U of M recreation services is striving to keep people motivated regardless of a global pandemic.
After the closure of the campus Active Living Centre and Joe Doupe Recreation Centre, the service’s programs have moved online with the goal to promote and motivate people to maintain and improve their physical and mental health from home.
According to Tanya Angus, director of recreation services, a focus for the program is ensuring accessibility for those utilizing the services.
“We’re looking at ways to make sure that it’s easy for the users, and because we have such a wide range of users, we want to make sure that there’s something for everyone.”
The centre launched its virtual platform at the end of November and is offering four different programs.
Through the centre’s website, users will be able to follow along to full-length pre-recorded exercise classes in the “follow along” program or complete workouts at their own pace through detailed written routines and proper techniques in the “workout warriors” program.
The centre’s “movement and mobility” option provides a video guide to adding some movement into a day spent sitting at a desk.
Angus said that given the circumstance of remote learning and working, the short breaks are “just something good for people to make sure that they’re [taking] care of their bodies.”
The final online program the centre provides is called “learn from the pros,” a page of articles written by professionals in the field to allow for more informed decision making when it comes to both physical and mental health.
“We wanted to tap into some of their knowledge and share that with students, staff and the community members that we have,” she said.
Angus said that users can expect to see the programs updated weekly and will continue to be uploaded through the winter term.
In the new year, Angus is hoping to be able to conduct seminars on health topics like stress, nutrition and sleep habits.
Recreation services virtual health and fitness online resources can be found on the recreation services website as well as their Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Angus is encouraging students to “go to our website, take a look at it, get involved, get active.”
“We’re looking at different ways, not only that are physical fitness, but just engagement and physical activity to help people connect with others during this time.”
