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Mermaid spotted in Sunbury
Make sure you remember Amelia Liddell’s name. This swimming protégée is not yet four year’s old but she’s already a hope for the 2020 Olympics. Amelia has been taking swimming lessons since she was nine months old when she instantly proved to be a water baby. At two and half she got her ten metre badge and just recently Amelia has officially notched up 100 metres. "She swam perfect front crawl and went on to do two more lengths of backstroke,” says Amelia’s swim coach, Juliette Piesley of Sunbury Virgin Active. “We’re aiming for a one mile badge before Amelia’s 5th birthday and I’m confident she’ll do it." Amelia is now learning how to do tumble turns." It’s just fun for her but they are almost perfect," says Juliet. If you have a little one with a special talent, we’d love to hear from you.
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Yoga-ing my way?
Yoga is much more than lithe women in leotards playing hard core games of Twister. Sting, Jerry Seinfeld, Nicholas Cage, Robbie Williams, Jude Law, Robert Carlyle and Woody Harrelson are all devotees. Sting says, "I can do things with my body now that I wasn't able to do as an 18-year-old." It’s no wonder guys are clamouring to join the gals at Virgin Active’s yoga classes.
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Tight fit
Apparently men are developing a liking for wearing tights. They have become so popular Selfridges has launched the metrosexually named Mantyhose in black, beige and charcoal, at a whooping £70 a pair. Their main purpose is to keep warm or prevent muscle strain while exercising. We believe you.
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Brain training
Homework and exercise can now mix. Take the kids to South Wimbledon Virgin Active where the after school homework club will help them rattle through their studies. There’s a really great atmosphere and the kids encourage each other under the watchful eye of qualified Teaching Assistants. Meanwhile, you let off steam in the gym or relax in the pool - no more having to know the capital of Azerbaijan (it’s Baku, of course).
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Veg in
There are a few budding Jamie Olivers in Sheffield. The kids in Club V have been growing, cooking and eating their greens! The new Chef and Green Finger Classes are so popular with kids, parents may soon be able to put their feet up and enjoy some delicious home cooking.
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Virgin Active's bustin' moves
When Diversity won Britain’s Got Talent, kids couldn’t keep still. For once this was considered a good thing and schools clamoured to hire dance instructors. Dani Tagg and Ed Smith from the Farnborough Club immediately brought street dance to Virgin Active and discovered 25 kids queuing round the block for the first class. "We thought it would be popular", says Dani, "but we were amazed to see so many kids on a Saturday morning. We’ve now added another class and come second in the Fleet Carnival Dance Competition!" Presently they’re working on a Christmas production to showcase their locking and popping. A case of Santa goes hip hopping!
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Be firm
If you want Michelle Obama’s arms or Hugh Jackman’s pecs it takes work. Yet making small changes to the way you exercise can make a big difference. To help, we’re running MoveMore in all Virgin Actives from October 5 – November 29. By adding one more gym session a week you’ll get a whole bunch of stuff, including a free half hour PT session and the chance to take part in a fabulous competition to show how far you’ve improved. Find out more at www.virginactive.co.uk/movemore
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Get there by tube
ViPR may look like a didgeridoo but it can change your body. This simple rubber cylinder delivers an intense workout in just 30 minute by lifting, twisting and shifting. There are 7 different sizes and weights ranging from 4kg to 20kg to use as you progress. Great for cardio, strength and flexibility, ViPR is designed to burn more calories, boost metabolism and increase strength. Look out for ViPRs in Northampton and our new Twickenham Club.
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Radio Gaga
The shower radio has been voted the worst household gadget ever. Was it that inanely grinning penguin that did it? Or the one shaped like a football? Most popular reasons given for the shower radio proving to be a damp squib are because it let in wet, didn’t have enough volume and couldn’t stay tuned in. Half of the 3,000 women polled declared the shower radio ‘pointless.’ Best ever gadget was the TV. Fortunately Virgin Active has lots of those (and no shower radios).
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October is breast cancer awareness month
A leading medical charity says over 40% of breast cancer could be prevented by a healthier lifestyle. The World Cancer Research Fund looked at research from around the world linking breast cancer to lack of exercise, being overweight and excessive alcohol. They concluded small everyday changes could have a big impact on the effect of this disease.
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Club-V is V good
Kids love Club-V. For Jane Brown’s seven year old Autistic daughter, Ailsa and Lisa Latham’s nine year old Down’s Syndrome son, Tyler, it’s proving to be the perfect place to have fun, meet kids their own age and be treated just like everybody else.
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Ailsa's story
"Ailsa has been going to Club-V since she was four and she’s joined in with everything. I want to integrate her into the community and it has been quite a fight but with Club-V it was ‘come in’! Ailsa doesn’t get to see kids her own age group as she goes to school out of the village so it’s good to mix with the kids at Club-V. I’m really chuffed. The staff are interested in Ailsa and always friendly. She likes the soft play and marauding around Planet Paint but when it’s quiet she goes in the crèche area to play with the soft toys. The staff always come and get me if there’s a problem, it’s very reassuring."
Tyler's story
"Tyler likes everything at the club. When he first started five years ago, all the staff went on a course to help communicate with Tyler. He sometimes uses Makaton (a branch of sign language for children with special needs) to help bridge the gap if he needs to say something like ‘I need the toilet’ or ‘I want a drink’. The classes were in the evenings and the staff gave up their free time to do them. Everyone is so inclusive and chats to Tyler. He likes the bike classes, soft play, painting and the computers. I feel part of a community at the club. Everyone is brilliant with Tyler. He loves Club-V because they treat him like everyone else."
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