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FitFun Couch to 5k – Free Course For The Community

Have you ever thought about taking up jogging but would like a little extra help? Our FREE community FitFun Couch to 5k course could be ideal!

FitFun Couch to 5k is a community engagement initiative. Our experienced team of professional coaches are here to help locals improve their health. We do this in 10-week blocks, supporting participants through a well-designed programme of training. The plan begins with short interval jogging mixed with extended walking. Over the weeks, we lengthen your running time and reduce the walk phase. Eventually, building up your fitness to run 5 kilometres.

Who Is The Course For?

The Couch to 5k running structure is a popular method of getting less active people to exercise. It also enables former runners to get back into running safely, as well as non-runners to start from scratch. But even still, at FitFunActive, we know just how hard it can be to lace up your trainers and head out of the front door. Without further guidance and support, motivation can wane, which inevitably is where many give up on their exercise goals. Quite the opposite, our course has helped hundreds of people over the years to build up or regain their running capabilities in a safe, educational, and motivational manner. Therefore, we take great pride in our FitFun Couch to 5k course.

Why FitFun Couch to 5k Works?

We at FitFunActive are invested in providing accessible exercise opportunities within our community. Furthermore, we regard running to be a very accessible form of exercise. However, many of us find it challenging or avoid it out of fear, especially when we feel unfit. We have witnessed the transformation in confidence that our well-structured training has on people. Partly because we emphasise starting steadily. So, as a result, your body and mind adapt better. We believe this approach minimises the risk of injury by slowly introducing prolonged impact exercise. In addition, you build confidence early with small, easily attainable jogging targets. As the weeks progress, so too does the demand on the body. For example, in the first week, we commence with one-minute jogging intervals. In week two, you’ll be expected to jog for 2-minute intervals.

Our work has continuously inspired people to take their fitness to another level. Thus, our FitFun Couch to 5k course could be the foundation you need to build or rebuild your fitness. We have a proven track record of helping beginners become confident runners. With that in mind, why not join us and be a part of an ever-growing exercise community?

When Does The Course Start?

The course begins on Thursday, 11^th January 2024, and runs over a 10-week block. Each Thursday, we meet at 7pm for our group run on Streatham Common. In addition to the Thursday evening runs, we will support your progress with a 10-week training programme. On this plan, you will be encouraged each week to do a couple of independent workouts in your own time.  Finally, the course will culminate with a local park run on Saturday 16^th March 2024 at 9am.

How Do I Register?

FitFun Couch To 5k is a free community project, and we want to encourage everyone to get involved. However, we require you to be present for the first three classes to complete the course successfully. Plus, you must also carry out at least 80% of the course to cope safely with the demands of the exercise.

To register for our couch to 5k, please fill in the form below. We have 50 places, but spots do fill up very quickly on our courses. So do register early.

Registration closes on Thursday 4^th January 2024.

So let’s do it! Let’s get fit. Let’s have fun while doing so. Our committed team of trainers at FitFunActive are ready and waiting to help you reach your fitness potential in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

When you are motivated, you are driven and more determined to strive toward the health and fitness goals you set for yourself. You don’t suddenly believe that everything is easy, but you know that you are prepared to do whatever it takes to achieve your goal, regardless of the challenges that it poses.

For those who have hopes to kickstart or reignite an existing exercise regime, it is worth keeping in mind that many health experts believe it takes 21 days until your routine becomes a long-term habit. So in order not to lose hope, the first 21 days are crucial.

The Key To Long-Term Exercise

There are several articles with varying tips on how to obtain good habits. Advice on this ranges from getting a gym membership to writing down a well-defined set of fitness goals. Another example is giving personal rewards for accomplishing your ambitions. Whilst these are great for getting started, they do not hold the key to long-term motivation and commitment. A regular exercise routine can be extremely repetitive. Repetition can be dull and will eventually bore the average person. In many cases, even the most self-motivated experience boredom.

Joining a gym, finding a workout partner, and documenting fitness goals is a good start. However, it won’t exactly keep a person motivated three months down the road. In time, most people will start thinking hard about all the ‘enjoyable’ things they would rather be doing. At which point the fight ends in defeat. So, what’s the key to long-term exercise motivation?

Components of Motivation

There are two elementary components, fun and variance. Motivation is usually driven by the desire to accomplish something. It is then kept intact by continuously stimulating the mind. If the mind isn’t aroused, it will rapidly lose the willingness for the original goal. To create a desire for exercise, you have to stimulate your mind by making the activity an enjoyable and adventurous experience. Which is precisely what fun and variance add to a long-term exercise routine.

Have Fun

Fun – Treating exercise like hard work is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Staying motivated isn’t hard if you approach your training with an open mind. Be flexible and let yourself have fun. Eventually, you will realise that you’re enjoying working out. Before you know it, you will be looking forward to exercising. Working out with others can be a great way to fuel your drive. This does not necessarily have to be a big organised competition. It can be a local group setting that focuses on fun and inclusive exercise. Simply put, a place creating space for adults to have fun while exercising.

Vary It

Variance – Keep things fresh! No matter how captivating the activity is, if it is performed in repetition over several weeks, it will ultimately become a dreadfully dull experience. Do a variety of different routines each week. Your gym has numerous exercise machines, free weights, and pieces of cardio equipment. Ask a trainer for help if you need to, or be adventurous and figure it out yourself. Watch other people and learn. Make sure you start with light weights or slow-speed settings when unfamiliar with a piece of equipment. Start randomly alternating through them weekly, doing 3 or 4 sets of 3 or 4 exercises a few times weekly. Never do the same movements in the exact order two weeks in a row.

