Key worker loves to move

Ros shares how she’s managing to juggle being a key worker with her online classes and staying fit and healthy herself.

Ros is a physiotherapist at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and runs a small business Love to Move offering exercise classes in adapted Tai Chi and Pilates.

About me

I usually work in outpatients, but I’ve been brought in to work on the wards during the crisis. There’s been a sense of people mucking in and helping each other out. Everyone wants to be supportive and useful.

I was due to take my Pilates mat work exams two weeks ago, but these had to be adapted due to lockdown. I sat the theory exam online. Instead of going up to London to do the practical, I was allowed to choose a family member to perform an appropriate Pilates programme with, which was filmed and sent in to be marked. I was really pleased to hear I passed with flying colours!

I specialise in rheumatology physio. I’ve used both Pilates and Tai Chi to support my outpatients who suffer with conditions such as hypermobility and fibromyalgia. Tai Chi in particular, is a helpful way to help people with fibromyalgia to exercise. It’s more accessible than most forms of exercise. It helps to start to get people moving and is also very mindful, which is helpful when you suffer from persistent/chronic pain.

I now teach adapted Tai Chi and Pilates including a special course for cyclists at Weeke Community Centre in addition to my NHS role.

Like many exercise practitioners, I’ve moved my classes online and had to get to grips with Zoom. I do a couple of ballet classes each week, so have experienced online exercise classes as a user. This has been helpful when trying to think about what works and what doesn’t as a provider.

There’s been a real sense of building a group and sense of togetherness during my lockdown exercise classes. We’re all getting to know each other. Yes, it’s a business, but it feels a bit more than a business at the moment. There is a need for people to connect. There’s a little bit more to the class than just exercise; it’s a social link. I log on early to allow people to drift into the classes and we can say hello before we get going.

I find not being able to feedback in the same way to participants the biggest challenge now. Hands on corrections are a big part of my Pilates classes usually and are often more effective than telling people how to change positions. I really miss that hands-on contact. It’s difficult to know when this will come back.  Social distancing is going to make it very different even when we are all back in the hall.

I’m sure there is going to be demand from participants for classes to stay online even when the hall is reopened. I’m planning to keep an online offer, as it opens up classes to people who live further away.

It’s so important to find exercise that you enjoy and that suits your personality even during lockdown. I run once a week with our dog and have just returned to going out for a run with my friend with social distancing. We’ve been going for lots of family dog walks during lockdown round the golf course, which was opened up to the public, as well as out to Crab Wood and Farley Mount.

I do ballet two or three times a week. Its mindful, relaxing, challenging, it works the brain and my core and keeps me stretched out.

I love being outdoors so having a dog and being outside helps tick that box for me. Running also gets me outside as well as provides cardiovascular fitness; the dog loves running with me which makes it fun!

I would never be comfortable having a personal trainer; that way of exercising and working doesn’t motivate me at all or suit my personality.

Find out more about Love to Move on the Love to Move Site.

For more stories from local providers about how they’ve adapted visit our support for the sector page.