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Exercise Videos to help manage medical conditions such as Arthritis, Back Pain Management Videos, High Blood Pressure, Stress, Pre-Recorded Exercise Classes, Nutrition Videos, etc.
Unlimited access to Educational Video Content & Exercise Videos for you and your staff.
Exercise has been proven to:
• Extend your team’s working life.
• Reduce sickness & stress in the workplace.
• Significantly improve productivity.
Once you’ve set up your account, and created a profile for each of your staff members – you’re done.
The best part of an on-demand service is they can use it in their free time.
You save around £3,000 per employee per year.
Talk to your physio about what exercises you can and cannot do, and use the platform to find Video Tutorials & Classes that fit your specific needs.
We recommend you get yourself a foam roller, some resistance bands, and an inflatable ball.
Corrective Exercise is a 4-step process that identifies & fixes muscular imbalances.
Basically, you foam roll and stretch the muscles that are overactive, strengthen the muscles that are underactive, and then do a complex movement that retrains your body so that everything works as it should.
Most of the time, yes, but double-check with your doctor.
Each medical condition comes with stipulations on what you can, and cannot do. For example, if you have a heart condition you shouldn’t exercise with your hands above your head, or raise your heartrate above 40%.
This platform has exercises suitable for:
If your back pain is muscular in nature (94% of all cases), then no.
You only need a physio if you have a perforated disc, fused spinal cord, or have had a back operation.
They are usually scheduled for lunchtimes (UK time). However, each class is recorded & uploaded onto the platform, so you will never miss out.
UK government guidelines recommend 30 minutes of exercise per day. If you don’t have 30 minutes at once, you can get the same benefits by breaking it into multiple smaller chunks that slot into your free time.
Yes.
Certain types of exercise have been shown to either reduce, or prevent the symptoms of asthma, primarily by strengthening the lungs without triggering inflammation.
Those activities help to manage the symptoms & minimise risk, as they increase endurance, reduce inflammation, improve lung capacity, strengthen your muscles, and improve aerobic fitness.
Improving Endurance – The more you exercise, the more you improve your tolerance to exercise, making your lungs more efficient. Daily activities, such as walking your dog, become more comfortable.
Reducing Inflammation – Regular exercise decreases the inflammation caused by asthma, by reducing the amount of inflammatory proteins your body releases, not only improving how your airways respond to exercise, but also helping to reduce inflammation throughout the day, improving your quality of life.
Improving Lung Capacity – The more you exercise, the better your lungs get at consuming oxygen. This combined with less inflammation means that your body has less work to do when breathing, making life more comfortable & enabling you to do more.
Yes.
Weight loss is all about calories in and out, and it doesn’t matter if you run a marathon, or do 30 minutes of seated exercise twice a week. It all counts.
Our platform combines beginner-friendly exercises, suitable for multiple medical conditions, with an education-based approach to exercise & nutrition.
In short, you get unrestricted access to everything you need, to create the Weight Management Program that you need.
You could try asking them… but seriously, we can’t promise everyone will use the platform.
As an employer all you can do is make sure that your staff can take advantage of the opportunities you provide for them, and make sure it’s available when they need it the most.
Once you start regularly using the platform, you should begin to see results within the first 6-12 weeks.
We can offer live exercise classes, and if you have a problem that isn’t covered by the platform, feel free to send us an email. We’ll point you towards the correct professional & give reliable recommendations.
Good question.
We could list numerous awards, talk about our expertise, or ethical business practices. But here’s another reason;
If you want to be seen to care about your staff, your social impact, and to be going that extra mile, well who better to work with, than a registered nonprofit that works directly with some of the most vulnerable members of society?
Sure, you can’t flash a Virgin Active Membership, but you can tell everyone that you decided to invest in your company, your staff, and your community instead.
A Community Interest Company is basically an official social enterprise that by UK law has to invest a large amount of the revenue into community projects that have a positive social impact.
That basically means that when you choose to work with us, you are directly improving the lives of countless others, and showing everyone that you are an ethical business that wants to have a positive impact on the world around you.
This platform is the revenue generator that enables us to run Community Exercise Classes for the elderly & infirm in remote, rural areas.
The more people that use the service, the more classes we can run, and the more communities we can support.
It’s perfect for your nan.
