13-19 June 2022
Men’s Health week is back and the theme for 2022 is Time for your MOT.
Led by the Men’s Health Forum, the purpose of the annual Men’s Health week is to raise awareness of preventable health issues and encourage men of all ages to seek professional advice for health-related problems.
The last two years have brought an array of emotions and experiences to each of us as we learn to live with Covid. Now, more than ever, we need to be mentally and physically well to optimise our health and wellbeing. Maybe it’s time to take a Man MOT and revisit your current exercise routine to see how you can improve your wellbeing for life.
What have we missed?
We all know the pressures that primary care services have been under during the pandemic. However, did you know that male GP visits fell more than female GP visits? Prostate cancer diagnoses were down 29% from 2019 to 2020. This isn’t because prostate cancer rates are decreasing, but rather that men simply aren’t visiting their GP as much.
In addition to this, NHS Health Checks, offered to most people over 40, were paused during lockdown. Many areas are still trying to catch up with their backlog. This has led to people losing access to a key review which checks for early signs of stroke, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.
If you’re not sure whether you’d benefit from a health check, or if you want to understand your risk factors better, you can complete a DIY Man MOT without even leaving the house, using top tips from Men’s Health Forum.
If you want to take it to the next level, OneWellness Clubs offer a Healthy Heart Check service, which calculates your total cholesterol, your risk of type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, resting heartrate, and blood oxygenation. These are crucial indicators of your general health and wellbeing. You can book your Healthy Heart check by emailing hello@onewellnessharrogate.co.uk
How can OneWellness help me?
If after completing your MOT, you think you might benefit from switching up your exercise routine, why not try a new class? At OneWellness Clubs Harrogate, we have something for everyone, including HIIT, strength conditioning, yoga, Pilates and more. We know that trying a new activity can be intimidating. That’s why we make our classes as welcoming as possible, with a full range of beginner sessions – and your first class is free!
Our members have many different motivations, but they all have one thing in common: looking after their health to improve their lives beyond the Club. If you’re not sure whether there’s a class that’s right for you, then read on.
“I want to be able to pick up my grandson without hurting my back.”
If this is you, you might enjoy our Strength Conditioning class, led by instructor Ben. In this class, you’ll use a variety of equipment to get stronger and build muscle. This can help with important movements like lifting a toddler out of a swing or giving them a piggyback. This class is suitable for beginners, and will teach you how to safely perform exercises to improve your strength and control for life outside the gym.
If you’d like to get more involved with the games of your children or grandchildren, why not look into our Pilates classes? These classes are suitable for all levels of fitness, so there is no need to be intimidated – just come along and try it out. They will help you build core strength which will support your whole body and could improve your back pain.
“I want to improve my golf swing.”
Staying strong and flexible could elevate your golf performance. The true power of your swing comes from your hips, not your arms, and a mobility class like Yoga or Pilates could make all the difference. No need to worry that you’re not bendy enough – saying you’re too stiff for yoga is like saying you’re too dirty for a bath! Whatever your baseline, even one class a week will help you to feel more mobile.
Good mobility is important to any sport you do. If you’re coming back from an injury, our Physio-led classes can help you build yourself back to full strength without fear of re-injury. Our Physios meet you wherever you are, paying close attention to your specific abilities and making sure the movement is appropriate and beneficial.
“Taking the dog for a walk always leaves me huffing and puffing.”
If you’re struggling to keep up with your canine (or human!) friend, try adding some cardio into your routine. We have a range of cardio classes, including Gentle Fit for beginners and High Intensity Interval Training to push your limits. After a few months of those, you’ll feel confident and strong when out and about, and running up the stairs will no longer feel like a mountain.
“My friends have all moved away or moved on, and I’m feeling a bit lonely.”
All of us have experienced loneliness at some points in our lives. Isolation can have a significant impact on your mental health and could spiral into something severe. Our classes are sociable and fun, and we encourage people to hang around for a coffee and a chat after each session in our comfy wellbeing lounge. Many of our members have met friends for life through our classes.
Just getting out of the house and into the fresh air can make a huge difference to your mental health. Regular physical activity has a multitude of benefits including better quality of sleep, a boost to self-esteem, and improved concentration.
OneWellness Clubs offer a double-hit of happy post-exercise endorphins, and the buzz that comes from socialising with like-minded people.
This Men’s Health Week, take one step to look after your own health. Take a look at our class schedule and see if anything takes your fancy. Then, book for your first class for free! We hope to see you soon.