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<\/a>Applied Health Sciences master\u2019s student Taranjot Dhillon leads a workout class for an online audience of Brock-Niagara Centre for Health and Well-Being members.<\/p><\/div>\n
The Centre has now begun to offer online fitness classes hosted by the Centre\u2019s staff and Brock graduate and undergraduate students who have previously worked or completed courses in the Centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitially, only existing members of the Centre were eligible to join; however, with appropriate documentation, online membership is now open to community members,\u201d said Debbie O\u2019Leary, Professor of Health Sciences and Director of the Brock-Niagara Centre for Health and Well-Being. \u201cA virtual membership includes live fitness classes, educational seminars, weekly check-ins and social meetings with the students.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Centre has about 75 online members, but that number is growing. Classes being offered include yoga, circuit workouts, golf, chair-based, osteoporosis, core and Parkinson\u2019s classes, all delivered on the video conferencing platform Lifesize.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe virtual fitness classes are extremely important for our members to promote physical and mental health and to maintain their social connections,\u201d said Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Director of the SeniorFit program, Kimberely Gammage.<\/p>\n
Brock Kinesiology, Health Sciences and Therapeutic Recreation students will be teaching virtual classes throughout the Spring and Summer Terms that will count towards the placement aspect of their credits.<\/p>\n
Specifically, Kinesiology students are offering one-on-one sessions to develop personalized home-based workout programs. They will use these sessions to create a library of exercise-related videos, presentations and pamphlets. Health Sciences students are working on social programming designed to enhance mental health and well-being.<\/p>\n
Four master of Professional Kinesiology students doing their placements with the Centre will be offering virtual programming, as well as doing the intake of new members, mentoring undergraduate students and doing online fitness testing with members.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese classes are allowing us to continue to offer student-learning opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge about working to promote health and well-being in diverse populations,\u201d said Gammage. \u201cOur students are also developing a whole range of new skills related to communication and the implementation of technology in the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n