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Shelia and Ron, a retired couple from Altrincham, have become ambassadors for Trafford Leisure’s Physical Activity Referral Programme. The pair, who have been married for 26 years and have four grandchildren, are volunteering for Trafford Leisure to inspire and welcome  people from their local community into physical activity, having both experienced the positive effects of exercise themselves. Shelia and Ron are advocates of Altrincham Leisure centre and the difference a commitment to exercise can make to a person’s life.

Ron and Sheila had been members at Altrincham Leisure Centre prior to their retirement, but it was after Ron’s heart attack two years ago that they contacted Jo Cherrett, CEO of Trafford Leisure, Ron says: “Jo was wonderful. She was very responsive, and listened to our concerns and queries.”

Following on from this meeting, Jo introduced Sheila and Ron to Jenny Burton the Active Living Manager at Altrincham Leisure Centre. They were then supported through Trafford Leisure’s eight-week Physical Activity Referral Programme, which they completed before taking upa ‘Retire to Inspire’ membership.

The Physical Activity Referral Programme was developed for people to be referred to the experienced team at Trafford Leisureby their GP or other healthcare professionals. They are shown around by the Active Living Manager who will have an in-depth conversation about any specific health issues, before developing a customised 8 week programme for them. After completing the eight weeks, customers can graduate on to various other activity options.   

Since becoming ambassadors for the programme, the couple are now able to sign people up to Trafford Leisure’s Physical Activity Referral Programme themselves, welcoming them to Altrincham Leisure Centre and always being that friendly face at the centre.

Ron says: “Before retirement I was very active and busy, but when you give up work it’s all too easy to stop. You lose your routine and your purpose. I’d always been a very positive person, but after my heart attack I became very despondent. It’s this despondency that forces me to come to the gym.  A physical trauma, like a heart attack, builds doubt; the team at Trafford Leisure have given me my confidence back.  I want to be around to watch my grandchildren grow and blossom.  I don’t want my life to revolve around my armchair and watching mindless television.  I want to be active, to maintain my mobility, to be able to enjoy our garden and build new vegetable beds. Too many people retire and just give up on life.”

Sheila says: “It’s been amazing to get back to Altrincham Leisure Centre. The staff and instructors are such a motivation for me… I currently participate in five classes a week, including Body Conditioning, Zumba, Total Body Work Out and Spinning, as well as an Abs session. I love the Zumba classes, the music and energy is great fun.  But more importantly, I enjoy us having a structure to our daily routine.  The staff at Trafford Leisure are so supportive and do really care about you. There is such a family feel to the place. I feel fantastic.”  Ron echoes his wife’s sentiments, chipping in to say: “I have a reason to get up. A reason to keep going. I have an incentive for action. There’s no stopping us now.”

Ron continues: “The eight week programme is enough time for customers to feel the difference exercise can make, both physically and mentally. I’m so excited to be in a position to be able to refer people to this scheme. What an honour!”

Jenny Burton concludes: “Ron and Sheila are a wonderful couple, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with them and to address their worries.  I am so pleased that not only are they living life to the full, but that they will be helping the local community by becoming physical activity ambassadors.  They are an inspiring, active couple, and I’m thrilled that they will be sharing their experience and enthusiasm to motivate others.”

It’s essential to their safety

According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death to children. Children should learn how to swim because there is water all around us, even if it’s as small as just having a bath. Making sure that your child is comfortable in and around water is essential to their safety. Your child doesn’t have to be interested in swimming competitive, but ensuring your child knows how to swim should be done as early as possible.

Builds Strength

Swimming is an excellent low impact cardiovascular exercise that can help keep your child healthy and active whilst being gentler than many other forms of exercise, preventing any joint injury from occurring. Swimming can not only improve fitness, but also it builds strength and flexibility, improving balance and posture.

