HOW many of you have been watching the Olympics on TV
How many of you have been watching the Olympics on TV and thinking "I wish I could do that"? Well, within reason you can, says Karen Rathbone, personal trainer and group exercise instructor at Penrith Leisure Centre.
To be an elite athlete takes dedication, motivation and knowledge, together with help and support from experts in the field.
You may not yet be among the elite crowd, but everyone can improve their fitness levels, strength, mobility and flexibility. It is also important to remember that it can’t be done overnight and is a long term process.
Identifying and understanding what you want as your objectives and goals is an important starting point in identifying what fitness regime is appropriate to you.
It is important that you get the right support and coaching to get the correct technique. There is a saying “practice makes perfect”, and, in effect practice also makes permanent, and if wrong can just reinforce a wrong technique. That is where your local leisure centre and sports clubs can help.
It is also important to remember that different sports and activities place different requirements on the body’s aerobic and anaerobic systems. They also have different requirements for strength and conditioning, flexibility and mobility. Again, that is where your leisure centre can help and work with you to develop you own personalised sports specific exercise program.
As part of health and fitness membership packages the centre’s fully trained staff can advise you on the appropriate form of exercise for you. Once you have started you will be given full support and encouragement plus follow-up programs to help you progress as your personal fitness levels increase. Alternatively, if you would prefer the personal touch, Penrith Leisure Centre offers one to one sessions with a fully qualified personal trainer.
Once you start there is no limit to what you can achieve.
For more information on sports clubs within Eden district contact the sports development department on Tel 01768 817817.
For information on health and fitness packages or clubs that use the centre contact Penrith Leisure Centre on 01768 863450 or visit www.leisure-centre.com.
Article written by the Cumberland and Westmorland Herald.