Sport and Wellbeing Continue Activities Keeping You Lockdown Fit

Be Active is split into different sections with the aim of providing something for everyone. These parts include sports taster sessions, monthly challenges, a Strava Run Club, a weekly scavenger hunt and the opportunity for Southampton students to volunteer to help with Be Active. More information about each of these sections are below:

All Be Active Sports Sessions are completely virtual and are being conducted through Microsoft Teams. These sessions are around 30-45 minutes long, which includes a warm-up and down. The basic aim of each session is to increase comfort with different aspects of whichever sport is chosen – this could be badminton, tennis or more – and predominantly focuses on the different movements involved in the sport.

However, the sessions also aim to help strengthen the key muscle groups for taking part within the chosen sport, and boosting your aerobic fitness. The ambition is for improvements in mental and physical wellbeing during lockdown.

Sessions have previously included a focus on sports like boxing, surfing, badminton, tennis and table tennis.

If you are interested, you should book sessions in advance via the website here.

Every month Be Active releases a new monthly challenge which will include some form of physical exercise. In January, the challenge was to run every day as part of the RED campaign.

February’s challenge was called the ‘Strong as an Ox’ challenge and involved doing 1 press up and 1 sit up on the 1st of February, 2 of each on the 2nd and so on until the 28th of February. This challenge is in celebration of Chinese New Year and the Year of the Ox.

There is a March physical exercise challenge, as well as some plans for challenges further down the line – which may include an inter-campus challenge. This month’s challenge is called the ‘Make Your March’ challenge.

There is now a Strava Run Club, which already has over 60 participants. This group has been set up to create a supportive student community which share many of the same goals. Within the group there is the opportunity to engage via comments, provide feedback and log recent activities. There is also the opportunity to win prizes dependent on certain variables. You can sign up to the club here. All abilities are welcome.

Each Sunday, there is a list of items to go and take photos of in a scavenger hunt activity. A list of items are released via the Be Active Facebook page to go and take photos of (abiding by all government regulations). Submit the photos of these items (and at least 1 selfie with one of the items) to the hashtag #ScavengerHuntSunday on Facebook. Once completed, there are opportunities for prizes. You have from 7am-7pm to do the hunt.

Sport and Wellbeing have also continued their live exercise sessions, which can be accessed via Facebook.