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Over
the past 12months we have created a project called “GymJam”
which aims to give youngsters an early morning workout to focus
their mind for the school day ahead, encourage a healthy life style
and increase their activity.
We have formulated their GymJam package as a result of the shocking
stats claiming 25%of boys and 33% of girls
aged between 2 and 19 years are overweight or obese.
Obesity prevalence for the period 1995 to 2004 increased
from 14% to 24% for boys and from
15% to 26% for girls. Obesity
prevalence in boys aged 2 to 10 increased from 10% in 1995 to 16%
in 2004 and for girls from 10% in 1995 to 11% in 2004. There’s
no mystery why this increase is happening, quite simply, many children
do little exercise and eat a diet that’s packed with junk
food – GymJam aims to stop this. These sessions also are in
line with the Governments Extending Activities
strategy which states it wishes to offer young people 5hrs of sports
and fitness activities per week.
Gym Jam sessions are run in the morning before the start of school
and consist of a 45 minute work out. The sessions incorporate non-contact
martial arts techniques and can also include street dance, break
dance and capoeira. Music is used throughout the sessions to create
a relaxed, fun and motivated learning environment for the participants.
The sessions are progressive and there are three levels that can
be achieved. The sessions are great for primary school children
as they have been devised to combat childhood obesity. We can also
train staff and KS3 & 4 children to run the sessions, they also
receive an OCN Sports Leadership Accreditation; this creates sustainability.
As a result a sucessful Awards for All bids Whitehill Primary in
Halifax and Brackenhill Primary in Bradford are running GymJam sessions
in their schools for a whole year. Each school received £5,000
– with this money they are each running GymJam 4 times a week,
they have purchased specialist martial arts equipment and 3 volunteers
from each school are been trained up and OCN accredited to sustain
the sessions when the funding ends. In addition to these funded
sessions we are also working with the HAL Project and are delivering
GymJam sessions at Ryecroft, Fearnville, Lowerfields, Carrwood,
Knolweswood and Newhall Park Primary. These sessions are running
as a 10 week taster and are a result of PCT funding secured by HAL.
If
you would like to run Gym Jam at your school please contact us on
01274 411905.
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