We wanted to update you on our progress over the past week in these extraordinary times!
A big hello from Jayne & Billy; we hope that you are staying fit & well?
Following our decision to close our face to face services at the end of last week due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we spent our sunny Sunday converting our conservatory into an online studio – ready for action on Monday 23rd March.
Since mid-March we have been running online coffee mornings via zoom, to help members practise using Zoom, so that our clients can continue to keep fit & well, connect with us & the rest of the group over the coming weeks. A core value for us has always been to provide a personalised approach where needed, and so we have also delivered personalised 1:1 support for our technophobe members! It is a joy to know that we have contributed & upskilled these members so that they can continue to be part of our community whilst we are all having to connect remotely.
We have run classes with no equipment, poles, tins & lots of enthusiasm! We’ve included cardiovascular exercises, strength, mobility and balance exercises, tai chi wellbeing movements and stretches.
The Wednesday wellbeing class also included a 20-minute education session on the circadian rhythms. Jayne felt this was particularly important to introduce to the group at this stage as understanding this topic can help reduce the risk of feeling sluggish during the day & help with sleep at night. For so many of us (Jayne & Billy included!) life has turned upside down and as we are now all settling into new routines, we discussed the benefits of maintaining structure and routine during the day. Every Wednesday there will be a lifestyle topic presented after the wellbeing exercises to help support general health & wellbeing during this challenging time.
We also had a good natter after class about non-coronavirus related topics – in fact there was a 5-squat penalty for anyone that said the ‘c-word’ or anything related to it! 😉
Here is some feedback that we’ve had so far this week from some of our members:
‘I’m not that good online, so when I found out the outdoor classes had to stop I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to join in and see everyone. I normally see my friends twice a week at class and I did think ‘what will I do now?’. This is my first experience of doing anything like this online. I did find that it was a lot easier than I thought it would be, in fact, it was quite easy to join in on Zoom and has now given me more confidence to do more online in the future. The class was even better than I thought, with Jayne & Billy’s enthusiasm, and being able to see my friends still is great; I had no idea it was going to be so good! I’ve also really enjoyed all of the food ideas and motivation shared in the group and being able to chat to everyone.’
‘3 weeks ago, I’d never heard of Zoom; I’ve found it really easy and straightforward, and the coffee morning really helpful to explain how Zoom worked. I’ve found that having the classes at the same time as our usual walks really helpful to keep up my motivation, and it’s also helpful that we get the recordings so that we can do the workouts again at home on our own on other days. It was also interesting and beneficial to hear about circadian rhythms; normally we wouldn’t have this opportunity to learn about these things, it was nice to have that extra dimension and added value. I’ve enjoyed being in touch and seeing everyone in the group, and Jayne explained how we can change our view so that we can see each other as we are talking.’
‘I’m really enjoying Billy & Jayne’s online classes. They are helping me to improve & maintain my fitness both physically and mentally as well as having fun, continuing to learn and make new friends during this unsettling time.
Me & technology don’t blend well together but it hasn’t been a problem as Billy & Jayne have been very helpful & patient & have explained everything & have been understanding when there have been a few hiccups along the way.
All in all, it’s very reassuring for me & invaluable to have Billy & Jayne’s continued help & support.’
Do you want to join us?!
Our 1:1 personal training programmes, small group personal training and Nordic walk classes are all continuing to run & online, with the added bonus of some lifestyle education, and some extra content being posted into the groups (motivational support, food & exercise tips).
It would be a pleasure for you to join us!
For further information please call Jayne on 07793 024068, or Billy on 07530 706258, or you can email us: info@steps2wardshealth.co.uk
We look forward to hearing from you soon 😊
