But first, today is the one year anniversary of returning to All Hallows after 16 months away from being in the same room as most of my DYBO family due to Covid! It was an anxious time – I wondered if you would come back, would the Zoom links work on the mobile Wifi, would the social distancing and Covid safety measures work well and reassure you guys that I will do anything to keep you safe whilst keeping you fit! (So far so good!)
My worries were unfounded! You guys are the best! and I’m so happy to report that we are still back, we are safe, we are loving it and we are fitter and happier because we took/take those steps to get back to in-studio classes, and of course with Zoom too!
This week is Men’s Health Week, kicked of neatly by Father’s Day in the UK. Whilst we tease the men in our lives about ‘Man Flu’, a low pain threshold and hypochondria, the truth is that whilst men might worry about ill health they are less likely to seek help, assessment or take action when it comes to their health.
This is even more so right now as getting a GP appointment is harder than ever and getting some advice about those worrying symptoms is likely to be put in the “too hard, do it later” box!
If you are man please check out this link, https://www.menshealthforum.org.uk/mhw
If you know a man, get him to check it out!
Here is a quick read first published in a dybo newsletter in 2009 , why not stick it under the nose of the men in your life ladies. DYBO gents please read!
What’s going on in your pants?
Men’s crown jewels are often the stuff of boastful exaggeration, fable and fantasy and the butt of jokes, but are rarely the topic of well-informed, understanding or relevant attention. Men are teased for their apparent hypochondria but the reality is that they rarely seek medical advice if they do notice that something is amiss. It is usually the ladies in their life that book doctors appointments or research potential ailments.
To that end, this article is important for everyone to read. If you are a man or a lady who has a husband/partner, dad, brother, son, cousin, good friend please read on and pass on this information because 50% of men have at least one episode of some form of prostate issue. The problems range from inconvenient and embarrassing to life threatening (prostate cancer is the most common male cancer with 35,000 men diagnosed every year and 10,000 men die). The information to follow is intended to raise awareness and not to diagnose or replace medical advice.
The prostate is a male reproductive gland, which produces the fluid for semen. It is about the size of a walnut and surrounds the urethra (the tube within the penis down which urine and semen passes). This gland grows a great deal during puberty but remains the same size throughout a mans 20’s and 30’s then it begins to grow again once he reaches 40 and continues to do so for life. 50% of men have no problems associated with their growing prostate but the other half have problems such as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) aka enlarged prostate, prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate due to infection) or prostate cancer.
Symptoms of prostate problems:-
- Frequent need to urinate, especially at night
- The difficulty in starting to urinate or need to force urination
- The feeling that the bladder is not completely empty after urination
- Leaking after urination
- Weak urine stream
If infection is present (prostatitis):-
- Fever/chills
- Lower back pain
- Aching muscles
- Fatigue
- Painful urination
If inflammation is present:-
- Testicular discomfort or pain in lower abdomen and back
- Discharge from urethra
- Blood or urine in ejaculate
- Low sperm count
Prevention
It is believed that hormonal changes in the 40+ male causes the prostate to grow and as such cannot be prevented.
To reduce the risk of it becoming more sinister:-
- Get your prostate checked yearly after the age of 40
- Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fibre, soy protein, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats. Keep animal protein low to moderate.
- Keep lean – obesity is linked with all cancers
- Exercise regularly and optimally 3-5 times per week for 60 minutes, including cardio, resistance, mobility, balance, stability and flexibility work
- Be a non-smoker!
- Drink alcohol and caffeine in moderation
- Drink lots of water (2 litres daily)
- Make love regularly (keeps prostate clear)
- Always check with your doctor if concerned about any change
Check out www.prostatehealthguide.com for more extensive information.
Remember to spread the word; awareness is essential to reduce the number of men suffering needlessly.
Of course men should be checking their testicles and chest area monthly plus keeping an eye on all areas of health including bowels, heart, lungs etc. Go to the above Men’s Health link for more information.
What’s coming up!
A full week of classes and one to one sessions with each other in the room and on Zoom.
Every week I offer new and fresh content, and together the DYBO Dudes and Divas, alongside me, provide lots of motivation, support and camaraderie.
Next week I want to round off Pride month with a special Rainbow Pride class – please do come along and promote it with your friends and family!, I shall be collecting for (and will donate to) the Terence Higgins Trust.
