By Petra Opelova...
The second week of GIAG events is slowly coming to its end. But don’t worry; there are still many interesting events on offer and plenty of opporunities to try something new. The girls who attended the Belly Dance session definitely didn’t regret giving it a go last-minute.
The event wasn't at all short of participants and included many notic
First of all, the instructor gave us coin belts that tinkled with every move we made. Then we learnt how to walk and place our hands properly. Apparently, there are many hand positions and movements, each with different meaning. The most popular hand movement in the class was the snake when you try to mimic the motion of snake’s body by using your arms and shoulders. Quite a workout!
The hardest part for most of us was the belly roll. You must be able to use all your stomach muscles individually and roll them in and out one by one. Fortunately, there was a simple solution for those who were struggling with this technique: you can use your leg and hips to make it look like you are rolling your belly although it’s nearly still. This move is called the Camel Walk.
The end of the lesson saw us string together the different movements we had learned previously in beat with the music. I think I may speak for all the ladies present when I say we had great fun. Belly dancing, no matter what your age or size, gives you a sense of beauty and confidence. Show me a woman who wouldn’t like that.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Yoga: Just slow down
The middle of the week is just the best time for giving yourself a little break. However, if you don’t want to spend your free time sitting in front of TV and eating Chinese you should definitely try one of the yoga classes on Wednesday. Although it’s quite slow, it’s still a great workout, and you would be surprised how difficult some of the poses are.
The class began with a practice on how to sit 'properly'. You have to be very conscious of every single muscle in your body the whole time while you exercise, otherwise you may hurt yourself. After that we did some ‘light’ jumping to warm up, which in our unskilled interpretation sounded more like stampeding herd of elephants.
Then the real stretching started. Even though yoga poses may look easy they are far from it, especially if you have to hold the position for a longer period of time. When you don’t have the right technique you just end up shaking like jelly and falling down. But there is much more behind yoga than just stretching. It’s about using your muscles and learning the technique in order to maintain posture. According to the teachings of yoga, if you manage to find a balance in your body you find it in your mind as well.
We spent the final minutes of the session layed on the ground practicing breathing techniques. What a way to relax and forget about the worries of modern life! Much healthier than than sitting in front of the tele I must admit!
The class began with a practice on how to sit 'properly'. You have to be very conscious of every single muscle in your body the whole time while you exercise, otherwise you may hurt yourself. After that we did some ‘light’ jumping to warm up, which in our unskilled interpretation sounded more like stampeding herd of elephants.
Then the real stretching started. Even though yoga poses may look easy they are far from it, especially if you have to hold the position for a longer period of time. When you don’t have the right technique you just end up shaking like jelly and falling down. But there is much more behind yoga than just stretching. It’s about using your muscles and learning the technique in order to maintain posture. According to the teachings of yoga, if you manage to find a balance in your body you find it in your mind as well.
We spent the final minutes of the session layed on the ground practicing breathing techniques. What a way to relax and forget about the worries of modern life! Much healthier than than sitting in front of the tele I must admit!
Rounders Tournament!
On Sunday the 7th of February the UCLan Rounders team held a Give a Go tournament in Moor Park, where anyone could sign up to play or submit a team.
There were enough people who turned up for 3 full teams so a mini tournament was held. Each team played each other and there was an overall winner who won a prize. There was also an ongoing cake sale throughout the tournament to raise money for charity.
There were enough people who turned up for 3 full teams so a mini tournament was held. Each team played each other and there was an overall winner who won a prize. There was also an ongoing cake sale throughout the tournament to raise money for charity.
The event was extremely enjoyable and the Rounders’ team members and committee felt it was a great success as it helped promote the game within the University!
Grub Club!
By Petra Opelova...
Do you find yourself struggling to keep your New Year’s healthy eating resolutions? Are you a fast-food junkie/cheeky monkey? Then Grub Club is here to set you on the right track!
This event was quite unique as it represented one of the BBC’s initiatives to boost the healthy eating habits of students across the U.K. I was curious as to how many young people would actually attend this event in order to improve their lifestyles. I’m happy to say that the majority of chairs prepared in the Atrium were in actual fact filled!
After a brief introduction about the Grub Club’s aim and ethos we were given a welcome pack containing, among other things, a funny paper chef’s hat, ‘mood-food’ recipe cards and badges.
Then the cooking started! While Lee, the cook, was preparing two simple dishes (chicken in coconut milk and pasta with tomato sauce) he gave us very useful tips on cooking healthy with a tight budget. I was really surprised to find out that the chicken legs are far better than chicken breasts; they are not only apparently better in quality but also much cheaper. The whole time Lee entertained us with funny anecdotes from his student life when he cooked for all his friends using month old eggs.
