Stretch Club has become exactly that, a “club”. Aimed at the retired generation who in my opinion have been forgotten. We get together 3 times a week and have been doing this since lockdown started, the improvement of the group is fantastic. Stretching for 20 mins let’s us catch up and chat while improving our flexibility, moving on to our little and very managable HIIT session which definitely improves fitness levels, and finally we slow everything down with a breathing technique which I know has had a huge effect on everyone’s fitness, both mental and physical. I love my job and this is my favourite bit.

This Club is aimed at everyone! I talk a lot about "practicing being calm". When you are stressed out people say,"calm down, relax" but don't tell you how. Wouldn't it be great to know the way to calm because you practice.

The whole idea is to bring awareness to

how we breathe, give you some tools you can use in everyday life and slow everything down for 20 minurtes or so. Our bodies and minds aren’t built for the stress we suffer every day, we experience more in one day than someone in the middle ages experienced in their whole life! Our bodies live in fight or flight, a constant state of alert, this means we can’t fully rest and digest.This state also effects our breath, hence the majority of people breathing into the chest which contributes massively to anxiety.

Learning to reconnect with how you are breathing not only helps the body recover quicker, have more endurance, improve your posture and prolong your life, it can help you quieten that voice when you want to as well. With practice simple breathing techniques will give you the choice of taking hold of your mind whenever you want to.