Our Community Projects are aimed at the over 60’s, and our oldest user is now 101.
The exercises available on the platform are the same, and if your nan happens to have a medical condition such as Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and similar – then we can help with that too.
Yes.
These exercises are perfect for the elderly and the infirm. In fact, some of our best results have come from the over 60’s age demographic.
You’re giving them access to the Netflix of physical health.
If winning numerous awards for our services doesn’t help, or the fact that we work closely with various health professionals & disability groups, then perhaps setting up a call with our team will help.
Yes.
None of the exercises require the use of heavy weights, or are particularly strenuous on the body – making them suitable for children, adults, and the elderly.
Everyone.
Employers will save money, reduce risks of losing a key staff member, and improve productivity.
Employees will have a better quality of life, and be able to both manage existing medical conditions & reduce the risk of developing new ones.
YES!
Not only does exercise improve your health & fitness, but combined with a few simple lifestyle changes, exercise can have the following benefits:
Exercise has multiple benefits for managing both Osteo Arthritis & Rheumatoid Arthritis, including:
• Strengthening the muscles around your joints, helping to reduce pain.
• Helping you maintain bone strength, reducing your risk of serious injury.
• Energising you & reducing stiffness, making your day easier.
• Improving your quality of sleep by releasing hormones.
• Helping you maintain a healthy weight.
• Enhancing your quality of life & improving your confidence.
• Improving your balance, reducing the risk of falling.
Start with Low Impact Exercises.
Low Impact Exercises, such as our Keep Fit Classes, swimming, or recline cycling will help to keep joint stress low while you move, enabling you to gain the benefits with minimum risk.
Keeping a towel on the radiator overnight, and wrapping your hands & feet in it for a few min before exercising, can make the routine more comfortable & improve the effectiveness of the range of motion exercises.
If you notice any additional redness or swelling then slow down or stop for the day.
You know your own body better than anyone else, so trust your instincts & don’t push yourself too hard. It’s best to take it slowly, and gradually build up over time, then jump in head first & get injured.
After all, the exercise is meant to help you escape pain – not cause it.
Breathing exercises have been shown to help manage & reduce the symptoms of Asthma, much like they do with COPD, as they help to remove stagnant air from the lungs and open up your airways, enabling you to breath more comfortably, and fill your lungs with fresh, oxygen rich air.
Although they aren’t a substitute for medication, they carry a lot of benefits with little to no risk.
If you are interested in trying some breathing exercises for asthma, we recommend starting with something simple such as hissing breath, yoga breaths, or diaphragmatic breathing.
Aerobic exercise is one of the most effective ways of improving your overall fitness levels, as it helps to improve your stamina, gives you more energy, improves your cardiovascular health, and helps you maintain a healthy weight.
Government guidelines recommend around 150 minutes of gentle to moderate exercise each week.
However, for many people with Asthma, especially if they have had difficulty exercising in the past, this is initially unrealistic, as your body is not used to prolonged periods of activity.
Instead, it’s best to begin with exercising in short intervals throughout the day, such as seated exercises whilst watching TV, or climbing the stairs whilst the kettle boils. With Asthma, especially in the early stages of exercise, it is important to just do little & often, then take as much rest as you need before trying again.
When looking at aerobic exercises for Asthma, there are two major methods of training that are effective, each of which helping deal with your condition in a different way.
These two training methods are Interval Training & Low Intensity Aerobic Exercise.
Yes.
Interval training helps to improve your recovery time & your body’s ability to function when oxygen levels are below their optimum level.
When starting out, these types of exercises are more likely to trigger symptoms than Low Intensity Exercises, such as walking.
However, Interval Training done properly is safe, and will help you recover faster from asthmatic episodes in the future.
When starting out with Interval Training look for simple exercises you can do at home, of a mid to low intensity, such as seated heel raises, or canoeing.
Look at around 1 min of activity with 2 min rest between intervals, and gradually increase the intensity of the exercise, while reducing the amount of time between sets over several weeks.
Yes.
Low Intensity Exercises don’t overwork your lungs, which means they are less likely to trigger asthmatic symptoms.
However, you still need to be aware of the environment in which you exercise, as external factors such as humidity, air temperature (both hot & cold days), and the pollen count can all trigger asthmatic symptoms.