Soon followed the best part of the whole session; the tasting! Although I would never think of mixing chicken, coconut and chilli peppers together I must admit it was delicious. What was also great to discover was that all the ingredients were bought locally and at good price. So instead of buying a Chinese every night you could do something good for yourself and your budget; invite your friends, cook a nice meal in a few minutes and have great fun!
Find out more about the Grub club scheme here!
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Strictly Come UCLan: Shall we dance?
By Petra Opelova...
We are still on the move, dancing our way through the first week of GIAG events to the second one starting with Strictly Come UCLan.
Being inspired by TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, I walked into the 53 Degrees with quite high expectations. As I thought, there was a shortage of guys so some girls had to take their place and play the man’s role in a pair. However, nobody really cared about that and the whole session was a great fun.
The first dance on the list was the dynamic Cha-cha-cha. After our instructors for the night (Luke Taberer and Hannah Morgan) showed us the basic routine we worked our way up from the simplest steps to the more difficult spins and turns. Thanks to this continuous repetition nobody was falling behind and when we finally danced with the music on, we were really able to enjoy it and go with the flow.
The next dance on the agenda was the Waltz. I expected this to be the easiest one, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. You would be surprised how difficult it is to repeat two different moves over and over again while trying to circle around the dance floor, especially when other people are bumping into you.
The last dance on our schedule was the swinging jive. Frankly, this one has earned its place to be my favourite. All that jumping and bouncing to the beat of the music just made my day and I wasn’t the only one giggling all the time. Overall, the session was a great success: no broken toes, friendly atmosphere, a lot of smiley faces, plus many burned calories!
So did Strictly Come UCLan meet my expectations? No, it exceeded them completely!
We are still on the move, dancing our way through the first week of GIAG events to the second one starting with Strictly Come UCLan.
Being inspired by TV shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, I walked into the 53 Degrees with quite high expectations. As I thought, there was a shortage of guys so some girls had to take their place and play the man’s role in a pair. However, nobody really cared about that and the whole session was a great fun.
The first dance on the list was the dynamic Cha-cha-cha. After our instructors for the night (Luke Taberer and Hannah Morgan) showed us the basic routine we worked our way up from the simplest steps to the more difficult spins and turns. Thanks to this continuous repetition nobody was falling behind and when we finally danced with the music on, we were really able to enjoy it and go with the flow.
The next dance on the agenda was the Waltz. I expected this to be the easiest one, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. You would be surprised how difficult it is to repeat two different moves over and over again while trying to circle around the dance floor, especially when other people are bumping into you.
The last dance on our schedule was the swinging jive. Frankly, this one has earned its place to be my favourite. All that jumping and bouncing to the beat of the music just made my day and I wasn’t the only one giggling all the time. Overall, the session was a great success: no broken toes, friendly atmosphere, a lot of smiley faces, plus many burned calories!
So did Strictly Come UCLan meet my expectations? No, it exceeded them completely!
Thursday, 4 February 2010
The First Aid Workshop: How to save a life
By Petra Opelova...
Sailing through the first week flooded with GIAG events, it’s time to lower the sails and anchor at the First Aid Workshop to learn how to save a life.
Although I have never been in a situation requiring me to give someone first aid, I have heard a lot of stories when people failed to do so because of their lack of knowledge. Honestly, I think everyone should know the basic first aid and that’s why I was very excited to go to the workshop.
Right after our rather large group gathered in the classroom the session began with a short introduction about LINKS (the University's First Aid Society) and their activities connected with St. John Ambulance. LINKS showed us how to treat somebody with minor/major bleeding. We could borrow gloves and bandages to try it out in pairs. It was a great fun, particularly the scenario where we bandaged somebody’s arm with a knife sticking out of it; quite tricky I must say!
The next step: helping somebody lying on the floor unconscious. We learned the five magic letters representing the procedure in that case: DR ABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, and Circulation). Again, we practised in pairs pretending to be in the real situation shouting out for help and stabilizing the patient.
The last thing on our list was to learn the technique of rescue breaths and chest compressions. This time we tested it out on dummies. I have to admit, giving mouth-to-mouth to a plastic imitation of a person was quite weird. Frankly, I can’t imagine doing it to a total stranger. Fortunately for me, it’s no longer necessary as the chest compressions are enough.
The whole session was very useful and entertaining at the same time. I recommend it to everyone who doesn’t want to helplessly stand by when something happens. It’s just a little thing you could to save someone’s life.
Sailing through the first week flooded with GIAG events, it’s time to lower the sails and anchor at the First Aid Workshop to learn how to save a life.
