more.

The fitness icon, real name Derrick Evans, says participants “feel the pain” with Wicks, while they laugh away the effort of exercise with his upbeat antics.

Mr Motivator is kicking off a series of live virtual workout videos with celebrity message service Thrillz tomorrow to rival Joe’s YouTube sessions.

Famed for his bright Lycra clobber, Mr Motivator feels fans get better results by bringing laughter into exercise, instead of just pushing themselves.

The 68-year-old reckons his upbeat music and vivid outfits make you forget “internal pain”.

Joe, 34, inset, has become a national hero in the past year with his inspirational workouts, but Derrick feels that he reaches a wider audience – in particular the elderly and less motivated.

He said: “I have to say that is what is wrong with

Joe, you feel the pain.

“You have got to deflect people from their muscles being worked or overworked, or that their breathing is short.

“Laughter deflects you away from that feeling and pain.

“It’s like when someone doesn’t use music when they exercise – you feel the pain of what you are doing.

“I do these classes for the homeless charities and we raised quite a bit of money before Christmas. A lady said , ‘I do HIIT classes lasting 30 minutes.

“‘But I did your class and I was amazed that when I look at my energy output it was the same as going through the intense pain of a HIIT class.’” Mr Motivator, who became a household name in the 1990s, also believes his range of party music helps fans boost their mindset.