Our G.I.R.L.S. Move project is all about empowerment and physical activity, supporting young girls to become more physically active in a non-traditional way. We work with girls aged 11-19 from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities to build their self confidence and self-esteem and provide leadership training. 

By participating in this 3-week programme, girls embark on a journey to explore their identity, confidence, and self-esteem. Time is allocated to talk about body image, self-esteem, leadership, and confidence, and there’s also an opportunity to get physically active. There’s no need to worry — the physical aspects don’t need to be traditional activities. It’s all about each individual and what they feel comfortable with.   

Want to join us?

After a long journey at Central YMCA, Declan is now our Community Programmes & Volunteer Manager and is responsible for a great number of programmes, which have a considerable impact in our communities. These include health and wellbeing programmes for Older Adults, people living with HIV, people recovering from Cancer, and those with mental health problems; he also runs our short lifestyle courses and volunteering programme. We are so proud of Declan for this recognition and for everything he has achieved. 

The award highlights those who have impacted and inspired the people they engage with and showcases the transformational impact of physical activity on health, happiness, and wellbeing. Declan’s work and dedication is being highlighted along with 7 others, before the winner is announced in early June. To celebrate this achievement, we are sharing his incredible story. 

Here at Central YMCA we work to break down barriers and improve access to life-changing opportunities. That’s why we are delighted to be partnering with Voluntary Action Camden to help improve access and reduce health inequalities for Camden’s Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic community.

Join our free 6-week Pilates programme specifically catered to Black, Asian and Minoritised Ethnic (BAME) women who are looking to get active and improve their health and wellbeing. These classes offer a safe space for you to feel at ease and connect with other women in a calm and quiet studio which cannot be overlooked by the public.

Remember, it is the regular food choices that we make hour by hour, meal by meal, week by week that determine how we look and feel every day. Our body shape, appearance, mental agility, body fat, concentration and physical ability are all a reflection of these regular choices. The same is true with activity – are we consciously active; do we make time in our schedule for exercise, for walking, taking the stairs, regularly getting up from our desk, and moving around both in the day and the evening?

Our diets should be enjoyable, tasty, and predominantly filled with foods we know to be healthy and which we consume in moderation. It is about making healthier choices most of the time – of course, there is room for cheat meals, nights out and drinks in moderation – that is part of a healthy, balanced, and social life.

Chasing this quick fix isn’t the way to go about things, which is why I share below eight steps that I think I think will enable you to adopt a ‘Healthy Consistency’ and will have a far greater successful long term impact on your mental and physical health.

About the author

Nick Owen is a qualified nutritional adviser and holds a Diploma in Non-Medical Nutritional Advice. Nick uses nutrition to support a wide variety of client goals. These include weight management, fat loss and muscle building, general health and well-being, improved energy levels, concentration and complexion.

Here are four good reasons why you should train your legs at least once a week.

1. It spikes muscle-building hormones: 
Performing heavy squats has been shown to increase testosterone levels, helping to maintain muscular size as well as strength. However, to get this hormonal boost, exercises such as squats should be performed at the appropriate intensity. An effective workout would be 5 x 5 (5 sets of 5 reps) back squats at roughly 85% of your 1RM (one repetition maximum).

2. It enhances fat loss: 
The squat in its many variations is a great movement. Being a compound lift, it hits almost every muscle in the body, particularly your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lower back and abs. This movement allows you to retain lean body mass and promote fat loss as it requires greater energy expenditure, elevating post exercise metabolic rates for a prolonged period. It may also enhance post exercise lipid oxidation (the fat burning process).

3. Eat big after a heavy leg session: 
After a heavy weight training session such as squats, you can enjoy yourself and eat a big filling meal. Scientists from Washington University School of Medicine discovered that heavy weight training increases the efficiency of a protein called GLUT4, which improves insulin sensitivity and the rate at which we absorb and use glucose. This means the food you eat will be more effectively used to repair and build muscles used in the session.

4. People notice bad geometry: 
If you want to look more attractive, don’t skip leg day. Leonardo Da Vinci, inspired by the architect Marcus Vitruvius, created his famous Vitruvian Man to illustrate the “golden ratio” – the mathematical determination of what is objectively attractive. If you don’t work those leg muscles, you might not measure up. Still thinking of missing leg day? Then you better be best friends with the squat rack.

A few tips to remember while doing squats:

*Source: nerdfitness.com

Nassim Hamadache is our Pool Fitness Manager and started working here at the Club as a lifeguard four years ago while completing a degree in Business Management.  He began swimming at the age of seven at school where he developed a passion for swimming. Since graduating, Nassim has developed his career in the fitness industry and holds the ASA Swimfit Activator as well as being qualified as a Gym Instructor.  As well as managing the pool, he teaches classes on a timetable including TRX (Suspension Training) and Indoor Cycling.

1. It’s key to losing fat 
Weight lifting increases your body’s ability to burn fat during and after exercise – your body uses more oxygen, requires more caloric expenditure and it increases your metabolic rate. As you increase strength and lean muscle mass, your body uses calories more efficiently. 

2. Reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes
Lifting weights makes it less likely that you will have heart disease risk factors such as a large waist circumference and high triglycerides (blood fats). It will also improve your cardiovascular health which will help to lower your blood pressure. Using weight training as part of your routine will also improve the way your body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes.

3. Strengthens your bones
Osteoporosis is the decrease in bone density that weakens the bone structure. The risk of osteoporosis increases with age and women are four times more likely than men to develop it because bone loss speeds up after the menopause as ovaries stop producing oestrogen. One way to increase bone density is to repeatedly use greater loads on the bones which can be achieved through resistance training. New formation of bone develops on the bone’s outer surface, creating stronger bones that are less likely to fracture. Because of bone and muscle loss, postmenopausal women should continue regular progressive resistance training as long as their health allows.

4. Decreases your risk of injury
Lifting weights not only builds stronger muscles but also builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability.  This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury.

5. Improves sleep
Weight lifting improves your ability to fall asleep faster and sleep deeper. You will also be less restless as you sleep and it can also release some of your worries.

6. It’s anti-ageing 
After women reach the age of 30, muscle density starts to decrease and the trend continues as they get older. Lean body mass can decrease 15 percent between the ages of 30 and 80. This loss is accompanied by a decrease in overall strength. Follow a well-planned resistance training program that increases the size of muscle fibres and this will help combat the age-related loss of muscle that normally occurs in women.

7. Boosts stamina and energy levels
When you are stronger you have more energy for day to day tasks and you don’t get anywhere near as tired.

Above all, weight lifting: 

How to get started?
Where you start with weight training depends on your current experience and fitness level. If you have trouble with basic movements and balance, seek guidance from a Personal Trainer who can ensure you are using proper form to prevent injuries and to get the most out of your workout. 
You can also learn a lot by joining one of our weightlifting exercise classes such as Kettlebells or Sculpt. You can also book a Gym Health Assessment to get one-to-one advice with one of our Health and Fitness Advisors, just talk to reception to book.