Although I have never been in a situation requiring me to give someone first aid, I have heard a lot of stories when people failed to do so because of their lack of knowledge. Honestly, I think everyone should know the basic first aid and that’s why I was very excited to go to the workshop.
Right after our rather large group gathered in the classroom the session began with a short introduction about LINKS (the University's First Aid Society) and their activities connected with St. John Ambulance. LINKS showed us how to treat somebody with minor/major bleeding. We could borrow gloves and bandages to try it out in pairs. It was a great fun, particularly the scenario where we bandaged somebody’s arm with a knife sticking out of it; quite tricky I must say!
The next step: helping somebody lying on the floor unconscious. We learned the five magic letters representing the procedure in that case: DR ABC (Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, and Circulation). Again, we practised in pairs pretending to be in the real situation shouting out for help and stabilizing the patient.
The last thing on our list was to learn the technique of rescue breaths and chest compressions. This time we tested it out on dummies. I have to admit, giving mouth-to-mouth to a plastic imitation of a person was quite weird. Frankly, I can’t imagine doing it to a total stranger. Fortunately for me, it’s no longer necessary as the chest compressions are enough.
The whole session was very useful and entertaining at the same time. I recommend it to everyone who doesn’t want to helplessly stand by when something happens. It’s just a little thing you could to save someone’s life.
Taekwondo: Not for weaklings!
By Petra Opelova...
Feeling stressed? Anxious about upcoming deadlines? Need something stimulating and energetic to take your mind off things? Try out a Taekwondo taster session! Be warned though; its MEGA tough.
As soon as I entered the studio in Foster Sport Centre, where the taekwondo lesson took place, I realized I was the only girl there giving it a go. However, I didn’t let it discourage me from taking my shoes off and finding my place in the back of the class.
The instructor didn’t make it easy for us beginners. We started off with an intense warm-up, which gave us a hint that this wasn’t going to be a child’s play of any kind. Then, we paired up in order to practice various kinds of kicks. It’s not as easy as it seems to be in Chuck Norris’ movies; believe me each kick must be aimed and controlled and this forces you into using muscles you had no idea you had.
After every single combo of kicks we did fifty push-ups (to reach the goal of five hundred) followed by numerous squats and sit-ups. Needless to say, we were out of breath by the end of the class.
Overall, I loved it. If you are a gym junkie or just like to push yourself to the limit this class won’t disappoint you. It’s not only a great way how to sweat your stress out but also an opportunity to improve upon many aspects of your personal fitness. As far as I’m concerned I will definitely try it again. I just hope I will be able to walk tomorrow.
Interested in giving taekwondo a go? Just pop in to one of the classes; they are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm in Foster Sport Centre.
Feeling stressed? Anxious about upcoming deadlines? Need something stimulating and energetic to take your mind off things? Try out a Taekwondo taster session! Be warned though; its MEGA tough.
As soon as I entered the studio in Foster Sport Centre, where the taekwondo lesson took place, I realized I was the only girl there giving it a go. However, I didn’t let it discourage me from taking my shoes off and finding my place in the back of the class.
The instructor didn’t make it easy for us beginners. We started off with an intense warm-up, which gave us a hint that this wasn’t going to be a child’s play of any kind. Then, we paired up in order to practice various kinds of kicks. It’s not as easy as it seems to be in Chuck Norris’ movies; believe me each kick must be aimed and controlled and this forces you into using muscles you had no idea you had.
After every single combo of kicks we did fifty push-ups (to reach the goal of five hundred) followed by numerous squats and sit-ups. Needless to say, we were out of breath by the end of the class.
Overall, I loved it. If you are a gym junkie or just like to push yourself to the limit this class won’t disappoint you. It’s not only a great way how to sweat your stress out but also an opportunity to improve upon many aspects of your personal fitness. As far as I’m concerned I will definitely try it again. I just hope I will be able to walk tomorrow.
Interested in giving taekwondo a go? Just pop in to one of the classes; they are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm in Foster Sport Centre.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Scuba Diving Taster Session: Experience of a lifetime
Petra Opelova
Hi everyone!
The marathon of GIAG events goes on! Let’s slow down a little bit and have a closer look at the Scuba Diving Taster Session.
The session kicked off at 8pm at Fulwood Leisure Centre where the pool was hired exclusively for our use. Each of us were assigned to personal instructor and given preparation for our first dive.
The most alarming fact for me - you have to spit in your goggles and spread it around in order to keep the goggles from fogging up. Being the lady I am, I was rather hesitant to do that but then I realized that it was better than to rinse it with water all the time.
After a short introduction to underwater sign language we finally went under. The first few breaths you take under the surface are a little bit weird, but when you get used to it you realize how wonderful it is. While doing various exercises, we learned how to cope with the underwater pressure, taught how to use the equipment effectively and how to maintain balance while swimming (which is surprisingly more difficult than it sounds).
