For Kids
Just like adults, kids need to stay active. The difference is that kids are usually quite willing to participate if Mom or Dad is willing to arrange it. Before driving your children to organized activities in Winnipeg, take a look at the wide range of fun programming close to home. Save the time, save the gas, and invest in your local community.
Ritchot: As the Director of Recreation Services for the RM of Ritchot, it’s Amber Mamchuk’s job to keep your kids active right here at home.
“According to the ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, only 35 percent of children ages five to 17 years are meeting the recommended physical activity levels set by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology,” Mamchuk says. “These staggering stats are due, in large part, to time spent on devices and in front of screens.”
Moderate to vigorous physical activity, she says, isn’t just about muscle tone and strength. It also contributes to better brain health.
“When children meet the recommended amount of physical activity, they tend to score higher on tests, participate better in class, have better problem-solving capabilities, and higher self-confidence.”
As well, studies show a strong correlation between physical activity and a reduction of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. And because parents need to model physically active lifestyles for kids from a young age, Mamchuk puts a lot of emphasis on programming that includes the parent and child together.
Shake, Rattle and Roll provides toddlers and their parents a time of shared physical activity. You’ll find it in Île-des-Chênes on Monday nights at the TransCanada Centre, and at École St. Adolphe School on Wednesdays at from 5:45–6:45 p.m.
A wide variety of physical activities are available for children and youth all over the municipality, including gymnastics and stunting, fitness kickboxing, karate, taekwondo, lacrosse, and youth badminton.
Of course, it wouldn’t be rural Manitoba without minor hockey, ringette, and skate club.
Niverville: Angela Janz is one of the recreation programmers for the Town of Niverville, and she says the town recognizes the importance of keeping kids physically active. Her department makes every effort to provide as many free or low-cost options as possible for kids and families.
Every winter, free public skating at the arena’s indoor and outdoor rinks provides opportunities for families to stay active together.
Inside the arena’s south end, you’ll find the Niverville Happy Kidz Stay and Play on alternating Thursday mornings as well as Toddler Shenanigans, which provides little ones with the chance to explore and experience the world through messy play, on Saturday mornings from October to December.
Tot Gymnastics focuses on games and basic gymnastic skills on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Saturdays, Sports Clubs for Young Children is where three to six-year-olds can discover the thrill of organized sport in a fun, positive, and affirming atmosphere.
Youth curling begins at the Niverville Curling Club in January and taekwondo is available at the Golden Friendship Circle on Monday and Thursday nights.
Move ‘n’ Groove, a program run by local parents, provides opportunities for physical activities and socializing for children who live with disabilities. The times and locations change, so check out their Facebook page for details.
With the addition of minor hockey, ringette, and skating club, there’s no shortage of options to keep your kids active this winter.
For Adults
We all know the health benefits that come from physical activity. It combats weight gain and disease, provides an energy boost, helps bring down stress levels, and promotes better sleep. But when work, family, and household duties all vie for our limited time, squeezing in another thing is difficult.
At some point, we just need to ask ourselves, “Am I worth it?” If you agree that some healthy me-time is overdue, look no further. There are plenty of options to fit every activity preference.
ShopGym: ShopGym, located at 1789 Main Street Niverville, offers a wide range of classes including group strength and conditioning, ShopGym Kids, boot camps, kettlebell, and a Silvers classes for seniors. They’re open seven days a week with hours that vary between 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
They also provide open gym time for those who want to use the workout equipment independently. On-site equipment includes a 30-foot monster rig, free weights and bumper plates, strongman equipment, and ninja implements.
New this year is a spin class that uses stationary bikes to provide a full cardio workout, and it’s appropriate for all fitness levels in 30-, 40- or 50-minute time increments.
“These classes are a perfect way to get a great cardio workout,” says owner Crystal Stott. “Our instructor will encourage and motivate you throughout the workout and keeps things fun.”
An Olympic weightlifting class is also new this year, instructed by world champion weightlifter Terry Hadlow. This class provides specialized training for everyone from beginners to those who are at a more advanced level.
ShopGym offers team training for sports groups, Ninja Warrior parties for kids, customized workout programming, professional nutrition and hormone coaching. You’ll also find a full stock of supplements including protein powder, collagen powder, and bone broth.
If you just can’t decide which gym to take a membership with, ShopGym and Average Joe’s Fitness have recently collaborated to bring you hybrid memberships, providing fitness options at both locations.
“The biggest thing that sets us apart is our community,” says Stott. “Group classes allow you to meet other people and give you an instant support system. Our coaches are invaluable. They teach proper movement and always provide appropriate modifications for every fitness level so you don’t have to be fit to start, and your first class is always free.”
Average Joe’s Fitness: Average Joe’s Fitness, at 10 Cedar Drive in Niverville, provides 24-hour member access, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. The gym is fully equipped, providing low-cost membership rates for individuals as well as discounted rates for families, couples, seniors, and students. A membership includes a fitness consultation and a personalized training program.