Builds positive mental health

Swimming is a very relaxing form of exercise and it has been proven that swimming can help overall mood and emotional health. Some studies show that the effect of floating in the water has a positive impact on anxiety levels, helping children relax.

Suitable for all personalities

Swimming can be done individually or as part of a team, making it an option for introverted and extroverted children. Swimming gives children an opportunity to learn good teamwork skills or if swimming as an individual can help with personal goal setting and self-motivation.

Builds confidence

It’s said that humans are born with only two fears: sudden, loud noises and the fear of falling. Every other aversion and phobia we develop – normally in our childhood years – is learned from the people around us. One of the most important to combat is the fear of water. How? By making sure that children learn to swim at an early age.Swimming helps build confidence as they learn the basics and then move from strength to strength. This experience builds motivation and inspires a sense of achievement.

You can swim for the rest of your life

If your child knows how to swim at a young age, this skill is with them for the rest of their life. Since swimming is a low-impact sport, this makes it a safe option for older adults, rather than risking a fall while biking or running.

Opportunities for other sports

If your child learns to swim this will give your child the opportunity to try out lots of

fun and exciting sports that only take place on or in water such as – canoeing, kayaking, yachting, snorkelling, sailing, water-skiing and triathlon which require participations to be able to swim.

‘It’s boring!’ 

‘It hurts and my muscles are aching’

‘Why do we warm-up for so long!?’

These are all the kinds of complaints that we often hear from gymnasts when conditioning is introduced into their lesson plans – but what seems to be difficult to get across is that conditioning issupposed to hurt!

Gymnastics conditioning is one of the most important (and sometimes least fun) aspects of a gymnasts training. Conditioning trains the muscles to help the gymnast balance, move and tumble without damaging the body. Think of it like this…humans do not naturally walk on their hands, we use our feet instead and the muscles in our body allow for this; however when a gymnast tries to handstand if they have not conditioned their arms and wrists correctly then they will collapse into a heap on the floor.

If the gymnasts core is not conditioned correctly the gymnast may briefly be able to balance on their hands but with an arch in the back, this can cause all kinds of damage to the spine, neck and hips and will not allow for the handstand to be progressed into harder skills such handsprings.

Without conditioning a gymnast will never be able to achieve a high level of gymnastics. If ever a parent or gymnast asks why they cannot achieve a certain skill there are always two main factors – lack of strength or lack of confidence; both can be improved through conditioning.

So what advice can I give for those wishing to improve their gymnastics skills?

CONDITION! CONDITION! CONDITION!

Conditioning exercises do not always require equipment or space, they can be performed at home or at the gym and do not need to be complicated (speak to a coach or your development officer if you don’t know what to do). They do however need to be performed regularly and consistently to see any kind of improvement.

So what are you waiting for… get conditioning and see those gymnastic skills improve rapidly!!

Interested in our Gymnastics programme? Enquire today 

Married couple, George and Norma Priestly feel proud to have completed the Trafford Leisure Physical Activity Referral earlier this year. 

Active Living Manager Rachael Forde says:“George and Norma have made huge progress since they first started coming in January 2018. They are a popular couple in the gym, and I’m delighted for them to have started their graduate membership, allowing them to attend Partington and Urmston Leisure Centre three times a week.

The couple, aged in their seventies, have various health complications that have taken their toll on their lifestyle and enjoyment of life.  George says: “Before I retired, I was physically very active, working outside.  But things change once you stop work.  Everything just slows down.”

Norma was diagnosed with Type two diabetes in 1987.  The condition was regulated with medication,but by 1996 Norma had moved on to using insulin.  Worryingly, on the 29thJuly 2013 Norma went into a diabetic coma for ten days and, as a result of her existing crushed carpal syndrome, had to have her right arm amputated above the elbow. 

It was her Diabetes Dietitian, Helen Whittaker, that referred the couple to Trafford Leisure. Norma says: “Without the referral, there was no way we would have ever considered joining the gym.It was the last thing I wanted to do. But I feel so much better now, my cholesterol is under control, I’m getting more sleep, and I’m happier in myself and starting to look forward to holidays.” 

