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Physical activity has many immediate and long-term health benefits, including improving one’s mental health.
This Mental Health Week, Brock University is reminding its students, faculty and staff of its free online fitness classes, which continue to be available throughout spring and summer.
Brock Recreation Services has been offering free live virtual ExpressFit classes since last spring to engage Brock students and community members in healthy active lifestyle options while they study and work at home.
“Routine exercise is a key factor for healthy living,” said Greg Zwiep, Program Manager for Brock Recreation. “It’s important we continue to offer our community ways to stay active during this unprecedented and stressful time. With many of us spending more time at home, it can be easy to get stuck in poor habits.”
For the month of May, two live classes will take place each week: hatha yoga on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and bootcamp on Fridays at 11 a.m.
Virtual classes are facilitated live on Zoom by experienced and engaging instructors.
Certified yoga instructor Miranda Bordenave leads participants through gentle flows, deep stretches and challenging balancing poses that will help improve strength, flexibility and balance. Fourth-year Kinesiology student and bootcamp instructor Bram Greczkowski will have participants working up a sweat while using their own bodyweight.
Zwiep encourages students, employees, alumni and community members to schedule time into their spring class schedules or workdays to focus on their well-being.
“Making time for exercise can help with blood flow, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve sleep quality, energy, mood, memory and learning,” he said.
To attend a live ExpressFit class, click on the Zoom link for yoga or bootcamp and use the password BADGER. No advance registration is required.
For those who cannot attend classes live, recorded ExpressFit classes are available on demand and include yoga, full body HIIT, Zumba, stretch, fitness kickboxing and a ‘core and more’ class. Exercise technique guides are also uploaded weekly.
A home office stretching video created by Brock’s Health Management and Wellness team features a Brock PhD candidate in Neuromechanics and Ergonomics demonstrating 10 stretches, such as neck rolls and hip swings.
Brock Recreation plans to continue offering live ExpressFit classes throughout the summer and expects to reopen the Walker Sports Complex for recreational use when public health regulations allow. Additional programming, such as esports intramurals, continues to engage students in a virtual format.
Visit the Brock Recreation website for more information.
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