Fitness instructor works wonders in the Belong Warrington gym

A Belong Warrington Experience Day customer, who suffered from a stroke in 2011, has recently re-gained strength and mobility, thanks to the help of the village’s specialist fitness instructor, Sian Ryland.

67-year-old John Pugh suffered from a stroke in 2011, which resulted in him losing the ability to fully use his arm and leg on the right side of his body. Since attending Belong Warrington Experience Days, John has been receiving one-to-one personalised training sessions twice a week.

The fitness sessions have succeeded in significantly improving his cardiovascular fitness, mobility, balance and overall strength and have enabled John to gain feeling in the right side of his body again, resulting in an improved gait.

John’s recovery has been supported by Sian Ryland, an experienced personal trainer, who runs personalised exercise programmes in Belong Warrington’s fitness studio, a specialist facility fitted out with gym equipment that is specifically designed for older people.

John Pugh, said: "I have been exercising in the gym with Sian for 15 months now and I feel that I have achieved so much. I feel much more confident in my balance, I am able to lift up my right arm and move it around, and I have also started to regain feeling in the right side of my body. I feel that without Sian's help, I would not have achieved what I have or become a more confident person after having a stroke in 2011.”

Sian Ryland, commented: “Working as a fitness instructor at Belong is very rewarding indeed. I feel privileged to be able to make customers feel safe and protected and it has been wonderful to watch their mobility, balance, independence, confidence and emotional wellbeing improve as a result of following an exercise programme.”

Belong is committed to supporting people to live well through exercise and, as such, all Belong village customers have access to an exercise studio equipped with specialist gym equipment, which is supervised by instructors qualified in fitness and exercise for older people. The exercise studio is also open to members of the public who wish to use the village facilities.

To enquire about using Belong Warrington’s gym facilities or booking a training session with Sian, please contact the village on 01925593800.