Green Tea and Citrus infusion
The combination of green tea and citrus fruits provides a perfect prostate supporting anti oxidant infusion that’s refreshing too!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 4 lemon peel strips (2 1/2 x 1 inches each)
- 4 orange peel strips (2 1/2 x 1 inches each)
- 4 green tea bags
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 4 lemon slices
Directions
Step 1
Stir together the water, lemon peel strips, and orange peel strips in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove the lemon and orange strips
Step 2
Place tea bags in a teapot; immediately add the simmering water mixture. Cover and let steep according to the tea package directions (1 to 3 minutes). Remove the tea bags, squeezing gently. Discard the tea bags. Stir in honey. Pour the tea into four heatproof mugs or cups and garnish each with a lemon slice. Serve immediately.
Also very nice chilled and over ice!
Have a fabulous week, I can’t wait to see you,
Helen x
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DYBO Live & Online – This week’s Classes are as follows:.
At All Hallows (Book in Advance only): Zoom class details further down the page
Monday
6.30-7.15pm: Boogie Fit – ‘Sassy Poptastic’
7.30-8.15pm: Total Tone – with bands hand weights and mat.
Tuesday
6.30-7.15pm: 5 in 1 Fitness – with bands, hand weights and mat.
7.30-8.15pm: Dance Fit – ‘Reggaeton Latino mix’
Thursday
6.15-7.20pm: Contemporary Stretch – various equipment used at each class, contact me for info.
7.30-8.30pm: Dancespiration – ‘Queen’…Divas get your crowns, you are all Queens!
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Joining us at All Hallows? – Protocols and information
I’m so happy to be able to run Face to Face classes at All Hallows and at the DYBO Studio in Church Crookham My primary objective is to ensure that we all have a wonderful time with effective and fun classes that are engaging, relaxed and of course safe.
To ensure that is the case I just want to share with you our class protocols to inform and reassure everyone. Not everyone has been out and about much over the past 2 years and some of us are more anxious than others about getting back to ‘normal’ life and activities as restrictions are lifted. Please be patient with each other and me – I have the responsibility of keeping you all happy and safe whilst complying with governing body guidelines and providing the best experience possible.
*Denotes for you to do, the rest is just info
Preparation
1) *Firstly ensure that you have booked by sending us an email info@dybo.co.uk confirming all the classes you wish to attend plus your payment method, be it as a member, using your voucher, or pay as you go.
No on the door bookings or payments can be taken. Bookings are not refundable or transferable. I will keep records of all attending for track and trace.
2) *Preparing your kit bag/box. This depends upon the class you are attending.
Boogie Fit, Dance Fit and Dancespiration crew will only require your indoor trainers/dance shoes to change in to, your hand sanitiser, sweat towel, and drink.
Total Tone and 5 in 1 crew – currently I am not sharing equipment in a group exercise setting so you will need your mat, a resistance band and light hand weights/equivalent in addition to your trainers, hand sanitiser, sweat towel and drink.
Contemporary Stretch crew need a mat, band, chi ball and at times 2 x tennis balls and a sock!
On the night
*Please park in the playing courts and maintain social distancing as you walk to the studio.
*Participants are required to arrive, enter and be in their personal exercise space between 5 and 10 mins before the class, please wait outside to be called in so that we are certain the space is ready for you.
*Please change into your clean trainers for indoor activity as you enter, e.g. slip off your outdoor shoes, place in your bag, walk to activity area then put indoor shoes on, the same in reverse to leave. This is to maintain the hygiene and cleanliness of the space and protect the lovely new wood floor.
*The toilets will be open to use but please arrive changed, ready for activity so as to keep use time minimal and avoiding cues outside. 2 people max allowed in at a time.
I will be sticking to class times for sanitising and ventilation purposes. Doors and windows will be open for ventilation, irrespective of the weather, and if it’s warm fans will be used to blow air forwards out of the windows and open door (as per guidelines).
Our exercise space is much larger than the governing body requirements (double in fact) indeed the government have lifted all guidelines, so it will be easy to maintain 2m social distance but please do keep your distance.
I will maintain social distance, however I will have a visor/mask if I have to come close to provide first aid etc.
After an entire teaching career facing my class participants with my back to the mirrors I have made the change (for now) to face the mirrors, this is for my safety in this strange Covid world, but I assure that I will still be able to see everything you get up to and will coach, encourage and nag as effectively as usual!!!
*After a wonderful class and virtual hugs, slip off your indoor trainers and you will leave in order of those nearest the door first then slip in to your outdoor shoes at the threshold.
*Please clear the site a.s.a.p. after class, I know you will want to chat but this directive is part of my compliance and I am responsible for you until you are off site!
*Please tell friends and family about our wonderful classes, I now have to rebuild my group exercise business after months away from face to face teaching due to the pandemic .
