Exercise provision
Specific groups and benefits of exercise
Pre-natal and Postnatal
Active Push
One of the groups that have been set up for pregnant women is 'Active Push'. This is set up for women who have had their children and are looking for exercises to do with their children. The Active Push class is set up so that parents can go to a class that includes pushing their pram back and forwards while doing different types of stretches. The only bad point with this group is that it is mainly aimed for people who have already got children. 'Active Push' has benefits and negatives and this because women are all at different stages of their pregnancy of after their pregnancy.
The benefits of going to the Active Push sessions are that women can take their child with them while they are at the class. This would mean that the mother doesn't need to worry about their child while they are doing exercise. A benefit of the Active Push group is that there are different locations around Newcastle that hold these different classes. The classes are all run by someone who is qualified in working with people who are post natal. Another benefit of taking part in one of these classes is that you can take it at your own pace, this means that if you are struggling to keep up that you can go slower and manage to sort out what you are doing and then catch up with the class on the next exercise. The Active Push classes are carried out every Tuesday from 11-12. This can be a benefit to the majority of the women attending as it is on every week. The cost of the sessions could be a benefit as they are only £20 for 10 sessions; but this is if you have an Active Newcastle card as the price then goes up. Another benefit is that if you are going to take your child along with you then there are changing facilities if you need to change your baby. Another great thing about this class is that anyone of any ability is able to turn up and give it a go. The class is effective at reducing the symptoms women have of post natal depression. During this class the women do mainly aerobic exercises but they can also do resistance training as they have got the pram with them it adds some resistance when they are doing an exercise like power walking.
The negatives of the Active Push group are that if you are able to take your child along with you and then they need to be changed or they start to cry then you will have to stop the exercise that you are doing. A disadvantage of this class could be that if you have to get the bus then it will be costing you a lot, also the fact that there is not always space on the bus to fit a pram.
Aquanatal Classes
This group is set up mainly for women who have not yet had their child. The groups is set up for women who are just at the beginning of pregnancy and then all the way through. There are some benefits and some negatives of this group and they are all depending on the stage that the woman is at during her pregnancy.
These classes are set up at DW Sports and they are on for half an hour. The classes run every Thursday, this can be at a benefit to women as they are able to go along to a class once a week and meet other women while they are there. A positive of one of these classes are that if you are already a member of DW Sports then you will be able to participate in the class for free and if you are not a member then the class is only £3. Due to this cheap price there might be more women that are turning up to the class to take part. Another benefit of women taking part in these classes is that everything is fully accessible; such as the changing rooms and the toilets. There is also a shower available to be used after the class has been completed. The class has been set up as it's a safe form of exercise to be carried out while you are pregnant. For people that are pregnant they can find that going in the pool is relaxing to their muscles, they could also find it fun. When a woman is in the water the extra weight that is usually going through their body can be lifted and this is because the water helps you to bear some of this. Women who go to the class can make new friends and this can benefit the women as thy can talk about their experiences through pregnancy. If women come along to this class on a weekly basis then they will be able to have a shorter active labour, therefore the woman can feel more comfortable for longer. When women take part in this class it can lower their chances of having an assisted or caesarean delivery.
Some weaknesses of this group could be that women may not be able to get there if they are not able to drive or get the public transport on time for the session starting. Some women may not have the money to do the sessions if they are not a member of DW Sports already.
Comparison
Benefits of pregnant women exercising
Women should take part in exercise when they are in pregnancy and then after pregnancy as this will help with a variety of different physiological benefits. There a different benefits for women who are pregnant and who have had their child. The benefits for prenatal women is different to the post natal women.
For prenatal women the benefits of exercising are strengthening of the abdominal muscles. Pre and postnatal women will benefit from doing exercise in different ways. Women that are pregnant benefit from exercise as it helps to improve their mood by the release of endorphins into the blood stream. Women that are pregnant and taking part in exercises that are suited them can have a lowered blood pressure. When the blood pressure is lowered women are more able to stay calm and this will be more beneficial to the child too as it wont be speeding up the birthing process. Due to being pregnant the shape of the woman's back changes; it can become more arched and the pelvis can change what angle it is at. So when a pregnant woman takes part in exercise it can help to relieve some of the stress that is placed on the lower spine and the pelvis. The immune system is also improved and this can be beneficial to a woman that is pregnant as the baby wont be at as much harm of being underweight or born early. When a woman improves her immune system she will become healthier so it means that she will be able to stay healthier throughout different illness she might pick up while being pregnant. Due to women carrying the extra weight they fatigue faster and when they take part in exercise they will be able to recover from the exercise quicker and not become fatigued as fast.