Frankly, scuba diving is dangerously addictive. The hour just flow by without us hardly noticing. All those participating were enthused greatly to do it again. If you are sorry you missed it, which I totally understand, don’t worry; Preston Diving Club hold sessions every Monday at Fulwood Leisure Centre.
Hi everyone!
The marathon of GIAG events goes on! Let’s slow down a little bit and have a closer look at the Scuba Diving Taster Session.
The session kicked off at 8pm at Fulwood Leisure Centre where the pool was hired exclusively for our use. Each of us were assigned to personal instructor and given preparation for our first dive.
The most alarming fact for me - you have to spit in your goggles and spread it around in order to keep the goggles from fogging up. Being the lady I am, I was rather hesitant to do that but then I realized that it was better than to rinse it with water all the time.
After a short introduction to underwater sign language we finally went under. The first few breaths you take under the surface are a little bit weird, but when you get used to it you realize how wonderful it is. While doing various exercises, we learned how to cope with the underwater pressure, taught how to use the equipment effectively and how to maintain balance while swimming (which is surprisingly more difficult than it sounds).
Frankly, scuba diving is dangerously addictive. The hour just flow by without us hardly noticing. All those participating were enthused greatly to do it again. If you are sorry you missed it, which I totally understand, don’t worry; Preston Diving Club hold sessions every Monday at Fulwood Leisure Centre.
Photography Workshop: part 1
By Petra Opelova
“Give It a Go is back! From Saturday 30th January UCLan’s students have had the unique opportunity to enjoy more than two weeks worth of events trying things they might never had tried before. If you have missed out on an event or are wondering what all the fuss is about, you are in the right place.
The first event on my schedule was the Photography Workshop that is divided into three sessions taking place on Sundays in the Media Factory. First of all, I have to admit I’m not a very skilful photographer; most of photos taken by me were usually quite blurry or overexposed so this workshop was quite a challenge for me.
Our photography group, mostly formed by mature students, got together inside the Media Factory shortly before 1pm. The workshop began with a discussion on the photogenic nature of Preston city itself. The workshop coordinator, John Roberson, showed us several pictures by famous photographers in an effort to demonstrate how ‘the professionals’ do it. We had a little discussion about each of the photographs; assessing their colour, texture, light and perspective. After this we were given maps of the city with a highlighted area to explore. Those who didn’t have a camera themselves were permitted to borrow a University-owned hi-tech one. Soon, we were let loose in the city!
After an hour or so of running around Preston we headed back to campus with the 57 random photos I had taken. Surprisingly, all my pictures were completely different from the ones I normally take. There were no blurry washed-out images but instead an array of compelling photos of usual things seen from an unusual perspective; things you take little notice of when rushing to lecture.
After this first photography workshop I have to say I’m very proud of myself. I have transformed from a total amateur taking tourist-like pictures to someone who actually thinks about the photography’s composition, light and colours. If I can do it, anyone can! I can’t wait for the next session on Sunday 7th where we will try to edit our photos using Photoshop software!”
“Give It a Go is back! From Saturday 30th January UCLan’s students have had the unique opportunity to enjoy more than two weeks worth of events trying things they might never had tried before. If you have missed out on an event or are wondering what all the fuss is about, you are in the right place.
The first event on my schedule was the Photography Workshop that is divided into three sessions taking place on Sundays in the Media Factory. First of all, I have to admit I’m not a very skilful photographer; most of photos taken by me were usually quite blurry or overexposed so this workshop was quite a challenge for me.
Our photography group, mostly formed by mature students, got together inside the Media Factory shortly before 1pm. The workshop began with a discussion on the photogenic nature of Preston city itself. The workshop coordinator, John Roberson, showed us several pictures by famous photographers in an effort to demonstrate how ‘the professionals’ do it. We had a little discussion about each of the photographs; assessing their colour, texture, light and perspective. After this we were given maps of the city with a highlighted area to explore. Those who didn’t have a camera themselves were permitted to borrow a University-owned hi-tech one. Soon, we were let loose in the city!
After an hour or so of running around Preston we headed back to campus with the 57 random photos I had taken. Surprisingly, all my pictures were completely different from the ones I normally take. There were no blurry washed-out images but instead an array of compelling photos of usual things seen from an unusual perspective; things you take little notice of when rushing to lecture.
After this first photography workshop I have to say I’m very proud of myself. I have transformed from a total amateur taking tourist-like pictures to someone who actually thinks about the photography’s composition, light and colours. If I can do it, anyone can! I can’t wait for the next session on Sunday 7th where we will try to edit our photos using Photoshop software!”
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