Rec Centre

The Heart of the Matter

I heard of a saying once - probably wise "if you can't beat it, join it". I'm sure it was about exercising rights, or maybe it was bodies and hearts. What puts your heart rate up from its normal everyday resting rate of about 65 to 80 beats per minute? Nicotine, adrenaline, isometric exercise, to name but a few stimulants. To get to the heart of the matter in consideration of health, we will consider cardiovascular exercise. What??! (Exercise which has effects on the heart and blood circulation).

Question: What sorts of exercise affects the heart's rate?

Answer: All sorts. At the beginning of muscular exercise, the pulse rate increases rapidly. Gradually, after 4 to 6 minutes, a plateau is reached, (that is called the-working heart rate), and dependent on a large number of variables including the type of activity undertaken, your weight, age and level of fitness, this will be at least double its normal resting rate. Some of the repetitive activities which allow you to establish a working heart rate are skipping, jogging, exercycling. So skip that extra cup of coffee, jog along to the Rec Centre and exercise yourself.

There's a feast of new classes and activities to jump or slide into, depending on your mood. Dance your heart out, wheel on a exercycle, bounce on a trampoline, roll on a mat, glide down the ski ramp; swing into winter by getting involved with your body. Or take it to the sauna.

Amongst the many ways of keeping warm this winter introduce yourself to the sauna. For $1.00, you get an hour's warmth, a towel, and a key to the door. Get a group of friends together, and have a sauna. It's open between 12 noon to 8pm each day. You may have it to yorselves for an hour for only $6.00!! "Oh, if that too, too solid flesh would melt"!!

Playing cricket during the winter? Play yes, but inside the Recreation Centre. This term we start indoor cricket on Thursdays, at 12 noon to 2pm. So become involved and enter a team of 6 players. It's like non-stop cricket, or other playful games, but different. Come and see or come and play. "The play's the thing!" For other playful experiences, check the Rec. Centre timetable; it's available at reception.