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Outdoor Active launches nationwide - August 2007
Virgin Active is breaking down boundaries (or walls) as they become the first major UK health and fitness club chain to offer Group Exercise classes for members outside, away from the smaller areas of the gym floor. Outdoor Active is all about space and feeling exhilarated as you work out in the open air through the instructor led classes.
Combining a variety of disciplines, Outdoor Active is a 50 minute class that utilises cutting edge exercise tools, functional movements, relays, drills and healthy competition to give members a high impact all over body workout. Ideally taking place on an open grassy area, classes, with a maximum of 20 people, start off with a ten minute cardiovascular, neuromuscular and core stabilisation section, achieving a complete integrated functional warm up. |
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Using all of the outdoor space, members will perform an array of specific exercises including jogging, skipping, running, push ups, crawling patterns, lunges, and crab walks before they enter each of the four work-out stations set up on the course. Each of the stations are set up to include the following equipment (exact kit specification may vary by club) -
Station 1 - Speed and agility - Ladders and hurdles
Station 2 - Ball work - Medicine balls
Station 3 - Kettlebells Station 4 - Powerbags
Members will split up into four equal groups and each group spends around 10 minutes at each work station:
Station 1 is all about pace and agility as members test their speed, co-ordination and swiftness as they step in and out of the ladders at skilful speeds. Hurdles are also set up for a range of jumps and hops which further builds speed, skill and agility.
Station 2 is the ball work section where members will perform a host of exercises to develop total body strength and co-ordination with a focus on core strength development. Participants will perform exercises such as running chest passes, tugs of war with the D-Grip medicine ball, a mixture of throws and rugby style ball passing with the varying weights of medicine balls supplied.
Station 3 is designed to tone the body as well as build on co-ordination. What can only be described as a "cannonball with a handle", Kettlebells are the latest must have outdoor (and indoor) training tool! A series of Kettlebells are available with varying degrees of weight. All participants will perform a series of basic movements, building up to a full routine - more advanced progressions will be supplied for those more familiar with Kettlebells.
Station 4 is all about strength, stability and full body integrated movement using PowerbagsTM. Similar to sandbags but filled with metal sand, PowerbagsTM enlist the use of stabilising muscles to a greater degree then traditional weights because of their inbuilt instability. A combination of lunges, squats, presses, throws, and wood chops will take place using the bags of varying weights.
To round the class off and finish on a high, the sessions finish with a high energy burst of adrenaline fuelled relays! And of course an appropriate cool down!
The results are an all over body workout that combines an equal balance of cardio, stabilisation, strength and power building exercises. The classes are suitable for both women and men of all fitness levels, as all exercises can be tailored to your needs and attacked with as much or as little vigour as you like! They are a great way to effectively burn fat, tone, and build stamina and strength, whilst having an instructor with you at all times. Not to mention they are a great way to de-stress and get rid of all that tension after a hard day at the office! The sessions will be delivered by qualified Fitness Professional and Personal Trainers so you you’re guaranteed to learn something new too!
For media enquiries, please contact Laura Hind at Golden Goose PR on 020 7376 0070 or email lauralou@goldengoosepr.com
Outdoor Active will be available nationwide at selected Virgin Active clubs from August 2007. For more information, please visit www.virginactive.co.uk or call the Virgin Active general enquiries number on 0845 130 4747.
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