What is Zest for Life all about?
My name is Jo-Anne Hale and I offer an encouraging yet unpressured and EFFECTIVE approach to exercise and movement that helps you to feel good about yourself and enjoy and enhance your body's capabilities, whatever your physical condition - in other words, re/discover your own Zest for Life! I know, from my own history of health concerns, how difficult it can be to maintain fitness, mobility and even motivation to move when in pain. It was a combination of injury and illness that led me to retire from a desk-bound career to pursue a more holistic way of life that respected my body's changing abilities.
I retrained in Dance Movement Therapy, which opened up the world of explorative movement and its benefits, both physical and psychological. I discovered that ingrained habits and conditioning (mental, physical and emotional) over the years had considerably impaired my flexibility and range of movement, causing pain and making me more susceptible to injury. Learning to move for relaxation, with curiosity rather than judgement, and for the sheer pleasure of it instead of purely to accomplish specific tasks, my health and fitness began (and continues) to improve. Having had poor coordination and balance since childhood, I discovered that this approach to movement improved both conditions as well as helping me to enjoy dancing for the first time in my life (I am by no means an accomplished dancer now, but I CAN dance for the joy of it!).
Realising that lots of conventional exercises and exercise programmes are not recommended for people with particular health conditions, I subsequently undertook training with a company that specialised in offering exercise tailored to suit those with conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), diabetes, Parkinsons Disease, obesity and heart failure. In this way, I knew I could offer exercise classes as well as movement opportunities that were safe for everyone to engage in. And so I now take great delight from enabling people in less than perfect health to gain the benefits from moving more, moving more regularly and from exercise tailored to their needs!
"We all really look forward to our class with Jo and appreciate how she makes it so much fun - every week there's something new and motivating to try!"
Mary, organiser of Sit Fit at Hamlet Lodge, Gloucester
For more information, take a look at the classes and individual sessions I offer and contact me now to book your personalised individual session or join a class.