George, who retired in 2015, suffers with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and isNorma’s full time carer. He says: “It’s great to get out of the house and do something together. We’ve met some lovely people and are making new friends.

“We both have very specific and complicated health conditions and our referral gym instructor, Phil McAuley, was very informed and couldn’t have been more helpful. We had four one-to-one sessions with Phil during our eight week referral programme. He was very encouraging and has subsequently increased our regimes. I’m now pressing 20kg weights and am already on level five on the hill walks on the treadmill! I’m delighted.”

Norma says:“I still can’t believe we’re gym members!  We have no intention of stopping. I was very nervous about coming to the gym before the referral, I didn’t want anyone to look at me, but we’ve been made to feel very welcome.  I really enjoy my sessions in the gym and feel that it’s given us much more stamina for everyday life.”

Rachael Forde concludes:“Norma and George are setting a fantastic example to us all, doing approximately 180 minutes of dedicated exercise per week. This is a fantastic achievement and in line with NHS recommendations. I look forward to seeing them progress even further and enjoying life even more.”

Heather Gaulton

Marketing Content Manager

www.traffordleisure.co.uk

Miriam, aged 72, will shortly be joining Chester Centre, part of the Stretford Sports Village, with a graduate membership after completing both a three-month cancer and a two-month active referral programme.

In January 2017 Miriam noticed that her stomach was swollen and that she was suffering with upset stomachs. She went to her GP who referred her to Trafford. The following month, Miriam underwent surgery at Manchester Royal Infirmary, where a four-hour procedure removed half of her colon. This was followed by six months of chemotherapy.

Miriam says: “I was given the all clear in September 2017 and I was naturally delighted. But my overall health had taken a beating. I’d always been quite fit in the past, enjoying walks with my husband, but after my treatment I couldn’t walk for more than five minutes without feeling exhausted and out of breath. I had to start using an inhaler and I had put on three stone in weight. I just didn’t recognise myself. The cancer had gone, but I felt worse than ever.”

The MacMillan Centre in Manchester initially referred Miriam to Trafford Leisure in October 2017. James Jackson, Active Living Manager says: “I first received Miriam’s referral in the Autumn of last year, but at that time she didn’t feel ready for the challenge and it’s not my place to force her. However, by January she was keen for a fresh start and came to Chester Centre for her induction. I’ve really enjoyed working with Miriam. We have had a real giggle together whilst designing a unique and personal fitness programme for her.”

He continues: “I wanted to increase Miriam’s general health and her exercise plan focused on her strength, movement and cardio. Our main objective at the time was to stop her from being so out of breath. Miriam now uses much of the gym equipment, including the treadmill and bikes, plus she has recently started simple circuit classes and swimming. I’m really impressed, she’s worked so hard.”

Miriam goes on to say: “I had never stepped foot inside a gym before, I’d never fancied it and I assumed it wasn’t for people ‘like me’. But I love it here. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming. I’ve met lots of like-minded people and often use the centre’s café to enjoy a nice cup of coffee and have a chat with new friends. The entire experience has been beneficial and I feel so positive for my future. I’m feeling stronger, I’m sleeping better, I’ve toned up and I’m much less out of breath going up the stairs.”

Miriam is keen to start her graduate membership and wants to continue using the Chester Centre at least three times a week. She will be having further surgery in November 2018 for a stomach hernia and her consultant has deliberately delayed this procedure until late autumn to allow Miriam more time to prepare her fitness for the operation and to lose some weight.

James Jackson says: “Miriam and her consultant are concerned that further surgery will knock her fitness levels again, so I will be creating a new regime to get her even fitter and slimmer for her surgery. This will make the procedure less risky and will speed up and aid her post-operative recovery.”

Heather Gaulton

Marketing Content Manager

www.traffordleisure.co.uk