Health and fitness

Office workers will often arrive at their desks by 9am in the morning and then sit for three to four hours with little or no walking during that time. Lunchtimes may also include eating at the desk. Then it is back for another long period in a seated position.

The impact of this can be catastrophic on the health of office workers. Carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal injury, repetitive strain, arthritis and bursitis, circulatory problems, neck and back tension, spinal disc degeneration – these are just some of the issues that arise for people who sit for prolonged periods of time.

Being fit for work is a very important factor in our lives. It is not something just associated with modern living. It has always been the case. Our ancient ancestors needed to be fit to hunt, to gather, to fight, to cultivate the land and to build their settlements. Today, we need to be fit in mind and body to survive and thrive in the work place. And much of what we do in the gym can be closely linked to the things that we do in order to achieve our goals at work.

Spin class, otherwise known as indoor or group cycling is one of the most popular instructor-led activities at Kelsey Kerridge, and with very good reason.
The intensive activity offers all sorts of health benefits. Firstly there is the cardiovascular aspect of the spin class. Working in nothing less than medium intensity and usually ramped up to near maximum, your heart and lungs are getting a fantastic workout.

Rowing does me so much good. It hits the muscles that running and cycling don’t. My cardiovascular system is challenged to reach new levels. My shoulders, arms and back get a brilliant work out. My core works hard without me even realising it.

And after the workout is finished, I feel wonderful. Every muscle is tingling in that near-to-exhaustion state and I realise that this was a workout that I needed to shock my body into a higher level of fitness.

With the 2019 Rugby World Cup in full swing, we thought it was a good idea to offer up some tips on rugby fitness. To get some expert advice we called on two England super stars, Lewis Moody and Emily Scarrett.

Preparing your body for the physical challenge posed by playing rugby is key to remaining as injury-free as possible. This is why rugby players will spend a lot of time on a good warm-up. Not only does a well-structured warm-up get the body ready for the inevitable knocks of a match, but it is also a chance to get the brain ready.

The 2019 Solheim Cup produced sensational golf and an absolute barnstorming finish as Europe clawed back the last three holes to beat the USA by one point after they were all but beaten going into the final day.

As sport goes it was golden stuff and all the players were performing at the very top of their game. Which leads to the question: what does it take to be a top golfer? We look at how you can tailor your fitness training to lower your handicap.

Yoga incorporates breathing exercises, meditation and poses that combine to encourage relaxation and reduce stress. Certain types of yoga will also strengthen and condition muscles. While Yoga would not count as a cardiovascular exercise, there are many types of Yoga practice that will leave you feeling that you have had a good workout.

One of the golden rules of fitness is to vary your routine to prevent the double whammy of boredom and familiarity setting in. The boredom element is the mental approach you take to exercise. If you are bored with what you are doing then you definitely will not be enjoying your exercise sessions and that will show in your performance.

If your body is very familiar with the routine, then it will have adapted to the stress you are putting it under and you will not find the exercises challenging. Again, this will not aid performance. So, we need to apply the principle of FITT. We have all heard of HITT, the high intensity method of training but now we are adding the concept of FITT to your exercise vocabulary.

The pressures of examinations, social life, hormones, body consciousness and a heap of other conflicting factors mean that only 10 per cent of girls age 14-16 get the recommended amount of physical activity – one hour of activity a day. While this might seem quite a lot, it could include walking or cycling to school, or small chunks of exercise taken through out the day.