Stay Active whilst Staying at Home

Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness, it can also improve your mental wellbeing by causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood. It also raises your self-esteem.

Whilst we cannot run any of our normal groups and exercise classes at the current time, there are a range of different workouts and information available online, so we thought that it would be helpful to collate some of this information, and to share some links, to help people to 'Stay Active whilst Staying at Home'.

Age UK National

• Age UK has a dedicated page on its national website with advice for being active as you get older. As part of its Coronavirus Information and Advice pages, it also has a section on Wellbeing which includes an online chair-based exercise video
• The Age UK national website also has a link to the We are Undefeatable website – a movement supporting people with a range of long term health conditions, with the aim of encouraging people to find ways to be active that work with their conditions, not against them
• The Age UK national team have also produced The Healthy Living Guide

Bromsgrove District & Redditch Borough Councils – Video Exercise Classes

• Bromsgrove District & Redditch Borough Councils have been working with their instructors to produce a range of exercise videos (including Keep Active at Home, Tai Chi, Seated Exercise, Active Senior) to help people to stay active whilst staying at home.  The videos are available to all via: Bromsgrove Exercise Classes and Redditch Health & Exercise Classes

Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire has been established as the strategic lead for sport across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. They have a dedicated page on their website called ‘Stay Active at Home’ which includes an An Activity Finder (to find ‘Virtual Sessions’) and a section on Gentle Activity with links to:

• Free fitness videos including Move it or Lose it, iCareiMove and 6in6 (exercises to help improve strength and balance)

They also have some additional helpful information on the Active Ageing section of their website.

NHS and Government Guidance

• The NHS have produced a Home Exercise Guide, 10-minute Home Workout Videos in addtion to its Fitness Studio Videos (which includes Yoga and Pilates)
• The Government have also produced guidance on mental health and wellbeing

Sports England - 10 Today

• Sports England has launched '10 Today’ a set of fun, 10-minute workouts intended to easily fit into your day to help get people stretching and moving at home. The sessions are available as both audio and video workouts from the 10 Today website.