“Why wouldn’t you want to give your body all the help it needs – especially right now?”
The UK is in our second lockdown, meaning that leisure centres and golf courses are once more closed. In October, we spoke with Sencio member Nick about how they have been keeping fit both in and out of the centres and reflected on the importance of fitness during this time.
Nick has enjoyed decades of exercise activity, from school, onto pursuits such as football, squash, running and circuit training and then adapting to gym workouts, tennis and country walks as life moved on.
“Like everyone I’ve had to adapt this year. I introduced home workouts based on bodyweight exercises and the use of resistance bands (an invaluable, inexpensive bit of fitness kit) and, of course, we are lucky to live in a part of the country offering beautiful walking,” says the retired father of two. He does concede thought this year has been a challenge, even for someone with exercise in his DNA.
“It’s been pretty tough. Tennis is ‘my thing’ but, of course, it’s a very social, interactive sport and my home workouts haven’t kept me in as good a shape as I would have like – maybe it was the biscuit cupboard?”
He does, though, remain a great advocate for the numerous benefits of exercise, physically, socially and mentally.
“Whatever your fitness capabilities, making time to look after yourself is critical to long-term health. Using facilities such as those provided by Sencio Community Leisure provides you with so many choices of exercise - there really is something for everyone.
“And, on a more serious note, we know exercise, being active, controlling your weight and eating a balanced diet gives us all a better chance of fighting off illnesses. Why wouldn’t you want to give your body all the help it needs – especially right now?”
On 31 October 2020, the UK government announced that all leisure centres and golf courses must close as part of new national restrictions against coronavirus.
Swim England responded with an open letter highlighting that “As well as being a safe activity, swimming is vital for many people’s physical and mental wellbeing (1.4 million adults in Britain felt that swimming had significantly reduced their symptoms of anxiety or depression). This will be more important than ever as people try and cope with a second lockdown – at a time of year when it will be more difficult than before to be active outside.”
Swim England also explain how swimming pools are safe venues. “Figures from UK Active from over 1,900 facilities and five million visits in the week of 5-11 October, found just 156 customers reported attending a facility before being confirmed positive with COVID-19. This indicates an incidence rate of 2.88 cases per 100,000 visits whereas the UK case rate in the general population, as reported by the Government for 5- 11 October was 150.83 cases per 100,000 people.”
We are encouraging our community to support the following petitions to support the leisure industry:
Save Community Sports Clubs and Leisure Facilities with a Sports Recovery Fund https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/553619
Prevent gyms closing due to a spike in Covid 19 cases https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/333869
