Energising yoga class starts year-long challenge to stay fit and active
Published: 11 January 2022
A leading city councillor said he felt energised and recharged after his first ever yoga class at the start of a year-long challenge to stay fit and active.
Cllr Duncan Wood, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Physical Activity, is taking part in 12 Moves in 12 Months – a challenge to try a new activity each month during 2022.
The challenge aims to celebrate some of the amazing community groups and organisations in Exeter who are supporting people to be more active in their daily lives.
Cllr Wood will spend time each week in a group or class to try new activities for himself as a way of staying healthy and active, while having fun and making some new friends along the way.
January’s challenge is yoga. After attending the first session of with weekly sessions run by Katie Furler at the Pinhoe United Reformed Church in Old Pinn Lane, Cllr Wood said he felt great.
He said: “Yoga is a great way to start this challenge. The first session went really well – it is a great way to start the day.
“There were different exercises that I felt very comfortable with, some stretched me a bit and I thought I can improve on. Some I thought I could do but when I started I realised I couldn’t!
“The session leader Katie is very supportive and lets you know when you have options that will stretch the exercise for those who are a lot more experienced than me, or if they prove difficult you can simply take time out and relax and engage with the next one. It really does bring you in at a level where you feel capable with engaging with it.
“At the end of the session I felt energised. You do feel like your body has had a work out and you feel ready for the day.”
He added: “I’m really looking forward to 12 Moves in 12 Months. I’m going to try out 12 new experiences for me, 12 ways of getting active which are welcoming and open to anyone who has done nothing before - they are activities people might want to try in their own communities.”
Yoga instructor Katie Furler said: “I am really passionate about the benefits of yoga - it is great for both our physical and mental health. People need to find a class that is accessible and enjoyable for them with lots of variations to make sure they get the most out of it.
“Cllr Wood was a great asset to our group and I am looking forward to having him at our classes for the next few weeks. He said he enjoyed it and felt energised, which was really good to hear because that is exactly what I want, especially from a morning class.
“If anyone wants to get in touch and come along to one of my classes they would be very welcome.”
For more information about Katie’s classes in Pinhoe, Whipton and Heavitree visit www.devonrootsyoga.co.uk
For more details about activities near you visit the activity finder on the Active Devon website.
To follow Cllr Wood’s progress through 12 Moves in 12 Months keep an eye on the Council’s news website and social media channels and Live & Move’s blog page.