02 February 2010

IPC Staff Staying Fit to Enjoy the Summer

Circuit Training to Break Up the Routine

By Shirley Ghozalli. Edited by Peter Davies and Moira Blake.

IPC lecturer Peter Davies demonstrating press ups

Some of the circuit training participants. From left: Shirley Ghozalli, Hardeep Kaur, Karen Dunn, and Judith Mtetwa.

"3..2..1.. Change!" an advisor's voice can be heard in the Rec Centre at lunchtime over the summer. The reason is the newly introduced 'Circuit Training'. Starting from the second week of January, it is an activity targeted at IPC staff members, and consists of a series of exercises done at different stations. The Diploma of International Sports Studies (DISS) staff are supervising and acting as the main training advisors. They are Peter Davies and James Oliver, Judith Mtetwa and Clint Parsons.

Peter, who is also in the NZ Army Reserve, had the idea of starting the circuit training from his time in the army. "What we have here is, of course, not as hard as the one we do in the army, but, it's as effective to keep everyone healthy and fit, specially to enjoy the summer....There is also no shouting, in contrast with the army. No one will be there to judge and the aim is to have fun with a little of the 'burn' and to progress to higher fitness levels. The only direction you will get from the advisors will be just that. Advising on technique in the exercise," he added.

The circuit training covers 11 different exercise stations. The participants spend 40 seconds on each station and have a 20 second gap in between the exercises. A participant can choose to start at any station and move clockwise from station to station. When a participant finishes her/his 11th exercise it is called a round. Taking a total time of 30 minutes, the circuit training comprises 2 rounds and a 2-minute water break in between the rounds.

According to Peter, the type of exercise in each station will vary from session to session to avoid boredom, and there will also be background music playing in each session. At the moment, the training covers:

1. Dips
2. Speed Ladder
3. Press Ups
4. Running Up the Stairs (Writer: this is my favourite)
5. Kettle Bell Swing
6. Skipping
7. Shuttle Runs
8. Sit Ups
9. Step Ups
10. Medicine Ball Throw and
11. Wobble Balance

One of the regular participants, IPC Lecturer Karen Dunn, commented, "Doing this training gives me confidence. I feel stronger and positive about facing any challenge." Joining the circuit training is the hammer throw athlete, Hardeep Kaur (a 2009 student). Hardeep admitted that with her study, she has limited time for practising and the circuit training helps her to stay in tune between the field practices for hammer throw.

The circuit training runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 12.00 in the Rec centre. Comfortable clothes and shoes for training are all a participant needs to bring, plus a towel for a shower afterwards.

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