{"id":6295,"date":"2015-05-15T13:37:40","date_gmt":"2015-05-15T13:37:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitproblog.mysites.io\/runaway-success\/"},"modified":"2015-05-15T13:37:40","modified_gmt":"2015-05-15T13:37:40","slug":"runaway-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitpro.com\/blog\/runaway-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Runaway success"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting involved in a programme of outdoor clubs and events can propel both you and your clients towards your goals, says Wendy<\/strong> Golledge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Outdoor exercise is an area that\u2019s snowballed in the last decade, with everything from buggy fit and 5km fun runs to military-style boot camps and sprint triathlons popping up in local parks across the country. Such is the popularity that ukactive is now developing \u2018ukactive outdoors\u2019, a code of practice dedicated to exercise taking place in outdoor spaces, which defines the minimum performance criteria for fitness instructors to help standardise what\u2019s on offer1<\/sup>. In early 2013, Leisure-net Solutions released The Outdoor Fitness Report, which questioned a cross-section of 400 consumers, plus private and public sector operators. The report revealed close to half of consumers (44%) preferred to exercise outdoors and, for these people, the most popular form of activity is a walk or run, at 42%. Studies have also revealed that green space exercise is perceived as \u2018easier\u2019, with lower rates of perceived exertion and higher physiological responses, increased energy levels, positivity and a feeling of revitalisation2<\/sup>. Taking expertise outside the four walls of a fitness facility gives PTs a wider appeal to a more varied client base. Going one step further and setting up competitive events can be just the progression and motivation some clients need. But, if you work in a gym, how do you go about it?<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Alan Keane, senior health and physical activity development officer at Oldham Community Leisure (OCL), has overseen the birth of both beginners\u2019 running clubs and, more recently, the Milltown to Moors Race Series, which encompasses a 7km, 10km and infamously hilly half marathon. \u201cThe running clubs came out of my own enthusiasm for getting people healthy. So many people find the actual fitness facility a barrier, so we set up a weekly beginners\u2019 jog in the park for those who don\u2019t like the gym. Within weeks, people of all shapes and sizes who you\u2019d never see in one of our facilities were rocking up. We applied to create a registered Run England group and, through that, trained up a few people who were good at motivating and knew the area to be run leaders. The natural progression was that our groups began to try longer runs, so we trained up more people to lead advanced sessions or referred members to the local Park Run Scheme.\u201d From there, Keane went on to set up the Milltown to Moors Half Marathon with the Oldham Citizens Advice Bureau, then an intermediate 10km and, realising this was still too big a leap from the run clubs for some people, he last year introduced the 7km Carnival Run.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most recently, OCL has started to make use of the Radclyffe Athletics track it manages to enable local women in particular to run in an environment where they feel safe all year round. \u201cWe have coaches there to work on technique and PTs bring their clients to the track. Every month or so we do a time trial, to help all those people saying \u2018I\u2019m not getting any fitter, it still hurts\u2019 see the progress they\u2019re making.\u201d Personal trainer and sports injury therapist Paddy Wolstenholme finds that referring his clients to OCL\u2019s run clubs adds value to what he can offer. \u201cThe question I get asked most frequently is \u2018how do I lose weight?\u2019 and running is without doubt one of the best forms of exercise to assist in a fat-loss plan. But I believe clients should only pay a PT for sessions if they can\u2019t do it by themselves, so in their time with me I try to concentrate on functional training rather than dedicating an hour to running, which may not seem value for money. Having the option of inviting a client to our free run clubs means they get advice on posture and technique, a good workout and the chance to meet like-minded people who can motivate them to push a little harder, leaving us free to concentrate on more specific training methods in one-to-ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alongside running, Keane has introduced Nordic walking sessions. Known as the \u2018outdoor cross trainer\u2019, walkers use poles to transfer the load to their upper body as well as their legs, and so get a full-body workout from sessions. \u201cRunning hits the target quicker but there are lots of people who can\u2019t do it, so Nordic walking offers a solution for people who want to benefit from outdoor exercise without having to run,\u201d<\/strong> says Keane. \u201cOur \u2018beginners\u2019 are now walking six miles up big hills, so we\u2019re looking to launch a second class.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0Start-up tips<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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