Active living
Table of Contents
Exercising at home
The NHS have some easy equipment-free fitness routines which are great to do at home.
NHS 10-minute workouts Couch to fitness NHS online fitness studio exercise videosPhysical Activity Guidelines
The UK Chief Medical Officers emphasise the importance of building strength and balance for adults (including older adults), as well as 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity.
The key messages are:
- Some is good, more is better
- Make a start today: it’s never too late
- Every minute counts
The guidance also advises on safe levels of activity for pregnant women and new mothers as well as for babies, children and young people and disabled adults:
Physical Activity Guidelines: InfographicsActivities near you
There are many opportunities to get active in South Gloucestershire.
- Walking– including recommended routes and details of led walks
- Running– joining a group or take part in parkrun
- Swimming – Go for a casual swim in the pool or join a session at your local leisure centre
- Cycling – cycling is an easy, cheap and healthy way of travelling. Also find out more about Bikeability – a cycling programme developing skills and confidence for all kinds of cycling.
The Well Aware website provides information on a wide range of organisations; support groups, community groups, events and activities that can help improve your health and wellbeing in Bristol and South Gloucestershire. You can also register your own activities.
South Gloucestershire Council also manage a large number of open spaces including parks, playing fields and sports pitches.
Play squash!
Yate Squash Club is long standing and founded in the early 1980s just after Yate Leisure Centre first opened. Squash is a great way to get active and we’ll help you get started so you can play at your own pace or level. You’ll be able to:
- Learn squash and improve your game
- Meet-up at club social events;
- Join our squash ladder – competitive club games (monthly box league);
- Play in our team that competes in the Bristol & Avon District (BAD) league
Ability
We’re a mixed ability club for whether you’re looking to get active or improve your game. Progression is possible: start at squash level zero and build to 3,000 (county standard)!
All ages
We have players from juniors to 70 plus – redefine your limits!
Complementary sports
Squash is great for keeping active as your primary sport but the skills and fitness you’ll develop are also good for:
- Running: improving your speed;
- Football: improving agility/ footwork;
The best way to make contact is to email: info@yatesquash.com
Active Day to Day
If you can do, swap some or all, of your existing car journeys to walking, cycling, or wheeling, not only is this a way to build regular exercise into your daily life with benefits for your health, it, can also save you money and reduce your impact on the environment – reducing air pollution and carbon emissions.
Active Lifestyle Centres
There are five Active Lifestyle Centres across South Gloucestershire. These are situated in Yate, Thornbury, Kingswood, Longwell Green and Bradley Stoke.
Find your nearest Active Lifestyle CentreFree swimming for pregnant women
Pregnant women living in South Gloucestershire can access free-swimming as part of a joint partnership scheme between Circadian Trust, (who operate Active Lifestyle Centres) and South Gloucestershire Council. To be eligible for the scheme, you just need to visit your local Active Lifestyle Centre and present your Maternity Notebook (Yellow Book), or Maternity Exemption Certificate, or Matb1, (issued by your doctor or midwife), and will also need to show proof of address before your first session. Eligibility for free swimming will end 3-weeks after your due date.
Women can go for a swim during any of the public sessions. You can find more information on the Active Centres website.
Useful resources and information
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): grassroots sports guidance for the public and sport providers – this guidance sets out information for the public and sport providers on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID restrictions.
- “We Are Undefeatable” – this new campaign aims to help people with long-term health conditions to get more active. Visit the campaign website for more information. Share your personal stories by going to the Wesport website.
- This Girl Can -This website celebrates active women and has encouraged nearly three million women to get more active since launching in 2015. Also, have a look at their new advert, available on the website homepage. No one gets to choose how you exercise other than you, and whatever that looks like, it’s worth celebrating.
- Physical activity and mental health -Sport and physical activity has a powerful and positive effect on mental health. Visit the Sport England website to find out more.
- Benefits of exercise – Exercise is free, easy to take, has an immediate effect. It can also reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50%.
- See our top 10 tips for motivation and change.
- Better Health national website
- Download the Active 10, couch to 5k and a range of other One You apps – on the Apple store or Google Play