Walking to Wellbeing
Glyn shows us how consistency is key to building a healthier and happier life
Glyn has a go-getting attitude and a determination to better his health. This, coupled with the dedication of his Move Mate, Jake, is enhancing his wellbeing whilst also enabling him to enjoy the offerings of community venues and activities.
Living with agoraphobia and balance problems, Glyn first came to Move Mates on the recommendation of his Local Area Coordinator. With the desire to improve his confidence and physical fitness, Glyn began walking with a volunteer. In the months that followed Glyn’s confidence vastly improved. However, when his volunteer unavoidably had to step back, resulting in Glyn’s walks becoming less frequent, he felt his physical fitness start to decline again. Then, along came Move Mate Jake and the pair have walked every week, come rain or shine, ever since.
Now that Glyn has been walking with Jake for six months, he is eager to do more to further improve his fitness. With this in mind, they have decided to incorporate a visit to the gym into their weekly walks. Adding some extra strength work into the mix will enhance Glyn’s overall fitness and resilience as well as benefiting his walking. We met Glyn and Jake after their first visit to the gym together to find out more.
No stranger to the gym, Glyn explained how he is keen to compliment his walking by introducing regular upper body and core exercises into his routine. Previously, having to rely on busy family members to accompany him to the gym had meant that there were often long gaps between sessions. A lack of consistency meant that it was difficult to build strength and fitness.
“It’s important to do things regularly to build fitness“
Glyn
As Glyn walks with Jake every week, it made perfect sense to build the extra workout into their routine. They plan to start with a gentle walk to warm up, follow this with some strength exercises and end with a longer walk for leg strength, heart health and mental wellbeing. Being out in the fresh air is also a welcome relief for mind and body after being inside.
Working on our broader strength compliments our walking ability, improves posture and helps to reduce the risk of falls and injury. If the gym isn’t for you then there are many home-based and chair exercises you can try. Check out our YouTube channel for some guided workouts you can enjoy from home. If you fancy an outdoor workout then take a look at our Move Map, a guide to free-to-use outdoor gyms.
Glyn and Jake share an interest in football. Although Glyn is an avid Leeds supporter and Jake supports Arsenal, they both have a love of the game itself so always have something to chat about. Excitingly, Glyn’s Move Mate walks have helped prepare him to participate in the sport once more as he plans to join a walking-football club. Walking-football, as the name suggests, is football played at a walking pace, with no running allowed. One of the other things which sets it apart from its faster paced counterpart, is that walking-football is a non-contact sport, this makes it much safer for anyone who is less steady on their feet. For more information on walking-football please click here.
As a Move Mate pair, Glyn and Jake show us what can be achieved through regular walking and exercise. Not only has their physical and mental wellbeing been mutually benefited but they have also broadened their experiences and social connections.
“I really enjoy my Move Mate walks with Glyn. It’s very rewarding to see what a difference it makes to somebody’s life and is a very important part of my week“
Jake