Love to Move – British Gymnastics Foundation Programme

Love to Move is a chair-based, age- and dementia-friendly gymnastics exercise programme developed by the British Gymnastics Foundation.

Research published in 2016 based on the original Japanese programme concluded that it significantly improved walking speed. The UK-based programme has also been shown to:

• improve cognitive function

• help reduce depression in participants

• improve balance and

• improve the ability to undertake activities for daily living

Why Gymnastics?

The programme achieves this by carefully integrating gymnastic foundation skills, cognitive stimulation, and social interaction activities, all performed to music.

The movements used during Love to Move exercises help to develop coordination, balance, core strength and flexibility.

They can also enable new brain pathways to develop as well as stimulate old, undamaged but dormant brain cells to start working again, so great for neurological conditions and those with difficulty in producing co-ordinated movement.

It has a proven record of enabling a higher level of functioning including fall prevention and the ability to perform tasks like dressing, standing and moving more freely.

The Love To Move Programme

The entire programme consists of the following key elements/sections:

• warm-up

• pulse raiser

• alphabet activity

• fine motor skills

• clapping rhythms

• spoken rhymes

• strengthening

• bilateral Asymmetrical patterns (fun co-ordination!)

• movement through visualisation & cognition

• games

• partner work

• social songs

• a group finale and

• cool down

Gymnastics and Music

The use of music is a big part of the Love to Move programme. Music can stir emotions in people of all ages, lifting people’s spirits and bringing a fun atmosphere to a class.

Now we are bringing Love to Move to Mobilates! A unique opportunity to try something a bit different.

Join us on the 27th March at 4 pm for a taster session giving you a full flavour of the programme.

If you are already booked into SitFit for this date you don’t need to do anything – just come along with an open mind and a willingness to try something new whilst having some fun with others!

If you would like to join us then book into SitFit and you will be signed up automatically.

Sit Fit Booking Link