GCU student keeps people active with online fitness programme

A GCU student has went viral after posting a fitness programme online for those who want to keep fit during the isolation period.

First year Physiotherapy student Rachel Anderson, who also works as a Personal Trainer, has decided to make a fitness training programme which can be downloaded and used at home.

Rachel created a programme which includes 20 work-outs which are suitable for all levels of fitness, and has since been downloaded by people from all over the world.

Rachel wanted to ensure that people could still stay active during the COVID-19 outbreak. She said: “When the gyms had to close due to Covid-19, I knew a lot of people who were feeling uncertain about life in general, but also how they would be able to keep up their exercise habits from home.

I wanted to find a way to help people keep active and that's where the four-week home guide came from. I had hoped maybe 20-30 people might download it but here we are pushing close to 2000!”

As well as keeping active, Rachel also has to balance her studies whilst working at home. She said: “I think everyone is finding it difficult and I'm no exception.

I always tell myself just to get through one round or the first five minutes of a workout and see how I feel - it makes it easier to start and by that point I always feel good and keep going.

She added: “Studying I've found a little harder but I find the same thing as above works.

Just pick something small to start with - the first paragraph of an essay or first topic to study. If you make it a smaller task, it seems more manageable and then once you get started it's easier to keep going.”

Rachel has been using the self-isolation period as a way to focus on improving her fitness services. She said: “The crisis came just as I was close to launching a big online project that I had been working on for almost a year - an affordable group online strength and conditioning training plan.

I'm looking at it positively that I can use some of this time to make it even better and launch when things return to normal.

This crisis has forced me to become more dynamic with how I deliver things, I've even started to deliver some yoga classes online - I'll definitely keep this up even when things calm down!”

Keep up to date with Rachel's exercise tips and download her home fitness guide here

By Rachael McAlonan

Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media here