THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

Meetings put on spin cycle

A health and wellbeing initiative at the University of Auckland is encouraging staff to trade in desks and chairs for exercycles.

The premise is simple - staff organise their meetings at the specialised Spin Studio in the University’s Sport and Recreation Centre and cycle at varying intensities for the duration of the meeting.

Those who are able are encouraged to stand and cycle when speaking, allowing them to not only maximise their exercise outcomes but also follow a general meeting framework.

The project has been driven by Fitness Instructor Matt Newey, who also runs six week Bene-fit fitness programmes for groups of workplace colleagues.

“This sort of initiative is popular overseas, particularly in the corporate sector, where it not only gets people active but helps build camaraderie between teams,” he says.

Ten staff members from the Faculty of Arts and more from Campus Life have already trialled the new concept at the University, spinning through a 40-minute meeting with great results.

Recreation Facilities Manager Sean Smith is similarly excited at the initiative, particularly in light of the Centre’s recent renovations to the new spin studio and changing room facilities.

Qualified spin instructors teach groups about bike setup, technique and intensity levels as well as warming up, cool down and stretches.

Sean says, “We want to make sure it’s an enjoyable experience for everyone and is part of our mission to provide a broad array of wellness opportunities to the University's staff.”

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