Health and Fitness: Variety Spin4Kids benefits all
There are many good reasons to get involved in community events.
I have signed up for the Variety Spin4Kids charity bike ride this month and am looking forward to not only helping a great cause - raising funds and awareness for children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs - but also being involved in a healthy community activity.
It involves getting a team of up to 10 together - or you could do it solo if you think you're up to the challenge - and going hell for leather on a stationary bike for six hours.
This is the event's third year and, after being held outdoors at Honeysuckle's Harbour Square, this year organisers have taken it indoors to The Forum, University of Newcastle.
Keen to get some tips for lasting the duration of the day, I spoke with event veteran Andrew Slee from 12RND Fitness about his approach.
They entered one team in 2017 then two last year and will have two teams from their Lambton and The Junction gyms taking part again this year.
For Slee it is his favourite day of the year.
"We do lots of charity stuff but the thing I love about the Variety Spin4Kids is it's so interactive," he told me.
"We get to get our members and go out for the whole day. We get to dress up, which is always fun, and we get to spend the whole day doing fitness. Honestly, it's like a rave for fit people. It's so much fun. There's the candy bar, the lights are off, the music is loud, everyone is dancing. It's absolutely exhausting. And it's for a great cause.
"It's all right in line with what we do. The whole reason I started my business was to help people and give back to the community and this is such a good way of doing it."
The event is being held on Friday, September 13, so organisers are encouraging participants to go all out with costumes and Slee said 12RND Fitness will definitely be doing this.
In year one they donned 80s wear. Last year it was DC vs Marvel. This year Disney Pixar is their theme.
TEAM WORK: 12RND Fitness in action during the inaugural Variety Spin4Kids two years ago.
It's also good to have a riding strategy and 12RND are going for high intensity bursts of energy over the six hours.
"12RND Fitness is high intensity interval training, so it's three-minute rounds with a 30-second rest," Slee said.
"We'll take a similar approach to the Spin4Kids. We usually do three to five minutes, that short interval, then we jump off and swap. With 10 people you get a big rest, so you can go super hard."
Variety - the Children's Charity NSW/ACT head of regional development Jason Bourke said they wanted to find "the fittest company, social, sporting, fitness group or school" with the objective to ride as many kilometres from 10am to 4pm.
"Teams who register will have a day full of fitness fun with high-energy music, crazy costumes, fitness challenges and energetic spin instructors on stage all to raise funds to help local kids overcome barriers such as isolation, financial hardship, disability and sickness to reach their full potential," Bourke said.
To register or for more information go to variety.org.au.
Upcoming Fitness Events
Wollombi Wild Ride, Wollombi, September 7: Featuring 13.5-kilometre, 30km and 60km courses, this is one for the novice to the experienced mountain biker and one for the whole family.
Variety Spin4Kids Charity BIke Ride, The Forum, September 13: Form a team or go solo for six hours to raise funds for kids in the region who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.
Fernleigh 15, Fernleigh Track, October 20: A 15-kilometre running or walking event which is staged along the Fernleigh Track from Adamstown to Belmont. It can also be done as a five-person relay.
Spring Sessions Week #1
Spring is finally here. And to celebrate, try this outdoors session:
Add a 5-10 minute warm-up and cool-down. Adjust the workout to suit your level of fitness. Remember, less repetitions with good technique is better than more without it. Add short rests between each set.
Set 1: 45 seconds squats, 45sec step-ups/box jumps, 45sec mountain climbers, 45sec dead lifts. Repeat.
Set 2: 45sec push-ups, 45sec pull-ups/rows, 45sec triceps dips/extension, 45sec shoulder press. Repeat.
Set 3: 45sec ab rotation with weight, 45sec glute bridge, 45sec crunches, 45sec plank. Repeat.
Send your health and fitness news to r.valentine@newcastleherald.com.au.
Renee Valentine is a writer, qualified personal trainer and mother of three.