This is why we recommend starting indoors before you progress, such as doing a gentle home workout, or joining a class.
A few gentle outdoor exercises that will help manage your Asthma are:
Other gentle exercises for Asthma include:
Besides avoiding strenuous activities, there are several steps you can take to minimise the risk of having an asthmatic episode when exercising, and reduce the symptoms:
Use an inhaler before exercise. Rescue inhalers & the medication within help to relax the airways, making it easier to breathe when exercising.
Take your medication. Exercise is just a part of an overall treatment programme, so you need to continue taking any medications your doctor has prescribed that help decrease airway inflammation. Keep an inhaler on hand in case of emergencies.
Warm up before exercise & cool down after. These help your body to adjust to the effects of exercise, and prevent injury.
Cover your nose and mouth. When exercising outdoors, wearing either a mask or a scarf can help prevent the dry cold air from tightening your airways.
Limit exposure to pollen & pollution. High levels of pollen & pollution can trigger asthmatic symptoms, so keep an eye on the pollen count, and avoid air pollution whenever possible, even if it means moving your plans indoors.
Avoid continuous activity. Exercises such as running and football can be hard on your lungs. If your Asthma is either poorly controlled, or you’re just starting out, these can cause symptoms to flare up, especially in cold or humid weather.
Take a break. If you feel breathless, or think you’ve don’t too much – stop. Take a rest, and either continue when you feel better, or cool down & call it a day.
If you experience any of the following symptoms during exercise talk to your GP for advice:
Exercise induced Asthma itself is an indicator that the Asthma is poorly controlled.
Studies have shown that the use of exercise to control Asthma symptoms, with regular Aerobic Exercise Programmes, reduces airway responsiveness, and significantly increases oxygen consumption & work capacity.
Research shows that regular exercise results in fewer episodes, reduces your reliance on medication, and reduces the time off from work or school.
Over the first six weeks, asthmatics should be taught how to self-monitor exercise intensity, using the Borg CR-10 Scale.
Choose exercises focusing on endurance, such as hiking, and low intensity cardio.
Avoid exercises with a major concentration on the upper body, such as press ups.
Focus on exercise tolerance, using aerobic exercises, ensuring that you van work at a comfortable level for prolonged periods of time.
Work on musculoskeletal conditioning to aid in recovery from Asthma episodes (Full Body Workouts).
The Borg Scale is a useful tool when exercising with Asthma.
Often if you have Asthma, you will not see immediate physical results from exercising because they can take up to three months to manifest.
However, by referring to the scale it is possible to monitor changes in the submaximal endurance, by noting how long you can work without feeling as breathless.
Borg Breathlessness Scale:
0 = No Breathlessness
0,5 = Very Very Slight Breathlessness (barely noticeable)
1 = Very Slight Breathlessness
2 = Slight Breathlessness
3 = Moderate Breathlessness
4 = Somewhat Severe Breathlessness
5 = Severe Breathlessness
6 ,7 & 8 = Very Severe Breathlessness
9 = Very, Very Severe Breathlessness (almost maximum)
10 = Maximum
No, exercise cannot repair the damage to your lungs associated with COPD.
However, exercise can help make your lungs and heart more efficient at transporting oxygen around the body, and help prevent the condition from progressing.
When exercising with COPD, the main goal is to bring symptoms such as breathlessness under control, and to improve your quality of life.
Exercise works both your heart & lungs, and has several benefits when used to manage COPD including:
Yes, your doctor will educate you on what extra precautions to take, and give you an idea of what kinds of exercises would be best included in your long-term treatment plan.
The following types of exercise have been shown to help people with COPD:
When you have COPD, it’s best to be cautious & avoid unnecessary risks.
Shortness of breath may not always mean you should stop altogether, but taking extra precautions will not only ensure your safety, but also help you improve over time.
Below are a few examples of extra precautions to take when exercising with COPD:
If you have COPD, you need to stop if you notice ANY of the following symptoms:
Yes, Aerobic Exercise is one of the most effective ways to control high blood pressure, but other factors – such as improving flexibility & strengthening your muscles, are also integral parts of your overall fitness plan.
This doesn’t mean you are going to have to spend hours in the gym every day to gain the benefits; simply adding a moderate amount of physical activity into your daily routine will help.
