Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Forget the gym – staff at Carmarthenshire County Council have been exercising at their desks! The new way of working out has been introduced in some teams following a visit from physiotherapists at BMI Werndale Hospital. It was part of Workout@Work Day which aimed to help people who lead sedentary lives to think about introducing simple exercises into their working day to improve health and wellbeing. Physiotherapist Dean Locking said: “Both employees and businesses are impacted by work place stress, injury and illness. “The aim of ‘Workout at Work’ is about giving sound advice to both employees and employers about how simple steps can improve workplace wellbeing, helping themselves and their teams avoid ill-health. “We would really like to see as many people as possible developing healthier work habits for the longer term.” According to health experts, people need 30 minutes of exercise every day to stay healthy. A recent studyfound short bursts of moderate to vigorous exercise last...

New ‘exercise in disguise’ opportunities are being run at Carmarthen Leisure Centre as part of a campaign to get women and girls back into fitness. Two new weekly classes are being put on, aimed at females new to exercise or wanting to get back into the fitness habit. A new fun-based class incorporating trampolines, hula-hoops, skipping ropes, punch bags, bikes and weights will be held on Mondays between 4pm and 4.45pm. The session will be run at a lower intensity in an attempt to get over the psychological fitness hurdle that usually stops people giving classes a try. On Wednesdays between 4pm and 4.45pm, an additional introductory Zumba class will be held at the centre’s fusion gym to take advantage of the popular exercise craze. Carmarthen Fusion Gym fitness instructor Gaynor Jones said: “It’s important that we have sessions at appropriate levels for as many people as possible. When someone hasn’t exercised for a while you can’t be thrown into high intensity training because your bo...

Forget about surfing the web – how about walking the web? Walking Well Carmarthenshire has just launched its brand new bilingual website, aimed at encouraging people to take part in group walks. The website provides a source of information for people interested in group walking, as well as providing details of forthcoming events. The Walking Well Carmarthenshire initiative began as a collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council 50+ Forum and Public Health Wales. Andy Kurzfeld, Walking Well Volunteer Co-ordinator, said: “Walking in groups has been shown to have significant benefits to social, physical and mental health and wellbeing. It encourages increased activity levels, helps people stay active, and it is great for socialising. “The website aims to make it easier for people in Carmarthenshire to find a local Walking Well group and get involved. “It provides information on the health benefits of walking, details of Walking Well groups in Carmarthen, Llanelli and St C...