Online training options are also available. These include the 28-Day Shredder and Fit Mom Method.
Members will soon be able to take advantage of an online customizable app which will include free and paid training programs, nutritional recommendations, and fitness stat tracking. The program will integrate with Fitbits.
“I want to help people see that simple but consistent behaviours are the key to achieving [their fitness and weight loss] goals,” says owner Chris Friesen, “and that spending a ton of time in the gym and elaborate meal prepping isn’t necessary to achieve their goals.”
Soul Family Fitness: Soul Family Fitness opened earlier this year at 9 Heritage Trail in Niverville. Classes run from Monday to Saturday and hours are posted on their Facebook page. The gym offers resistance and strength training classes, kickboxing, and will soon introduce yoga classes as well. Local nutritionist Susan Watson of A Little Nutrition provides in-house consultations.
What makes this gym unique is the family-friendly environment. Busy parents can attend the gym and bring their little ones along to have fun in the nearby play area while Mom and Dad workout. Parents can forgo the guilt of leaving their kids at home, and kids in turn get exposed to the idea of pursuing an active lifestyle.
“My goal for Soul Family Fitness is to make it a peaceful and serene environment… a place for people to come and realize their full potential at work, home, and gym,” says owner and fitness trainer Christine Toews. “Being a mom, I get that it is not easy committing to a gym. We want to be with our kids, not take valuable time away from them.”
Of course, taking a membership at a local fitness centre isn’t your only option to stay active this winter. A variety of independent fitness instructors hold classes in facilities around our communities. Most communities offer adult sports programming as well.
For Seniors
The need to stay healthy and active never stops. Keeping the limbs limber and the heart pumping is good for everyone, including seniors.
Niverville: One of the roles of the Niverville Service to Seniors Coordinator, Damien Gagné, is to provide year-round programming to help seniors stay fit in an atmosphere that also provides a social outlet.
He says he’s seen the benefits gained as seniors lose excess weight, improve their mobility, gain confidence, and make new friends, which helps prevent isolation. All of these factors contribute to better mental health, too.
“Active seniors have stronger hearts and bodies and this will help them stay stronger for longer as they age,” Gagné says. “[Physical activity] improves balance, coordination, and bone and joint health. It also helps to keep the mind sharper for longer. Frailty happens when seniors stop being active for various reasons such as injury, operations, etc. Frailty is a dangerous state for seniors to be in.”
Gagné’s organized activities include a walking club, which meets at the Niverville Heritage Centre atrium every Wednesday morning. Fitness classes take place on Friday mornings at the Silver Courts common room with fitness instructor Stephanie Gerbrand. Both are free of charge.
Monthly outings also provide opportunities for seniors to stretch their legs and get some steps in. These events might include trips to Folklorama, Goldeyes games, flower gardens, and A Maze in Corn.
Ritchot: Janice Burnett, resource coordinator for Ritchot Senior Services, has been a firm believer in the importance of physical activity for the majority of her life. Since 1991, she’s been working as a certified fitness leader in group fitness and resistance training.
Eschewing the term “seniors,” she prefers to view them as active older adults.
“When people hear the word seniors, the stereotype is not what we find in today’s world,” says Burnett. “I am very fortunate to work with many different older adults. Some may live with one or more chronic conditions, so, in their case, just coming to my workspace and participating… is what is beneficial to them.”
Burnett adds that the initial benefit comes from simply leaving the house for a time of socializing with peers. Many of them walk to Burnett’s programs, providing the added benefit of simple and enjoyable exercise en route.
“I also work with another group of older adults that are considered ‘elite’ by Manitoba Fitness Council standards,” Burnett says. “They work out with me three to four times a week, plus many also have other weekly activities such as golf, pickleball, Pilates, and daily walking. There are sore knees, backs, and shoulders, of course, but they are keeping a very high level of activity and therefore improving their quality of life.”
Building muscle tone and core strength through regular exercise, she says, creates so many practical, day-to-day benefits. Seniors find that they are able to move from sitting to standing more easily, allowing them to stay independent longer in terms of bathing and washroom use. This helps them maintain a higher level of dignity.
For many seniors, maintaining independence also means carrying their own groceries or laundry basket, reaching items on cabinet shelves, or stooping to retrieve dropped items.
Burnett’s fitness classes include chair fit and yoga, stability ball (which focuses on core strength and balance), Tai Chi, Drumming for Fitness, and intervals and circuits for cardio and strength training.
Funded by Southern Health, seniors will also be able to access the Strength and Balance Falls Prevention program. Classes take place at the Ritchot Senior Services location at 457 Main Street, St. Adolphe from Monday to Friday.
“I very often say the hardest part of any class is just getting there,” says Burnett. “Once you’re there, the positive energy that is shared by everyone is the most contagious bug you will ever catch.”