Tabata timer apps are great. You can manipulate these in various ways to suit your fitness level, such as the duration of an activity, recovery times and the number of rounds performed. Also, mix up your exercise surroundings by having some indoor and some outdoor activities. Keep your mind stimulated.

So there you have it… to reach that point where exercise adherence becomes long term, seek out fun, whilst keeping things fresh!

Well, these last couple of years have been tricky for health and fitness! Where have you stood, or possibly sat, in the course of the pandemic? During the lockdowns, many started with great intentions; out walking more, taking up Couch to 5K, doing home workouts and cycling. Alongside this, there seemed to be more ‘evening comforts’ than usual. But with lockdowns, hopefully, a thing of the past and it feels like there is an extra urge to make physical, mental and social health nothing less than a priority.

With this in mind, we are proud to announce our FitFunCouchTo5k course, which starts January 6th 2022. If you have thought about taking up jogging but would like a little extra help, our community project is ideal. In particular, we have a proven track record of helping beginners progress to become confident runners. Therefore why not join us and be a part of a post-COVID 19 exercise community.

Couch To 5K Challenge

We believe running to be a very accessible form of exercise. However, many of us find it challenging or avoid it out of fear, especially when we feel unfit. On the contrary, we have witnessed the transformation in confidence that our well-structured training has on people. Furthermore, our work has time and time again inspired people to take their fitness to another level. Thus FitFun Couch to 5k course could be the foundation you need to build or rebuild in a post lockdown world.

When Does The Course Start?

The course begins on Thursday 6th January 2022 and runs for ten weeks. We will meet every Thursday from 7 – 8 pm, on Hilly Fields, until Thursday 3rd March. The course will culminate with the Chase The Moon Olympic Park 5K on Wednesday 9th March.?

What can you expect on the Couch to 5k Course?

FitFunCouchTo5K is a voluntary project for which we are giving our time to invest in our community’s health. We support participants through a well-designed programme of training. The plan begins with a combination of short bursts of jogging with extended walking. This stage is all about confidence building. Also, the gradual start allows your body to adapt better. With this approach, we minimise the risk of injury by slowly introducing prolonged impact exercise. As the weeks progress, so too does the demand. For example, in week Two, you’ll be expected to jog for 2 minute intervals. In the third week of the programme, the effort increases to 4-minute bouts. 

Requirements and Registration 

To register for our couch to 5K, please fill in the form below. We have 100 places, but spots do fill up very quickly on our courses. So do register early. Whilst FitFun Couch To 5K is a free course, there is a £24 entrance fee for the Chase The Moon Olympic Park 5K on 9th March. Also, please note that there is a requirement to be present for the first three classes to complete the course successfully. Plus, you must also attend at least 8 out of 10 Thursdays to cope safely with the demands of the exercise. We are ready and waiting to help you reach your fitness potential in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

Well, these last few months have been tricky for health and fitness! Where have you stood, or possibly sat, during the lockdown months? Many started with great intentions; out walking more, taking up Couch to 5K, doing home workouts and cycling. Alongside this, there seemed to be more ‘evening comforts’ than usual. But with lockdown coming to an end and all legal limits on social contact drawn to an end in June, it’s almost like we’re at the start of a New Year. Therefore, it’s a great time to focus on our post lockdown health and fitness!

With this in mind, we are proud to announce our FitFun Couch to 5k course, which starts on September 9th 2021. If you have thought about taking up jogging but would like a little extra help, our community project is ideal. In particular, we have a proven track record of helping beginners progress to become confident runners. Therefore join us and be a part of a post lockdown exercise community. Thus sharing in a journey towards greater health and fitness. This is a free project for which we are giving our time to invest in our community’s health.

Couch To 5K Challenge

We believe running to be a very accessible form of exercise. However, many of us find it challenging or avoid it out of fear. Especially when we feel unfit. On the contrary, we have witnessed the transformation in confidence that our well-structured training has on people. Furthermore, our work has time and time again inspired people to take their fitness to another level. Thus FitFun Couch to 5k course could be the foundation you need to build or rebuild in a post lockdown world.

When Does The Course Start?

The course begins on Thursday 9th September 2021 and runs for ten weeks. We will meet every Thursday from 7 – 8 pm, on Hilly Fields, until Thursday 4th November. The course will culminate with the Chase The Moon Olympic Park 5K on Wednesday 10th November.

What can you expect on the Couch to 5k Course?

We support participants through a well-designed programme of training. The plan begins with a combination of short bursts of jogging with extended walking. This stage is all about confidence building. Also, the gradual start allows your body to adapt better. With this approach, we minimise the risk of injury by slowly introducing prolonged impact exercise.

Requirements and Registration 

To register for our couch to 5K, please fill in the form below. We have 60 places, but spots do fill up quickly on our courses. So do register early. This is a free course; however, there is a £22 entrance fee for the Chase The Moon Olympic Park 5K on 10th November. We hope and advise participants to try to make as many of the sessions as possible. But there is a requirement to attend the first three classes to complete the course successfully. 
We are ready and waiting to help you reach your fitness potential in a fun and supportive atmosphere.