FAQs

Q: How much and how often should I be active?

A: The Government recommendation for adults is that they perform as a minimum 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity on at least 5 days per week. For children the recommendations is for one hour every day.

Q: How will I fit excercise into my life, I don't have time?

A: Try not to think of activity as an additional thing you have to do in your day. Instead, look at your day and see if there are any opportunities or incidents where you are currently performing an activity and then see if you can perform that activity at the recommended moderate level eg. walking children to school. If this currently takes you 20 mins and is very comfortable, see if you can do it in 15 mins and see if it raises your heart rate and gets you warmer. If it does, you’ve just done 15 mins of your recommended amount and have taken up less time you normally to do it! If you take the dog for a walk, keep the dog on the lead for longer and let the dog take you for a walk, rather then watching them run around. You could also try making exercising into a social activity! Gets some friends together and try out a new dance class or join a football team.

Q: I don't have the money to excercise, how do I get active?

A: Being active doesn’t have to cost a penny! Walking is free. Gardening is free. Cycling is free (apart from the bike) and is cheaper than running a car. Getting off the bus early can actually save money. Taking the kids to the park or for a swim is much cheaper then buying a computer game. Taking the stairs instead of the lift is free. Remember any activity that raises your temperature and your heart rate is classed as a physical activity!

Q: I recently pulled a muscle in my leg and I think its because I didn't warm up properly. Can you give me some advice?

Geoff Haugh, Gym Supervisor at the Sands Centre has over 30 years experience in health and fitness.

A: When attempting to do any form of exercise, or indeed competitive sport, a warm up must be completed to allow the body to prepare for the increased energy demands which exercise will impose on the muscles and related systems. Added to this a warm-up is vital to help reduce the risk of injury due to muscle strains and tears. One of the best analogies to think about when trying to warm up your muscles is to think about children’s plasticine, how when you first pick it up it is cold and will not move into the shape you want and it tears, yet once you have rolled it around in the palm of your hand for a short while it becomes warmer, more pliable and will stretch further. This is basically what you are trying to achieve when warming up.

The three main components of a warm-up are a Pulse Raiser, Mobility and Short stretch. The pulse raiser component should involve gentle rhythmic moves such as side steps or marching on the spot, which gradually increase in intensity and raise the pulse rate. The mobility component involves taking joints through a full range of movement and those movements could perhaps mimic the activity you are going to take part in. The stretches should be held for 8-10 seconds and should include all the major muscle groups, at the back of the lower and upper leg, the front of the thigh, the back, the chest and the shoulders. Although the role of a short stretch in preventing injury is controversial and is open to argument there is no doubt that performing short stretches can help improve balance, posture and muscle alignment.

So when attempting a warm up remember these points:

1. Warm-up the whole body, so as to raise muscle and blood temperature, starting off slowly and gradually increasing in intensity. This could be done by concentrating on the legs first and then slowly involving arm work.

2. Warm up at your own pace. Devise your warm up to fit with your specific needs, and the specific needs of the activity you are going to undertake, so don’t go for a two minute gentle walk and then play 90 minutes of football!

3. Remember to take your time and do not rush, you will feel the benefit more by doing a good long thorough warm-up which concentrates on all the major muscle groups. Failure to do this could increase your chances of a major muscle tear which could put you out of action for at least 4 weeks. The warm up should be at least 10-15 minutes.

4. Once you are happy with your warm-up then try and do the same moves at the end of your activity, allowing you to decrease gradually in intensity. This should be followed by a longer cool down and stretch.

5. Remember, if in doubt, speak to a to a qualified gym instructor, and if you have any health complaints speak to your GP for advice on exercise.