Older Adults
Wonder Walks
Wonder walks is set up for men and women who are over the age of 50. These participants go on a walk around Newcastle areas and they then get to have a cup of tea and a catch up with the others when they get back to the end.
A benefit of taking part in wonder walks is that the class is free to go to, this is a benefit to the older people as they may not be having much money coming in from a job. All of the walks that they do are in and around Newcastle and this is good because it means that people don't have to travel a far distance to be able to travel to take part inn these walks. The walks are on every Monday for no longer than an hour. This could be beneficial to someone older as they wont have the whole day to wait and they can also make plans after this. The walk isn't long so this means that the older people should be able to do the full walk and if not they can fall back from the group a little bit if they need too. Older adults are able to socialise when they are on this walk and this is good as they can make new friends or meet up with people that they already know. The main benefit of this walk is that the exercise is completed at a low intensity and it is suitable to their age. Older adults of all abilities can take part in the walk as they can just take it at their own pace they dont have to keep up with what other people are doing as they are there to benefit themselves and not for others. There are plenty of bus and metro routes for how people can get to the starting point of the walk. The older adults have free travel after 9 am and this class is carried out after this time so people wont be wasting money on travelling to and from the walk. They have a buddy system set up when you go on one of these walks and this is a benefit as you can be paired with someone who is at the same ability to you and this way you wont get left alone if you become slightly separated from the group. This group is very cost effective as they have not had to spend much money on setting up a walk.
A negative of this group is that it is only on once a week so people might not always be able to make the group. The walk could be called off if the weather becomes to bad and this is because older people are more likely to catch an illness and they could become ill if they are walking in the rain. The last negative would be that there may not always be toilets available.
The OWLS
This group is set up for women on a Monday from 10-11:30. This session is set up for women over 50 and the session lasts an hour and then they have a catch up at the end with tea and coffee.
The benefits of this group are that it is set up for women to keep active while they are socialising with other participants. The exercise is not to strenuous because the exercises are all aimed at people who are over the age of 50. This group helps women to meet new people and try out exercises that they may not have tried before. This can help people to get over the feeling of lonliness.
There are negatives of this group and this is that the group is only set up for women so no men are allowed to come along to this class. People could find it hard to reach this destination at this time on a Monday therefore they may not be able to turn up at the group on time or every week.
Comparison
Benefits of Older Adults doing exercise
When older people take part in exercise they are benefitting themselves in numerous ways. One benefit is that they are lowering their risk of heart disease. Older adults can also become lonely as they can't travel very far to meet people so when they do participate in exercise this can help to benefit them in making new friends. When an older adult becomes lonely they can suffer from depression, so then if they try and get out of the house they will be able to meet new people. There is a lower risk of older adults getting some cancers, not all types of cancers are reduced so this could also be a negative. The immune system is then improved because older people are more likely to catch different illnesses from people. When the immune system is improved then the older people can become healthier and they can live for longer as they wont be catching illnesses as easily. Older adults should take part in exercise as it can help with balance. The way it helps with balance is that the amount of muscle that they have got will become stronger therefore they will be able to keep themselves steady when walking from place to place.
Disabled People
Disabled people often take part in exercise as they like the factor that they are able to try out a new sport with people of the same ability of them. Disabled people also often take part in exercise so that they can meet new people who are also living with the same disability. If they meet people with the same ability then they can find out things that they have in common and how they are dealing with their disability.
Wheelchair Basketball
Comparison
Benefits of Disable people doing exercise
There are different benefits of disabled people taking part in exercise and the main one is that they are able to reduce the symptoms of stress as they are meeting people of the same disability. Also the amount of stress can be reduced because the people will be able to get out of the house and talk to people about how they feel. They will be able to control their weight as they will be raising their heart rate ever so slightly which means that they will be burning more calories than if they were just carrying out their usual day to day tasks. People that take part in disabled sports can feel a sense of control as they are left to try out something new for themselves, this can help to also boost their mood. When a disabled person takes part in exercise they can feel more accepted, this is because not all sports are suited to a disabled participant. When they go to a class with other disabled people they begin to understand that they can still take part in sport and it doesn't matter what sport it is. They can improve their muscles as they could go to the gym and work on the muscles that they don't often get to use. The stamina can be improved such as playing a game of wheelchair basketball, they will constantly be moving throughout the duration of the game and there for the pulse will be raising and they will be breathing faster.