Yes, you can do Resistance Training with High Blood Pressure, but you need to take these extra precautions:
Stop exercising & seek immediate medical care if you experience any warning signs during exercise, including:
• Chest, neck, jaw, or arm Pain/Tightness.
• Dizziness/Faintness.
• Severe shortness of breath.
• An irregular heartbeat.
You need to self-monitor your blood pressure.
Antihypertensive medications, such as beta-blockers & diuretics, impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature during exercise, sometimes inducing hypoglycaemia.
Therefore, if you’re taking these medications you should:
Pretty much any physical activity that increases your heart rate & breathing helps lower blood cholesterol levels, including:
Measuring your heartrate post workout, or during using a heartrate monitor will help you exercise safely.
When exercising with high blood cholesterol it is best to aim to keep your heartrate below 50%, and gradually build up the intensity over time, until you reach around 85% of your maximum heart rate.
To calculate your maximum heartrate, just subtract your age from 220 and you’re good to go.
You may suffer from premature fatigue. Begin slowly, and build exercise tolerance overtime, in the meantime remember:
• Longer cooldown periods are required to gradually lower your heart rate.
• Avoid intense exercise, such as Interval Training.
• If you feel dizzy – stop immediately.
• Avoid high-risk exercise equipment & heavy lifting.
• Maintain your fluid intake throughout the exercise routine.
Over time lifestyle choices, working conditions, etc. all cause your body to develop muscular imbalances, that left untreated lead to pain.
Driving. When driving, we sit in an unnatural position. Our arms are forward as we grip the steering wheel, one foot is on the accelerator, and the other on the clutch.
Over time driving will cause our shoulders to round forwards, the biomechanics of our ankle, legs and hips to gradually alter, weakening the knee & reducing our stability, and eventually causing us to develop back pain.
Using the computer. Even with an optimal workspace & expensive furniture working at a computer is just not good for our posture. Over time our hips change alignment, our shoulders round, our heads move forward, and we begin to slouch. This will yet again result in back pain.
Using your phone. Our smartphones have become an extra limb for most people, but constantly looking at our screens leads to the development of muscular imbalances and weaknesses in our kinetic chain.
In this case, a forward’s head posture, which alters our spinal alignment, leads to increased pressure on the lower vertebrae, as we subconsciously adapt our movement patterns to compensate.
Pretty much every industry leads to you developing some kind of muscular pain, but here are a few of the main culprits.
80% of people develop back pain, but what’s even more terrifying is that 11% of all registered disabilities in the UK are caused by back pain.
Is back pain a common problem?
Yes and no.
As previously mentioned, 80% of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, but you need to remember that backpain isn’t the problem itself, and is actually a symptom of a much larger problem, i.e. a muscular imbalance.
It’s a 4-Step Approach of inhibition, lengthening, isolation, and integration exercises.
These inhibition exercises help suppress the bodies in-built mechanisms that prevent muscles from stretching beyond a certain point, and effectively numb the pain & pressure sensors for a few min, increasing the muscles range of motion.
These weakened or “lengthened” muscles are usually the direct opposites of the muscles, which are overly tight & require stretching. By strengthening them in isolation, the balance between the two muscle groups is gradually reset, helping to relieve pain & prevent further injury.
This is because over time one muscle group has become overactive, and the other underactive. The way the muscles work on a subconscious level has changed, meaning that for everything to work as it should – you need to actively perform exercises that retrain the brain, to use the muscles properly again.
The classes have brilliant help to us, my husband has Parkinson’s, and we had never been to exercise class before his diagnosis. The trainer is excellent and the classes really help him with his coordination, I even join in myself.
I used to love dancing, and really missed being active. The classes encourage me to make the effort, even at 100 years old. I still have some aches and pains, but they aren’t nearly as bad as before, and I can at least sit comfortably now.
Before these classes I had given up. I have arthritis in my knees and hips which it made it difficult to leave the house, as walking was almost impossible. The classes helped me regain my mobility, and now I have the confidence to get out of the house and live my life again. I can even go crown green bowling without having to worry about the pain. And I’m 85!
When I was young, I was fit and healthy. I loved to dance. But now I have a heart condition and I thought that I would never be able to enjoy my life again. The exercise classes have helped me regain my confidence and control my heart condition enough that I can get out of the house and meet with friends.
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