Affordable and Accessible Fitness Classes = Equity in Health and Fitness

I am thankful that within walking distance from where I am staying in Charlottetown, I found a place where I could learn more about different opportunities on the island of PEI for helping its residents to stay fit and be physically active.

The Murphy's Community Centre is a place with many things taking place within its facility. It is located on Richmond Street and Prince Street  in downtown Charlottetown. PEI.  Within the community centre, there is a large gymnasium, equipped with change and shower facilities, where daily pay as you go fitness classes, $5.00 / class, weekly tai chi as well as ballroom and salsa dance classes are held.  Along with many other special functions and community events held regularly at the community centre, there is also a bowling alley where bus loads of school children are taken to enjoy the fun of bowling as part of their school year end activities.

Ufit Classes - I discovered a great new class for adult fitness. It is called Ufit class - a fun way to sweat and get fit, developed by a PEI resident. The class is an hour long each time and it takes place six times a week at the Murphy 's Community Centre: three times during lunch hour from 12"05p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for working adults or anybody who can take an hour off during lunch break, and another three times from 5:45p.m to 6:45p.m.

The classes I attended all started with upbeat music and a good warm up routine.

The instructor, Gord McNeilly, along with his wife, Eireann Rigby, founded and developed the Ufit fitness program about ten years ago in PEI. He arrived fifteen minutes  before class and set up the gym prior to  the start of the class. He placed four pylons in the middle of the gym, and taped a piece of paper on each with instructions written on it.

The required equipment needed for the exercises was placed at each of the four stations. Gord led us in a large group for a few minutes of high impact exercises, then we were split into four groups and each did our own exercises.   Each station had a set of three or four exercises written clearly taped on a pylon  and participants followed the sequence of these exercises.  After we did the first set of exercises for a minute or so, Gord hopped around and gathered us back to the large group and followed his exercises.  Though I was not one who liked doing an hour long high impact exercises,  Gord was energetic, supportive and motivational! He even asked me to lead the group exercises for a couple of minutes. Wow! Me, as an exercise leader? That was the first in my life. I did my moves, everyone cheered and I loved it!

There were about thirty five to forty participants in the gym that day with two gentlemen taking part in the class. Great to see some men in the class!  Participants were asked to rotate and do all the exercises as posted at each station. By the time we completed all four stations, the hour was up! What a nice way to do exercises, without taking all the winds out of you and killing yourself!  However, I did sweat a lot which was a good thing so I was told by fitness instructors when doing exercises. 

I would like to learn more about this type of exercise program. Every year I volunteer to run a summer camp in Waterloo, Ontario and Gord has inspired me to start some sort of exercise routine this year.  I would love to incorporate a few fun moves for the kids at this year's camp. 

I truly appreciate this pay as you go approach to health and fitness programs in Charlottetown. Back in Toronto, in order for me to get fit and healthy, I need to pay a hefty membership fee to belong to a fitness club. However, in order to get any further fitness advice or training on how to use the exercise machines properly, I have to again sign up for a personal trainer to work with me at the rate of $60.00 per hour.

Gord's contagious enthusiasm is inspiring!

As an aging boomer, I must exercise regularly to maintain my mobility and to reduce bodily pain from joints and other degenerative changes slowly taking place in my body.  However, not everyone is as fortunate as I, who could afford the private gym membership and personal trainer fees. Would it be wonderful if this $ 5.00 pay as you go fitness class becomes a government mandated program and make available to all Canadians regardless of the geographic locations of their residences? Whether we live in a metropolitan city such as Vancouver, Toronto or a smaller community on PEI, Canadians all need good exercise programs to stay fit and maintain our health.  We have had discussions on a national daycare policy. How about a debate and discussions for a national health and fitness policy? It is time!

Corporate business organizations such as Goodlife Fitness have much to learn from the Ufit Team fitness program!

Charlottetown rocks when it comes to affordable and accessible fitness classes!   Hats off to Gord and the Ufit Team,  for keeping me fit in my travels.

RT, Charlottetown

June 18, 2012