This year swimming takes centre stage
Better leisure centres in Barnet are supporting National Fitness Day on Wednesday 18th September 2024 by offering a range of free activities to local residents.
Now in its 13th year, National Fitness Day is run by leisure industry body UKActive and aims to encourage the nation to get moving and shine a light on the many benefits that being active can offer.
This year, National Fitness Day will continue under the overall theme, ‘Your Health is Your Life’, highlighting the many ways that physical activity can and does have a positive contribution on an individual’s physical and mental health, while also providing an opportunity to make social connections.
Although Better leisure centres across the borough will be offering a range of free classes and activities on the day – such as yoga, HIIT, pickleball, group cycling, aquarobics, badminton and table tennis – there will be a particular focus on the benefits of swimming.
Research has shown that swimming keeps you lean, boosts cardiovascular fitness and helps you live longer. As the largest operator of public swimming pools in the UK, Better has a lot of expertise in this area, offering swimming lessons for adults and children and tailored programmes for customers with health conditions.
On National Fitness Day at Finchley Lido from 1pm – 3pm, Swim School Lead Adam Paine will be on-hand at the pool to answer any questions people have about swimming and to tell people about lessons across the borough.
Leisure centres in Barnet are run by charitable social enterprise GLL under the ‘Better’ brand.
Commenting on the National Fitness Day initiative, Dan Morris, GLL’s Partnership Manager in Croydon said: “No matter your state of fitness, taking small steps to be more active more often will have huge benefits throughout your life – and that journey could start on National Fitness Day when you try something new.”
In 2023, National Fitness Day saw the participation of an estimated 11 million people, including over four million children and young people.
To join in with any of Better’s free activities on National Fitness Day, readers need to register for their free pass at https://www.better.org.uk/national-fitness-day
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