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Joining us on Zoom? – Links and Information
Monday
6.30pm Boogie Fit
7.30pm Total Tone
Tuesday
6.30pm 5 in 1 Fitness Class
7.30pm Dance Fit
Wednesday
6.30pm Old Skool, Step & Strength – Step, hand weights and band.
7.15pm Barre Fit – something to assist balance like a barre, eg. chair, worktop, mantlepiece etc.
Thursday
6.15pm Contemporary Stretch
7.30pm Dancespiration
Friday
6.30pm Freestyle Fitness Yoga – Release, Restore, Recover and Deep Stretch.
****** All the above classes change and vary weekly! *****
How to prepare your Zoom environment
- You need space to move 2 side steps, 4 walks forward, 4 backward. Move trip hazards and furniture as much as you can (get help, be careful!) to give you maximum space for upper and lower body movement. Roll up rugs or secure them so they don’t slip or cause you to trip.
- Plugging your device in to your TV with an HDMI cable is brilliant as it gives you a good picture of you (like a mirror) and me – as well as boosting the sound if you go through the TV/Hi-Fi sound system. If you can place your device under the TV, then even better.
- I know some of you are using your phones – try to plug in to a speaker system (even those little speakers we have when we go on holiday would help) so that you can hear better as you move back from the phone. Angie has tried Bluetooth earphones and it worked well.
- Ensure you have maximum access to your Wi-Fi in the house and as close to the router as is feasible. Take phones off the Wi-Fi system and pop them on to your 4/5G network or place on airplane mode, unless that’s what you are using to join us, obviously. Ask family to do the same for the duration of your class – keep them off the internet whilst you need the bandwidth. The more bandwidth you have, the better the picture and sound and the less likely you are to lose the feed. Your health is a priority at this time and I’m sure they can do something else for that short time!
- Ventilate your exercise space, have plenty of water and towels to hand, keep your exercise equipment close – if you need anything, let me know.
- Wear correct footwear for your activity – putting an old pair of socks over the toes and ball of your trainers will help reduce friction when exercising on carpet (if they are a really old pair, cutting the toes open and then just having them over the ball of the foot is even better). It’s up to you if you want to dance or train in bare feet but be careful if you don’t usually do this as it takes time for the muscles and connective tissue of the feet and rest of the body to adapt to barefoot training.
- Make your own gym equipment. Save laundry liquid or milk bottles – you can fill them with water or wet sand/rice etc. to add weight and make a dumbell/kettlebell. I recommend you make a few in differing weights and you have written on them so you know what they weigh and seal the caps with tape to prevent leakage. Get a heavy duty shopping bag and put weighty items in it, check they can’t fall out and you have a kettlebell alternative. Make your own hurdles, put cushions, pillows, boxes, books on the floor to jump over. Use household items as floor markers for circuit activities. The stairs and outdoor steps are great temporary steps/benches for cardio and upper body work. The garden is a great open space to make an assault course or if you can get a signal, take your class or PT session outside, but do make it safe.
Fees, you have THREE options!
£7.50 per class. Paid in advance please.
10 Class Voucher £65 (to be used within 12 weeks of purchase)
Membership, unlimited classes, £50, plus a pandemic bonus of free access to all videos of the classes on our DYBO TV channel ! (Valid first to last day of calendar month, paid on the first day of the month). One full months notice of membership suspension/cancelation is required with One membership restart permitted within a 12 month period. Bonus £5 discount for one to one services for current membership holders.
If things get so tight that you can’t afford it then please reach out to me, I want to keep you healthy and happy and help you through this tough time and trust that no-one will take advantage of me.
Bank details are UK Fitness Academy Ltd.
Sort Code 09-01-28, Acc No. 04284324
Please email me when you have made a payment and use your name and what it’s for as a reference.
eg. Jane Smith Class Voucher. As reference, I do have a Paypal account but it costs money to receive and move money.
Disclaimer
I declare that all of the information I have given (both written and verbal) is accurate and truthful. I know of no reason why I cannot participate fully in any exercise programme and I do not deem it necessary to consult my medical practitioner/GP/specialist. I undertake to inform my instructor should any information change.
I understand that I participate at my own risk and that any information given is not intended to replace or represent medical advice.I agree to comply with all terms conditions and class protocols and instructions as outlined above and whilst attending DYBO classes/trainiing.
Do not attend classes if experiencing symptoms of Covid 19 infection or have tested positive and are instructed to isolate as per Government guidelines.
Attending any DYBO class will assume agreement with above terms and disclaimer.
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