Have you tried Spinning with Spivi? A spin class can offer many benefits, including strengthening your core, burning calories and improving your strength and overall heart health. In addition, spinning is a low impact exercise and therefore, is easy on your joints. Join us in the Spin Studio at Tilsley Park for a dynamic range of Spinning with Spivi classes every week. Our classes are for all abilities and everybody is warmly welcome to take part at their own pace. Spivi is a multimedia system that collects your physical data, such as power, speed and heart rate. Just like a video game, it allows you to create a customised on-screen avatar and to cycle through exciting worldwide settings. For more information and to book your Spinning with Spivi classes online, please visit our website. LEISURE LIFE NEWSLETTER Lifestyle, Arts, Fitness & Wellness TOP NEWS Virtual spin classes with Spivi on-demand Amey Theatre What's On September / October 2022 Vol. 4 Download our new app abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 1 Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429 Amey Theatre - Live screenings and events From sedentary life to Ironman finisher Exercise of the month - Push ups
Download our new app and connect with us anytime, anywhere Before downloading the app, you will need to sign-up and create an account on our new system. This will allow you to book activities on a casual basis. For instructions on how to create an account, please visit our website. From here, you can log in, edit your account and marketing preferences and book and manage your activities. You can then also use these details to log in to the app. Note, if you are already a paying member of the Abingdon Sports and Leisure Club, you will have received separate communication from us regarding setting up your membership account. Receive up-to-date information, news, offers, and upcoming events Instantly get notified about important centre updates directly to your phone We are delighted to share that we have launched our very own app, which is available to download free of charge on all Apple and Android devices. Downloading our app is the most convenient way to make the most of our facilities, as this fantastic new feature gives you the flexibility and freedom to book activities, stay updated and manage your schedule – all from the palm of your hand. Quick and easy access to book your favourite fitness classes and other activities Contactless entry to our gym, spinning and exercise classes Check activity availability, make a booking, amend a booking and cancel a booking – easily and conveniently abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 2 Before downloading the app, you need to create your account. Lifestyle Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429
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WR I T T EN BY N I CK L LOYD ( AMEY THEATRE MANAGER ) Amey Theatre Live screenings and events Arts The Amey Theatre presents National Theatre Live, Royal Shakespeare Company Live and Royal Opera House Live screenings, available to the community. The perfect alternative if you’d like to do something local rather than having to travel to London - and at a fraction of the price! RSC Live: RSC Richard III Monday 10 October 2022, 7pm Young Richard of Gloucester uses the chaos of the Wars of the Roses to begin his unscrupulous climb to power in this classic Shakespearean history of a king in the throes of jealousy and murder. Despite being manifestly unfit to govern, he overcomes each obstacle in his way to seize the crown, as King Richard III. But as those around him turn against him, and as his plans begin to unravel, where else can he turn as the Lancastrian opposition returns to drag the country into battle once more and put an end to Richard’s tyrannical rule. Richard III is a savagely comic analysis of the exercise of power, reminding us of the dangers of tyranny and our duty not to let it go unchecked. abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 4 Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429
However, with a low fitness level, it took me many weeks (and a few muscle tweaks) to feel comfortable running, initially working up incrementally from 5 to 25 minutes on the treadmill. I knew very little about training levels, how to avoid injuries, recovery time, nutrition, hydration, footwear, stretching etc. I also had to be able to run five miles before I even started the marathon programme. Nevertheless, despite a steep learning curve and a few setbacks, I strictly followed the weekly schedule and, with great satisfaction, I completed my first marathon in just under a year. Shortly afterwards, a work colleague (an age group GB triathlete) asked me if I’d thought of doing a triathlon. It didn’t immediately appeal but, after some consideration, it seemed like another interesting challenge, so I decided to take adult improvers swimming lessons at the local pool to learn front crawl, and I also bought an entry-level road bike. I hadn’t swum for 30 years, didn’t have a bike and hadn’t done much exercise for about 10 years as the responsibilities of having a young family and working long hours seemed to squeeze out other activities. Participating in endurance events definitely seemed like something for ‘other people’ and sport without a ball didn’t seem much like fun! But it’s funny how the mind works and what the encouragement and inspiration of others can do. The first spark of interest came when I sponsored a work colleague to run the London marathon. I was impressed with her commitment and fitness and I thought that it would be a great challenge, so I bought a beginners guide to running your first marathon. Lifestyle abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 5 Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429 WR I T T EN BY K I ERAN HENDERSON ( COMMERC I AL D I RECTOR ) From sedentary life to Ironman finisher
