British Blind Sport runs Live Workout Week
All this week, British Blind Sport will be running a series of virtual at home workout sessions for people with visual impairments, so they can stay in and work out! The Live Workout Week will deliver a variety of accessible and audio described workout sessions direct into homes via the Zoom video conferencing service.
Whilst at home workouts and routines are becoming increasingly popular, it has been found that there is a lack of content with sufficient audio description to enable people with a visual impairment to take part fully and confidently.
British Blind Sport has been working hard over the last few weeks to engage inclusive deliverers, who are experts at making activities accessible and enjoyable for people of any age and ability.
In conjunction with Sport England’s Join the Movement campaign, British Blind Sport are kicking off their initiative with a week of live, audio described workouts, starting Monday 6 April 2020.
These live workouts will not only give people with sight loss the chance to get active and release some tension. It will also help to create a sense of community whereby lots of people are coming together to exercise at one time. This is particularly important for tackling the negative effects of isolation upon mental health.
British Blind Sport have also created Facebook group - British Blind Sport #StayInWorkOut - specifically for members and followers to come together and share their workout ideas and tips whilst being at home. Once again, this community group will allow users to break down the barriers of social distancing and interact with others, becoming part of #TribeBBS.
National Partnerships Manager, Alex Pitts, said:
"We’re really excited about this new initiative! With our usual method of delivery being postponed it was important for all of us at British Blind Sport to find a new way to engage our members and still provide ways for them to stay active and healthy at home – and I think we’ve found the perfect solution.
"We’ve partnered up with some fantastic deliverers who are inclusivity experts and will give our users a really accessible experience. These workouts will also add to a wider library of workouts and routines that we are creating, which will be available for anyone to access on the BBS website and Facebook page."
Alaina MacGregor, British Blind Sport CEO, said:
"It has been a challenge but also exciting and stimulating to alter our delivery model in such a short space of time. Everyone at BBS is proud of what we are now offering our members and followers; a way to stay at home and stay safe, but continuing to tackle inactivity. It was also a priority for us to try and offset the negative effects of social distancing and the feelings of isolation that this can cause across communities.
"Our live workouts bring people together to exercise at the same time, creating a sense of togetherness, and our new Facebook group gives them a platform on which they can share their stories and experiences – and where they can encourage each other to stay active during social distancing."
To take part in British Blind Sport's Live Workout Week, you will need to join their new private Facebook group - British Blind Sport: Stay In Work Out.
For safeguarding reasons, British Blind Sport will post the Zoom video links for each workout in the private Facebook group.
Live Workout Week schedule
Monday 6 April: Boxercise with Able2B at 12noon
Tuesday 7 April: Meditation with Blind Ambition at 5.30pm
Wednesday 8 April: Dance with Synergy Dance at 5.30pm
Thursday 9 April: HIIT training with Inclusive Fitness Training at 5.30pm
Friday 10 April: Yoga with Synergy Dance at 5.30pm
For more information on British Blind Sport’s Live Workout Week, please contact Alex Pitts, National Partnerships Manager. Email Alex or call 07929 356428.
