Classes

Please read the descriptions of each class level before enquiring about availability. You are welcome to attend more than one class a week.

If there are any concerns for specific health/fitness issues, always seek appropriate information, advice and support from qualified medical, allied health and fitness professionals.

Class information

General Aerobic and Fitness Classes

Exercise is necessary for everybody. Fitness involves 3 major elements. Strength, Suppleness and Stamina. (safety is paramount and number one priority). For a well- rounded general exercise program all of these 3 elements need to be included. There are different levels of classes conducted dependent on ability and health state.
The general physical activity programs are designed to provide appropriate exercises for individuals that involve the proper amount of physical activity to attain maximal benefits at lowest risk.

Basically Backs

Back pain is the single most common musculoskeletal ailment, with 80% of the population reporting a back problem sometime within their life.
The body must be capable of adapting to the many activity demands put on it in daily life and we only realize how much our back works when something goes wrong. Changes can occur especially in the back. By undertaking regular, appropriate foundation exercises this can assist provide support for the back and maintain spinal movement to prevent some unnecessary issues.
The classes aim to enable the individual to remain physically active and move as independently as possible with safety and confidence. It also aims to prevent and or slow down any functional decline and achieve relevant and realistic mobility levels to maintain functional capacities

Strength Training Classes – Staying Strong Throughout Life

Age is no barrier to the enhancement of muscle mass and function and improvements are comparable to that observed to young participants who undertake progressive strength training exercises.
Keeping muscles strong are important in assisting overall functional abilities and balance by:

1. improving muscle mass to maintain the potential of the muscle
2. maintaining overall joint stability
3. maintaining bone strength to prevent and reducing the potential problems associated with osteoporosis
4. increasing overall stamina – daily activities can become easier to undertake

The strength training program is designed (using weights and resistance bands) to provide the appropriate exercises for individuals that involve the correct amount of strength training to attain maximal benefits at lowest risk.

Balance Basics – Falls and related injuries

Falls risk reduction is all about making sure people can control their movements and walk safely in any situation and any environment.
To reduce the risk of falls and injuries involves developing the necessary physical skills to move in a safe, effective manner. To be able to achieve the best results to function well, ability, agility and energy is required. This can be achieved by exercising the relevant body parts and muscles to stay strong, stable and in control at all times.
This program is designed to improve strength, balance and function to help people cope well with activities throughout the day.

Brains and Balance Exercise Programs – 1. Fallproof 2. Mind-Fall less

Cognitive and physical problems are major factors contributing to increased falls risks which reduce function and quality of life. Preventing falls and injuries requires many systems of the body to work effectively and efficiently.
The brain and body work well as a team, if there are alterations in either of the systems however movement patterns change, and activities can become harder and unsafe to undertake. Changes provide physical, cognitive and psychological challenges. For appropriate control to occur strength, co-ordination and balance is required along-side good mental processing.
The programs are designed to involve appropriate exercises that improve cognitive and associated functional abilities as far as is possible. A major focus involves challenging both the physical and cognitive systems thereby reducing potential fall related issues and injuries.

“There are many individual differences. Everyone has different life experiences, needs, wants, skills, expectations and ways of looking at things. There needs, therefore, to be a variety of graded programs available within the community to accommodate the all these different needs, levels of abilities and multiple health states/conditions. No one program will suit all.
Studies suggest that physical activity programs combining aerobic/ strength / flexibility components have promising results and protect against cognitive and physical capacity decline associated with ageing
Age matters less….it is what you can do; need to do; have the ability to and want to do that counts. Things are possible, but it does involve putting in some effort in to acquire the appropriate information, setting aside the time, keeping focused and disciplined and having the right attitude… and keep going… persistence pays in the long run!”

Sally Castell