Exciting opportunities for people with health conditions to take part in exercise classes
New classes will start in January and February in various parts of Edinburgh specially designed to enable people with health conditions to improve their health and wellbeing. As with all the KICC Active classes they will be taught by local specialist tutors with experience working with people with various health conditions.
A current KICC Active participant, Jennifer, told us of her experience attending one of the classes. She has been living with Rheumatoid Arthritis for over five years and even though she always knew exercise was good for her health, in the past when she had tried to join classes she gave up because they just weren’t suitable for her, too high impact or painful or sometimes it was intimidating. “There was fear of being different, of not being able to do it.” she said, but “when I heard about KICC Active classes I was eager to take part”.
Jennifer has been attending a weekly KICC Active Pilates class for over four months and has found it has made a big difference to how she feels “overall my health is better, I have more energy and I feel more equipped to manage.” Her strength and flexibility have improved and she tells us “I rarely miss a class because it’s so important to how I feel.”
People with conditions such as MS, Parkinson’s, osteoporosis, COPD, anxiety, depression and many others, including those with reduced mobility and wheelchair users, already attend classes in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Classes offered include yoga and Pilates, forms of exercise designed to restore balance in the body. Not only do they improve physical strength, flexibility and posture, practicing yoga or Pilates frequently also has a positive impact on mental well-being. They are gentle forms of exercise which can be done seated in a chair.
Pilates starts at the Portobello Community Centre on Adelphi Grove on January 28th and will be on every Wednesday, lead by Penny Johnstone, a nurse who has been teaching Pilates for over 4 years. Yoga starts in Newington at St Columba’s Hall on Upper Gray Street on February 2nd and will be on Mondays at 1.30pm taught by Laura Wilson, a specialist yoga teacher. Don’t worry if you miss the first class, everyone gets their first class for free so come along and give it a try.
To find out more about any of these classes please contact the KICC Active Lothian Co-ordinator Joanna on 07436102726 or email Joanna@kiccactive.org.uk
Submitted by Joanna Cole-Hamilton