I completed two more Middle Distance events before my colleague asked me if I had thought about completing an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26 mile run). Completing a Middle Distance twice, effectively, seemed unrealistic but after deliberating it, I Google-searched a 26week Ironman training programme and followed it diligently. After about six months of training, I entered my first sprint triathlon (750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run). It went badly, as I started off swimming too quickly, had to stop to catch my breath and I ended up swimming breaststroke to reach the end. My transitions (changing from one discipline to the next) were also laboured, but I completed it and I found that, even at my rudimentary level, there was a buzz and a sense of camaraderie from being in this environment. As I was starting to feel fitter and training with others, I moved up to a Standard Distance Triathlon (1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run). After completing a couple of these, my local town was hosting a Middle Distance (half Ironman) Triathlon event (1.3 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13 mile run) which was going to be televised for Scotland’s ‘Adventure Show’. I decided to increase my training and enter with six months leading up to it. It helped to train with people that were fitter and faster than me, and I joined in with the weekly cycling and running time trials, hill reps, endurance runs and HITT sessions. I also found that it’s easy to feel ‘imposter syndrome’ when you haven’t got a particular strength in swimming, running or cycling, but I just slotted in behind others. On the day of the event, the weather was perfect and there was a great atmosphere, with supportive competitors, spectators and marshals, although completing it was exhausting! Nevertheless, I’ve also discovered that endurance athletes have short memories and the feelings of pain and discomfort seem to ease over time. abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 6 Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429
These events have taken me to beautiful locations, motivated me to improve my fitness, I’ve learnt new skills, it’s provided me lifelong friendships and given me an antidote to everyday life. I’ve met some amazing people and I now appreciate the role of volunteers, who always have an encouraging word when your legs are telling you that they’ve had enough! Events are becoming more popular and it is great to see so much interest in fitness and enjoyment of the great outdoors. My first Ironman was in the Forest of Dean and my training over nine months had gone well. The quarry swim and first part of the bike ride had also gone well but the forecasted rain arrived early and it was extremely heavy and cold rain. I was under-dressed with just a trisuit on, not having considered that arm and leg warmers or a spare top would be necessary in August. Although I completed the ride, the severe effects of the cold meant that I was directed towards the St John’s Ambulance by the marshals rather than the run section, and that was the end of my race. Getting a DNF (Did Not Finish) is always disappointing and especially when you have travelled 1200 miles and taken four days to compete in such a big challenge. So, I banked the training, followed the same programme and completed the same event in glorious sunshine the following year. The sense of achievement was multiplied many times over the feeling of my first marathon and the camaraderie with other competitors and volunteers was life enriching. From my once sedentary life to my first attempted Ironman took seven years, and the motivation and stimulation have remained. Over the last twenty years I have completed multiple Ironman’s, Middle Distance triathlons, Ultra, Trail and Road Marathons, along with shorter distance running and triathlon events. abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 7 Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429
Getting started Make sure that you do a warm up before you start to reduce the risk of injury, such as arm swings and arm circles for a few minutes. How many push ups should I do? This will depend on your strength but try something between 1-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions. If you have good upper body strength you can build up to 3-4 sets and 20-30 repetitions. Wide push ups - This targets the muscles in your chest, shoulders and upper arms. Diamond push ups - Place your hands close together under your chest, with your thumbs and index fingers touching. Narrow push ups - A narrower hand placement involves higher muscle activation of both the chest and the triceps and is harder to do for most people. Exercise of the month Push ups Decline push up - You can have your feet elevated on a seat or bench and this will create more resistance and work the muscles harder. Medicine ball - With your feet on the ball and your body parallel to the ground, perform a push up. This will make your core work harder in order to maintain balance. Fitness & Wellness Cardiovascular health - push ups can get your heart rate up, with your heart having to work harder to pump enough blood and oxygen through your body Because you are building strength, you are also burning calories It improves posture by engaging the core muscles and assisting you to maintain a correct posture Get into a plank position. For beginners, you may prefer to start in the kneeling position Keep arms straight but avoid locking them Palms flat on the floor with wrists, elbows and shoulders aligned Engage your core and keep it straight (without sagging) Maintain a straight spine throughout Bend elbows to 90° in a slow and controlled motion Look down at the ground so you don’t strain your neck Pause for a second at the bottom - your chin might lightly touch the floor Push yourself back up to the plank position Inhale as you lower and exhale as you rise Push ups are a great exercise that use the major muscle groups and offer multiple benefits. There are variations that allow for a range of abilities. Activities are run by Abingdon School Enterprises Limited on behalf of Abingdon School. Company No.04442429 abingdon.org.uk/sports-and-leisure 8 Benefits Technique
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